In this case a standardized test is a test used to measure how well a student has been doing in school. It is 'standardized' because every student (in a grade) takes the same test - it is the same standard (measurement) for each student.
When Michael Bloomberg ran for mayor (leader) of New York City 4 years ago, he ran many television commercials claiming that his policies had improved the New York City school system. (Yes, you can 'run' for political office and you can 'run' television commercials - show television commercials.)
Unfortunately, it turns out that under his leadership students in New York City were not being accurately tested. The tests that students in New York City were being given were much easier than tests students in other parts of the country were taking.
Now that students are being given more challenging tests, we can see that the policies of Michael Bloomberg have harmed the education of a majority of New York children. As this article points out, most New York City school children are not at the grade level they should be at. Indeed, the statistics are shocking. After 12 years as mayor we can see that Michael Bloomberg was more interested in covering up (hiding) the poor performance of children in schools than in helping the children of this city.
Basically, there is a great deal of poverty in this city. Many children come from broken homes and do not have parents who can find ways to motivate them to perform well in school. I think the poor scores are more a reflection of the social and economic problems in New York City than the educational problems, although there are huge problems with the school system as well.
The article:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/city-students-scores-dramatic-plunge-new-standardized-tests-article-1.1419973
Vocabulary to help you understand this article:
a plunge - a drop; if you are at a swimming pool you might take a plunge from a diving board into the water.
a dramatic plunge - a severe or large drop
proficiency - if you are proficient at something, you can do it well. So only 33% of New York City school children were able to pass this type of test. The year before, with the easier tests, 66% of the children passed.
more closely aligned to academic standards - basically they are more closely related to the type of test that would accurately measure a student's performance. To align something is to put it in a line with other things.
but critics say children weren't properly prepared to the roll out - I don't understand this part either. I think it might be a mistake. Perhaps it should have been: but critics say the children weren't properly prepared for the new exam. You can be prepared 'for' something or you can be prepared 'to' do something.
struck out - a baseball term. If you strike out, you fail.
tougher - harder.
posting a drop - showing a drop
a high-stakes test - high-stakes is a gambling term. If you are gambling for high-stakes, you are gambling for a lot of money. A high stakes test is a very important test - as if you are gambling for a lot of money.
dire - terrible
predicted - many education experts knew the previous tests were too easy and they expected that the current scores would be shockingly low.
minority groups - blacks and Latinos
even more drastic - even more shocking, even more bad
how it breaks down - how the statistics can be understood
charter schools - these are privately run schools that are funded by government money.
the race factor - this shows the performance of students based on their race. Asian students seemed to do better than students from other racial groups.
take a giant hit - for scores to take a giant hit, this means that they would show some type of damage - they would drop.
to roll out a curriculum - to provide a curriculum (a course of study) that would be challenging enough to help students prepare for the exams. So it looks as if the curriculum in New York City schools is not very good.
he struck a more optimistic note - he adopted a more optimistic or happy attitude
to be paralyzed - to be unable to move or take action
dismal - terrible, dark, gloomy
to boycott something - to refuse to do something
close schools, fire teachers etc. - the real scores from this real test will eb used to determine whether some schools should even stay open and whether some teachers should be allowed to continue teaching.
to promote or hold back students - to promote a student means to let the student move to the next grade level. To hold a student back means to refuse to allow a student to move to a higher grade level.
touted the bleak outcomes - praised the bad results of the tests. He said this will lead to improvements in the future.
closing the gap - a gap is a hole or a distance between things.
Hizzoner - a 'cute' name for the office of mayor. Hizzoner means: His Honor...
conceded - admitted
panicked - if you panic you feel an extreme sense of fear and anxiety
atrocious - terrible
mishandling - poor or bad way of dealing with or handling a situation
blasted the results - criticized them harshly
averted - avoided
an advocate - someone who speaks out for or represents certain people
a reform - a change
vulnerable - if a person is vulnerable, he/she is at risk of being harmed
Friday, August 9, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
A 14 year old Bronx gang member was shot by the NY police
I think this is an interesting story about what life is sometimes like in the Bronx.
New York City is made up of 5 basic areas (called boroughs - pronounced BUR ooos). The boroughs are Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
The Bronx is one of the poorest areas in the Unites States, while Manhattan is one of the richest.
In this story we read about how the New York police shot and killed a 14 year old boy who was running down a street trying to shoot another person.
