Elizabeth Clair
Clairee’ s
Easy
English
Volume XII Number 5
Primary elections begin
The next president of the United
States will take office* on January
20, 2009. Who will it be? Many
people are running* for this office.
The way Americans elect the
president is very complex*. Not all
Americans understand the way our
democracy* works.
Primary elections
There are two large political
parties*: the Democrats and the
Republicans. There are many smaller
parties, too. Registered* voters*
may join any political party. They
may vote in the primary elections.
Each party chooses its own
candidate* for president and vice
president. Members of the two big
parties will be voting soon in
Words
in black print
with a star (*)
Life in the U.S.A.
are in
WORD HELP
on page 12.
Getting to work
What’s Inside?
Events in January ................2, 3
This is your page .................... 4
Ask Elizabeth ......................... 5
Green Card Scams ................ 5
America the Beautiful—
The Climate ....................... 6
Electing a president ........ 7,8,11
Idiom Corner .......................... 8
Funny Stuff ............................. 8
Citizenship test questions ....... 9
Crossword Puzzle .................. 9
Answers to quiz and puzzle ....11
Let’s talk about it ...................11
Word Help ............................ 12
NEWS January 2008
See page 10 for prices and ordering information.
primary elections* or
at meetings called
caucuses* [ kaw/ kis
siz ].
Different states have
their primary elections
or caucuses at different
times. The first caucus
is in Iowa on January
3. The first primary
election is in New
Hampshire on January
8. Six other states will
have caucuses or
primary elections later Candidates travel the country to meet people in their own party. Here,
in January. former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani talks to a woman after making
a speech at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C., December
3, 2007 AP Photo.
Thousands of delegates
Each political party holds a vote for delegates* to go to their
national convention in the summer. In convention*. A total of 4,339
the primary elections, party members
(continued on page 2)
How do you get to work? How do you get to school? Can you walk to your food
market or to a drug store*? Can you take a bus to the shopping mall*, the movies,
or your friends’ homes?
People often think about transportation*
when they choose a place to live. How
much will it cost to get to work? How long
will it take? Public* transportation is the
cheapest way to go. But it is not always
convenient*.
People who drive to work have to buy a
car and then pay for gas, tolls*, and
parking. They have to pay for insurance and
repairs, too. People save money and time if
they live close to the place they work.
Riding a bike or walking to work or school
is good exercise.
Each city has a public transportation
system. The most common forms of
transportation are bus, trolley*, train,
(continued on page 10) Commuters at a subway station
Page 2 Easy English NEWS January 2008

New Year’s Day
This is a day of new beginnings.
Many people start diets and other
projects. They make plans for the
things they want to accomplish*
in the new year. They make New
Year’s resolutions* to help start
new habits*.
Events in
Some people watch football
games on TV on this day.
“Polar Bear Clubs”* go
swimming in icy waters. Other
clubs, like the Mummers*, have
parades.

Some people sleep late. Some Some mayors, governors, and

people visit friends and family. other government officers are
Other people stay home and invite sworn in* on New Year’s Day.
people to visit them.

The calendar
The Gregorian* calendar is
used by people all over the world
for business purposes. It is a
solar* calendar, based on the
sun. Christians say that it’s the
year 2008 A.D.* Non-Christians
call it 2008 C.E.*
The solar year is 365.24 days
long. There is an extra day every
four years to keep the dates in
time with the seasons. The year
2008 is a Leap Year, with an
extra day, February 29.
The Jewish New Year is in
early fall. The old Irish (Celtic)
new year was in the late fall. The
Chinese New Year is in January
or February. The Persian (Iranian)
New Year is March 21. The
Muslim year is 254 days long.
The New Year comes eleven days
earlier each year.
In 2008, the Muslim year is
1428. The Jewish year is 5768.
The Persian year is 1386. The
Chinese year will be 4705 .

Primary elections begin

(continued from page 1)

delegates will go to the
Democratic Convention and 2,066
delegates will go to the Republican
convention.
More than 24 states will have
primaries on February 5. People
are calling this date “Super
Duper* Tuesday.” See the dates
for primary elections on page 8.
The conventions
The Democratic Convention will
be August 25 to 28 in Denver,
Colorado. The Republican
Convention will be September 1
to 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The person who gets a majority*
of delegates’ votes at a party’s
convention becomes the party’s
candidate for president. The
conventions also name the can-
didates to run for vice president.
The campaign
The political parties try to help
their candidate get elected. They
raise money to pay for the
campaign*.
The candidates travel around
the country to meet people, make
speeches, and take part in
debates*.
Secretary of the State
Susan Bysiewicz and
State Senator Andrew
Roraback show
voters how the new
optical scanning
voting machine
works, in Litchfield
County, Connecticut,
September 14, 2006
at Sharon Town Hall.
Photo from:
www.sots.ct.gov/
CAPITOL/
2006WeekInReview
The general election See page 7: Electing a
president. See page 8 for the
The general election is dates of the primary elections.
November 4. Voters do not vote See page 11 for the Republican
directly for president. They vote and Democratic candidates.
for electors* from their states.
They choose electors who are
pledged* to the candidate
they want. A candidate must
get 270 electoral votes to
become president. Each state
has a number of electoral
votes, based on its
population. The number is
equal to the number of its
representatives in Congress,
plus two for its two senators.
The official election
On December 15, the
electors vote for president.
They must vote the way that
they promised. It’s just a
formality*.
Americans do not have to
wait until December 15. They
usually know the winner of
the election by early morning, The campaign means meeting millions of
November 5. people. Here, Hillary Clinton writes her name
on a supporter’s sign. Photo courtesy
www.HillaryClintonforPresident.com
January 2008 Easy English NEWS Page 3

