Activists Urge President to Act Alone on Immigration

VOAVideo: Activists Urge President to Act Alone on Immigration

New York immigration activists are calling on President Barack Obama to unilaterally end deportations and allow undocumented immigrants to work legally by the end of the summer. Daniela Schrier has more from New York.

GCFLearnFree.org Simple English GOVERNMENT

GCFLearnFree.org Simple English GOVERNMENT

West Wing Week 08/29/14 or "Choose the Harder Right Instead of the Easier Wrong"

wh.gov: West Wing Week 08/29/14 or "Choose the Harder Right Instead of the Easier Wrong"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and beyond. This week, the White House honored two important anniversaries, for Women's Rights and Civil Rights, and the President announced new actions to improve access to quality healthcare for veterans.

NEW: N-400r Quiz 01

New: N-400r Quiz 01

• Children
• Citizenship
• Constitution
• Country
• Crime
• Date
• Eligibility (eligible)
• Email Address
• Home Address
• Legal Permanent Resident Card
• Marital Status
• Name
• Phone Number
• School
• Signature
• Taxes
• Terrorist
• Trips outside of the U.S.
• Vote
• Work

Revised N-400 Section 3 Interview

Revised N-400 Section 3 Interview

US Business Leaders Argue for Immigration Reform

VOANews: US Business Leaders Argue for Immigration Reform

U.S. President Barack Obama’s proposed comprehensive immigration reform remains stalled in a politically divided Congress, but business leaders around the country say immigration reform is needed to keep the economy growing. The situation was the focus of a recent business forum in Houston, where VOA’s Greg Flakus filed this report. Originally published at http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2423991.html

Easy Interview based on the Revised N-400

Easy Interview based on the Revised N-400 (via Google slides--corrected)

Easy Interview based on the Revised N-400 (handout pdf)

#citizenshipinterview USCIS_100:01-10

#citizenshipinterview will resume on Monday, Aug 25, 9 am (PST) with USCIS_100:01-10 on Twitter @uscitizenpod

Keep track with Quiz 10q-01-10

Citizenship Interview on Twitter

I am trying an experiment:

• On Sunday, August 24, I am tweeting the N400 Easy Interview
•  Available on:Twitter https://twitter.com/uscitizenpod #citizenshipinterview 
• On Monday, Aug 25, 9 am #citizenshipinterview will resume with 10 US History and Government questions 

Please check it out!

Revised N-400 Section 2 Interview

• Revised N-400 Section 2 Interview

West Wing Week 08/22/14 or, “The Summer Social Media Mailbag Edition”

wh.gov: West Wing Week 08/22/14 or, “The Summer Social Media Mailbag Edition”

Also check out Google Art Project: The White House

Revised N-400 Section 1 Interview

• Revised N-400 Section 1 Interview

US Citizenship Class Orientation Fall 2014--UPDATED!

uscitizenpod: Citizenship Class Orientation Fall 2014--UPDATED!

Simple Interview based on the Revised N-400

uscitizenpod: Simple Interview based on the Revised N-400

Easy Interview based on the Revised N-400

uscitizenpod: Easy Interview based on the Revised N-400

The Star Spangled Banner Presented by the United States Air Force Band

USCIS 100:98. What is the name of the national anthem?

ListenandReadAlong: The Star Spangled Banner Presented by the United States Air Force Band

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Information presented on the United States Air Force Band site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested.

This media file is a work of a U.S. Department of Defense employee, made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the media file is in the public domain.

Generally speaking, works created by U.S. Government employees are not eligible for copyright protection in the United States. See Circular 1 "COPYRIGHT BASICS" PDF from the U.S. Copyright Office.

This Composition is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to the United States, where Works published prior to 1978 were copyright protected for a maximum of 75 years. See Circular 1 "COPYRIGHT BASICS" PDF from the U.S. Copyright Office. Works published before 1923 are now in the public domain.

This composition is also in the public domain in countries that figure copyright from the date of death of the artist (post mortem auctoris) in this case Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779--January 11, 1843) and John Stafford Smith (March 30, 1750 -- September 21, 1836), and that most commonly runs for a period of 50 to 70 years from December 31 of that date.

USCIS 100:98. What is the name of the national anthem?