Yes, the 14 year old had a gun and was out in the streets (at 3am) chasing another person, trying to kill him. Apparently the 14 year old was a member of a 'gang.' A gang is a group of young people who are usually very violent and who make money illegally, usually through selling drugs.
The gun the 14 year old was using:
The article:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/cops-shoot-kill-bronx-gunman-article-1.1417158
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
to open fire - to shoot a gun
rookie officers - beginning officers. A rookie is someone just starting out. A rookie baseball player is playing in his first year.
detectives - these are police officers who investigate crimes.
a gunslinger - someone who is shooting a gun or someone who likes shooting at other people. It is a term from the old west, when almost everyone carried a gun and had to know how to shoot.
to rail against - to complain about; to attack something verbally or orally
a flood of firearms - a lot of guns.
falling into the wrong hands - if something falls into the wrong hands, something is being used by someone who should not be using it.
Melrose - an area in the Bronx
a pistol - a small gun that can be held in one hand.
a commissioner - the leader of the police department.
due in court - if you are due in court you are expected or supposed to come to court. If you take a book out of the library, the book will be due back at the library on a certain day.
a rap - an accusation, a charge. If you accuse someone of something you claim the person did something wrong.
to recall - to remember.
to intervene - to get involved in something to stop something bad from happening.
undetermined - not known
to confiscate - to take something away from someone.
unfolded - happened.
in pursuit - if you are in pursuit of someone, you are chasing someone or trying to catch someone.
firing wildly at his foe - shooting wildly at his enemy or person he wanted to kill.
justified - if a shooting was justified, it means it was ok or morally right to do it.
distraught - if you feel distraught, you feel terrible - you feel distraught when something unexpectedly terrible happens.
a sophomore - he was in his second year of high school.
Trayvon Martin - a black young man who was killed by George Zimmerman. There are a couple articles about this from last month on this blog.
Sean Bell - Bell was shot by police the night before his wedding. He was drunk and apparently tried to hit a police officer with his car. Other police officers fired about 200 bullets into his car, killing him.
bring him up on charges of murder - the aunt (his mother's sister) believes that the police officers should be arrested for killing the 14 year old boy.
intent on killing - if you are intent on doing something, you really want to do something.
condolences - sorrow. The police commission expressed his condolences (sorrow) to the mother of the boy. Yet, why did the mother allow the boy to be outside shooting at people?
reach out directly - to make contact with the family directly.
this juncture - this point in time
a felony - a major crime. A misdemeanor is a minor crime.
stemming from - coming from
alleged - apparent; if someone is alleged to be a murderer, he hasn't been proved to be the killer, but the police think he is.
menacing - harassing, scaring, threatening
insufficient evidence - not enough evidence.
---------------------------
Discussion/writing topics:
1) Considering the fact that this young man had been arrested before for violent crimes and his mother could not seem to control him, should the police commissioner have expressed his condolences to her?
2) Does this story change your perception of what life might be like in New York City?
3) Basically, the mayor of New York City has done nothing to end poverty and violence in areas like the Bronx. His solution has been to send extra police officers into poor and violent areas. Is this a good solution?
New York City is made up of 5 basic areas (called boroughs - pronounced BUR ooos). The boroughs are Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
The Bronx is one of the poorest areas in the Unites States, while Manhattan is one of the richest.
In this story we read about how the New York police shot and killed a 14 year old boy who was running down a street trying to shoot another person.
Yes, the 14 year old had a gun and was out in the streets (at 3am) chasing another person, trying to kill him. Apparently the 14 year old was a member of a 'gang.' A gang is a group of young people who are usually very violent and who make money illegally, usually through selling drugs.
The gun the 14 year old was using:
The article:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/cops-shoot-kill-bronx-gunman-article-1.1417158
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
to open fire - to shoot a gun
rookie officers - beginning officers. A rookie is someone just starting out. A rookie baseball player is playing in his first year.
detectives - these are police officers who investigate crimes.
a gunslinger - someone who is shooting a gun or someone who likes shooting at other people. It is a term from the old west, when almost everyone carried a gun and had to know how to shoot.
to rail against - to complain about; to attack something verbally or orally
a flood of firearms - a lot of guns.
falling into the wrong hands - if something falls into the wrong hands, something is being used by someone who should not be using it.