January
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The third Monday of January is
Martin Luther King, Junior* Day.
This day celebrates the life and
work of a great civil rights*
leader.
King became famous when he
was 26 years old. He was a
minister* in a small church in
Montgomery, Alabama. At that
time, there were segregation*
laws in the southern states. These
laws separated white people and
black people in schools and in all
public places. For example, there
was a law that said that black
people had to ride in the back of
any bus, while white people rode
in the front.
The Montgomery bus boycott
One day in 1955, a black
woman in Montgomery, Alabama
was arrested. She had refused to
give her seat to a white person.
boycott* of the bus company. It
was the beginning of the great
Civil Rights Movement* in the
United States.
King was an eloquent*
speaker. He encouraged* people
to walk to work, and not ride the
bus. He taught the boycotters to
be nonviolent*.
The police arrested King and
put him in jail, but the boycott
continued.
It was very dangerous to
oppose* the segregation laws.
Some angry white people bombed
King’s home. They bombed a
church, too. They killed four little
girls who were at Sunday school
in the church.
The end of bus segregation
Finally, the Supreme Court said
that bus segregation was not legal.
I have a dream.
“. . . .I have a dream that one
day this nation will rise up and
live out the true meaning of its
creed*: ‘We hold these truths
to be self-evident*: that all
men are created equal.’
“I have a dream that one day
on the red hills of Georgia, the
sons of former slaves and the
sons of former slaveowners will
be able to sit down together at a
table of brotherhood. . . . I
have a dream that my four
children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin
but by the content* of their
Martin Luther King , Jr. speaking at the
character. I have a dream
March on Washington, August 28, 1963 AP
today. . . .” Photo
Source: Martin Luther King, Jr: The Peaceful Warrior, Pocket Books, NY 1968. You can see and
hear Martin Luther King at http://www.holidays.net/mlk/speech.htm

Anybody could sit in any part of a

Black people asked Reverend
Martin Luther King, Jr. to lead a
Martin Luther King’s brother’s home was bombed,
May 13, 1963. AP Photo
bus.
After that, King and other civil
rights leaders worked to
end segregation in
restaurants, schools, and
all public places. They
registered* black
people to vote. They
marched in parades. King
taught them to “use love,
not violence” to change
the hearts of the people
and change the laws.
But many Southerners
were not peaceful. The
police attacked the civil
rights workers with water
hoses and police dogs. They beat
them. White governors of southern
states vowed* that they would
never let segregation end.
The March on Washington
People in the North watched
the events* on TV. They admired
King. They joined the Civil Rights
Movement. In 1963, King
organized a huge march on
Washington, D.C. He wanted
Congress to pass a new law to
protect black people’s rights. He
gave a speech about his dream of
equality*. This became one of the
most famous speech of the 20th
century*. Congress passed the
Civil Rights Act* of 1964. Soon
after that, Martin Luther King, Jr.
won the Nobel Peace Prize*.
More work to do
Martin Luther King, Jr. also
worked to help all poor people.
He worked to end the war in
Vietnam. However, in 1968 he
was assassinated*. His killer
never told who had hired him.
King worked to make great
changes in the United States. This
holiday reminds people of the
work that King did, and the
peaceful way in which he did it.

