Well, there's no secret about this. The chief justice has been very clear. He doesn't want the court to be seen as a partisan institution. The other members of the court, both liberal and conservative, go around saying that this isn't a partisan institution at all. That's the message they want to convey, which is sort of hard at the moment.

But is that possible in this day and age, when we know by their - in their own account, conservative Republicans have tried to win elections so they can win Supreme Court appointments and you have several Democrats running for president now on the issue of enlarging the court?

You know, I wish I knew whether it's even possible anymore to have a Supreme Court that doesn't look partisan. I had always thought you really could. But if you look at the two cases before the court that are overtly partisan, the gerrymandering case and the census case, both would structurally allow Republicans to entrench their power even more than they have in the last decade or two. And I think it gets harder to sell the court as an apolitical institution, which is, as I said, what every member of the Supreme Court still tries to do.

You know, I interviewed Justice Stevens about a month and a half ago for a piece about his new book. And even he, a lifetime Republican, although deemed a Liberal on the court, appointed by President Ford, said it was hard for him to see the current court as apolitical. He said he still has hope, and so do I, but it's difficult.

turn 2 : It's getting harder to make people believe that the Supreme Court is not political.

How is the Supreme Court viewed currently?

Answer: Partisan


And what they're suggesting is that you can lose spin from the Earth-moon system and transfer it to the sun-Earth system. And it's a very complex calculation. I mean, it's not just trivial that it took 30, 40 years to figure this out. But once that is on the table, and you say hey, I can start with an Earth that's spinning with a period of two hours, now you have an Earth, that if you were to look at this - and you can download the simulations from Science magazine - and you can see that - or from Harvard - and you can see that this Earth looks kind of like a muffin.

It's spinning so fast, it's got kind of a two-to-one axis ratio. And so their solution is hey, I can make the moon out of Earth's mantle, I'll just sort of hit it with a tiny projectile - you know, not tiny but much smaller than we thought previously - so Theia becomes smaller.

And you hit it, and off of the equator of this rapidly spinning muffin comes this stuff, and it's mostly Earth's mantle.

Little muffin that becomes the moon.

turn 3 : The moon was once a part of the Earth.

Answer: Mantle


The Trump administration - or at least the president - have indicated previously they don't share this conclusion. Saudi Embassy says the claims and the purported assessment are false. Now, let's note - President Trump has often criticized the U. S.  intelligence establishment, saying they're not right on Russia. Oh, yeah. They were the ones who said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

We have to ask, is there any indication in this CIA report, which has sources inside, that this is some kind of attempt by what the president's supporters call the deep state to bring him into line?

No, I don't think so. I mean, the CIA - you know, for all of the ways that the president somehow misunderstands how they operate - is looking at this situation objectively. And, yes, to some degree, they are factoring in subjective judgments about how people behave, like the crown prince. But this is not an attempt, I think, to, you know, bring the crown prince to heel or to somehow influence policy.

And we should note, too, the president, I mean, has been briefed on the CIA's findings. And what we understand is that he keeps resisting them because he doesn't have, I guess, the smoking gun. He keeps asking, well, where's the body?Or, show me the definitive proof that Mohammed bin Salman ordered this. And, you know, it doesn't always work that way.

turn 2 : This statement implies that the CIA is conducting an objective investigation and not trying to influence policy.

How is the CIPersonA conducting their investigation?

Answer: objectively


Now let's turn to West Africa. For more than a decade, Liberia has been struggling to recover from civil war. It has a female head of state now, and it also has big supporters in the U. S.  One of them is Bob Johnson, who founded and later sold Black Entertainment Television. Now he's building a four-star beachfront resort near Liberia's capital, Monrovia. Bob Johnson recently told me why he decided to invest millions of dollars in Liberia's economy.

It's part of a commitment I made to President Johnson Sirleaf and the people of Liberia, to help Liberia recover from some 13, 14 years of civil war. And it came about as a result of my participation, as well as President Sirleaf's participation in President Clinton's global initiative that he hosts every year in New York. And the charter is, do something, small or large, but do something. And so my something is to help Liberia.

What are we talking about in terms of the kind of money it takes to make this happen?

