148 “What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t earn enough money to buy a hamburger and a cup of coffee,” King once said. Historians say King never saw integration as assimilation – urging people of color to act like White people. “He didn’t have in mind a romantic mixing of colors, or what I would call a kind of ‘rubbing shoulders and elbows’ approach to integration,” says Lewis V. Baldwin, author of “The Arc of Truth: The Thinking of Martin Luther King Jr.” “Dr . King meant mutual acceptance, interpersonal living and shared power.” The power part is what often gets edited out during the ritualistic replays of King’s speech. There is an economic component of King’s dream that’s hardly ever mentioned. The original title of that August 28, 1963, event, for example, was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. “Integration is not just hanging out (together). It’s having access to credit, it’s seeing the value of your home increase, it’s accumulating wealth,” says Leonard Steinhorn, co-author of “By the Color of Our Skin: The Illusion of Integration and The Reality of Race.” “It involves employment, quality education and all of those things together.” Historians say King’s ultimate goal was not just equal economic opportunity but something even more ambitious, and even spiritual: An America where mutual mistrust between races and religions would be virtually eliminated by people living, worshiping and going to school together. They would see their common humanity and celebrate their shared identity as Americans. “We must always be aware of the fact that our ultimate goal is integration, and that desegregation is only a first step on the road to the good society,” King said in a speech called “The Ethical Demands for Integration.” It can all seem abstract, but Steinhorn distills what that world might look like in one pithy example: “If an African-American knocks on the door of a White neighbor and asks for a cup of sugar, that White neighbor should see a neighbor.” Many Americans prefer ‘virtual integration’ to the real thing Here’s another reason why King’s dream was so radical. His concept of integration is what Baker, the scholar and author, calls “the biggest threat to the existing racial order.” The existing racial order is still defined by one dynamic that shows little signs of changing: Many White Americans, on the left and right, refuse to stay in communities where the ratio of Black people exceeds a certain level. When non-White people arrive in larger than token numbers, Whites invariably tend to move out. Sociologists have a name for this phenomenon – it’s called a “racial tipping point.” Although many US suburbs have grown more diverse, this stubborn dynamic is why residential and school segregation remain high 60 years after King’s speech, even though there is some evidence that racial segregation is slowly declining. It’s why Black homeowners often must hide any signs that they live in a home they’re trying to sell, because home appraisers often devalue Black-owned homes. It’s why even some progressive White folks with Black Lives Matter signs in their lawns get angry when they’re asked to send their kids to a public school where most of the students are minorities. This dynamic is why what looks like a racially mixed neighborhood is often one that’s on the way to becoming all-Black, says Steinhorn, who is also a professor at American University in Washington. “Integration exists only in the time span between the first Black family moving in and the last white family moving out,” Steinhorn wrote in “By the Color of Our Skin.”
149 This impulse to flee communities turning Black and brown goes deeper than abstract debates over property values, neighborhood schools and freedom. It is deeply rooted in American history, as the late author Toni Morrison said in an interview with Time magazine. She said every immigrant group learned that to be associated with Black people is to be associated with someone at the bottom. “In becoming an American, from Europe, what one has in common with that other immigrant is contempt for me – it’s nothing else but color,” Morrison said. “Wherever they were from, they would stand together. They could all say, ‘I am not that.’ Steinhorn says many White Americans prefer something he calls “virtual integration.” Their primary exposure to Black people comes through TV series, movies and ads, he says. In that virtual world, King’s dream comes alive: Black, White and brown people drink beer together, trade jokes and visit each other’s homes. To Steinhorn, virtual integration functions like a placebo: it gives White Americans the feel-good illusion that they are having repeated contact with Black people. “With the possible exception of the military,” Steinhorn says, “the television screen may be the most integrated part of American life.” Why some people no longer use the I-word Here’s another irony associated with King’s acclaimed speech. King’s potent critiques of capitalism, war and poverty were shocking at the time. He turned off allies when he called for the redistribution of wealth, argued for a guaranteed income and came out against the Vietnam War. Those positions don’t sound so radical anymore. After the 2008 Great Recession, the failed Iraq War and polls showing a majority of young Americans now hold a negative view of capitalism, his views on those issues wouldn’t sound out of place today. But his calls for integration have been virtually banished from public discourse. Many don’t even use the word’s close cousin, “post-racial,” anymore. The concept of integration that King evoked has become so discredited that even many of those who believe in its goals no longer use the term. Amanda Shaffer is one such person – and someone who says her life was enhanced by her experience with integration. She was a White student who was bused to a Black public high school in Cleveland, Ohio after refusing to follow her friends to a White private academy. She credits the experience with given giving her a level of empathy she would not have found otherwise. “It shifted my point of view,” Shaffer told CNN in 2014 for a story about being a White minority in Black settings. “It’s like when you go to the optometrist, and they slap those new lenses on you — you see the world differently.” Shaffer works today as a diversity consultant and a professional coach. She says she still believes in the necessity of people of different races living, working and going to school together and tries to promote those values in her work. Still, she won’t use the term “integration” in her diversity work. She says the term “triggers” some White people. “For me, integration is left over from all that 1950s and ’60s stuff that made a lot of people feel bad,” she says. “The problem with integration is that it feels like mixing or assimilation, and that’s where you get some of these folks who think, ‘If everybody is intermarrying and then we’re all
150 shades of brown, where does my identity go?’ Integration is a term that pushes against people’s identity.” Can we have a true democracy without integration? Perhaps it only pushes against people’s identity if they define themselves by their color and not as Americans. One reason King’s speech is so powerful is that it goes to the heart of how Americans are taught to define themselves: By adherence to a set of ideas, not by superficial physical appearances. The nation’s motto is “Out of Many, One.” It’s no accident that King quoted from or evoked the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address in his epic speech. In his telling, integration was seen as a fulfillment of the American dream – the endpoint of the pursuit of a more perfect union. “It was the ultimate expression of the melting pot idea, that the most victimized and vilified part of American society could be integrated seamless into mainstream life, and the white majority could overcome its prejudice and welcome Black Americans as full brothers and sisters in our national community,” Steinhorn wrote in “By The Color of Our Skin.” How many Americans still believe that is possible? Not Baldwin, the King scholar who has spent his life studying the civil rights leader. He talks movingly about growing up in segregated America and going to hear King speak in person two years after the civil rights leader gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. Close your eyes when Baldwin talks and his rich, honeyed Southern baritone even sounds like King. Baldwin says the election of former President Trump, a new wave of antisemitic harassment and the rise of Christian White Nationalism has convinced him that King’s vision of an integrated America really is just a dream. He, too, doesn’t use the term “integration” anymore. “People tend to want to be associated with their own kind. That seems to be a natural tendency in the human spirit,” Baldwin says, adding that he questions “the full actualization of the kind of integrated society Dr. King had in mind.” If racial integration is implausible, though, that leads to another question: Without racial integration, can the US still call itself a democracy? King didn’t think so, Baldwin says. “Dr. King made it clear that integration occurs before you have a multiracial democracy,” he says. “We have to learn to live together as a single people before we can create this kind of democracy.” Baker, the author, says the country can’t continue to give up on the dream of integration. “When hope dies, you are defeated,” Baker says. “If you believe that it is possible, it is in fact possible. If you stop, you’ve given up the race before it’s started. It’s hard and demanding, but it’s deeply necessary.”
151 Steinhorn says he puts his hope in a new generation of young Americans. The Gen-Z generation, those from the late ’90s onward, is the most racially diverse in the nation’s history. He says polls show that they are more open on questions about race, ethnicity and sexual identity than any other American generation. “When you have a critical mass of that generation that subscribes to those principles and sets them as their North Star to be able to live in a society like that, that gives me a little bit of hope,” Steinhorn says. King believed in hope, too. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope,” he once said. What’s the alternative to losing that infinite hope? Bill Moyers, a former White House press secretary under President Lyndon Johnson, once offered an answer while describing Johnson’s views. “He thought the opposite of integration was not just segregation,” Moyers said, “but disintegration – a nation unraveling.” What would that unraveling look like? It might look something like what we’ve seen in this country in recent years: The Jan. 6 insurrection, a resurgence of antisemitism, the “very fine people” marching with torches in Charlottesville, and White supremacist groups being designated as the nation’s biggest terror threat. It may no longer be fashionable to talk about integration, but the alternative is worse: A nation unraveling.
152 Passive Voice 1. has been endlessly replayed 2. have been virtually banished 3. was enhanced 4. is left 5. are taught 6. was seen 7. has been called 8. have been taught 9. is required 10. be virtually eliminated 11. is still defined 12. are asked 13. be associated 14. was bused 15. be integrated Tense 1. Present Perfect *4 2. Past Simple *3 3. Present Simple *8 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb replayed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb banished Regular Verb Intransitive Verb enhanced Regular Verb Intransitive Verb taught Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb seen Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb called Regular Verb Transitive Verb required Regular Verb Transitive Verb eliminated Regular Verb Intransitive Verb defined Regular Verb Intransitive Verb asked Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb associated Regular Verb Transitive Verb bused Regular Verb Transitive Verb integrated Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb left Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb taught Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
153 Jay Briscoe, US pro wrestling star, dead at 38 Professional wrestler Jay Briscoe has died at age 38. The US wrestling world is in shock following the announcement of the death of the Ring of Honor (ROH) star, whose real name was Jamin Pugh. Tony Khan, CEO of All Elite Wrestling and owner of ROH, announced the news on Twitter. He wrote: “Sadly, Jamin Pugh has been passed away. Known to fans as Jay Briscoe, he was a star in ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today. “Jay and his brother Mark dominated ROH, reigning as champions to this day. “We’ll do whatever we can to support his family. “Rest In Peace Jamin.” A statement on ROH’s website said: “It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the tragic passing of Jamin Pugh, known to wrestling fans around the world as Jay Briscoe. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and his fans.” Numerous wrestling sites have been reported that Pugh died in a car accident in Laurel, Delaware on Tuesday. CNN affiliate WMDT reports that two people were killed in the crash, citing Delaware State Police. Delaware police tweeted about the accident, but didn’t identify those involved. The tweet, posted late Tuesday, said: “Laurel Road at Little Hill Road will be closed for an extended period due to a fatal accident. DSP on-scene.” CNN has contacted Delaware State Police for comment. Laurel School District posted on Facebook on Tuesday that it would be closed on Wednesday following the incident. It said: “Due to an unthinkable tragedy in our community this evening, The Laurel School District will be closed for tomorrow, Wednesday January 18, 2023. Schools will reopen on Thursday. Please keep the Pugh family in your thoughts and prayers.” Pugh and his brother Mark, known as Dem Boys, were 12-time ROH World Tag Team Champions.