Police used dogs to attack a 17-year old civil rights activist during a Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. center front, walks with more than 10,000 people in
march in Birmingham, Alabama.on May 3, 1963 AP Photo. downtown Chicago, July 26 to protest* segregation in the city’s schools. AP Photo
Page 4 Easy English NEWS
This is your page
Did you get a plate?
One Monday moring I was late
for my class at the Huntington Beach
Adult school. When I walked into
the classroom, Mr. G., my teacher,
said “Did you get a plate?”
I was confused. What was he
talking about? I didn’t know
what to say.
During class, I kept thinking
about that odd question. When
class was almost over, Mr. G.
said, “If your alarm clock
doesn’t wake you up on time,
you should get it fixed so you
won’t be late again.”
Then his question became
clear. He had asked me, “Did
you get up late?” not “Did you
get a plate?”
I apologized to him and explained older coworker*. She did not
that I had had car trouble.
Vinh Do boss’s nature. She told me not
Westminster, CA to quit my job. She said that I
First snow
When I got to the United States, I
felt very strange. I saw big cities and
lots of lights. I was so excited when
I saw snow. I had never ever seen
snow before in my life. There is no
snow in India. I thought people
could eat snow and that’s why it
came from the sky. I tried to catch
the snow in my hand and eat it. I
asked my uncle, “Do the people eat
snow?” My uncle said, “No, they
don’t eat it, they play with it.”
Arpita Patel well. I worked there for another
Easthampton, MA year with no problems.
India
I could read his eyes
Eleven years ago I finished my
studies to be an architect*. I got a
job at a small architectural firm.
There were just five people in the
office, including our boss.
I liked my job and was very
enthusiastic* about my work there.
I always got to the office before
anyone else. After a while, I became
afraid of my boss. He always tried
to touch me when he passed by me
or stood near me.
He started coming early when he
learned that I came to work early. I
read the look in his eyes. I was
afraid to be with him.
I was very young and shy at
that time. I became scared and
upset. I started thinking that I
would have to quit* my job. But
I didn’t want to because I could
learn a lot there. There weren’t
many jobs for people with no
experience. I didn’t know what
to do.
Finally I decided to talk to an
seem fearful like me. To my
surprise, she knew about the
might find the same kind of
person like him in my next job.
“Don’t come in early
anymore,” she said. “And don’t
stay late.”
I began to leave when she left
the office every evening. I
stayed away from my boss
whenver I could. I talked to him
only when it was necessary for
the job. Soon he realized I was
not interested in him, and he
gave up.
After that everything went
M.K
India.
Are you a citizen?
Are you 18 years old
or over?
Learn about the candidates.
Register to vote!
Join a political party.
You may be able to vote in your
state’s primary elections.
Find out how and when to
register in your state at
www.DeclareYourself.com
Do you see your story on this page?
Did you receive a check from us?
If not, we don’t have your address.
Please email us your address at
Eceardley@aol.com
January 2008
We made a miracle*
I was working in New York with a friend, editing a Chinese
pholosophy book. She found out that another friend of hers needed
help. Marjorie Holcombe, a professor of English, had become
paralyzed* Her muscles were shrinking*. Doctors did not know
the cause.
My friend asked me to go to California to help Marjorie with the
exercises she needed to do. There was no one left to help her. I had
no training, but I have fine Qi * (energy) and I am strong.
When I arrived in California Marjorie could not use her muscles
any more. She could not stand or move her legs at all. She couldn’t
eat or drink by herself. One medical doctor had said she would
never walk again. Another doctor had said she had only a short time
to live.
I noticed that Marjorie’s thinking was clear. She said over and
over, “I don’t want to give up! I want to stand again, and I want to
walk again!”
Yet each day, her muscles got worse and worse.
Marjorie went to Dr. Zhu, a Chinese acupuncturist*. Dr. Zhu
said she could walk again if she followed his instructions. Marjorie
had to exercise six hours or more every day. We had to use special
ways to make her muscles and nerves grow again. We had to make
them grow faster than they were dying. It was a race. Many of us
worked as hard as possible: Marjorie’s family, the aide*, doctors
and therapists*, acupuncturist*, and her chiropractor*. I helped
Marjorie exercise six hours a day, seven days a week.
I used my own style of massage* to wake up Marjorie’s muscles
and nerves and give her energy. I planned her daily exercise and
tried to do something new, something fun every day. I built
equipment* for her and changed the store-bought equipment. I
drove her from the mountain to town three times a week for
appointments.
After the first week, Marjorie began to eat and drink a little by
herself. I saw the first little smile on her face. Two weeks later she
began to practice sitting. Some of her confidence* came back.
Three weeks later she began to practice standing. Six weeks later
she began to practice walking and painting pictures. Twelve weeks
later she practiced going up and down stairs and playing the piano!
Everybody says that we made a miracle. On December 6,
Marjorie was able to walk without a cane! She still has a long way
to go. I hope she will continue building her body even after she can
walk normally. I hope she will write a book about it. Other people
with health problems like this may find a way to keep going.
Sean Cheng, Gettysburg, PA
(China)
Read Marjorie’s story at our website: www.easyenglishnews.com
Sean Cheng, Marjorie Holcombe, Dr. Ming Qing Zhu
January 2008 Easy English NEWS Page 5

Ask Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth,
I read in Easy English NEWS
in October that the U.S. Postal
Service is the second largest
employer* of Americans. I
wonder which is the largest one.
What are the other large
employers?
Grace Tong (Taiwan)
You are my family’s last hope. I
cannot find the information I need
Dear Grace,
on the Internet. I have written to
administrators but they have not
The U.S. government is the largest
answered me.
employer!
The federal government
employs more than 2,715,000
workers. If you add in the
military* and people who work
for companies that work for the
government, the number is much
larger, nearer 14 million workers.
Wal-Mart is the largest private
employer in the whole world.
Other large employers in the
U.S. are:
McDonald’s
(UPS) United Parcel Service
Sears
Target
GM (General Motors)
IBM (International Business
Machines)
GE (General Electric)
Citigroup
Ford Motor
Home Depot
Nestlé
Tyco International
FedEx
Dear Elizabeth,
My brother lives in Russia. He’s
a medical student in his last year.
He wants to get a higher degree in
the U.S. However, we don’t know
anything about requirements*.
How can he get permission to
come here? Is an M.D. degree
from Russia good in the U.S?
Does he have to take the TOEFL
and MCAT tests? How much will
it cost for him to go to medical
school as a graduate each year?
Can you give us this
information?
Oanha-- Click* on a school’s website.
Dear Oanha,
I do not have information to
answer these complex* questions. programs your brother wants. You
I can only point you in some
directions so you can get
information from the correct
places.
You can read information in
Russian about education in the
USA at http://
educationusa.state.gov/life/
pubs.htm This on-line book has
information about getting a student
visa, too.
Your brother can call or visit the experienced person. After you
American consulate* or
embassy* in Russia to ask how
to get a visa to the U.S.
The medical schools have
information about the costs of their
programs. They will tell about the
TOEFL exam, too.
You can get a list of the medical weeks of time.
schools in the U.S. at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
List_of_medical_schools_in_the_
United_States
At that website, you can reach
any medical school in the U.S.
Then look for “admissions” and
then “international students”. Look
for “graduate studies” to find out
if the school has the advanced
may find telephone numbers so
you may ask to speak directly
with a person in the admissions
office or the International Student
Affairs office.
U.S. hospitals hire many
doctors who have degrees from
other countries. English is
important here, of course.
This is very complex and
important. You need help from an
have gotten all the information you
can get easily, look for a
professional to help you. Ask a
doctor you know to recommend a
counselor to help. Or a high
school guidance counselor may be
able to help you. It will cost you
money, but can save you many
Good luck.