We are putting in approximately 12 to 13 million dollars in the construction of this hotel and the opening of the hotel, which is scheduled for March of '09. It'll be an 86-room hotel, as I said, situated on the beach, great facility for everybody from government officials and expats who want to go back and visit Liberia, as well as business people who are looking to do business in post-conflict Liberia.

So, do you expect to get a tourist crowd eventually?

turn 3 : The hotel is aimed at government officials, expats, and business people who want to do business in post-conflict Liberia.

How is the hotel's target market defined?

Answer: Governmentofficials


So, maybe they're taking a loss on the turkey, but the consumer comes in and buys cranberries, buys potatoes, buys a turkey baster, all of these other things.

Prices for avocados drop right before the Super Bowl, too, when a lot of guacamole gets made. But Valentine's Day bucks that price drop trend. Roses are popular for that holiday, and it turns out that roses are fussier than turkeys, which, after all, can be frozen. In economist-speak, roses are supply inelastic.

They all have to be harvested within a very short period of time. They have to be packed and sorted and shipped around the country.

But turkeys can be thrown into a freezer months ahead of time. So, if you're already thinking about what to get for a special someone next February 14th, here's an idea in economic verse. . .

turn 3 : (4) where the phrase "here's an idea in economic verse" implies that the following suggestion will be presented in a poetic or creative way, even though the literal meaning of the phrase refers to a specific type of writing.

Which phrase in the dialogue implies that the suggestion will be presented in a creative way?

Answer: economic


And within hours, the guy was arrested. And we could see him being taken into a police station.

With such fear in Beijing, how were you able to report the story?

You know, we couldn't hire translators. That was dangerous. Nobody answered their phones, so we just monitored Chinese television. You know, you could listen to shortwave broadcasts. You could go out on the streets. You know, I reread the transcripts of my first day reporting. And we were out with a taxi. The taxi driver, he tapped my arm under the steering wheel because he wanted me to see all the troops in the street, but he kept his eyes straight ahead.

Then we decided that we would hire a rickshaw - one of those buggies that's propelled by a man on a bike. So I put a microphone down my sleeve and a tape recorder in my bag, and we headed off. And I'm narrating what I'm looking at. And this is what it sounded like 30 years ago.

turn 2 : Reporting in China was dangerous and required creative measures to obtain information.

Which country did the reporter report from?

Answer: China


And what that piece was about, the previous show was about immigration. It was called, Immigration Stories. And the idea that we are all exiting our countries now by any means necessary, by boat, by train, by plane. And the Golden Ticket was the name of that piece, and I found an old Mexican airplane at a Mexican flea market, and I had it redone in gold leaf paint. And it's literally covered in black and brown babies.

In the sense of, I used babies because of the innocence that we think we're going to this golden place where life will be better. And when it's mounted, they're hanging out of the doors, it's just littered. And the runway is the old middle passage of all the slaves on the slave ships.

Before we let you go, of course, I have to ask what you're working on now?What are you doing in the world of acting?

Well, I've kind of got two wonderful things going for me at the same time. You know, my husband and I own the first Museum of Contemporary Art in Descartes. And this was the year he was finally recognized by the European Union. So, we've actually had an acknowledgement that a private museum exists and lives, and it's the most beautiful place in Descartes, so I'm really proud of that.

turn 0 : "And it's literally covered in black and brown babies." - Here, the word "literally" is used for emphasis, but the statement is not to be taken literally. The airplane is not actually covered in babies, but rather has depictions of them on its exterior.

Which word is used for emphasis in turn 0?

Answer: Literally


You know, so there is going to be several things in which we can benefit as a society.

I have about a minute left, and I'll get an idea of that cost. Let's say you have a $100,000 home. What - how much would it cost you to sink into it to do those things structurally that you're asking to do?

I think I would put in there about $5,000, which would give you hurricane ties, more anchor bolts, larger washers and metal ties between the wall plates and the studs. I would use more nails, six-inch (unintelligible), six inches on spacings, ring shank nails, and I think you have a fighting chance after that. Then you look at putting in a storm shelter, and you protect life safety, as well.