154 Passive Voice 1. has been passed away 2. have been reported 3. will be closed 4. were killed Tense • Past Simple • Present Perfect • Present Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb passed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb reported Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb closed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb killed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
155 Police report says driver was speeding in crash that killed University of Georgia football player and staffer The SUV carrying four members of the University of Georgia football program, two of whom were killed, was exceeding the speed limit of 40 mph before it was hit a curb and left the roadway, according to the crash report from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department released Tuesday. University of Georgia football player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy both died in the crash. The report says the Ford Expedition driven by LeCroy “failed to negotiate a left curve, resulting in the vehicle striking a curb with its front passenger tire and leaving the roadway,” going on to strike a “(Georgia) Power Pole and another utility pole cutting them in half.” After hitting the two poles, the vehicle “struck a tree with its rear passenger quarter panel and caused it to begin rotating clockwise where it struck another tree with its driver’s side,” the report continued. Willock, who was seated behind LeCroy on the driver’s side, was ejected from the vehicle when it landed against the corner of an apartment building, according to the crash report. Willock, 20, died at the scene and LeCroy, 24, was pronounced dead at a hospital. Victoria Bowles, the 26-year-old sitting in the back seat on the passenger side of the vehicle, sustained multiple injuries during the collision. She was transported to the hospital following the crash. The type of injuries is redacted in the report released Tuesday, which said she was not wearing a seat belt. The front seat passenger, identified as 21-year-old Warren McClendon, sustained a laceration to his head during the crash, the report says. McClendon’s father told the Athens Banner-Herald that his son needed stitches but is “doing well.” The report lists the “First Harmful Event” in the accident as hitting the curb and the “Most Harmful Event” as hitting a tree. It does not specify how fast the vehicle was going. According to the report alcohol and drug tests were not administered to the driver at the crash site. The operating condition of the driver was listed as “Unknown.” CNN reached out to the Athens-Clarke County coroner for the toxicology results from LeCroy’s autopsy. The crash occurred early Sunday, just hours after the team celebrated its latest national championship victory. Willock, a redshirt sophomore from New Milford, New Jersey, joined the team as a freshman in 2020 and played on the offensive line in all 15 of the team’s games this past season. LeCroy was a football recruiting analyst for the team, according to her LinkedIn. McClendon is an offensive lineman who started at right tackle for Georgia this season and declared for the NFL draft earlier Saturday.
156 Bowles is also a member of the Georgia football staff. The crash came hours after Sanford Stadium and the surrounding streets were brimming with ecstatic fans who had come to celebrate the Bulldogs’ second straight national championship. But by the next morning, they had joined the team in mourning the sudden loss of Willock and LeCroy. Willock’s aunt and uncle, Cicely and Norman Stout, said their nephew was well liked and a good student. “He was doing very well. He was very loved by all his peers and all the teachers and all the coaches,” Cicely Stout said. “Devin is always smiling, no matter what. Devin has a smile on his face and he was doing very well in academics. He was doing very good. He was good, very good student, very good person.” It’s an unfortunately familiar tragedy for the family. Willock’s older brother, Jonathan Wheatley, died in 2009 at the age of 20 from injuries sustained in a similar car crash, Cicely Stout said. “He’s gone way, way too soon for us,” Willock’s uncle said. University of Georgia Athletics has shared links on its social media for people wishing to support the families. “We have been overwhelmed and touched by the outpouring of love and support for the Willock and LeCroy families,” officials tweeted. “Many people have reached out asking how to help. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, police said. Investigators have asked anyone with information to contact authorities. What the crash scene looked like The crash occurred just beyond a curved section of Barnett Shoals Road. There is a sidewalk, but no barrier on the outer edge of the road. Photos of the crash site was taken by nearby residents show a wooden power pole snapped in half and the SUV’s frame crumpled against an apartment building in Shoals Creek, about two miles from the Georgia campus. “That car dented like a tin can,” Cecily Pangburn, a resident of the apartment complex, told CNN. She described hearing a loud bang when the crash happened, followed by her power going out. Another resident, Jonathan D’Souza, said he was the first person to respond to the scene of the crash. He told CNN he was watching television when he felt the ground shake and heard what sounded like gunshots outside his apartment.
157 When D’Souza went outside to see what happened, he said it was pitch black because the power had gone out. It wasn’t until he saw sparks flying from dangling power lines in the middle of the street that he was able to see a mangled SUV smashed into his neighbor’s house, he said. D’Souza said he ran toward the SUV and saw Willock lying face down next to the vehicle. D’Souza said he started screaming at an unresponsive Willock asking if he was okay. “It was the most helpless feeling because you wish you could save him, but you know he’s already gone,” D’Souza said. Passive Voice 1. were killed 2. was seated 3. was ejected 4. was listed 5. was well liked 6. was very loved 7. have been overwhelmed 8. was hit 9. was transported 10. is redacted 11. were not administered 12. was taken Tense ● Past Simple *10 ● Present Perfect ● Present Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb killed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb seated Regular Verb Intransitive Verb ejected Regular Verb Transitive Verb listed Regular Verb Transitive Verb liked Regular Verb Transitive Verb loved Regular Verb Transitive Verb overwhelmed Regular Verb Intransitive Verb hit Irregular Verb Transitive Verb transported Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb redacted Regular Verb Intransitive Verb administered Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb taken Irregular Verb Transitive Verb
158 The great gas stove debate has been reignited Last week, Richard Trumka Jr., a US Consumer Product Safety commissioner, sent emotions boiling over when he said in an interview with Bloomberg that the agency was considering banning gas stoves, citing the fact that over 12% of childhood asthma cases in the US are the result of gas stove usage. Though the White House soon set the record straight, saying that “The President does not support banning gas stoves – and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is independent, is not banning gas stoves,” the momentary panic at the thought that Americans might be forced to cook with electricity revealed just how opinionated we are about what fuels our kitchens. Chef Andrew Gruel, a restaurant owner and television personality, taped himself to his gas stove in protest of a possible gas ban. Others were demonstrated by participating in a dangerous social media stunt in which they turned on all the burners on their stove and let the gas run. But some had legitimate questions about how to cook without gas. Food writer and chef Alison Roman invited Twitter users to ask her anything about her induction stove, and the inquiries quickly flooded in. “Can you toast marshmallows over it for s’mores?” “Does the surface of the stovetop get all scratched to hell when you scoot pans around?” “Does it heat things up (e.g. boil a pot of water) as fast as gas?” While the consensus from Roman and other impassioned electric and induction stove users is that it is entirely possible to cook intricate and delectable meals sans gas, it’s clear that the general public has deep-seated misgivings about it. But why? When it comes to most consumer products, we love upgrades and innovation. What is it about gas stoves that keep us from moving past this centuries-old technology? The most obvious answer is public misconception. People seem convinced that it is much harder – perhaps even impossible – to cook a quality meal with electricity. And this perception was not created by accident. As Grist reported, advertising by gas companies is largely responsible for popularizing gas stoves in kitchens by promoting them as a sign of wealth and high design. Then there’s the trendsetting power of food icons and influencers. With the creations of culinary TV shows, food has been taken on a new life as a spectator sport. And as we watch top chefs like Bobby Flay tossing a pan of sizzling morsels over an open flame, we want to emulate his style, stovetop and all. Meanwhile, the gas industry has tried to harness influencer power. According to Mother Jones, since at least 2018, influencers have been hired by trade groups to post over 100 pieces of content extolling the virtues of gas stoves.