Green card scams* hurt many immigrants

by Betsy J. Green
A scam* is a criminal’s plan to
get your money. A scam artist*
does not use a gun or other
weapon*. He or she uses words
to tell a story. There are many,
many different stories. At the
end of the story, the victim* has
lost thousands of dollars!
Immigrants are easy targets*
for scam artists!
The first thing a scam artist
does is gain the trust* of the
victim. He or she seems to be a
friend. Then the story begins. “I
have a friend who works in the
Immigration Office. She can get a
green card for you, but I have to
pay her.”
An immigrant with a green card
can get a better job. With a green
card, a person can become a
citizen. A green card lets a person
bring his or her children to the
U.S. A person who entered the
U.S. without a visa cannot legally
get a green card.
Then the story continues. “You
know what you can do with a victims can help others. They can story did they tell? Where did they
green card,” says the “friend.” send an anonymous* letter to receive the money? What kind of
“And it’s only $9,000.” The victim the United States Attorney in car did they drive?
gets happy and excited. He or she their state. The U.S. Attorney’s
borrows money from friends and job is to stop such scams. The To report an immigration scam,
family members. victims should describe go to http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/
everything they can about the offices/index.html First find your
The “friend” tells the victim scam artists: What did they look state. Then, find the phone number
when and where to bring the like? How old were they? What and address of the U.S. Attorney.
money (in cash* of course). The
victim drives or flies to another
city. He brings the cash. He fills
out application* papers. “Go
home and wait six weeks,” says a
clerk. “You will get your green
card in the mail.”
Six weeks go by. Nothing
comes in the mail. The “friend” has
said good-bye a long time ago.
Then the victim “wakes up.”
Illegal immigrants are afraid to
go to the police. They are afraid
to go after the scam artists. They
are afraid the scammers will tell
immigration authorities* about
them. The police cannot stop scam
artists if no one reports* them.
Hispanic immigrants are targets of many scams. Here, Texas State Attorney
General Greg Abbot speaks to the press in 2003 warning about scams. AP
Immigrants who have been Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Page 6 Easy English NEWS January 2008

America the Beautiful

The climate of the United States
The United States is a very large
country. The climate* is different to Alaska
in different places. CANADA

The Southwest is warm and dry Northwest

all year. You seldom* see clouds.
New
North Central England
It’s cool at night. There are
deserts* in the Southwest, too. Midwest
Death Valley is the hottest and UNITED STATES Mid-
Atlantic
driest place in the country. The x Death Valley
Central Plains
temperature there on a summer day Southwest South-
is often 120 degrees Fahrenheit. east
South
The Southeast is also warm. It
to Hawaii
rains more frequently* there. Many MEXICO
retired* people move to the
Southwest or Southeast. They don’t
want to shovel* snow anymore.

Do you enjoy the changes of the

seasons*? You will like the
Northeast. Winters in the Northeast
are cold and snowy. Spring and fall
are colorful and pleasant. Summers
are hot.

In the Northwest, there is a rainy

season and a dry season. It is never
too hot in the summer. Winters are 2. The Northeast and northern states have 5. Death Valley
not too cold. It rains a lot. cold winters and warm summers.

The North Central states have the

greatest differences between
winter and summer. North Central
winters can be very cold with lots
of snow. Summers are hot.

The Hawaiian islands are

pleasant* all months of the year.
Alaska has long, cold, dark winters.
The summer is short, with long days.
3. Florida is hot in summer, warm in winter.

6. The Northwest has cool wet

winters and mild* summers.

1. Arizona is hot in the daytime and 4. Spring is a lovely time in New York.
cool at night 7. Hawaii is pleasant all year round.
January 2008 Easy English NEWS Page 7

Electing a President
1. Primary Republicans vote for delegates
Democrats vote for delegates
Elections and to the Democratic national to the Republican national
convention. The delegates are
Caucuses in each convention. The delegates are
pledged to certain candidates
pledged* to certain candidates
state for president. for president.
January 3 to June 3 January 3 to June 3

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
4339 Delegates to

2066 Delegates to
convention

!
convention
!
Small party
Democratic Convention Republican Convention Conventions
2. National September 1-4
August 25 to 28
Conventions Denver, Colorado St. Paul, Minnesota
Delegates vote for a Democratic Delegates vote for a Republican
candidate for president. Then they candidate for president. Then they
choose a candidate for choose a candidate for
vice president. vice president.
!

! Small Party
Candidates

3. The Campaign* Democratic Republican

Candidates for Candidates for
Candidates travel around the President and Vice President and Vice
country to meet people, make President President
speeches, raise money, advertise
on TV, and debate issues with !
!

other candidates on TV.

4. General* Election November 4, 2008 Election Day

Registered* Voters vote for “electors*” in their state who
are pledged* to a candidate. The number of votes in each
state decides which candidate gets that state’s electoral
votes*. The winner will need 270 electoral votes.
!

5. Official* election December 15, 2008

Electoral College votes
!