1. America, the Beautiful
2. God Bless, America
3. The Star-Spangled Banner
4. This Land Is Your Land

How States Got Their Nicknames series

VOA Learning English: How States Got Their Nicknames series

Buckeyes, Sooners, Quakers, Volunteers and Cowboys
Come to Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wyoming | Words and Their Stories (listen)

The Garden State, the Granite State and the Empire State
Also, the Show Me State, the Land of Enchantment, and even more state nicknames | Words and Their Stories (listen)

The Gem State, the Land of Lincoln and the Crossroads of America...
America's 50 states have some of the most historically interesting nicknames. In this part two of nicknames of the states, you will learn about the Gem state, the Land of Lincoln and more in the Crossroads of America. | Words and Their Stories (listen)

Heart of Dixie, The Last Frontier, The Aloha State and More...
From the "Golden State" of California to the "Sunshine State" of Florida | Words and Their Stories (listen)

West Wing Week 08/15/14 or, “Mikey Goes to Washington"

wh:gov: West Wing Week 08/15/14 or, “Mikey Goes to Washington"

Welcome to a special Summer Edition of the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, while the President focused on the developing situations both in Iraq and in our nation's heartland, in Ferguson, Missouri, West Wing Week tagged along for the first few hours and days of one of the newest employees here at the White House, and for the launch of the newly created US Digital Service (more info here). That's August 8th to 15th or...Mikey Goes to Washington.

Obama Expected to Act on Undocumented Immigrants

VOAVideo: Obama Expected to Act on Undocumented Immigrants

President Barack Obama is expected to take executive action to address the plight of millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States -- provoking cheers from immigrant rights groups and condemnation from those who see it as amnesty for law-breakers. VOA’s Michael Bowman reports from Washington, where Congress has not passed comprehensive immigration reform or approved funds to deal with a surge of child migrants at America's southern border. Originally published at http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2413532.html

VOA Learning English Word of the Day: Independent

VOA Word of the Day 08/14/2014:  Independent
VOA Word of the Day 08/13/2014:  Candidate

You can also download the FREE the gorgeous 2014 VOA Calendar and the VOA Special English Word Book-- a list of 1500 words and their definitions.

Use VOA’s Pro•nounce to correctly pronounce names and places quickly and easily. VOA's pronunciation guide has helped people around the world pronounce challenging words in the news since 2000.

Confessions of an English Learner is a place for you to practice your writing and share the joys and pains of learning the language. We will post a weekly prompt, to give you a chance to practice your writing and to comment on others’ writing.

Angel Island US Immigration Station

I took a "bus man's holiday" and visited Angel Island Immigration Station, August 10, 2014.

From 1910 to 1940, the Angel Island Immigration Station processed approximately 1 million Asian immigrants entering into the US, leading to it sometimes being referred to as "The Ellis Island of the West". Due to the restrictions of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, many Chinese immigrants spent years on the island, waiting for entry. While waiting for entry into the United States, many of those at Angel Island began carving poetry in the walls of their barracks. Officers of the station puttied over the walls as many as seven times between 1910 and 1940 to cover over the poetry. In time, the putty flaked off and the poetry was visible again. A fire destroyed the administration building in 1940, and subsequent immigration processing took place in San Francisco.

In 1964, the Chinese American community successfully lobbied the State of California to designate the immigration station as a State Landmark. Today, the Angel Island Immigration Station is a federally designated National Historic Landmark. It was renovated by the California State Parks, which re-opened February 16, 2009.

Plan your trip and visit Angel Island ASAP!

US Border Patrol Members Discuss Dangers Facing Migrants

VOAVideo: Border Patrol Members Discuss Dangers Facing Migrants

As young, undocumented immigrants from Central America continue to come across the U.S.-Mexican border - in many cases fleeing poverty, crime and gang violence in their home countries - the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol are on the front lines of the effort to deal with the situation. VOA's Celia Mendoza and Ramon Taylor recently rode along with members of the Border Patrol in Texas' Rio Grande Valley to talk about the dangers migrants encounter when attempting to cross the border.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2407698.html

You’ve Got Money (VOA On Assignment August 8, 2014)

VOAVideo: You’ve Got Money (VOA On Assignment August 8, 2014)

There are some 200 million migrants across the world who have left home to find work in other countries. Each year, they send home hundreds of billions of dollars to their families back home – enough money to shape the economies of their native nations. VOA’s Laurel Bowman talks with Philip Alexiou about the economic game changing nature of these remittances
Originally published at http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2406138.html

A Most Dangerous Journey (VOA On Assignment August 8, 2014)

VOAVideo: A Most Dangerous Journey (VOA On Assignment August 8, 2014)

Tens of thousands of children and teens from Mexico and Central America have been surging into the U.S. illegally, driven by the mistaken belief that they will not be returned home should they make it across the border. The trip is full of hardship and danger, and Alex Villarreal talks with VOA’s Brian Padden, who went to Honduras recently to see the hope and heartache firsthand.
Originally published at http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2406141.html

West Wing Week 8/8/14 or, "To the New Africa"

wh.gov: West Wing Week 8/8/14 or, "To the New Africa"

This week, the President hosted about 50 African Heads-of-State for the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, signed a bill to improve care for America's veterans, and expanded flexibility for cell phone users.