Melrose - an area in the Bronx
a pistol - a small gun that can be held in one hand.
a commissioner - the leader of the police department.
due in court - if you are due in court you are expected or supposed to come to court. If you take a book out of the library, the book will be due back at the library on a certain day.
a rap - an accusation, a charge. If you accuse someone of something you claim the person did something wrong.
to recall - to remember.
to intervene - to get involved in something to stop something bad from happening.
undetermined - not known
to confiscate - to take something away from someone.
unfolded - happened.
in pursuit - if you are in pursuit of someone, you are chasing someone or trying to catch someone.
firing wildly at his foe - shooting wildly at his enemy or person he wanted to kill.
justified - if a shooting was justified, it means it was ok or morally right to do it.
distraught - if you feel distraught, you feel terrible - you feel distraught when something unexpectedly terrible happens.
a sophomore - he was in his second year of high school.
Trayvon Martin - a black young man who was killed by George Zimmerman. There are a couple articles about this from last month on this blog.
Sean Bell - Bell was shot by police the night before his wedding. He was drunk and apparently tried to hit a police officer with his car. Other police officers fired about 200 bullets into his car, killing him.
bring him up on charges of murder - the aunt (his mother's sister) believes that the police officers should be arrested for killing the 14 year old boy.
intent on killing - if you are intent on doing something, you really want to do something.
condolences - sorrow. The police commission expressed his condolences (sorrow) to the mother of the boy. Yet, why did the mother allow the boy to be outside shooting at people?
reach out directly - to make contact with the family directly.
this juncture - this point in time
a felony - a major crime. A misdemeanor is a minor crime.
stemming from - coming from
alleged - apparent; if someone is alleged to be a murderer, he hasn't been proved to be the killer, but the police think he is.
menacing - harassing, scaring, threatening
insufficient evidence - not enough evidence.
---------------------------
Discussion/writing topics:
1) Considering the fact that this young man had been arrested before for violent crimes and his mother could not seem to control him, should the police commissioner have expressed his condolences to her?
2) Does this story change your perception of what life might be like in New York City?
3) Basically, the mayor of New York City has done nothing to end poverty and violence in areas like the Bronx. His solution has been to send extra police officers into poor and violent areas. Is this a good solution?
Monday, August 5, 2013
Test your vocabulary from the Mapuche story
The vocabulary for this exercise was taken from this posting:
http://convostartersenglish.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-mapuche-indians-and-their-struggle.html
Please review the meanings of the vocabulary words there before attempting the exercise:
a raid, a blaze, sporadic, conspicuously, to sabotage, to escalate, prompt, arbitrary, a dispute
1. It is common knowledge that President John Kennedy was the first president to send soldiers to Vietnam in 1961. However, it was President Lyndon Johnson who chose to _____________ the American involvement in that war.
2. Although they are allies, for many years now Korea and Japan have engaged in a ___________ over who possesses an island between the two countries. Korea calls the island Dokdo and Japan calls it Takeshima.
3. After 10 years of searching for Osama bin Laden, he was located in Pakistan and the Obama administration launched a _____________ to execute him in his compound (the place where he lived).
4. "Due process" is a legal term which means that if a person is accused of doing something wrong, the process by which he is judged must not be ______________. There have to be well-established and fair procedures which will be followed.
5. At first the pain in my back was ___________. Later the pain would not seem to go away and I had to go to the doctor for help.
6. The ___________ which was started in the World Trade Center tower was so intense that it was able to melt the steel structure of the building.
7. During World War II the French underground fighters against the Nazis often _______________ German military equipment or even railroad track systems.
8. I believe it is important for me to be ___________ for any appointment. Indeed, I usually show up well ahead of time.
9. When people buy designer goods, they often wear the brand label _____________ on the item as a sign of prestige. (something prestigious is something that makes others admire you).
Answers are below:
Answers:
1. escalate
2. dispute
3. raid
4. arbitrary
5. sporadic
6. blaze
7. sabotaged
8. prompt
9. conspicuously
http://convostartersenglish.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-mapuche-indians-and-their-struggle.html
Please review the meanings of the vocabulary words there before attempting the exercise:
a raid, a blaze, sporadic, conspicuously, to sabotage, to escalate, prompt, arbitrary, a dispute
1. It is common knowledge that President John Kennedy was the first president to send soldiers to Vietnam in 1961. However, it was President Lyndon Johnson who chose to _____________ the American involvement in that war.
2. Although they are allies, for many years now Korea and Japan have engaged in a ___________ over who possesses an island between the two countries. Korea calls the island Dokdo and Japan calls it Takeshima.
3. After 10 years of searching for Osama bin Laden, he was located in Pakistan and the Obama administration launched a _____________ to execute him in his compound (the place where he lived).