January 6, 2009 January 20, 2009

6. Official counting The votes of the Electoral The new President
of electoral votes College are counted in the ! takes office.
House of Representatives
Page 8 Easy English NEWS
Have you heard people use these idioms?
Illustrations by Dave Nicholson
1. to be toast 2.
to be in trouble; will soon
lose or be punished
You forgot to call your
mother? Uh- oh. You’re
toast. She’s going to be
angry.
I’m toast. I didn’t get my
homework done on time. My
report card grade will be
zero.
2. to be sitting on top 4.
of the world
to be extremely happy; to
feel very lucky
Janet agreed to marry Ken.
Now Ken is sitting on top
of the world.
Carla got a great new job.
She’s so happy, she’s
sitting on top of the
world.
Patient: I’m very sick. I’d like to
see the doctor.
Nurse: The doctor can see you on
January 20, at 3:45 pm.
Patient: But that’s two weeks! I
could be dead by then!
Nurse: In that case, you can
cancel* your appointment.
to turn down
to say no to an invitation
Paul asked Sara out on a
date, but she turned him
down.
The Joneses offered
$200,000 for the house.
The seller turned them
down. He wanted more
money.
to smell a rat
to suspect that someone has
done something wrong
I walked to my locker and
saw that it was open. I
smelled a rat. I looked to
see if my jacket was gone.
The price for the house was
very low. Jack smelled a
rat. He found out that the
house needed a lot of fixing.
January 2008
Practice
Write an idiom in each sentence. Be sure to use the
correct tense of the verb and the correct pronoun.
(Answers are on page 11.)
1. That ad for a job seems too good to be true.
I _______ _______ _________. Find out if you
are paid a salary or only get paid after you sell
something.
2. Sally had many invitations to the dance, but she
_____ them all _______.
3. Mr. Sweet won $50,000 in the lottery. He’s
___________ _______ _______ _______
_______ ________ now.
4. I forgot that my girlfriend’s birthday is tomorrow.
can’t take her out. She’s going to be really upset.
__________ _____________.
Are you a citizen 18 years old or older? Find out how and when to
register to vote in your state at www.DeclareYourself.com
Dates for 2008 Primary Elections
and Caucuses
(R) = Republicans only (D) = Democrats only
January 3: Iowa February 19: Washington (state), Wisconsin,
January 5: Wyoming (R) Hawaii (D)
January 8: New Hampshire Primary February 26: Hawaii (R)
January 19: Nevada; South Carolina R) February 22 Puerto Rico (R)
January 26 South Carolina (D) February 23 Virgin Islands (R), American
January 29— South Carolina, (D) Florida Samoa (R)
February 1: Maine (R) March: Americans living in other countries.
February 5: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, March 4: Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Texas
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecti-
March 8: Wyoming (D)
cut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho (D), llinois,
March 11: Mississippi
Kansas (D) , Massachusetts, Minnesota, April 22: Pennsylvania
Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico (D), May 3: Guam (D)
New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, May 6: Indiana, North Carolina
Tennessee, Utah, American Samoa (D) May 13: Nebraska, West Virginia
February 9: Louisiana, Kansas (R), May 20: Kentucky, Oregon
Nebraska D), Washington, May 27: Idaho
February 9: Guam (R), Virgin Islands (D) June 1: Puerto Rico (D)
February 10: Maine (D) June 3: Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico
February 12: District of Columbia, Mary (R)
land, Virginia
Source: Federal Election Commission
as of 11/27/07. These dates may change!
January 2008
Citizenship Test Questions and answers
All applicants who file for citizenship on or after October 1, 2008
will take the new test. Ten questions will be picked out of 100, by a
computer. Students who study for the test will learn more about the
American government and history. Easy English NEWS will help!
Questions
1. What is the supreme* law
of the land?
2. What are the first three
words of the Consitution
that tell about the idea of
self-government?
3. What is an amendment*?
4. What is another name for
the first ten amendments to
the Constitution?
5. What is one right or
freedom in the First
Amendment to the
Constitution?
6. How many amendments
does the Constitution have?
7. What was the purpose of
the Declaration of
Independence*?
8. What are two rights that
people have, according to
the Declaration of
Independence?
9. What is freedom of
religion?
10. What is the “rule of law?”
Crossword Puzzle
Across
1. The story of people and
events in the past
7. Rule made by a government
10. Having the same value or
worth; ___ rights for all
people
11. The national bird of the United
States
12. Without water; not wet
13. Having great age; opposite of
young
14. Music note: Do re me fa sol
la ____ do
16. Conjunction: Which do you
want, juice ___ milk?
18. A woman who rules an empire
22. Has more sand: this beach is
___ than that beach.
23. Abdominal muscles, for short
25. Put shoe strings into one’s
shoes (past form)
26. Overweight; chubby; opposite
of thin
27. Speak: What did the teacher
___ about the homework?
29. A condition in which a person
owns another person
31. A man’s name; short for
Alfred
33. We see with these.
34. Cold season: spring, summer,
autumn, ____
35. Tom Trainer’s initials
Answers
law.
law. No one is “above” the
government must follow the
Even leaders and the
having special privileges*.
follow the law, with no one
The idea that everyone must
have a religion.
religion, and the right to not
church, or practice any
The right to go to any
pursuit* of happiness.
Life, liberty, and the
colonies* of Britain
States were no longer
To say that the the United
Twenty-seven
petition* the government
press*; freedom to
assemble*, freedom of the
of religion, freedom to
Freedom of speech; freedom
The Bill of Rights
Constitution.
An addition or change to the
We the people
The Constitution
11
Down
1. People who do great things
2. Intelligence quotient
(abbreviation): He has a very
high ____.
3. Quickly, without any warning.
The sun was shining when ___
it started to rain.
4. Sticky black material made
from petroleum; it’s used in
making roads.
5. Sports contests for athletes of
the world; ____ games
Easy English NEWS Page 9
The Preamble*
to the Constitution*
of the United States of America
We the people of the United
10.
States, in order to form a more perfect
union, establish* justice*, insure*
9.
domestic* tranquility*, provide for the
8.
common defense*, promote* the
7.
6.
general welfare*, and secure* the
blessings* of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity*, do ordain* and
5.
4. establish this Constitution for the
3. United States of America.
2.
1.
6. The day before today was 24. Another name for tavern
_____. 27. Past form of see
7. Large (abbreviation) 28. Famous boxer was
8. In addition; too Mohammed ____.
9. You and I together 30. Animal doctor (short form)
15. A verb. He ___my friend. 32. Pronoun for a thing. (Give ___
17. Style again. to me.)
19. Missile Defense Agency
(abbreviation)
20. Person who reels in a fish on a
fishing pole
21. The least dangerous
Page 10 Easy English NEWS January 2008