159 There is something to be said for the visual feedback a chef gets watching a flame grow or shrink as they tinker with a heat dial. But for all the hype surrounding gas stoves, they have some serious drawbacks. A growing body of research has detailed the numerous environmental and public health costs of cooking with gas. A study by Stanford University published last year found that the impacts of gas stoves are more significant than previously understood, due largely to the leakage of methane into the air. Additional research has been found that gas stoves emit carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter, and, without proper ventilation, their concentrations can reach levels deemed unsafe by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to the link between gas stoves and childhood asthma cited by Trumka, the stoves have also been linked to a slew of other health conditions from cardiovascular to cognitive issues. Though proper ventilation with a fan or hood that leads outside can minimize health risks, according to CNN reporting, many homes don’t have adequate ventilation. This should sound alarm bells for the 38% of American households that rely on gas for their cooking. It should also sound the alarm for chefs in commercial kitchens that run on gas. Chef Chris Galarza used to be one of them. The 33-year-old New Jersey native spent the formative years of his career cooking over a gas burner. The heat from the flames that licked the sides of his pans, combined with the constant stream of gas pollutants he was breathing in during his long shifts, often made the chef and his colleagues physically ill. “In between rushes, we would go to the bathroom to throw up,” he recalls. “We were experiencing nausea, vomiting, headaches, lightheadedness,” symptoms which have been tied to indoor air pollution and extreme heat. It wasn’t until Galarza happened to take a job in an all-electric kitchen and his symptoms disappeared that he started connecting the dots between his health and the gas stoves he had been accustomed to using. “I realized, ‘Wow, I’ve been poisoning myself as a chef in the pursuit of my craft and my career.’ I began to ask myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’” It was then that Galarza decided he would center his career around helping commercial kitchens become electric. In 2019, Galarza founded Forward Dining Solutions, a culinary consultancy dedicated to helping companies create fully-electric kitchens. As cities from coast to coast – including Berkley, San Francisco, New York City – have slowly started banning natural gas was stoves in new buildings, Galarza has been there to not only help ease the transition to electric, but to educate chefs on why it is the way of the future. And to the gas stove holdouts who remain skeptical that electric cooking can produce gourmet food, Galarza is here to allay your concerns. “It’s not true at all that gas stoves cook better,” he says. “In fact, you can cook about 38.6 pounds of food per hour with your gas range, and it’s going to take time and elbow grease to clean and degrease it afterward. With induction, you can cook 70.9 pounds of food per hour – nearly double the amount of food – and your clean up is going to be a lot easier.”
160 Induction stoves use electricity to create a magnetic field and generate heat right in the cookware instead of on the surface of the stovetop. “Because the stove itself doesn’t get as hot, if you spill something on your induction range, it won’t burn onto the surface or require scrubbing to remove,” explains Galarza. For their part, some restaurants are also committing to electric appliances. Brooklyn pizzeria Oma Grassa has been lauded for the crispy texture of its pizza crust, which is made possible by an electric oven, the top and bottom of which can be headed to different temperatures. There are, of course, some culinary feats that require an open flame – achieving a light, stovetop char on a tortilla without dirtying a pan, for instance. But, as one Twitter user pointed out: “You can like something without having to defend every single aspect of it. Almost all good things have drawbacks.” This interview has been edited for length and clarity: CNN: Tell me about your experience in kitchens with gas stoves at the start of your career. What was the environment like and how did you feel, both physically and mentally? Chef Chris Galarza: The kitchens were hot. You’re supposed to be young and tough and have a bravado like “I’m going to conquer this kitchen, this kitchen is not going to conquer me.” That’s the mentality. I spoke to a chef once who said he would listen to heavy metal and do pushups to prepare for being in the kitchen. And that mentality is important because you’re going to get incredibly busy incredibly fast. You’re going to have rushes of orders. Everyone will be frantic. One of the kitchens I worked in was on the top floor of a building and in the summer, all the heat from the apartments and kitchens below would come up to the top kitchen where I was working. On one particular day, I looked down at a thermometer I had in my pocket and it read 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally you try to drink a lot of water to stay cool – but that also has its downside: If you drink too much water, you throw off your body’s electrolyte balance and you get sick. It wasn’t until I looked back on the experience once I started working in a fully electric kitchen that I realized a big part of the problem – part of the reason I felt so sick – was because I was cooking on gas stoves all day. CNN: How did you come to the realization that the symptoms were not only from the heat but also from the gasses you were breathing in? Galarza: When I moved to a fully electric kitchen, I started feeling healthier and more comfortable and like I could work with a clearer head. Without so many open flames, the kitchen stayed cooler, and because all the chefs were more comfortable, we all got along better. Once I noticed this, I started doing research and learning about what’s in natural gas. I always thought of it as the clean burning fuel. But the idea that you can burn something and it’ll be clean is an oxymoron. As I started learning about formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and what they can do to your body, I started realizing that symptoms of exposure to these gasses were the same symptoms I had experienced in the gas-fueled kitchens: nausea, vomiting, headaches, lightheadedness.
161 CNN: There seems to be a widespread perception of electricity-powered stoves as inferior to gas stoves. Can you explain why that’s not the case? Galarza: In many ways, induction stoves are actually superior to gas. They can cook about double the amount of food per hour because there’s very little wasted energy. Up to 90% of the energy generated is transferred to the food in induction cooking. A gas range, by comparison, is a little over 30% efficient. Up to about 70% of the energy escapes into your surroundings and doesn’t even make it to the food. That means you’re throwing out 70 cents per dollar, and spending more money on electricity to cool the space back down. But with induction, the energy is generated in the cookware extremely quickly. The truest test: you can boil water more quickly with induction than with gas. CNN: One common complaint that I’ve heard is that you can’t cook with a wok on an induction stovetop. Is that true? Galarza: There are induction woks made just for this purpose and, yes, you’re still able to toss everything around, just like you can in a wok on a gas range. Woks are unique because of their structure. In the center they’re hotter, while up the sides they’re cooler, so you’re able to cook different things that have different temperature needs all at once. There’s a culinary term “wok hei,” which translates to the “breath of the wok.” It refers to the way a wok cooks and the flavor it imparts. Induction cooking is able to replicate wok hei beautifully and has been touted by chefs such as Martin Yan as the future of cooking. CNN: Are there any downsides to cooking without gas on a flameless stove? Galarza: The major perceived con for induction is that you can’t see a flame. With gas, you associate the size of the flame with the amount of heat you’re cooking with. But with induction, you have to rely on the dial setting to know the power level. Some people may find it hard to gauge what a “10” on the dial equates to in terms of heat. When I train folks, I always say, “Don’t be alarmed. The first thing you try to cook, you’re going to burn.” Your instinct is going to be to crank the dial to high and not realize how much power you’re cooking with. It has happened to all of my staff. Obviously, with a little practice, that can be mitigated, but I always tell folks to expect a learning curve. It just means you have to tune into your other senses. When you hear a sizzle, you know something is searing; when you smell smoke, it’s probably burning. We don’t need a flame to tell us what’s happening in the pan. The food will tell us what it needs or when it’s ready to be flipped over. CNN: What about cookware? Can the same pots and pans that are used on a gas stove be used on an induction stove?
162 Galarza: If you use pure copper or aluminum pots and pans, then switching from gas to an induction stovetop may require you to buy new cookware. For many people though, chances are that the cookware you already use on your gas stove will work just fine on an induction stove. You can test it by seeing if a magnet will stick to the bottom of your cookware. If it sticks, your pots and pans can be used on an induction stove. CNN: What are the primary reasons you think people are resistant to moving away from their gas stoves? Galarza: Cooking is very emotional for folks. It’s spiritual for a lot of people. My great grandfather belonged to a tribe in the Amazon rainforest, so I’ve thought to myself “Man, maybe one day I’m going to inherit recipes from his tribe and I’m going to be connected to my ancestors in a way that I never thought possible.” So I can understand the primal, humanistic draw to one’s heritage – that sense of getting back to your roots. People may see fire and think, “This is how my mother and grandmother cooked.” But we have also now been inundated with marketing about how great cooking with gas is. Influencers are being paid to say things like “Hey, I couldn’t imagine cooking without gas! #CookingWithGas.” And that marketing is very effective. Part of the problem is that food has become less about eating since the invention of social media. Now people think, “If I take a picture with this big flame, it’s going to look really cool and it’s going to get a lot of likes.” As chefs, we laugh at that, because having flames all over the place won’t do anything for your food – it’s flashy, but you’re not controlling your heat. CNN: What do you think it would take to start changing the popular perception about cooking with gas and electricity? Galarza: I can answer that with a story. Do you know why lobster is so popular? It used to be the thing that fishermen couldn’t sell. People thought it was poor people’s food. They would say, “That’s just trash. We don’t eat that. Leave that for the fishermen to eat.” And now the lobster is considered a symbol of opulence, right? The lobster hasn’t changed – people’s perception of it has changed. Now it’s one of the most expensive things on the menu and we’re willing to pay for it. The moral of the story is that popular perception can change – it just takes an effort to change it. CNN: Who do you think has the power – or perhaps the responsibility – to help change that public perception? Galarza: That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot. How do we start to nudge people to choose electric on their own? I think it’s going to take a community of folks who want to encourage electric cooking to start talking about it. It’s going to take the American Culinary Federation, which is the governing body of chefs. It’s going to take celebrity chefs. It’s going to take the scientific community doing more research on the impact of gas appliances in restaurants.