4. "Due process" is a legal term which means that if a person is accused of doing something wrong, the process by which he is judged must not be ______________. There have to be well-established and fair procedures which will be followed.
5. At first the pain in my back was ___________. Later the pain would not seem to go away and I had to go to the doctor for help.
6. The ___________ which was started in the World Trade Center tower was so intense that it was able to melt the steel structure of the building.
7. During World War II the French underground fighters against the Nazis often _______________ German military equipment or even railroad track systems.
8. I believe it is important for me to be ___________ for any appointment. Indeed, I usually show up well ahead of time.
9. When people buy designer goods, they often wear the brand label _____________ on the item as a sign of prestige. (something prestigious is something that makes others admire you).
Answers are below:
Answers:
1. escalate
2. dispute
3. raid
4. arbitrary
5. sporadic
6. blaze
7. sabotaged
8. prompt
9. conspicuously
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Current job creation in the USA consists of primarily low-wage jobs
This seems to be more bad economic news for the USA.
Some jobs are being created in the USA, but they are mostly lower-level, unskilled jobs. The person who wrote the article jokes that the USA is becoming a nation of "hamburger flippers." A person who flips hamburgers is a person who works at a place like McDonalds and 'flips' (turns over) hamburgers with a cooking utensil (tool) to make sure the hamburger is cooked equally on both sides.
The article:
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/become-nation-hamburger-flippers-dan-alpert-breaks-down-145831220.html
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
to break down something - to analyze or interpret something in order to understand it better. To look at specific parts of a bigger thing to better understand the bigger thing.
to consist of something - to be made of something
to fall short of expectations - the results did not meet what was anticipated or expected or hoped for.
well shy of “whisper” numbers for payroll figures above 200,000 - to be 'shy' of something means to fall short of something. If a person is shy of his 21st birthday, he is not yet 21. If the money you have is shy of $100, you do not have $100. "Well shy of" means far from what you hoped to have. So economists had been 'whispering' about the possibility of reaching 200,000. This means they had been secretly hoping to reach that number. To whisper is to speak very softly so that most people cannot hear you. Payroll figures would be the number of people being paid to work.
tallies - if you tally something, you add something together. So job tallies are just the number of jobs.
revised down - initially the numbers seemed to be higher but were changed and dropped. To revise something is to change it to make it seem more accurate.
to cite something - in this case it means to mention something, to record something or write something down
a trend - the way things are moving or developing
more of a wounded beast than a bull - he is saying that the economy is not strong. It used to be like a beast (a strong animal) but it is now wounded (harmed). Here's a bull:
a sector - a part
retail trade - a person who has this type of job might work in a clothing store or other store selling things
waste services - I am guessing this would be someone who picks up garbage from homes and takes it away.
leisure - pronounced LEE zur: your leisure time is the time you spend not working
low-wage growth - more and more people are getting really low-paying jobs
a recession - when the economy slows down a lot. A depression is worse.
a rebound - if something goes badly but then starts to get better, this is a rebound. The word comes from basketball. If one player shoots at the hoop and misses, another player might grab the ball and try another shot. This is a rebound.
“So a $15 wage to work has no impact… you’re not increasing consumption or the ability [of workers] to go out and buy stuff." - If people are just making $15 per hour, this will not really help the economy to improve. To increase consumption means to increase the purchasing or buying of stuff.
second derivative - to derive something means to get something. A second derivative means that if people make a lot of money, they will buy extra stuff and this, secondly, increases the need to produce more stuff. A benevolent (good) cycle is created and the economy improves.
lackluster - to lack means not to have something. A luster means a shine. So if something is lackluster, it does not shine. So if the economy is lackluster, it is not really that great - it is not 'shining' - it is dull.
--------------------------------------------
If you find this site useful, you might like my ESL book:
http://www.amazon.com/Sucks-Youll-Wanna-Anyway-ebook/dp/B004TSPAQS
If you don't have an e-reader, drop me a line at djg51qu@gmail.com and I'll send you a free copy via Word attachment. :)
Some jobs are being created in the USA, but they are mostly lower-level, unskilled jobs. The person who wrote the article jokes that the USA is becoming a nation of "hamburger flippers." A person who flips hamburgers is a person who works at a place like McDonalds and 'flips' (turns over) hamburgers with a cooking utensil (tool) to make sure the hamburger is cooked equally on both sides.