Getting to work
(continued from page 1)
subway*, and ferry*. A city
transportation system has stations
where you can buy tickets. You can
also get maps and a schedule* of
the bus routes* and subway routes.
You can get a map of the bus routes or a
schedule of train stops at the same place you
buy your ticket. You may find public
transportation information for your city on the
Internet.
In some cities, one fare* lets you travel
anywhere in the city. You can get a transfer*
if you have to take a second bus. In other
cities, the farther you ride, the more you pay.
It can cost two dollars or more each way
for a bus or train ride to work. In some cities,
commuters* can save money if they buy a
monthly ticket.
Car pools* are popular. In a car pool, two
(or more) people ride together. They share the
costs of driving to work or school.
Useful Bus and Train Conversations
How much is the fare? Can I pay cash
when I get on the bus? Can I get a discount
if I buy a monthly pass?
Where can I buy a subway ticket? A metro
card?
We don’t use tickets. We use tokens*. A
token costs $2.
We use magnetic* swipe* cards. The card
costs $50. It’s good for 40 swipes.
Do you have a bus schedule?
Get one at the token booth* over there.
Or use this vending machine*.
Do children travel free?
Children aged five and under travel free.
You must pay the full fare for children six
and older.
Can I get a discount*? I’m a student.
Yes. Show your student ID. Senior
citizens* get a discount too, if they travel
at “off times.” That is, not during rush
hour*.
When is rush hour?
When everyone is going to work or going
home: from seven-thirty to nine-thirty in the
morning, and from four p.m. to six p.m. in
the evening.
Does this train go to the City Zoo?
No, take the Number 4 train uptown. Get
off at 59th Street. Change for the Number 6
train. Get off at the City Zoo station.
Which bus goes to Fair Lawn?
That’s the NJ Transit bus, Route 164.
How often does the Crosstown bus come?
On week days, during rush hour, it comes
every five minutes. At other times, every
twenty minutes.
When do I get off the bus for Broadway?
That’s the next stop.
When is the last bus to Fair Lawn?
Easy English NEWS
Published by .................. Elizabeth Claire, Inc.
Editor ..................................... Elizabeth Claire
Design ............................... Dr. Andrew Sachs
Copy Editors ....... Nancy Baxer, Sharon Flynn,
Devra Weingart, Lorraine Sarhage,
Jonathan Steele, Marilyn Gelman
Writers ........... Elizabeth Claire, Betsy J. Green
Customer Service ........................ Tina DiBella
Circulation .......................... Fumie Fukushima
Illustrations ........................... Dave Nicholson
Editorial Assistants ................ Adelaide Coles
Printed by ............. JB Offset, Westwood, NJ
Welcome to the United States! The
purpose of Easy English NEWS is to help
new readers of English to learn about the
language, culture, customs, holidays,
history, heroes, geography, laws, and
government of the U.S.
Easy English NEWS is published ten
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is sold by subscription. Class discounts are
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©2008 Elizabeth Claire, Inc.
ISSN: 1091-4951
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January 2008
Electing a president
1 2
7 8
9 10
1. Christopher Dodd
2. Barack Obama
3. Joe Biden
4. Dennis Kucinich
5. Hillary Rodham Clinton
6. John Edwards
7. Bill Richardson
8. Mike Gravel
Let’s talk about it
Electing a president
(pages 1, 2, 7, 8, and 11)
1. Who is the president of the
United States now? When
does his term end?
2. When will there be an election
for a new president? Who can
vote in that election?
3. What are the two largest
political parties in the U.S.?
4. What are caucuses? What are (pages 1 and 10)
primary elections?
5. When will your state have a
primary? Who can vote in it?
6. What is a convention? When
are the Democratic and
Republican national
conventions?
7. Who votes at the convention?
Who do they vote for?
8. Who chooses the candidate
for vice president?
9. How many electoral votes are
needed for a candidate to be
elected president?
10. Tell six steps in electing a new 1. What do people in your
U.S. president.
11. Have you watched any debates
or seen the candidates on TV?
How many candidates can you
name?
12. Do you have an opinion about
any of the candidates? Tell
about it.
13. Who is the leader of your
home country? How did he or
she become the leader?
3 4
Have you seen these faces? Do you know their names? These
men and a woman want to be president. American voters
will begin to choose their party’s candidates in primary
elections and caucuses in January. Numbers 1 to 8 are
Democrats. Numbers 9 to 16 are Republicans.
11 12
9. Mike Huckabee
10. John McCain
11. Ron Paul
12 Rudy Giuliani
13. Fred Thompson
14. Mitt Romney
15. Duncan Hunter
16. Tom Tancredo
12. Who can vote for the
national leader in your
country?
13. Tell the meaning of these
words: term, political
party, campaign,
delegate, convention,
general election, electoral
college, official, formality
Transportation— part 1
1. How do you get to English
class? How do you get to
work? To other places?
2. Is transportation in your
native country different
from transportation here?
Tell about it.
3. Tell the meaning of these
words: fare, tolls,
schedule.
Events (pages 2 and 3)
native country do on
January 1? What will you
do?
2. Have you made any New
Year’s resolutions? How
will you keep them?
3. What is the Gregorian
calendar?
4. When is the New Year for:
Chinese? Jews? Iranians?
Muslims?
5 6
13 14
15 16
5. Who was Martin Luther King,
Jr.?
6. What did Martin Luther King, Jr.
teach his followers?
7. Who marched to Washington in
1963? What happened after that?
8. Do all people have equal rights in
your home country? Tell about it.
9. Who, in your opinion, does not
have equal rights in the U.S.?
9. Tell the meaning of these words:
civil rights, segregation,
nonviolence.
This is your page (page 4)
1. Does it snow in your area of the
U.S.? Does it snow in your home
country?
2. What is the difference between a
plate and up late?
3. Have you ever had problems with
a boss at work? Tell about it.