ESL Podcast 1022 – Being Cited for a DUI

N-400 Part 11:30a: Have you ever been a habitual drunkard?

ESL Podcast 1022 – Being Cited for a DUI 
  It’s really not complicated, guys: Don’t drink and drive. Learn what happens when you do in this episode. Download Podcast 

• attorney
• DUIs
• handled
• cases
• penalties
• first offense
• fined
• probation
• restricted
• mandatory jail time
• driver's license
• suspended
• severe
• revoked
• alcohol treatment program
• deterrent
• behind bars

Also checkout ESLPodcast's audio course: Introduction to the United States

JenniferESL: Oral Reading Fluency 6: "Who Can Lead a Nation?"

USPS 100:15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

JenniferESL: Oral Reading Fluency 6: "Who Can Lead a Nation?"

Published on Apr 15, 2014
Practice Text 6 "Who Can Lead a Nation?"
Word count: 73

TEACHERS: You can use the text for a dictation, a gapped text, or other form of classroom practice. For your convenience, here is the text you can copy and paste into a Word document.

Who can lead a nation? Who can govern a people? Would you want to be president if you could?

What is good for one isn't always good for many. A leader should care about the young and the old. A leader must think about families and businesses. To run a country, you need to be a person of action. You must know the law and do what's right for your people.

Words from General Service List (GSL) #1-300
http://jbauman.com/gsl.html

Vocabulary Profiler:
98.63% high frequency (#1-1000)
1.37% high frequency (#1001-2000) "govern"
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/vocabulary/profile.htm

Gunning Fox Index
5.240 on http://gunning-fog-index.com/
5.2 on https://readability-score.com/

USPS 100:15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
▪ the President

National Night Out Is August 5!

USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime”, in 1984 began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

NATW’s National Night Out program culminates annually, on the first Tuesday of August. To find a National Night Out celebration in a neighborhood near you, go to NATW.org






USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

▪ vote
▪ join a political party
▪ help with a campaign
▪ join a civic group
▪ join a community group
▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue
▪ call Senators and Representatives
▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
▪ run for office
▪ write to a newspaper

Happy Birthday President Obama!

Happy Birthday to our 44th president, Barack Hussein Obama!
President Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii

"Yes We Can!" Cake decorated by the Larson Family of San Jose, CA
in honor of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, January 2009.

N-400 Practice:

• What is your first name?
• What is your middle name?
• What is you last name?
• What is your date of birth?
• What is your place of birth?

Celebrating America in Song

USCIS 100:98. What is the name of the national anthem?

VOANews: Celebrating America in Song

Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with family gatherings, parades, speeches and fireworks. They also celebrate with patriotic music | American Mosaic | LISTEN

• VOA Learning English Quiz: CELEBRATING AMERICA

USCIS 100:98. What is the name of the national anthem?
▪ The Star-Spangled Banner

USCIS 100:99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
▪ July 4

USCIS 100:100. Name two national U.S. holidays.
▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
▪ Presidents’ Day
▪ Memorial Day
▪ Independence Day
▪ Labor Day
▪ Columbus Day
▪ Veterans Day
▪ Thanksgiving
▪ Christmas

New USPS Stamp: THE CIVIL WAR: 1864

New USPS Stamp: THE CIVIL WAR: 1864

One of the new Civil War: 1864 stamps that will be late July 2014 depicts Adm. David G. Farragut’s fleet at the Battle of Mobile Bay (Alabama).

See the whole USPS CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL series illustrating moments from the war-torn years of 1861 to 1865, issued around the time of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary.

USPS 100:72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War

USPS 100:73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
▪ the Civil War
▪ the War between the States

USPS 100:74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
▪ slavery
▪ economic reasons
▪ states’ rights

USPS 100:75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War

USPS 100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
▪ freed the slaves
▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy
▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states
▪ freed slaves in most Southern states

West Wing Week 08/01/14: A Walk Down Main Street with President Obama

wh.gov: West Wing Week 08/01/14: A Walk Down Main Street with President Obama

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and beyond. This week, the President hosted the inaugural Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, reaffirmed America's commitment to Ukraine, and continued responding to Americans' letters - this time in Kansas City