163 People need to start hearing the truth: there’s no conspiracy or cabal coming to take your gas. We just want what’s best for you, your family and our industry. I’m just one guy talking about induction – but there are a lot of us who use it and are passionate about it. I encourage the David Changs of the world, the Bobby Flays of the world, the Food Networks and Cooking Channels of the world to say, “Hey, let’s talk about the fuel we’re cooking with. Let’s show how food can be the catalyst for change we need.” If viewers were to see Bobby Flay cooking on an induction stove, it would start changing their minds. They would realize this is the next evolution of cooking. The future is here. And the future is awesome. Passive Voice 1. have also been linked 2. has been reignited 3. have been tied 4. had been accustomed 5. be forced 6. were demonstrated 7. has been found 8. has been taken 9. was not created 10. has been lauded 11. is made 12. has been edited 13. is generated 14. has been touted 15. be alarmed 16. be connected 17. have also now been inundated 18. are being paid Tense ● Present Perfect *9 ● Past Perfect ● Present Simple *5 ● Present continuous ● Past Simple *2
164 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb linked Regular Verb Transitive Verb tied Regular Verb Intransitive Verb accustomed Regular Verb Intransitive Verb forced Regular Verb Intransitive Verb demonstrated Regular Verb Transitive Verb found Irregular Verb Transitive Verb taken Irregular Verb Transitive Verb created Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb lauded Regular Verb Intransitive Verb made Irregular Verb Transitive Verb edited Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb generated Regular Verb Transitive Verb touted Regular Verb Transitive Verb alarmed Regular Verb Transitive Verb connected Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb inundated Regular Verb Intransitive Verb paid Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb reignited Regular Verb Transitive Verb
165 Tokyo High Court acquits three former Tepco executives over 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident: NHK The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday acquitted three former Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) executives, finding them not guilty of manslaughter over the 2011 triple reactor meltdown at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK was reported Wednesday. The High Court’s ruling was a decision on an appeal against a 2019 judgment by the Tokyo district court that found former Tepco chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata and former executive vice presidents Ichiro Takekuro and Sakae Muto were not guilty of professional negligence on the grounds they could not have foreseen the tsunami that wrecked the plant. On March 11, 2011, an earthquake off Japan’s northeastern coast triggered the tsunami that flooded the plant’s reactors, causing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. The High Court case focused on whether the tsunami could have been predicted and whether the accident at the nuclear plant could have been prevented. The criminal case against the executives follows a civil case in which a Tokyo court in July 2022 ordered the three men – along with Tepco’s former President Masataka Shimizuto – to pay 13 trillion yen ($95 billion) in damages to the operator of the wrecked plant. That ruling, which came after shareholders filed a lawsuit in 2012, was the first to find former Tepco executives legally responsible for the nuclear plant disaster. Passive Voice 1. have been predicted 2. have been prevented 3. was reported Tense ● Present Perfect ● Present Perfect ● Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb predicted Regular Verb Intransitive Verb prevented Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb reported Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
166 University of Georgia football player and staff member killed in car crash hours after championship celebration University of Georgia football player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in a single car crash early Sunday just hours after their team celebrated its national championship with a victory parade and celebration, according to a statement from the UGA Athletic Association. Willock, 20, and LeCroy, 24, were among four people in the vehicle at the time of the crash, which happened around 2:45 a.m. on Sunday not far from the UGA campus in Athens, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. LeCroy was driving when the 2021 Ford Expedition left the road and struck two power poles and several trees, police said. Willock died on scene and LeCroy died later after being taken to a hospital, police said. A 26-year-old female passenger suffered serious injuries in the crash while a 21-year-old passenger suffered minor injuries, according to police. The university said the two injured passengers were connected with the football program but did not identify them. The Athens Banner-Herald later reported that University of Georgia starting offensive tackle Warren McClendon was a passenger in the car. The UGA Athletics Association paid tribute to Willock and LeCroy. “Devin and Chandler were two special people who meant so much to the University of Georgia, our football program and our athletic department,” the association said in a statement. “We ask that everyone keep their families in your prayers during this very difficult time.” Willock, a redshirt sophomore from New Milford, New Jersey, played on the offensive line in all 15 of the team’s games this year, according to Georgia’s football roster. “We are all heartbroken and devastated with the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy,” UGA Head Football Coach Kirby Smart said in a statement Sunday morning. “Devin was an outstanding young man in every way. He was always smiling, was a great teammate and a joy to coach. Chandler was a valuable member of our football staff and brought an incredible attitude and energy every single day. We grieve with their families for this tragic loss and will support them in every way possible,” the coach added. The Athens Banner-Herald reported that McClendon received stitches to the forehead as a result of the accident, citing the football player’s father, Warren McClendon Senior. “Lil Warren was in the car that was involved in the accident and he is doing well,” his father, Warren Sr. told the Athens Banner-Herald via text message on Sunday afternoon. “We are asking everyone to pray for Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy’s family. We are with lil Warren and will let everyone know more later. Thank you for your prayers.”
167 The Banner-Herald went on to quote the father as saying McClendon was “devastated by the loss of his roommate and close friend.” CNN has reached out to both the University of Georgia and Warren McClendon Senior for further comment. The fatal crash came after a day of celebration as UGA players, coaches and fans packed into Sanford Stadium in honor of their second straight national championship. At a Texas Roadhouse in Athens on Saturday, a 7-year-old Georgia fan named Camdyn Gonzales met Willock and took a photo together. The 6-foot-7-inch, 335-pound lineman gave the boy a fist bump and let him wear his enormous 2021 national championship ring. “Special thank u to @DevinWillock for taking time for my grandson when he didn’t have to. U went out of our way to make him feel special and U made his day!! Good luck next year! Go Dawgs!” the boy’s grandfather, Sam Kramer, wrote in a tweet. Camdyn was star-struck after meeting one of his heroes, the grandfather said. Willock, meanwhile, seemed “so full of life and just happy,” Kramer added. “He was humble and very appreciative that we knew who he was and wanted to talk to him.” Former Georgia defensive lineman Jordan Davis, now with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, said in a tweet he was heartbroken. “Watching them grow and become like family over these few years. There is no grief without love, and we love both of you like family,” he wrote. Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith said the deaths “hurt my heart man, all I have to say the GREAT ONES LEAVE TO SOON,” he wrote on Twitter. “@DevinWillock I LOVE YOU FOREVER.” Passive Voice 1. were killed 2. were connected 3. was involved 4. was devastated 5. was and wanted 6. was heartbroken Tense ● Past Simple *6 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb killed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb connected Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb involved Regular Verb Transitive Verb devastated Regular Verb Intransitive Verb wanted Regular Verb Intransitive Verb heartbroken Irregular Verb Intransitive Verb
168 Why Prince Harry is such a threat to a certain kind of man Days before Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” was officially released on January 10, scandalous details from the book made headlines across the world. The Guardian got the first scoop: Harry’s description of a physical fight with his brother Prince William, which resulted in a shattered dog bowl and a broken necklace. We soon heard more snippets: Harry is frostbitten penis (or “todger” as he kept calling it) on his brother’s wedding day, his confession that he had taken cocaine and the story of how he lost his virginity in a field to a mystery older woman who spanked his ass. Unsurprisingly, these headlines don’t capture the whole story. “Spare” is a sad read about a man who is clearly hurt and damaged. A man who, by accident of birth and through tragedy, has never had complete control over his own life. The memoir’s central narrative is that, despite being born into immense privilege, Prince Harry is a victim too. From a young age, he remembers knowing that he existed just in case anything happened to William. (As a child, he came to believe that he was there to provide organ donations should the heir to the throne require them). As he grew up, he was harassed by the same tabloids that hounded his late mother, Princess Diana. He talks about how they branded him the “naughty Prince,” “Prince thicko” or made him out to be a drug addict. He says in the book that one of the tabloid editors who allegedly tried to “blackmail” him went on to work for his father and stepmother. (Charles and Camilla have not publicly commented on the claim). Now that Harry’s relationship with his family and the British press has deteriorated, the adjectives that are often used to describe him are even less flattering: soft, fragile, thin-skinned, spoiled and spiteful. The racist and misogynistic media coverage that Harry’s wife Meghan Markle has experienced is well-documented. But what is discussed less often is how Harry’s own masculinity is leveraged against him. In fact, the gendered expectations of Harry’s behavior are a key driver of much of the vitriol he has received. Prince Harry comes from a long line of military men who took pride in adopting a stiff upper lip attitude and getting on with the job. That was an image that his grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was particularly keen to present for himself as he continued royal duties well into his mid-90s. Viewed through this prism, complaining is considered feminine and weak. Harry has alluded to this himself by making a distinction between “Institutional Harry” and “Husband Harry” – the latter of whom is more emotional.