4. What was the miracle that Sean
Cheng and Marjorie Holcombe
made?
5. Have you ever done or seen a
“miracle?” Tell about it.
6. Tell the meaning of these words:
architect, enthusiastic, quit,
avoid.
Ask Elizabeth
(page 5)
1. Do you have a job? Tell about it.
2. What kind of job would you like
to have some day?
3. How can a person find
Easy English NEWS Page 11
Visit our website!
www.Elizabethclaire.com
Answers to Idiom Quiz
1. I smell a rat.
2. turned . . . down
3. sitting on top of the
world
4 . I’m toast.
Answers to
Crossword Puzzle
information about visas? About
colleges?
4. Tell the meaning of these
words: employer, military,
requirement.
Green card scams (page 5)
1. What is a scam?
2. Why do scam artists ask for
their money in cash?
3. Why is it hard for police to
stop scam artists?
4. What scams have you heard
of?
5. What can you do to avoid
being “scammed?”
6. Tell the meaning of these
words: gain someone’s trust,
out of reach, authorities,
anonymous.
America the Beautiful
(page 6)
1. Tell about the climate in your
native country.
2. What kind of climate do you
like best? What part of the
United States has that climate?
3. What is your favorite season?
Tell why.
4. Tell the meaning of these
words: desert, plains, mild,
pleasant.
Visit our website:
www.Elizabethclaire.com
Page12 Easy English NEWS
WORD HELP
Some of the words below have many meanings. We give only the
meanings you need for this month’s newspaper.
20th century noun. 1901-2000
accomplish verb. To
complete a job or project .
act noun. A law.
activist noun. A person who
does things in order to make
changes in society.
acupuncturist noun. A
doctor who applies small
needles in specific places in
the body.
A.D. anno domini, or the
year of the Lord (since the
birth of Jesus Christ).
aide noun. A personal
assistant; a health aide.
amendment noun. A change
to the Constitution.
anonymous adjective.
Without giving a name.
application noun. A written
request.
architect noun. A person
who designs buildings.
arrest verb. To take into
control by the police.
assemble verb. To gather
together in a group.
assassinate verb. To kill an
important person.
authorities noun, plural.
People in charge; police, etc.
blessings noun, plural. Good
things given by nature or by
God.
bomb verb. To blow
something up with dynamite
or other explosive.
booth noun. A small place
where you can do some
activity: ticket booth, voting
booth, telephone booth, etc.
boycott 1. verb. To stop
using a company’s services
in order to change something
about their business. 2.
noun. An act of boycotting.
campaign noun. The time
before an election when
candidates are trying to get
people to like them.
cancel verb. To call off an
appointment; to stop an
event.
candidate noun. A person
who wants to be elected.
car pool noun. A group of
drivers who take turns
driving each other to work.
cash noun. Money in bills,
not in checks or credit card.
caucus noun. A convention
of political party members.
C.E. Initials for the common
era (the calendar we all use).
chiropractor [kiy / roh prak
tuhr] noun. A doctor who
specializes in the health of
the spine.
civil rights noun, plural.
The rights that all citizens in
a country have, equally.
Civil Rights Movement noun.
Activities to bring equal
rights to blacks and other
minorities in the U.S.
click on verb phrase. To
press a computer mouse
button.
climate noun. Weather over a
long period of time.
colony noun. A land that
belongs to another country.
common adjective. For all the
parts or states.
commuter noun. A person
who travels to work.
complex adjective. Having
many steps or parts; not
easy to understand quickly.
confidence noun. A feeling of
being able to do something.
Constitution noun. The basic
set of laws for the United
States.
consulate noun. The office
that helps people in other
counries to get visas to the
United States
content [kahn / tent] noun.
Something that is inside of
another thing.
convenient adjective. Easy to
use; close by.
convention noun. A gathering
of a large group of people in
an organization.
coworker [co-worker] noun
A person at the same job.
creed noun. Belief.
debate verb. A discussion in
which each person gives an
opinion and facts to support
the opinion.
Declaration of Independence
noun. The document that told
why the United States had
the right to be free from Great
Britain.
decorate verb. To put
ribbons, flowers, jewels,
ornaments, etc. to make
something look beautiful.
democracy noun. Government
by the people.
defense noun. Protection
against enemies.
delegate noun. A person who
will represent, or vote for, or
speak for, a group of people
at a convention.
Democrat noun. A member of
the Democratic party which
generally has more liberal
ideas about government.
demonstration noun. A public
act that shows how a person
or group of people feel about
a law or an event.
desert noun. A large area that
gets very little rain, and has
no trees or grass.
discount noun. Money that is
subtracted from a usual price.
domestic adjective.
Belonging to things at home;
inside the country.
drug store noun. Pharmacy; a
place where you can buy
medicines, prescriptions, and
toiletries.
easy target noun phrase.
Someone who is easy to hurt
or steal from.
elector noun. A person who
casts one of the state’s votes
for president.
electoral college noun
phrase. All of the electors
from all of the states.
electoral vote noun. A vote by
an official elector
eloquent adjective. Able to
speak very well.
embassy noun. The place in
another country where an
ambassador works.
employer noun. A person or
business that gives someone a
job.
encourage verb. To give a
person energy or spirit to do
something.
enthusiastic adjective.
Excited; full of positive
feelings.
equality noun. The condition
of having equal rights.
equipment noun. Things that
are needed to do a job or
perform an action.
establish verb. To cause the
beginning of a government.
event noun. Something that
happens.
fare noun. The cost of riding
on a bus, taxi, train, or plane.
ferry noun. A boat that
carries cars and people
across a body of water.
festival noun. A celebration
with music, food, dancing,
and activities.
fire verb. To end a person’s
job.
formality noun. An action
