
Word of the Day
Idiom of the Day
Listening

Hunter Pays $350,000 To Kill Rhino
Texas millionaire and hunter Corey Knowlton recently paid $350,000 to kill an endangered black rhino in Namibia. There are only 4,000 to 5,000 black rhinos left in the world, and now there is one less.
Ada Blackjack’s Story Of Survival

Ada Blackjack’s Story Of Survival
In 1921, Ada Blackjack sailed to the Arctic’s Wrangel Island. She had no idea it would be a life and death struggle to survive. The petite woman was hired as a seamstress for the risky journey. Her travel companions were ...
Grammar of Happiness

Grammar of Happiness
What is love? Shakespeare wrote that love is a star. He is one of thousands of poets and writers who have used symbols to express this deep feeling.
James Monroe: Likeable

James Monroe: Likeable
James Monroe easily won election in 1816. He had a relaxed, likeable personality and was popular with voters. In addition, many saw him as a last connection to the country’s founding generation.
Unlikely Love Stories

Unlikely Love Stories
People often say that love turns up in the unlikeliest of places or that love will serendipitously find you when you least expect it. In some love stories, those old cliches couldn’t be more accurate.
Leave Only Footprints

Leave Only Footprints
Burn it or bury it. In most places around the world, that’s what we do with our garbage. Pretty grim choices that present disheartening ecological challenges. Incineration emits harmful gases and dust, exacerbating pollution of the air, land, and water, not to mention increasing global warming.
The Crane Wife

The Crane Wife
Youhei was a poor farmer. One day he found a wounded bird at his door. Youhei brought the bird inside and cared for her until she was strong enough to fly away.
Vocabulary

Dating and Marriage Vocabulary in English
This dating and marriage vocabulary guide provides common expressions used in English to speak about romance, going out and getting married including the verbs, nouns, and idioms used with these expressions.
Food Vocabulary for English Learners

Food Vocabulary for English Learners
Eating and enjoying a meal together provides the opportunity to speak English and enjoy yourself. The relaxing atmosphere of sharing a meal together helps the conversation flow.
English Idioms in Pictures #Jump the Gun

English Idioms in Pictures #Jump the Gun
Denise was planning on telling her grandparents that the doctor said she was going to have twins, but when her dad found out he jumped the gun and told them before Denise could say a word.

English Idioms in Pictures #Cough Up
Say, Greg. Did you finally get that computer that you wanted so much? Not yet. I needed to raise a couple of hundred dollars more.

English Idioms in Pictures #Hit the Hay
Listen, Kim. We're going to be really busy with moving tomorrow, and we've got to get an early start.

English Idioms in Pictures #Bend Over Backwards
When Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble getting used to the kids and to the faculty.

English Idioms in Pictures #Bite the Dust
Andy did exceptionally well in all of the track events, but he bit the dust in the high jump competition.

Dating and Marriage Vocabulary in English
This dating and marriage vocabulary guide provides common expressions used in English to speak about romance, going out and getting married including the verbs, nouns, and idioms used with these expressions.
Food Vocabulary for English Learners

Food Vocabulary for English Learners
Eating and enjoying a meal together provides the opportunity to speak English and enjoy yourself. The relaxing atmosphere of sharing a meal together helps the conversation flow.
English Idioms in Pictures #Jump the Gun

English Idioms in Pictures #Jump the Gun
Denise was planning on telling her grandparents that the doctor said she was going to have twins, but when her dad found out he jumped the gun and told them before Denise could say a word.
English Idioms in Pictures #Cough Up

English Idioms in Pictures #Cough Up
Say, Greg. Did you finally get that computer that you wanted so much? Not yet. I needed to raise a couple of hundred dollars more.
English Idioms in Pictures #Hit the Hay

English Idioms in Pictures #Hit the Hay
Listen, Kim. We're going to be really busy with moving tomorrow, and we've got to get an early start.
English Idioms in Pictures #Bend Over Backwards

English Idioms in Pictures #Bend Over Backwards
When Joan first started teaching she was afraid that she would have a lot of trouble getting used to the kids and to the faculty.
English Idioms in Pictures #Bite the Dust

English Idioms in Pictures #Bite the Dust
Andy did exceptionally well in all of the track events, but he bit the dust in the high jump competition.
Reading

Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 2: Gamers: Image and Reality
Video games have come a long way since they first emerged as a niche pastime in the 1970s. In 2020, the global video-game market was worth approximately $150 to $160 billion, and it is predicted to continue growing at a rapid pace. Much of this growth is credited to new software and the increasing affordability of mobile devices.
Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 2: The History of The Internet

Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 2: The History of The Internet
Today's young adults are among the first ever born into a world in which internet use is a normal part of everyday life. Over 4.6 billion people around the world are now online. The internet is a powerful tool for ...
Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 1: BigFoot

Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 1: BigFoot
Native American and Canadian tribes have passed down stories for thousands of years about giant ape-men living in the forests of the western United States and Canada. They called these creatures Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or Mountain Devils. Regardless of the name, ...
Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 1: American Superstitions

Reading for the Real World 1 ‣ Unit 1: American Superstitions
Every culture has superstitions. Some people believe them more than others. Our modern technological society puts a high value on rationality, but superstitions can still hold a powerful influence. Most people seem to outgrow them. But how many people continue to believe (or at least act like they believe) superstitions as adults?
Huge Hole Opens Under Illinois Sports Field

Huge Hole Opens Under Illinois Sports Field
Gordon Moore Park is in Alton, Illinois. On any given day, groups of kids play soccer there. The soccer center was built over a limestone mine. The mine is still in use.
Something to Talk About at Thanksgiving: How Cooking Foods and Sharing Meals Made Us Human

Something to Talk About at Thanksgiving: How Cooking Foods and Sharing Meals Made Us Human
Thanksgiving is almost here. Are you planning to get together with friends or family? Will you eat a big meal? Will you eat tortoises and wild cattle?
Going Nuts? It May Be a Mast Year

Going Nuts? It May Be a Mast Year
Trees in some regions are going nuts this fall. Acorns are bouncing off houses and heads. Walnuts are covering walkways. Pecans are hitting parked cars.
Bike Traffic Causes a New Kind of Road Rage

Bike Traffic Causes a New Kind of Road Rage
Bike riding has become popular in Paris, France. It’s so popular that it is causing traffic jams. Bike lanes fill up with too many bicycles and scooters. Riders wait in wheel-to-wheel lines.
72 Years Later, Woman Gets Answer to Note on an Egg

72 Years Later, Woman Gets Answer to Note on an Egg
One day, she and her friends hatched a plan to have some fun. They wrote notes on a few of the eggs. Then they sent the eggs into the world, like messages in a bottle.
Connecticut City Is Still Mad at Benedict Arnold

Connecticut City Is Still Mad at Benedict Arnold
Two hundred forty-two years ago, Benedict Arnold led a group of soldiers that burned New London, Connecticut, to the ground. The city still won’t forgive or forget.