It doesn't sound like a whole lot to do. Thank you, thank you, Dr.  Prevatt, very much for your time today.

I really appreciate it, and you have a great day.

turn 1 : "Sink into it" is figurative. It means spend money on stuff for the house.

How much does PersonB ask PersonA to spend on structural improvements for a $100,000 home?

Answer: $5,000


So as these bills sort of started to, once again, be introduced in state legislatures this year, the first thing on my agenda was to speak to Janet Porter and basically talk to her about why she felt this bill was important and why she was advocating for it.

And what did she say?

She said that she felt the bill was important because, as its intended effect, it would outlaw the vast majority of abortions. And more importantly, it would give the U. S.  Supreme Court an opportunity to reinterpret Roe v.  Wade.

I think many people are familiar with Roe v.  Wade, but just in the event that they are not, Roe v.  Wade provides women with the constitutional right to an abortion up to the point of what's called viability. And that's when a fetus can survive outside the womb. It's generally understood to be about 24 weeks. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks.

So these bills and the ability to get an abortion at about six weeks. That's before most women know they're pregnant. And the strategy from Porter is to get it before the Supreme Court, and give the Supreme Court an opportunity to reinterpret the standard by which Roe v.  Wade was decided.

So can you just tell me a little bit more about her?Like, what motivates her?Where do her ideas come from?

turn 4 : This implies that there is a contradiction between the state bill against abortion and  Roe v. Wade.

Which turn in the dialogue suggests the potential impact of the state bill on the Supreme Court's interpretation of Roe v. Wade?

Answer: Turn4


Which tells us?

Well, it's 6:30 on a Sunday night. Most of the House members are usually watching "Sunday Night Football. "I would not be able to tell you when I last saw the House come into session on a Sunday night. Under any circumstances, they don't meet on Sunday. It's happened, but I can't tell you when it happened last. So this is an extraordinary, unusual circumstance. So that would tend to suggest that somewhere during the day, Speaker Boehner, John Boehner, the leader of the Republicans in the House, where they are the majority, got it in his head that there was going to be something to talk about on Sunday night, whereas there wasn't as of this morning. So perhaps there's something going on. Perhaps the president does have something to talk about with the Senate Republicans. Perhaps it would be something the Senate Republicans could accept and therefore agree not to filibuster. This is crucial.

Right.

If they filibuster, we lose three days, so they have to agree. . .

turn 2 : filibuster refers to delaying and procrastinating by pretext

What does the House usually not do on Sundays?

Answer: Meet


But this radicalization on the Internet is something that the FBI has been talking about for years, and it hasn't been licked. And clearly, this is an example of that since we know that the older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, spent a lot of time on the Internet, on jihadi websites.

And again, if he says anything to the investigators before he's Mirandized, that is nothing they can use in a case against him. However, given the mountain of evidence - including this video that's been described to you - they may not need it.

Well, it's funny because depending on which lawyer you talk to, they will disagree with your first supposition; which is, that it's not admissible if you evoke the public safety exception. In fact, part of the reason for the public safety exception, instead of just talking to somebody without Mirandizing them, is that some of that information may well be admissible. But in this case, this is a bit of a slam dunk. They have video on this young man, and he's going to have a hard time saying that he wasn't involved.

NPR counterterrorism correspondent Dina Temple-Raston, with us here in Studio 42 - our very first guest in Studio 42. Thanks very much.

turn 1 : Given the large amount of evidence they may not need to mirandize him.

Which thing may not be necessary to do based on the large amount of evidence?

Answer: Mirandize


He says today's number one threat to American national security is nuclear proliferation and terrorism. His new book, "Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?"examines both the risks and psychology of nuclear terrorism, and says terrorists don't need to have such weapons to perpetrate nuclear terror.

Nuclear terrorism is about the very frightening possibility that terrorists could acquire and employ nuclear weapons. Nuclear terror is about the anticipation of that event. Nuclear terrorism is about terrorists' capabilities, intelligence, evidence, our assessment of the threat. Nuclear terror is about our imagination.

The history of nuclear terrorism can be briefly summarized. Fortunately there hasn't been any. Many would hasten to add yet. But nuclear terror has a rich history, and it's deeply embedded in our popular culture and our policy making circles.