169 Outside of the royal institution, there has been a cultural shift towards encouraging men to talk about their feelings and mental health. “Spare” takes us through Prince’s process of doing just that. And after examining some of the ways growing up in the royal institution damaged him, with the help of a therapist, it seems like he prefers “Husband Harry” to “Institutional Harry.” The tension between the Prince’s two personas is really a microcosm of a wider cultural clash between different versions of masculinity. In the so-called “culture war” that the Sussexes have found themselves embroiled in, millennial masculinity has become a key battleground. A number of conservative politicians and commentators have coalesced around the idea that today’s young men are no longer, as they might put it, “real men.” In 2020, conservative influencer Will Witt delivered a talk at the University of Denver titled “Make Men Masculine Again,” in which he argued that men no longer being masculine was causing deep societal problems. Republican Senator Josh Hawley’s upcoming book, “Manhood: What America Needs,” similarly calls on American men to “stand up and embrace their God-given responsibility as husbands, fathers, and citizens.” In the UK, right-wing political activist Laurence Fox was mocked for bemoaning the fact that men aren’t “hard” anymore, tweeting: “Bad Times make hard men. Hard men make good times. Good times make soft men. Soft men make bad times. We are in bad times. We need MEN.” Fox has drawn criticism for claiming that society wants to “chop men’s balls off” and describing men he disagrees with as “woke cucks.” But similar language has fueled the disturbing rise of “ultra-masculine” influencers like Andrew Tate. The British former kickboxer has built a lucrative social media platform by claiming he can teach men how to be “alphas.” In some of his videos, he has boasted about choking and hitting women. Alongside his brother Tristan, Tate was arrested in Romania as part of an investigation into sex trafficking and rape in December 2022. Their lawyer, Eugen Vidineac, has said the brothers both reject the allegations. To these self-appointed saviors of “real” masculinity, feminists like Markle are the primary enemy. But hostility is also reserved for so-called “beta” males who don’t subscribe to their worldview. In “Spare,” Harry recalls seeing a cartoon in one of Britain’s newspapers, which portrayed him on a dog leash that his wife was holding. He describes this as “textbook” misogyny, which blamed a woman for decisions he had made. But it was also a classic example because it sought to emasculate him for refusing to participate in the oppression of women – a key tactic used to uphold misogyny. Similarly, Jeremy Clarkson dubbed Harry “Harold Markle” in his now-infamous newspaper column, where he wrote that he wanted to watch Markle being paraded naked through the streets and pelted with excrement. The Sun newspaper later removed the column and apologized. But it’s just another example of how the demonization of Markle goes hand-in-hand with the casual emasculation of her husband. Older men like Clarkson and prominent Sussex critic Piers Morgan going out of their way to deride Prince Harry feels connected to his openness about being a man who is in therapy. Right-
170 wing media has made a target out of the so-called “therapy industry” and often furthers the characterization of therapy as a self-indulgent practice. On the eve of the release of “Spare,” the royal institution appeared to feed into this narrative by briefing journalists that Prince Harry has been “kidnapped by the cult of psychotherapy.” In this framing, a man presenting himself as a victim, or damaged in any way, is equated with weakness and narcissism. On social media, I can sense a feeling of fatigue as the Sussexes continue to share their story via so many different mediums. But “Spare” has still become the UK’s fastest-selling nonfiction book ever. Most people will form their opinion based on the snippets of the memoir that media outlets or social media users have curated for them, not by reading the entire memoir. But beyond the memes about the prince rubbing Elizabeth Arden cream on his frost-bitten penis or googling his future wife’s TV sex scenes, “Spare” is a story about a man of immense privilege who is at least trying to do better – even if that means going against the institutions and societal conventions which have previously benefited him. Yes, this book is occasionally contradictory, out-of-touch and features plenty of toe-curling details I would have been much happier not knowing. (For someone like Harry who often decries tabloid editors, there were a lot of details included here which seem tailor-made to make them salivate). And yes, a break from hearing about the Sussexes would be very welcome. But I can’t shake the feeling that, for his loudest detractors, this is bigger than Prince Harry. His most virulent critics feel threatened and betrayed by the version of modern masculinity he represents – one that, like the Prince himself, is trying to break free from its past.
171 Passive Voice 1. was officially released 2. is clearly hurt 3. was harassed 4. was arrested 5. is frostbitten 6. is discussed 7. is well-documented 8. is leveraged 9. is considered 10. is equated Tense ● Past Simple *3 ● Present Simple *7 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb released Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb hurt Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb harassed Regular Verb Intransitive Verb arrested Regular Verb Transitive Verb kidnapped Regular Verb Intransitive Verb discussed Regular Verb Transitive Verb documented Regular Verb Transitive Verb leveraged Regular Verb Transitive Verb considered Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb equated Regular Verb Transitive Verb
172 Economy Are you a restaurant worker who recently came back to the industry? Tell us about it At the onset of the pandemic, the restaurant business was one of the hardest hit in the United States. More than 5 million jobs were lost in a matter of weeks — almost half the industry. The jobs were initially slow to return as some restaurants permanently was closed and broader concerns such as those related to health, pay, and caregiving demands kept other workers on the sidelines. Nearly three year later, the restaurant business is edging closer to full employment. Are you a restaurant worker who returned to the industry? If so, we’d like to hear why. Share your story with CNN below, and you could be featured in an upcoming article. Passive Voice 1. was closed 2. were lost Tense • Present Simple • Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb closed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb lost Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
173 China posts one of its worst economic performances in decades because of Covid China’s economy was expanded by just 3% in 2022, far below the government’s own target, marking one of the worst performances in nearly half a century. Growth impacted heavily by months of widespread Covid lockdowns and a historic downturn in the property market. Still, the number came in slightly better than market expectations, with some signs of stabilization in the final weeks of 2022 because of policy support in infrastructure investment and credit expansion. Gross domestic product (GDP) has been increased 2.9% in the fourth quarter, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. A Reuters poll of economists had previously estimated expansion of just 1.8% for the fourth quarter and 2.8% for 2022. “China’s domestic economy has suffered unexpected shocks in 2022, including frequent Covid outbreaks and extreme heatwaves,” Kang Yi, director of the NBS, told a press conference in Beijing. “The triple pressures of demand contraction, supply shocks, and weakening expectations continue to evolve, and the complexity, severity, and uncertainty of the environment are increasing.” China had been taken a zero-tolerance approach to the coronavirus since the pandemic began. But three years of restrictions have wreaked havoc on the economy, sparked public anger and placed extraordinary pressure on local governments’ finances. Amid growing pressure, the government abruptly was changed course in early December, effectively ending its controversial zero-Covid policy. However, while the easing of restrictions was a relief for many, its abruptness caught the public off guard, leaving people largely to fend for themselves. The rapid spread of infection drove many people indoors and emptied shops and restaurants. Factories and companies have also been forced to shut or cut production because more workers got sick. “Q4 data surprised to the upside against depressed expectations. But be that as it may, the data still confirms a depressing end to a challenging year for the Chinese economy,” said Aidan Yao, senior emerging Asia economist at AXA Investment Managers. Worst is over? Tuesday’s data offered a glimpse into how the Covid surge has been disrupted the economy in the past month. Retail sales fell 1.8% in December, falling for a third month in a row. The contraction was mainly caused by the spread of Covid, as “most people got infected and stayed at home,” said Chaoping Zhu, global market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management. For the entire year, retail sales dropped 0.2%, while it had seen a 12.5% growth in 2021. Meanwhile, industrial production growth slowed to 1.3% in December, the weakest in seven months. For 2022, it rose 3.6%, compared to 9.6% in 2021. But there are some bright spots. Investment in fixed assets increased 5.1% during the January-to-December period. Basic infrastructure investment—which covers railways, ports and telecommunications networks— jumped 9.4% for the whole of last year. Investment in electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing soared by 42.6% during the same period. The growth was thanks to the government’s infrastructure investment push and monetary easing efforts, analysts said. “The good news is that there are now signs of stabilization, as policy
174 support doled out towards the end of 2022 is showing up in the relative resilience of infrastructure investment and credit growth,” said Louise Loo, senior economist for Capital Economics, in a research note. Consumer spending is still lagging, but overall economic growth should pick up more strongly from March, she added. “Q4 has likely was marked the darkest before the dawn,” Yao said. “It is possible that part of December’s data surprise reflected the bottoming of economic activity in cities that have already passed the peak of infections by the middle of the month.” Policy support Policymakers have recently vowed to go all out to save the economy in 2023, betting on the private industry to bolster growth. They have eased pressure on the embattled tech and property industries, which have been reeling from a sweeping regulatory crackdown on private enterprise since 2020. The moves have boosted investor and analyst confidence about a significant rebound in China’s economy. So far, a group of government economists and international analysts have raised their China growth forecasts to between 4.3% and 5.4% for 2023. Some expect Beijing to set a growth target above 5%. Continuing risks But the country still has a number of challenges ahead. “Risks persist in the property sector and local government debt,” said Zhu. He expects an additional interest rate cut in the first quarter, was followed by further monetary easing measures by the central bank. “China’s 2023 will be bumpy; not only will it have to navigate the threat of new Covid waves, but the country’s worsening residential property market and weak global demand for its exports will be significant brakes,” said Harry Murphy Cruise, economist at Moody’s Analytics. The statistics bureau also revealed that China’s population shrank. The country had 1.4118 billion people in 2022, down some 850,000 people compared to 2021. Analysts said the decline was the first since 1961. “China cannot rely on the demographic dividend as a structural driver for economic growth. Going forward demographics will be a headwind,” said Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management. “Economic growth will have to depend more on productivity growth, which is driven by government policies.”