The article:
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/become-nation-hamburger-flippers-dan-alpert-breaks-down-145831220.html
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
to break down something - to analyze or interpret something in order to understand it better. To look at specific parts of a bigger thing to better understand the bigger thing.
to consist of something - to be made of something
to fall short of expectations - the results did not meet what was anticipated or expected or hoped for.
well shy of “whisper” numbers for payroll figures above 200,000 - to be 'shy' of something means to fall short of something. If a person is shy of his 21st birthday, he is not yet 21. If the money you have is shy of $100, you do not have $100. "Well shy of" means far from what you hoped to have. So economists had been 'whispering' about the possibility of reaching 200,000. This means they had been secretly hoping to reach that number. To whisper is to speak very softly so that most people cannot hear you. Payroll figures would be the number of people being paid to work.
tallies - if you tally something, you add something together. So job tallies are just the number of jobs.
revised down - initially the numbers seemed to be higher but were changed and dropped. To revise something is to change it to make it seem more accurate.
to cite something - in this case it means to mention something, to record something or write something down
a trend - the way things are moving or developing
more of a wounded beast than a bull - he is saying that the economy is not strong. It used to be like a beast (a strong animal) but it is now wounded (harmed). Here's a bull:
retail trade - a person who has this type of job might work in a clothing store or other store selling things
waste services - I am guessing this would be someone who picks up garbage from homes and takes it away.
leisure - pronounced LEE zur: your leisure time is the time you spend not working
low-wage growth - more and more people are getting really low-paying jobs
a recession - when the economy slows down a lot. A depression is worse.
a rebound - if something goes badly but then starts to get better, this is a rebound. The word comes from basketball. If one player shoots at the hoop and misses, another player might grab the ball and try another shot. This is a rebound.
“So a $15 wage to work has no impact… you’re not increasing consumption or the ability [of workers] to go out and buy stuff." - If people are just making $15 per hour, this will not really help the economy to improve. To increase consumption means to increase the purchasing or buying of stuff.
second derivative - to derive something means to get something. A second derivative means that if people make a lot of money, they will buy extra stuff and this, secondly, increases the need to produce more stuff. A benevolent (good) cycle is created and the economy improves.
lackluster - to lack means not to have something. A luster means a shine. So if something is lackluster, it does not shine. So if the economy is lackluster, it is not really that great - it is not 'shining' - it is dull.
--------------------------------------------
If you find this site useful, you might like my ESL book:
http://www.amazon.com/Sucks-Youll-Wanna-Anyway-ebook/dp/B004TSPAQS
If you don't have an e-reader, drop me a line at djg51qu@gmail.com and I'll send you a free copy via Word attachment. :)
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Poverty in the USA
Here is an article that discusses how many people in the USA are suffering because of the bad economy. There are many good vocabulary words in this article.
The article:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-4-5-us-face-175906005.html
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
gloomy - pessimistic, depressed, not looking forward to any positive change (not optimistic)
4 in 5 or 4 out of 5 - this is 80%. ---> 4/5
poverty - a term for being poor, or for not having much money
a shift - a change
reliance - if you rely on something, you need this thing for your survival.
welfare - money from the government
deteriorating - if something is deteriorating, it is getting worse.
elusive - hard to find, hard to catch. An elusive American dream means it is hard for people in the USA, at this time, to be able to reach their goals.
survey data - a survey is when a number of people are questioned about a topic.
exclusive to - that means only The Associated Press was able to get this data.
a trend - the way things are going or developing.
renew - start again
a ladder -
to reverse - to make something the opposite of what it is
affirmative action - this is a policy the government uses to make sure that people of color (blacks and Latinos) receive extra help. For instance, if the government has a contract with a company, the government may say: "You will lose this contract if you do not hire x number of blacks and Latinos." Affirmative means 'positive.'
a barrier - something that divides one area from another, or in this case one group of people from another.
an impediment - an obstacle, something that stops a person from moving forward.
hardship - difficulty, adversity
declining coal region - work and profits are dropping in this coal region.
a stand - this is a little structure from which people can sell things.
disability checks - if the government feels that a person has a physical or psychological problem that stops him/her from working, the government will give this person 'disability' payments. A check is a piece of paper that can be exchanged for money.
poverty - being extremely poor.
disparities - differences
pervasive - all over the place. If something is pervasive, you can find it easily.
economic insecurity - fear due to the economy
engulfing - this is a poor/bad word choice for this article. To engulf something is to, basically, eat something.
a gauge - a measurement tool.
periodic - occasional
in decline - dropping, decreasing
life expectancy - how long a person expects to live.