One of the other things you mentioned in the book, among many, is that al-Qaeda might become the world's first terrorist nuclear power without possessing a single nuclear weapon. And I suppose the answer to that is in part what you just were describing.

turn 1 : Nuclear terrorism is not just about the possibility of terrorists acquiring and using nuclear weapons, but also about the fear and imagination surrounding the threat.

What is nuclear terrorism about besides terrorists acquiring and using nuclear weapons?

Answer: Imagination


It's hard. It is really hard when every time you look up, three kids killed here, four people shot here, somebody getting killed right down the street, right around the corner. It's kind of discouraging sometimes trying to do as much as you can with the resources that you do have.

Boy, I mean, I think a lot of people listening, well, will be very moved, but, I mean, some of them have to be saying, wait a minute. The president of the United States is from the South Side. Don't people look up to him?

I definitely look up to Obama. Obama's a great guy. I never forget - March 31 I wrote the president. You know, I'm from your city, and we're dying down here every day. What are you doing up there to stop what's happening to us down here?And he wrote me back, a little girl in a little basement apartment in Englewood. He wrote me back.

I was able to use that letter to inspire the people that live in this neighborhood like me. Don't ever stop trying. And it just goes back to the movement. No matter how hard things get, no matter every day and I'll wake up and I look at the news and more people have been killed, more people have been shot, that just shows me that I still have work to do.

turn 1 : The literal meaning of this turn is that some people may question whether the President of the United States, who is from the South Side, is a role model for people in that area. However, the implied meaning is that the President should be doing more to address the issues and problems faced by the people in the South Side. The speaker is suggesting that the President has a responsibility to use his position to help the community and that some people may feel disappointed by his lack of action.

What responsibility is the speaker suggesting the President has towards the South Side community?

Answer: Responsibility


Black tea, cotton jumpsuits and snowblowers made in China are all getting more expensive today. Those are some of the thousands of items now being targeted by the Trump administration with a new 15% tariff. It's the latest salvo in the president's trade war with Beijing. China had threatened to retaliate but may hold off as the two countries prepare for what could be another round of trade negotiations.

NPR's Scott Horsley is here to explain this.

Good morning.

Good morning. The tariffs taking effect today cover more than $100 billion worth of Chinese imports, but other products were spared - at least for now. Explain what the administration is up to here.

turn 0 : "the latest salvo" implies the latest executive directive by the Trump administration.

Answer: directive


Now, what made him unique genetically?Why is he the last of his kind?

Well, tortoises in general in the Galapagos Islands were exploited primarily by the whalers, before that by buccaneers, but whaling logbooks show that there were probably 100,000 to 200,000 tortoises removed from Galapagos in the 1800s. And each island that suffered that exploitation resulted in some with very, very few tortoises, such as Espanola that only had 14 tortoises left, and then Pinta that ended up with only George left on that island.

So it was primarily through exploitation from previous centuries, and then some hunting, perhaps, in the 20th century, but George was all alone up there.

Let me ask you, you said something very interesting before. You said that George had a unique personality. Do tortoises really have personalities?

turn 2 : In turn (3), the speaker uses the word "hunting" to refer to the killing of tortoises, but this word carries a connotation of hunting for sport or pleasure, rather than the more utilitarian and exploitative meaning of the word as used in the context of the Galapagos tortoise population. Additionally, the speaker uses the phrase "all alone up there" to describe George's isolation on his island, when in fact the actual location of the island is not specified and the use of the phrase "up there" is a colloquial expression that does not convey any specific location or orientation.

How does the speaker describe George's isolation on his island?

Answer: Isolation


Yes, yes, and I was inundated with students and visitors and all of that because there's a fascination to this, and they all - well, they're all happy to be - to see something like this and realize that when I started and where I started is where they are and that they can do something. And that ought to be the goal: school, learn and then use your own abilities to go further.

Do they realize that?Do they understand that?

I know some did. Now others I think are still thinking I'm going to quickly grab a degree and get a fantastic job and get rich, but I don't think they're thinking beyond getting rich. Now I don't know if that's a good life.