175 Passive Voice 1. was expanded 2. has been increased 3. had been taken 4. was changed 5. has been disrupted 6. was mainly caused 7. has likely was marked 8. was followed 9. is driven Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect*3 • Past Simple*4 • Past Perfect Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb expanded Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb increased Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb taken Irregular Verb Transitive Verb changed Regular Verb Intransitive Verb disrupted Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb caused Regular Verb Transitive Verb marked Regular Verb Transitive Verb followed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb driven Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
176 China to launch state-backed transport platform for ride-hailing, trucking China will soon launch a state-backed platform for transport which includes services of ride-hailing, cargo trucking, road transport, railway, ferry and flight services, Chinese state media Beijing Daily reported on Wednesday. The online platform, which has completed internal tests, is expected to integrate more than 90% of total capacity of the transportation market, the newspaper said. China’s ride-hailing market was dominated by Didi Global which ran afoul of powerful regulator the Cyberspace Administration of China in 2021. The 18-month ban on the ride-hailer was lifted on Monday after the company took effective measures to ensure platform safety and data security. The report did not give details of why the government was introducing the platform, whether customers would be obliged to use it or whether it would compete with existing platforms. The report alluded to the disorderly expansion of ride-hailing apps and issues of data security. The state-backed platform, called “Qiang Guo Jiao Tong” – or “Powerful Nation’s Transportation” – will offer people convenient services while maintaining data security and protecting personal privacy, Beijing Daily reported. Other social media apps such as Wechat, Alipay and Douyin will be integrated into the platform, the report added. Passive Voice 1. is expected 2. was dominated 3. was lifted 4. would be obliged 5. will be integrated Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect • Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb expected Regular Verb Transitive Verb dominated Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb lifted Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb obliged Regular Verb Transitive Verb integrated Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
177 Disney names Nike executive Mark Parker as new chairman The Walt Disney Company has been named Nike executive chairman Mark Parker as its new board chair, replacing longtime director Susan Arnold, whose term limit is expiring. Parker, a Disney board member since 2016, takes over Disney’s board at a time of transition for America’s largest media company. Bob Iger recently returned as CEO after a brief hiatus. “Mark Parker’s vision, incredible depth of experience and wise counsel have been invaluable to Disney, and I look forward to continuing working with him in his new role, along with our other directors, as we chart the future course for this amazing company,” said Iger in a statement. In 2019, Parker stepped down as Nike’s CEO after 13 years at the helm. Disney said among Parker’s qualifications as board chair is that he navigated a successful CEO transition at Nike. Disney announced Wednesday the formation of a CEO succession committee to replace Iger, who said in November he would return as chief executive for only a two-year stint. “It is the top priority of mine and the Board’s to identify and prepare a successful CEO successor, and that process has already begun,” Parker said in a statement Wednesday. Iger’s return shocked the media industry. Disney ousted Bob Chapek, who replaced Iger in 2020 as CEO. ADVERTISEMENT Ad Feedback Among the problems facing Disney: Its streaming business lost $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter. And Disney’s media networks are struggling as cord cutting accelerates and once lucrative outlets like ESPN lose viewership. Dan Loeb, the activist investor and Third Point CEO, made headlines in August when he suggested “a strong case can be made that the ESPN business should be spun off to shareholders with an appropriate debt load.” Another activist shareholder group, Trian Partners, nominated its leader Nelson Peltz as a director. Disney said Wednesday it will work with Peltz but opposed his appointment to the board. “Mr. Iger’s mandate is to use his two-year term and depth of experience in the industry to adapt the business model for the shifting media landscape, rebalancing investment with revenue opportunity while bringing a renewed focus on the creative talent that has made The Walt Disney Company the envy of the industry,” the company said in its opposition of Peltz.Arnold, the outgoing chairwoman, had been served on Disney’s board since 2007. She was announced as the board’s leader on December 31, 2021. She praised Parker for helping lead Disney through a difficult period for the company and the broader media industry. “Mark Parker is an incredibly well-respected leader who over seven years as a Disney director has been helped the company effectively navigate through a time of unprecedented change,” Arnold said in a statement. Iger praised Arnold for “superb leadership … and for her tireless work over the past 15 years as an exemplary steward of the Disney brand.”
178 Passive Voice 1. has been named 2. can be made 3. be spun 4. had been served 5. has been helped Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect • Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb named Regular Verb Transitive Verb made Irregular Verb Intransitive Verb spun Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb served Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb helped Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb
179 Egg prices exploded 60% higher last year. These food prices surged too Eggs, milk, butter, flour … if you were making pancakes last year, it would have cost you. Food prices surged in 2022. Grocery prices remain stubbornly high (and nearly double the rate of overall inflation) at 11.8% year over year, according to data released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Blame Russia, the weather, disease and a host of other factors. “Even though we’re seeing inflationary pressures ease, we still have a war in Ukraine,” said Tom Bailey, senior consumer foods analyst with Rabobank. “Fertilizer costs have been improved, but they still remain very high. Energy costs have improved, but they still remain relatively high. Labor costs still remain a problem — and the list goes on.” Weather and disease are heavily affecting certain products’ prices, too – and none have been more rotten than egg prices: They’re up 59.9% year over year, a rate not seen since 1973, when high feed costs, shortages and price freezes caused certain agricultural products to soar in price. Since early last year, a deadly avian flu has devastated poultry flocks, especially turkeys and egg-laying hens. That was compounded by increasing demand and higher input costs, such as feed. As a result, people like Jim Quinn are shelling out upwards of $6 and $7 for a dozen eggs. Quinn has run daytime eatery The Hungry Monkey Café in Newport, Rhode Island, with his wife, Kate, since 2009. As a breakfast and lunch joint, it was leans heavily on eggs for the majority of dishes on its menu — and especially for the 15-egg King Kong omelet novelty food challenge at the restaurant. Even though eggs and seemingly every other ingredient have risen in price during the past year, Quinn and The Hungry Monkey have chosen to eat the cost. “I’m trying to hold the line on the prices without having to increase them,” Quinn said. “It makes it extremely challenging for a mom-and-pop [business].” He added: “We’re just trying to stay alive and hope that things will come down.” But there’s good news on the horizon. The cost of food is still hard to swallow, but the latest Consumer Price Index shows that those price increases — by and large — are at least growing at slower rates. In December, “food at home” prices increased 0.2% from the month before. That’s the smallest monthly increase since March 2021. The expectations are for food price increases to continue to moderate, Bailey said. “I suspect over the next 12 months we will see improvements in supply, improvements in the conditions that have been challenging across most of our food categories,” he said, “and we’ll finally start to see prices, at least upstream, really starting to come off. And then maybe it’s 2024 where we could eventually see some deflation for food.”
180 Food prices Here’s a look at how prices are trending across certain food categories in December, according to BLS data: Eggs: +59.9% annually; +11.1% from November Butter and margarine: +35.3% annually; +1.7% from November Lettuce: +24.9% annually; +4% from November Flour and prepared flour mixes: +23.4% annually; -1% from November Canned fruits and vegetables: +18.4% annually; +0.3% from November Bread: +15.9% annually; +0.2% from November Cereals and cereal products: +15.6% annually; -0.3% from November Coffee: +14.3% annually; +0% from November Milk: +12.5% annually; -1% from November Chicken: +10.9% annually; -0.6% from November Baby food: +10.7% annually; -0.2% from November Fresh fruits: +3.4% annually; -1.9% from November Uncooked ground beef: +0.7% annually; -0.1% from November Bacon and related products: -3.7% annually; -2.9% from November Uncooked beef steaks: -5.4% annually; +0.9% from November Passive Voice 1. have been improved 2. was compounded 3. was leans Tense • Present Perfect • Past Simple*2 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb improved Regular Verb Transitive Verb compounded Regular Verb Transitive Verb leans Irregular Verb Intransitive Verb
181 Exclusive: Rocket CEO says housing isn’t a buyer’s or a seller’s market. Now it’s even Covid-19 set off an epic housing boom that left first-time homebuyers feeling desperate amid relentless bidding wars and all-cash offers. Jay Farner, who presides over America’s largest mortgage lender Rocket Mortgage, says the days of sellers holding all the power are over. “Those moments of…there are 20 offers coming in are gone now. Buyers can take a bit more time,” Farner, the CEO of Rocket Companies, told CNN in an exclusive interview. “The buyer has a little bit more power or control on their side.” Was hurt by the spike in mortgage rates, home sales dropped in November for the 10th month in a row, the longest slump since at least 1999. But the Rocket CEO isn’t prepared to declare this a buyer’s market, at least not yet, because inventories remain historically low. “I’d say it’s an even market,” Farner said. “A few years ago, it was clearly a seller’s market. We were doing verified approvals, people were getting a full underwrite within 24 hours to ensure they could present almost like a cash buyer to make an offer on that home. Now, they have a bit more time. They have more homes they can look at…. We’re not seeing 15 offers on one home.” Where will home prices go? In recent months, home prices have cooled off from their blockbuster gains in 2020 and 2021. But Farner doesn’t expect home prices to plunge. He pointed to the fact that relatively high mortgage rates have caused homeowners thinking about selling to hit pause. “As demand decreases, we also see supply decrease,” Farner said. If that continues, he said, “then we’ll probably see a pretty soft landing here on home prices, meaning home prices remain similar to where they are today.” The housing boom that began in 2020 was driven in part by rock-bottom mortgage rates as the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to near-zero to revive the economy. Now, the opposite has happened. High inflation has been prompted the Fed to rapidly raise borrowing costs, a 180 that has hit the housing market the hardest. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.33% in the week ending January 12, according to Freddie Mac. That’s down from 7.08% last fall but well above 3.45% from a year ago.
182 Passive Voice 1. are gone 2. was hurt 3. isn’t prepared 4. was driven 5. has been prompted Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect • Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb gone Irregular Verb Intransitive Verb hurt Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb prepared Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb driven Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb prompted Regular Verb Transitive Verb
183 NBC News president Noah Oppenheim exits, replaced by new head of editorial and two others in network shakeup NBC News president Noah Oppenheim will exit the network as part of a restructuring announced Wednesday that will replace his role with three executives, including Rebecca Blumenstein, a deputy managing editor of The New York Times. Blumenstein, who has a lengthy history working in print and digital, but notably lacks experience in television news, will take the role of president of editorial at NBC News at a time when television-centric newsrooms are navigating uncertain terrain with the decline of linear and rise of streaming. “The news landscape is rapidly evolving, with mediums converging at a rate our industry has never seen,” Blumenstein said in a statement. “I look forward to building on the deep journalistic foundation at NBC news to help NBC News achieve its ambitions.” Blumenstein will oversee a more limited version of what had been Oppenheim’s portfolio: She will manage much of the network’s programming, but the lucrative “Today” franchise and tentpole “Nightly News” will move under the purview of Cesar Conde, president of NBCUniversal News Group. Oppenheim led NBC News through the tumultuous presidency of Donald Trump. He was informed staff that he will be return to “writing and producing TV and movies,” which, besides news, Oppenheim described as his “other love.” Conde said Oppenheim will develop shows and other longform content with NBCUniversal. Semafor reported last month Netflix had green lit a pilot script from him and was working on another political thriller series. “I leave with enormous pride in all that we’ve accomplished together,” Oppenheim wrote in a note to NBC News staff.Blumenstein’s appointment and Oppenheim’s departure, which was had been expected in industry circles, was first reported by The New York Times. As part of the restructuring, Conde also announced that Libby Leist had been promoted to executive vice president of “Today” and lifestyle. And Conde said that Janelle Rodriguez had been named executive vice president of NBC News NOW, the company’s streaming service.Both Leist and Rodriguez, Conde said, will report to him and join NBCUniversal News Group’s leadership team. “The appointments of Rebecca, Libby and Janelle provide a powerful foundation for the News Group as it continues to grow its leadership position,” Conde said, adding that “the extraordinary accomplishments of Rebecca, Libby and Janelle and their visions will keep us on the path of continued success.”