alienation - the feeling that you are all alone and that nobody will help you
lingering - continuing...if something lingers, it won't disappear.
the recession - the slowed-down economy
predominant - the most occurring. Basically he is saying that because there are more white people than Latino or black people, there are more poor whites than blacks or Latinos.
destitute - extremely poor
plentiful - a lot
to speculate on - to think about
a produce stand - a place where fruits and vegetables can be sold (produce = fruits and vegetables)
$10 to our name - this is slang. To have $10 to your name means that you just have $10. That's all the money you have.
insecure - the feeling that you are not safe
mainstream /fringe - if something is mainstream, it is happening to average people. If something is fringe, it is happening to a few people who are not part of the majority.
surpassed - went beyond
biannual - every two years
working class - when sociologists talk about social class in America, they usually refer to the upper class, middle class, lower class, working class and under class. Working class people are very poor. They are working but not making much.
plight - problems
to urge - to encourage
infrastructure - everything a society needs to survive: roads, highways, electricity, water systems, bridges etc.
The article:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-4-5-us-face-175906005.html
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
gloomy - pessimistic, depressed, not looking forward to any positive change (not optimistic)
4 in 5 or 4 out of 5 - this is 80%. ---> 4/5
poverty - a term for being poor, or for not having much money
a shift - a change
reliance - if you rely on something, you need this thing for your survival.
welfare - money from the government
deteriorating - if something is deteriorating, it is getting worse.
elusive - hard to find, hard to catch. An elusive American dream means it is hard for people in the USA, at this time, to be able to reach their goals.
survey data - a survey is when a number of people are questioned about a topic.
exclusive to - that means only The Associated Press was able to get this data.
a trend - the way things are going or developing.
renew - start again
a ladder -
to reverse - to make something the opposite of what it is
affirmative action - this is a policy the government uses to make sure that people of color (blacks and Latinos) receive extra help. For instance, if the government has a contract with a company, the government may say: "You will lose this contract if you do not hire x number of blacks and Latinos." Affirmative means 'positive.'
a barrier - something that divides one area from another, or in this case one group of people from another.
an impediment - an obstacle, something that stops a person from moving forward.
hardship - difficulty, adversity
declining coal region - work and profits are dropping in this coal region.
a stand - this is a little structure from which people can sell things.
disability checks - if the government feels that a person has a physical or psychological problem that stops him/her from working, the government will give this person 'disability' payments. A check is a piece of paper that can be exchanged for money.
poverty - being extremely poor.
disparities - differences
pervasive - all over the place. If something is pervasive, you can find it easily.
economic insecurity - fear due to the economy
engulfing - this is a poor/bad word choice for this article. To engulf something is to, basically, eat something.
a gauge - a measurement tool.
periodic - occasional
in decline - dropping, decreasing
life expectancy - how long a person expects to live.
alienation - the feeling that you are all alone and that nobody will help you
lingering - continuing...if something lingers, it won't disappear.
the recession - the slowed-down economy
predominant - the most occurring. Basically he is saying that because there are more white people than Latino or black people, there are more poor whites than blacks or Latinos.
destitute - extremely poor
plentiful - a lot
to speculate on - to think about
a produce stand - a place where fruits and vegetables can be sold (produce = fruits and vegetables)
$10 to our name - this is slang. To have $10 to your name means that you just have $10. That's all the money you have.
insecure - the feeling that you are not safe
mainstream /fringe - if something is mainstream, it is happening to average people. If something is fringe, it is happening to a few people who are not part of the majority.
surpassed - went beyond
biannual - every two years
working class - when sociologists talk about social class in America, they usually refer to the upper class, middle class, lower class, working class and under class. Working class people are very poor. They are working but not making much.
plight - problems
to urge - to encourage
infrastructure - everything a society needs to survive: roads, highways, electricity, water systems, bridges etc.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Most US citizens don't believe that going to college is necessary
Believe it or not, under 25% of Americans go to college.
The cost of tuition at many US colleges is so high, that many Americans (more than half) now believe it isn't necessary to go to college.
Actually, in the USA there are "state" universities and "private" universities. I still think the state universities are affordable and a student can receive an excellent education at such a school. I went to a state university (The University of Wisconsin at Madison) for my BA and then to a private school (Teachers College at Columbia University) for my MA.