that is done by tradition and
law, but doesn’t have any
power to change things.
frequently adverb. Often;
happening many times.
gain someone’s trust verb
phrase. To cause a person to
believe that the speaker is
honest.
general election noun. An
election in which all voters in
the country can vote.
Gregorian adjective. Named
for Pope Gregory, who
reformed the calendar in 1582.
habit noun. Actions that are
done over and over again.
insure verb. To make sure;
to be certain about
something.
junior (Jr.) noun/adjective.
A son who has the same
name as his father.
justice noun. Fair treatment
under the law.
major adjective. Large,
important.
majority noun. A number
that is at least one more than
half of a larger number.
mall noun. A place where
people may shop in many
stores.
massage noun. Manipulating,
rubbing, pinching, tapping,
etc. on the body with hands.
meal noun. Breakfast, lunch,
dinner, or supper.
mild adjective. Gentle, warm.
military noun. Armed forces;
army, navy, air force, etc.
minister noun. A leader of a
religious group of people.
miracle noun. Something
that seems impossible
without the help of God.
mummer noun. People in
masks and costumes.
Nobel Peace Prize noun. A
prize each year for a person
who promotes peace.
nominate verb. To name
someone to a job or as a
candidate for president, etc.
nonviolent adjective. Using
peaceful actions only.
official adjective. According
to the Constitution or law.
oppose verb. To speak or
fight against something.
ordain verb. To set up or
begin.
out of reach idiom,
prepositional phrase. Not in
a person’s ability to get.
paralyzed adjective. Unable
to move.
petition noun. A request to
the government to get
something changed.
pleasant adjective. Pleasing;
making others feel good.
pledged past participle,
adjective. Promised;
committed.
January 2008
Polar Bear Club noun. into groups by race, religion,
People who like to swim in language, gender, age, etc.
cold weather. segregation noun. The
political party noun. An condition of being separated
organization of people with
into groups by race, etc.
similar ideas about government.
seldom adverb. Not often;
population noun. the number
almost never.
of people who live in a place.
self-evident adjective. Easy
posterity noun. The future
to see; obvious.
generations; one’s children
senior citizen noun. An
and grandchildren and great
older person, usually 60 or
grandchildren.
more.
preamble noun. The
shovel verb. To clean snow
beginning of a written
off one’s sidewalk.
document that explains its
shrink verb. To become
purpose.
smaller and weaker.
press noun. Newspapers,
shy adjective. Not having
magazines, movies,
courage in social gatherings;
television, Internet, radio,
quiet and reserved.
etc.
slot noun. A narrow hole into
primary adjective.
which you can put a coin or
Something that happens
dollar bill in a vending
before something else.
machine.
primary election noun. An
society noun. The people,
election within a state to
manners, customs, rules, laws,
choose a party’s candidate
and traditions in a place.
for the national election.
solar adjective. Having to do
privilege noun. A special
with the sun.
right that a person has
subway noun. A train that
because of his or her
has stations in a tunnel
position in society.
underground.
promote verb. To increase or
super duper slang adjective.
make better.
Extra special; very powerful
protest verb. To publicly tell
and large.
that one does not like a law
supreme adjective. Highest.
or a situation.
sworn in swear in verb
public adjective. Not private;
phrase. To officially induct a
partly paid for by taxes.
person into an office.
pursuit noun. The search for
symbolize verb. To represent
something.
something. A flag may
qi noun. in Chinese
symbolize a country.
philosophy: life force.
take office verb phrase. To
quit verb. To leave a job.
begin a job after being elected.
refuse verb. To say that one
term noun. A number of
will not do something.
years that an elected official
register verb. To put one’s
keeps the office.
name on a list.
therapist noun. A health
report verb. To tell someone
professional: a physical
about something.
therapist helps a person
Republican noun. A member
regain the use of muscles.
of the Republican Party,
token noun. A type of coin
which has more conservative
that is used to pay a fare.
ideas about government.
toll noun. The cost of using
requirements noun, plural.
a bridge, tunnel, toll road,
The conditions a person
etc.
needs in order to get a job,
traditional adjective.
get into a school, etc.
Following the way things
resolution noun. A promise
have been done for a long
to take some action.
time.
retired adjective. Referring
tranquility noun.
to older people who have
Peacefulness; calm..
stopped working.
transfer 1. verb. To change
Reverend noun/adjective.
to another bus or train. 2.
The title for a minister of a
noun. A ticket for a later
church.
train or bus.
reunion noun. A gathering
transportation noun. Ways
together of people who have
to move oneself to other
been separated for a while.
places: by foot, by bicycle,
route noun. A map showing
by car, train, plane, etc.
where a bus or train goes,
trolley noun. A one-car train
and where it makes stops.
powered by electricity.
run for office verb. To be a
union noun. The joining of
candidate for president,
the states into one country.
governor, mayor, etc.
vague adjective. Cloudy, not
rush hour noun. The time
clear.
when most people are going
vending machine noun. A
to, or coming home from,
machine that you put money
work.
into, to buy something.
scam noun. A trick played on
victim noun. A person who
someone in order to get
has been hurt in an accident,
money from the person.
war, robbery or injustice.
scam artist noun. A person
voter noun. A citizen 18 or
who tricks others into giving
older who is registered to
him or her their money.
vote.
schedule noun. A chart with
vow verb. To promise with
the times that buses, trains,
great intention.
or planes stop at each place.
weapon noun. An object used
season noun. Summer, fall,
for defense or offense: gun,
winter or spring.
knife, etc.
secure verb. To get and make
welfare noun. Health, wealth,
sure of.
and safety.
segregate verb. To separate