184 Passive Voice 1. was replaced 2. was informed 3. will be return 4. had been expected 5. had been promoted 6. had been named Tense • Past Simple • Past Perfect Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb replaced Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb informed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb returned Regular Verb Intransitive Verb expected Regular Verb Transitive Verb promoted Regular Verb Intransitive Verb named Regular Verb Transitive Verb
185 Retail sales continued to fall in December as shoppers battled inflation It was a ho-hum end to 2022 for spending in America. US retail sales continued their fall in December, dropping by 1.1% as inflation remained high, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. That’s the largest monthly decline since December 2021, and practically every category (except for building materials, groceries and sporting goods) saw sales drop from the prior month. Economists had expected sales to fall by just 0.8% for the month, according to Refinitiv. The November number was revised down to -1%. All in all, the final retail sales report for 2022 shows a muted finish to a holiday season that crept even further into October versus the traditional late-November and December. October was the last strong retail sales month of 2022, as discounting and slowing inflation prompted consumers to shop more then, said Kayla Bruun, economic analyst at Morning Consult. “I think the hope was that this was going to lead to a little bit more momentum heading into the holiday season,” she said. “But really, it turned out to be more of just an early bump that actually took away from some of the spending that otherwise might have happened in November and December.” The Commerce Department’s retail sales data is not adjusted for inflation, which reached a 40-year high in June before falling during the second half of 2022, hitting 6.5% for the 12- month period ending in December, according to the latest Consumer Price Index reading released last week. Wholesale price growth is also cooling significantly: The Producer Price Index for December measured 6.2%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Wednesday. During the November and December holiday season, retail sales grew 5.3% over 2021 to $936.3 billion, the National Retail Federation reported Wednesday. The holiday total, which is not adjusted for inflation and excludes sales at auto dealerships, gas stations and restaurants, falls short of the trade association’s projections of 6% to 8% holiday sales growth. “We knew it could be touch-and-go for final holiday sales given early shopping in October that was likely pulled some sales forward plus price pressures and cold, stormy weather,” said Jack Kleinhenz, NRF’s chief economist, in a statement. “The pace of spending was choppy, and consumers may have pulled back more than we had hoped, but these numbers show that they navigated a challenging, inflation-driven environment reasonably well. The bottom line is that consumers are still engaged and shopping despite everything happening around them.” Potential slowdown ahead Consumer spending has been remained robust despite inflation, rising interest rates and recession fears. However, some economic data suggests that activity may be losing some steam and that Americans are running out of dry powder.
186 “I think the consumers has gotten very active in managing their household budget and what they’re willing to spend on,” said Matt Kramer, KPMG’s national sector leader for consumer and retail. “They’re spending more time looking for the deals and being thoughtful about when they make purchases.” That’s seen in the monthly sales declines in categories like motor vehicles, which were down 1.2% from November; furniture, down 2.5%; and electronics, down 1.1%, according to Wednesday’s report. “Certainly on those large purchases, financed purchases where interest rates play in, the consumers are pushing those decisions out and extending their buying cycles around the larger categories,” he said. The next few months are traditionally the slowest for retailers, but headwinds like credit card debt and stubborn inflation may exacerbate that, said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate. “A further slowdown in purchasing appears likely, at least in the near-term,” Rossman said in a statement. Keeping a close watch on services spending Discretionary spending is usually the first to go, with people typically cutting back on travel, eating out and other expenditures, said Amanda Belarmino, assistant professor of hospitality at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. However, the post-pandemic pent-up demand that fueled strong services spending in 2022 is still going strong. Spending on food services and drinking places was up 12.1% in December from the year before. “What we’ve seen in restaurants, tourism, hospitality is completely contrary to what we normally see in an economic slowdown,” Belarmino said. “We have seen consumers continue to make that spending. But where you’re seeing those slowdowns are things like people canceling their streaming services, canceling their Peloton, canceling their home services. So it seems that consumers are making those trade-offs.” However, shifts in tipping activity could be harbinger of shifts to come. “The average tip rate in the US had gone up to about 18% to 20%, and there are some indicators that’s going to be falling back down toward the 15% range,” Belarmino said. “It’s not a huge thing, but it’s a way for consumers to save money.” How spending activity holds up in the service industries will be a critical indicator in the coming months, Morning Consult’s Bruun said, adding that a strong labor market should help to prevent a dramatic collapse in spending. “That has been the component of consumer spending that’s been driving growth,” she said. “And it’s going to need to, going forward, because we’ve really seen that goods demand has been tapped out to a large extent.”
187 Passive Voice 1. was revised 2. is not adjusted 3. was likely pulled 4. has been remained Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect • Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb revised Regular Verb Transitive Verb adjusted Regular Verb Transitive Verb pulled Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb remained Regular Verb Transitive Verb
188 Two global recessions in one decade? That hasn’t happened in over 80 years The global economy is just one more knock away from a second recession in the same decade, something that hasn’t happened in more than 80 years. That’s the latest warning from the World Bank, which on Tuesday sharply lowered its forecast for global economic growth.The group now projects that the world economy will be expand by just 1.7% this year, slamming developing countries that have already been hit hard by the pandemic and rising interest rates. It projects growth will tick back up to 2.7% in 2024. “The crisis facing development is intensifying as the global growth outlook deteriorates,” World Bank President David Malpass said in a statement.Elevated inflation, aggressive central bank policy, deteriorating financial conditions and shock waves from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are all weighing on growth. As a result, “further negative shocks” — from higher inflation and even tighter monetary policy to an uptick in geopolitical tensions — could be enough to trigger recessionary conditions, according to the World Bank. The global economy shrank by 3.2% during the pandemic recession of 2020, before bouncing back strongly in 2021. The world last experienced two recessions in the same decade in the 1930s. The organization said it was expected the US economy to grow by just 0.5% in 2023. The 20 countries that use the euro, which have been battered by the war in Ukraine, aren’t expected to see any aggregate expansion at all. Both forecasts are much lower than they were in June 2022. Growth in China is projected to pick up in 2023 following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, rising to 4.3%. But that forecast is also down from six months ago, reflecting ongoing shakiness in the country’s real estate market, weaker demand from other countries for products made in China and continued pandemic disruptions. “The world’s three major engines of growth — the United States, the euro area and China — are undergoing a period of pronounced weakness,” the World Bank said in its report. This pullback will also hurt poorer countries, which have already been feeling the effects of an uncertain economic climate, lower business investment and increasing rates. Rising borrowing costs can make it more challenging to deal with high levels of debt. By the end of 2024, economic output in emerging markets and developing economies will be about 6% below levels that had been mapped out before the pandemic, according to the World Bank. Income growth is also expected to be slower than the average in the decade before Covid, making it harder to close the gap with richer nations.
189 Passive Voice 1. will be expand 2. have already been hit 3. was expected 4. have been battered 5. had been mapped 6. is also expected Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect • Past Simple • Past Perfect Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb expand Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb hit Irregular Verb Transitive Verb expected Regular Verb Transitive Verb mapped Regular Verb Transitive Verb battered Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb expected Regular Verb Transitive Verb
190 World’s top chip maker mulls global expansion with plants in Europe, Japan Semiconductor giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) may expand its global manufacturing footprint even further. The company is considering opening its first plant in Europe and a second one in Japan, its CEO CC Wei said in an earnings call on Thursday. TSMC, which produces an estimated 90% of the world’s super-advanced chips, has already upped its investment in the United States. The company announced last year that it’s building a second semiconductor factory in Arizona and raising its investment there from $12 billion to $40 billion. Speaking about TSMC’s new plans on Thursday, Wei said that in Europe “we’re engaging with customers and partners to evaluate the possibility of building a specialty fab, focusing on automotive-specific technologies, based on the demand from customers and level of government support.” A fab refers to a semiconductor fabrication plant. The company is also considering building a second fab in Japan, “as long as the demand from customers and the level of government support makes sense,” he said. These plans come amidst falling demand for semiconductors because of a weakening global economy. “In the first half of 2023, we expect our revenue to decline [by] mid- to high singledigit percent over the same period last year in US dollar terms,” Wei said, adding that he expects revenue to increase in the second half of the year. “For the full year of 2023, we forecast the semiconductor market, excluding memory, to decline approximately 4%,” he added. TSMC is considered a national treasure in Taiwan and supplies tech giants including Apple and Qualcomm. It mass produces the most advanced semiconductors in the world, components that are vital to the smooth running of everything from smartphones to washing machines. The company is perceived as being so valuable to the global economy, as well as to China — which claims Taiwan as its own territory despite having never been controlled it — that it is sometimes even referred to as forming part of a “silicon shield” against a potential military invasion by Beijing. TSMC’s presence gives a strong incentive to the West to defend Taiwan against any attempt by China to take it by force, analysts say. The company’s international expansion has caused deep unease in Taiwan. Apart from the risk that TSMC will take its most advanced technology with it — stripping Taiwan of one of its unique assets and reducing employment opportunities locally — there are fears that a diminished presence for the company could expose Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, to greater pressure from Beijing.