Well, congratulations to you, Nick.

turn 1 : Not all students understand the goal mentioned before.

What is the level of awareness among some students regarding the goal mentioned by A?

Answer: awareness


So, Emery, let's find out a little bit more about where you started and your family. You grew up in Hilton Head. And a lot of folks know it now as a resort town, but I'm sure it's changed a lot. What do you remember from your childhood?

Oh, I remember Hilton Head when they were only about 1,500 people, at most, living here. I grew up here in the '40s and the '50s and I tell folks that I thought everybody in the world was Gullah except Dick and Jane.

So what does Gullah mean to you?What does it mean in terms of how you speak, how you dress, how you tell stories?Tell us what it means on the inside to be a part of Gullah culture.

Well, to be a part of Gullah culture meant that you pretty much knew who you were - we still do know who we are. And by that, I mean, everything that we saw when we grew up, Gullah people produce it - we produce our own food, we produce our own stories because we told them to one another, and made our boats, gather our own food, had our own spiritual life because we have little praise houses in every neighborhood. And the leaders of those praise houses were Gullah family members. And family was very important because families live close together. To us, Gullah was a world to itself.

turn 1 : In this turn, the speaker is comparing the size of Hilton Head when it was a small town in the 40s and 50s to its current size now as a resort town.

How many people were living in Hilton Head when the speaker grew up there?

Answer: 1500


President Trump's declaration of a national emergency along the southern border has been criticized by congressional Democrats, but some Republicans, conservative activists and thinkers are also voicing concerns. James Wallner is with the R Street Institute, a pro-free market conservative research group and joins us in our studios. Thanks so much for being with us.

It's a pleasure.

Do you have reservations or objections?

I think what we've seen over the past couple of days is really the epitome of dysfunction in our government at present. So I say, yes, I have a lot of objections to what we're seeing.

Constitutional?

turn 3 : A thinks that the government is not functioning properly.

How does PersonA describe the government's functioning?

Answer: dysfunction


Hi.

So tell us about these families. Who are they?

So we're talking about four adults. We have three Sri Lankans. Supun, Nadeeka are a couple. Ajith is a single male. And we also have a Filipina. Her name is Vanessa. And they have three children whose names I won't say out loud.

OK.  And how did they come to help Edward Snowden?

At the time that Mr.  Snowden was in Hong Kong, they were already asylum seekers established in Hong Kong. And he ended up staying with different people during, I believe, a two-week period before he left the territory.

turn 3 : implies that the speaker wants to know about the role that the families played in helping Edward Snowden, not just how he ended up staying with them

How did the Sri Lankan and Filipina families assist Edward Snowden beyond providing him shelter?

Answer: Shelter


You mean somebody rational?
Yeah, someone he could work with.
Yeah.
That would be very good.

turn 1 : The speaker is suggesting that there may be a hidden agenda or underlying motive behind their words.

Which turn suggests that the speaker may be implying a hidden agenda or underlying motive?

Answer: Implies


There's tanks - a row of tanks that stretches from one end of the square to the other. It's clear that that square will have a symbolic meaning to this army for some time to come. We're now moving in front of another long line of soldiers. And as we pass, they lock their eyes on this rickshaw. And they follow us as we move by. We're still moving down the boulevard that's in front of Tiananmen Square. And it's quite remarkable how clean the square is now.

You know, the most memorable thing from that ride was a small, English sign that was hanging from a bridge. And it said, all these things must be answered for. And it was that small flicker of protest that was still there.

And for 30 years since then, the Chinese government has worked hard to erase the memory of what happened in Tiananmen Square that day. How successful has the campaign been?

Pretty successful. Ari, I have met Chinese students who came to the States to study journalism. And for the first time, they read about Tiananmen Square. And I see what happens in their heads. How could I not know about this?They've come to study journalism, and so many of them - I see that mental landscape shift. And they know that they can't be the kind of journalists that they are studying in America. They can't go back to China to do that.

turn 3 : Chinese journalism students are restricted in reporting on Tiananmen Square

What kind of students are unable to report on Tiananmen Square?