The article:
http://www.mainstreet.com/article/moneyinvesting/education-planning/why-half-americans-dont-think-college-sound-investment?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
a sound investment - sound means "good" or stable in this situation. "Sound" often has a good meaning/connotation. Although the college I attended is not famous, I received a sound education there.
on the heels of - if something is on the heels of something else, it followed something else closely. In this case, the US Congress made a mistake (which it lately corrected) in which it accidentally raised the interest rates on student loans. Interest is the extra money you pay which is added to your loan.
a hike - a rise
the impact - the effect
eroding - disappearing. Wind and water erode rock. That means the rock slowly disappears.
surveyed - 1 in 5 people who answered questions
to postpone - to put something off until later
to tarnish something - if something is tarnished, it no longer looks as good as it once did. Silver tableware often tarnishes - it becomes a brownish color.
differentiator - this person is saying that Americans are foolish to ignore the value of a college degree. It is an important 'differentiator' - it separates people - in the job market. If you have a college degree, you will get a better job and make more money.
mortgage delinquencies - people who are late paying their mortgage. So basically the article is saying that even though Americans are turning against a college education, people are still borrowing a lot of money.
to accelerate s/t - to make something go faster
The cost of tuition at many US colleges is so high, that many Americans (more than half) now believe it isn't necessary to go to college.
Actually, in the USA there are "state" universities and "private" universities. I still think the state universities are affordable and a student can receive an excellent education at such a school. I went to a state university (The University of Wisconsin at Madison) for my BA and then to a private school (Teachers College at Columbia University) for my MA.
The article:
http://www.mainstreet.com/article/moneyinvesting/education-planning/why-half-americans-dont-think-college-sound-investment?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
a sound investment - sound means "good" or stable in this situation. "Sound" often has a good meaning/connotation. Although the college I attended is not famous, I received a sound education there.
on the heels of - if something is on the heels of something else, it followed something else closely. In this case, the US Congress made a mistake (which it lately corrected) in which it accidentally raised the interest rates on student loans. Interest is the extra money you pay which is added to your loan.
a hike - a rise
the impact - the effect
eroding - disappearing. Wind and water erode rock. That means the rock slowly disappears.
surveyed - 1 in 5 people who answered questions
to postpone - to put something off until later
to tarnish something - if something is tarnished, it no longer looks as good as it once did. Silver tableware often tarnishes - it becomes a brownish color.
differentiator - this person is saying that Americans are foolish to ignore the value of a college degree. It is an important 'differentiator' - it separates people - in the job market. If you have a college degree, you will get a better job and make more money.
mortgage delinquencies - people who are late paying their mortgage. So basically the article is saying that even though Americans are turning against a college education, people are still borrowing a lot of money.
to accelerate s/t - to make something go faster
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
The Mapuche "Indians" and their struggle with Chile
Welcome to one of the most popular English reading/vocabulary blogs on the net!
How to use this resource: First, please review the vocabulary list and understand the meanings of the words. Then, please read the article provided. Refer back to the vocabulary list if you do not remember the meanings of some words.
By reviewing the vocabulary words over and over, they will begin to 'stick' in your memory and you will be able to use them when you speak.
The Mapuche are a group of 'indigenous' people in South America. This means that they existed in South America before the Spanish came over from Europe to colonize the area.
Over the centuries (a century is 100 years) The Mapuche have fought hard to maintain their independence and identity. Apparently now the Chilean government is trying to classify this indigenous group as 'terrorists.'
The article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23512784
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
a rapporteur - basically this is the person whom an organization chooses to do research about an issue and to write a report.
a dispute - this is a type of argument in which both sides believe something different about a situation. For instance, Japan and Korea have had a dispute about which country owns a specific island - both countries believe the island belongs to them and they dispute that the island belongs to the other country.
to boil over into violence - if you heat water on a stove for long enough, it will begin to boil. If the water is too high in the pot, the water will boil over. So if a situation boils over, it is a critical situation and trouble comes from it.
a systematic use of excessive force - they regularly or often or commonly use too much force against the Mapuche. (pronounced: Mah POO che)
to discriminate against - remember you always use 'against' with discriminate. If someone discriminates against someone else, the first person takes action against the second person to harm him/her because of some racial or ethnic issue. If someone doesn't like black people and he refuses to hire black people for his business, he is discriminating against black people.
arbitrary - this means random. If they are using an anti-terrorism law against the Mapuche in an arbitrary manner, they use it when they feel like it and there are no real or objective standards.
if something is volatile - it is unstable and unpredictable.
prompt - if you are a prompt person, you are always on time
to escalate - to get worse
a vast swath(e) of land - a large area spread out over a great distance.