191 Passive Voice 1. is considered 2. is perceived 3. having never been controlled Tense • Present Simple • Present Perfect Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb considered Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb perceived Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb controlled Regular Verb Transitive Verb
192 Murder 15 people remain hospitalized following Brovary crash, according to Ukrainian health minister Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday again reiterated his desire for Ukraine to join NATO, telling leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum that the alliance is the "best security guarantee for us." "Security guarantees are among the top priorities for us," Zelenksy said virtually via a translator in response to a question from CNN's Fareed Zakaria. "We understand that at the moment, we're not there yet, unfortunately, Russia does understand this well, and they do their damnedest to not make it easy for us to join. But we are on the way toward NATO, because NATO is the best security guarantee for us, for our country, for our kids." On Tuesday, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said that while Ukraine must be supported, Russia should be given the opportunity to be a member of the global order. Asked about Kissinger's remarks regarding Russia's place in the world, Zelensky said "Russia has already earned a place among terrorists." "Our priority today, our political task today is to see the different political leaders and figures, those who are still very relevant or have been relevant until recently, for them to be able to recognize the great mistake that Putin committed, for them to recognize this is Russia's aggression," Zelensky added. Passive Voice 1. be supported 2. be given Tense • Present Simple*2 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb supported Regular Verb Transitive Verb given Irregular Verb Transitive Verb
193 A teenage mother and her 10-month-old baby were gunned down while running from a ‘cartel-style execution’ in central California that left 6 dead, police say A young mother was clutching her 10-month-old son and running for safety when they were both gunned down during a horrific attack that left six dead in a small central California community, the sheriff said. Forensic evidence shows a shooter stood over 16-year-old Alissa Parraz and her son Nycholas and shot both of them in the head, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said during a news conference Tuesday. “I know for a fact that this young lady was running for her life,” Boudreaux said. The teen was fleeing a home where at least two suspects had opened fire in what the sheriff described as a “cartel-like execution.” The four other victims in Monday’s attack were identified as Marcos Parraz, 19; Eladio Parraz, 52; Alissa’s grandmother, Rosa Parraz, 72; and Jennifer Analla, 49, a close friend of a family member who survived the shooting. The victims were targeted just before 3:40 a.m. at home in Goshen, California, a small farming community about 30 miles southeast of Fresno, the sheriff said. “These people were clearly shot in the head, and they were also shot in places that the shooter would know that quick death would occur,” Boudreaux said Tuesday. The home was known to law enforcement for illegal activity, Boudreaux said. “But let me make this very clear: Not all these people in this home are gang members. And not all these people in this home are drug dealers. The 16-year-old female is an innocent victim. The grandmother inside appears to be an innocent victim. And definitely this 10-month-old child is an innocent victim,” Boudreaux added. Three people survived the shooting by hiding, and they have been speaking to law enforcement, Boudreaux said. The killings have shocked the Goshen community, the sheriff said, but he assured residents, “This was not a random act of violence. This was a very specific targeted act of violence. So, I don’t want the community to be scared or worried.” The shooting is one of 32 mass shootings in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The organization and CNN define a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter. As of Tuesday, 17 children age 11 and younger died by gunshots so far this year while 24 suffered injuries, according to the archive.
194 Authorities in California are searching for at least two suspects and have offered a $10,000 reward for information that could lead to their arrest. Boudreaux asked local businesses and homes to share any surveillance footage their cameras may have caught between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday. 3 survivors hid as they heard shots ring out Investigators have already collected hundreds of pieces of evidence from the crime scene, Boudreaux said during Tuesday’s news conference, adding that detectives are working around the clock on forensics. The three people who survived the shooting are relaying key details to authorities, he said. One survivor described hearing shots ring out in the home as he lied flat inside a room, pushing his feet against the door to keep it closed, Boudreaux said. He heard at least one of the shooters rattling the doorknob before they walked away. “He was in such a state of fear that all he could do was hold the door, hoping that he was not the next victim,” Boudreaux said. The two other survivors hid in a nearby trailer, where one of the victims was shot in the threshold of the trailer door, Boudreaux added. “Fortunately, the two suspects in this case never entered that trailer. … So we have three surviving victims, who are providing a great deal of information,” Boudreaux said. As authorities are gathering evidence they aren’t able to release everything they know because the suspects may be watching, the sheriff said. “We will be slow, methodical, accurate, precise … we will make sure that when we make these arrests that this investigation for the victims – these people will be held to justice,” Boudreaux added. Narcotics warrant issued days before shooting Roughly two weeks before the shooting, deputies with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office found shell casings outside the home on January 3 when they were attempting to conduct a parole compliance check, the office said in a news release emailed to CNN. Compliance checks are done by law enforcement on people who are on felony parole to ensure they’re following the law, Boudreaux explained. At the time, deputies asked to go inside the home but people at the house refused. Deputies returned with a warrant and found marijuana, methamphetamine, guns and body armor, according to the news release. Eladio Parraz, one of the shooting victims, was arrested for being a felon in possession of ammunition, firearms and a controlled substance, the sheriff’s office said. He was released on bail four days later, the release said.
195 Passive Voice 1. were gunned 2. were identified 3. was known 4. was arrested 5. are done 6. was released Tense • Present Simple • Past Simple*5 Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb gunned Regular Verb Intransitive Verb identified Regular Verb Transitive Verb known Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb arrested Regular Verb Transitive Verb done Irregular Verb Transitive Verb released Regular Verb Transitive Verb
196 Brian Walshe accused of killing and dismembering his wife Ana Walshe, prosecutors say Brian Walshe was killed and dismembered his wife Ana Walshe and was disposed of her remains in dumpsters because he wanted to end their marriage, a prosecutor with the Norfolk district attorney’s office said at his arraignment on Wednesday. “Rather than divorce, it is believed that Brian Walshe dismembered Ana Walshe and discarded her body,” prosecutor Lynn Beland said. In their criminal complaint prosecutors stated that Brian Walshe assaulted and beat his wife to death. Beland read aloud the allegations and suspected motive in Quincy District Court as Walshe, 47, was arraigned on charges of murder and disinterring a body without authority. He has been in jail since January 8, when he was arrested and charged with misleading investigators searching for his wife. The hearing was the first time that prosecutors definitively said Ana Walshe, the 39- year-old Massachusetts mother of three who has been missing since the new year, is believed to be dead. Prosecutors did not say whether they had found her remains. In court, Beland laid out some of the evidence that led to the charges, including the discovery of Ana Walshe’s belongings and blood in the garbage and Brian Walshe’s Google searches about dismemberment and disposing of dead bodies. Passive Voice 1. was killed 2. was dismembered 3. was disposed 4. is believed 5. was arraigned 6. is believed 7. was arrested 8. was charged Tense 1. Present Simple 2. Past Simple Vocabulary Regular Verb / Irregular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb killed Regular Verb Transitive Verb / Intransitive Verb dismembered Regular Verb Intransitive Verb disposed Regular Verb Transitive Verb believed Regular Verb Transitive Verb arraigned Regular Verb Transitive Verb believed Regular Verb Transitive Verb arrested Regular Verb Transitive Verb charged Regular Verb Intransitive Verb
197 Climate activist Greta Thunberg released after being detained by German police at coal mine protest Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was released by German police on Tuesday evening after being detained earlier in the day at a protest over the expansion of a coal mine in the western village of Lützerath, police confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.”Thunberg was only briefly detained. Once (Thunberg’s) identity was established, she was free to go,” Max Wilmes, police spokesman in the city of Aachen, told CNN.”Due to the recognition of her name, police sped up the identification process,” Wilmes said. He said she then waited for other protesters to be released. Thunberg swiftly resumed campaigning on Wednesday, tweeting: “Climate protection is not a crime.” “Yesterday I was part of a group that was peacefully protested the expansion of a coal mine in Germany”, the activist said, adding: ”We were kettled by police and then detained but were let go later that evening.” Thunberg was part of a large group of protesters that broke through a police barrier and encroached on a coal pit, which authorities have not been able to secure entirely, police spokesman Christof Hüls told CNN Tuesday. This is the second time Thunberg has been detained at the site, he said. Since last Wednesday, German police have removed hundreds of activists from Lützerath. Some have been at the site for more than two years, CNN has previously reported, occupying the homes abandoned by former residents after they were evicted, mostly by 2017, to make way for the lignite coal mine. The German government reached a deal with energy company RWE, the owner of the mine, in 2022, allowing it to expand into Lützerath in return for ending coal use by 2030 – rather than 2038. Once the eviction is complete, RWE plans to build a 1.5-kilometer (0.93-mile) perimeter fence around the village, sealing off its buildings, streets and sewers before they are demolished. Thunberg tweeted on Friday that she was in Lützerath to protest the expansion. On Saturday, she joined thousands of people demonstrating against the razing of the village. Addressing the activists at the protest, Thunberg said, “The carbon is still in the ground. And as long as the carbon is in the ground, this struggle is not over.” Hüls said Thunberg had “surprisingly” returned to protest on Sunday, when she was detained for the first time, and then again on Tuesday. The expansion of the coal mine is significant for climate activists. They argue that continuing to burn coal for energy will increase planet-warming emissions and violate the Paris Climate Agreement’s ambition to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Lignite is the most polluting type of coal, which itself is the most polluting fossil fuel.