renowned for their ferocity - famous for how cruel and brutal they were. If a dog is ferocious, it will bite a person easily.
they resisted conquest - they fought against being conquered or beaten.
waged a campaign - fought
arson - starting stuff on fire
to sabotage machinery - to deliberately destroy machines
to invoke a law - to use a law. So if the Mapuche fight to try to get their land back, the government calls them terrorists and tries to throw them in jail.
drafted - written by Pinochet. Pinochet was a violent dictator in Chile who helped assassinate the Chilean president Salvador Allende.
to stamp out opposition - to eliminate, get rid of
harshest - most severe
statute book - law book
a conviction - when a person is determined to be guilty. By using this law, the Chilean government can find people guilty without providing any evidence or witnesses.
anonymous - you don't know the person's name.
a paradigm shift - a change in the way that the government views the situation. A paradigm is a way you look at things. The government has to stop looking at the Mapuche as terrorists and view them as people who had their land stolen.
conspicuously - obviously
rumbling on - going on slowly but steadily
sporadic - every once in a while
assailants - attackers
the blaze - the fire
a hunger strike - when people refuse to eat to protest something
a raid - when the police suddenly and quickly attack someone or some group.
-----------------------------------
Writing/discussion questions:
How do you determine when a group is a group of freedom fighters or terrorists?
How do you determine when a government is engaged in terrorism?
How to use this resource: First, please review the vocabulary list and understand the meanings of the words. Then, please read the article provided. Refer back to the vocabulary list if you do not remember the meanings of some words.
By reviewing the vocabulary words over and over, they will begin to 'stick' in your memory and you will be able to use them when you speak.
The Mapuche are a group of 'indigenous' people in South America. This means that they existed in South America before the Spanish came over from Europe to colonize the area.
Over the centuries (a century is 100 years) The Mapuche have fought hard to maintain their independence and identity. Apparently now the Chilean government is trying to classify this indigenous group as 'terrorists.'
The article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23512784
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
a rapporteur - basically this is the person whom an organization chooses to do research about an issue and to write a report.
a dispute - this is a type of argument in which both sides believe something different about a situation. For instance, Japan and Korea have had a dispute about which country owns a specific island - both countries believe the island belongs to them and they dispute that the island belongs to the other country.
to boil over into violence - if you heat water on a stove for long enough, it will begin to boil. If the water is too high in the pot, the water will boil over. So if a situation boils over, it is a critical situation and trouble comes from it.
a systematic use of excessive force - they regularly or often or commonly use too much force against the Mapuche. (pronounced: Mah POO che)
to discriminate against - remember you always use 'against' with discriminate. If someone discriminates against someone else, the first person takes action against the second person to harm him/her because of some racial or ethnic issue. If someone doesn't like black people and he refuses to hire black people for his business, he is discriminating against black people.
arbitrary - this means random. If they are using an anti-terrorism law against the Mapuche in an arbitrary manner, they use it when they feel like it and there are no real or objective standards.
if something is volatile - it is unstable and unpredictable.
prompt - if you are a prompt person, you are always on time
to escalate - to get worse
a vast swath(e) of land - a large area spread out over a great distance.
renowned for their ferocity - famous for how cruel and brutal they were. If a dog is ferocious, it will bite a person easily.
they resisted conquest - they fought against being conquered or beaten.
waged a campaign - fought
arson - starting stuff on fire
to sabotage machinery - to deliberately destroy machines
to invoke a law - to use a law. So if the Mapuche fight to try to get their land back, the government calls them terrorists and tries to throw them in jail.
drafted - written by Pinochet. Pinochet was a violent dictator in Chile who helped assassinate the Chilean president Salvador Allende.
to stamp out opposition - to eliminate, get rid of
harshest - most severe
statute book - law book
a conviction - when a person is determined to be guilty. By using this law, the Chilean government can find people guilty without providing any evidence or witnesses.
anonymous - you don't know the person's name.
a paradigm shift - a change in the way that the government views the situation. A paradigm is a way you look at things. The government has to stop looking at the Mapuche as terrorists and view them as people who had their land stolen.
conspicuously - obviously
rumbling on - going on slowly but steadily
sporadic - every once in a while
assailants - attackers
the blaze - the fire
a hunger strike - when people refuse to eat to protest something
a raid - when the police suddenly and quickly attack someone or some group.
-----------------------------------
Writing/discussion questions:
How do you determine when a group is a group of freedom fighters or terrorists?
How do you determine when a government is engaged in terrorism?
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