Answer: b


They're using bank loans at a 15-year low. That is a response to tightening lender standards and so small business owners are increasingly turning to credit cards to finance their businesses which are obviously have much more high and volatile interest rates. It's one of the reason we've been advocating for credit card reform. Because of the acesss and restrictions to credit card capital, they're not expanding their businesses, hiring new employees, cutting back on business travel. You know, it runs the whole gamut.

So if these aren't expanding and they are having trouble getting loans to expand, what does that mean for their employees?

I'm not sure that it's come to the point yet that many are cutting back on employees, although some percentage is. But you know, I think a lot of small businesses are not hiring new employees at the moment, just sort of bunkering down and hoping to weather through this economic storm.

So, if I'm a small business and I need a loan.

turn 0 : Runs the whole gamut means that it covers all the options.

Which phrase describes the impact of high interest rates on small businesses?

Answer: High


. . . Does her story intersect with KBR Halliburton's?

I mean, you know, there was a group of human rights lawyers here in the United States who heard about this case, who read my work more than a decade ago. And three very idealistic young human rights lawyers, one of them had been a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal. And, you know, they took up this case. This was really the dawn of the era of modern-day slavery and international human trafficking. And the U. S.  government had fueled it with our own tax dollars.

What were these human rights lawyers trying to prove against KBR?

Well, they were trying to prove their culpability. First, they just needed to prove that these men were in KBR supply chain in order to get U. S.  government compensation for them, which took two years. And the key witness, you know, they needed the families. They represented the families, then, in a human trafficking civil action that they brought, hoping to end this practice in the U. S.  military and also hoping to get some justice for the - for Kamala and the other victims.

turn 1 : The lawyers took up the case against KBR to end human trafficking and get justice for the victims, not only for U.S. government compensation.

Which action did the human rights lawyers hope to end by bringing the civil action against KBR?

Answer: b


You know, when my father died, I promised him I would try to write this book for him really. And then I quickly realized that I was writing it for the little girl who was angry, you know - I call her the girl in the red cardigan. I have a picture of her, and she's biting her tongue (laughter) all the time, you know - and also to try to trace the ways in which that experience had a long tail, if you like.

I have a section of the book called Aftermath. And my father became an addicted roulette player after he left the Brethren, and that put an enormous strain on the family. My parents divorced. My father ended up in prison when I was 16. He was very, very chaotic. I understand that now, you know. He was impossible, infuriating and wonderful. In the year that I was studying "Macbeth" for my O-levels, he decided I had to see every single production of "Macbeth" that year. So we saw 13 productions.

Oh, wow.

And in most car journeys, he'd be playing me music and reciting poetry. So it was really extraordinary being a daughter of such a man.

Rebecca, I mentioned earlier how I grew up in a very religious family. I don't go to church that much anymore. Actually, I don't go at all. So I'm wondering, for you, where is your faith now?Do you still have it?

turn 0 : "the little girl who was angry" is a metaphorical expression that refers to the author's inner child or past self who was frustrated and upset due to her father's death.

How does the author refer to her past self in the book?

Answer: girl


Thank you for having me.

You all have investigated conditions at these facilities and concluded that Customs and Border Protection should stop detaining migrants there altogether - right?- in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. Can you just describe what you've seen?

Well, we conducted over 120 interviews with migrants, and we've heard pretty horrendous stories, from being denied access to water to being held outdoors in a pen for three days without access to showers or medicine for children. The conditions are pretty horrific.

You mentioned you've interviewed families seeking asylum there. Can you give an example of a story that stuck with you - someone talking about what it was like to try and get health care treatment that they need?

turn 2 : Migrants are suffering from inhumane conditions in detention centers.

Which word describes the conditions in detention centers?

Answer: Inhumane


We'd like to talk about the economy now. With a campaign for the upcoming presidential election already underway, you can expect the state of the economy to get a lot of attention. And one of the tools economists use to predict whether a recession is coming is the yield curve, so we want to tell you what that is and why it matters.

We've called Campbell Harvey for that. He's a professor of finance at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, and he was the first to demonstrate that the yield curve can predict a recession. Professor Harvey also says he only considers the indicator definitive if the inverted yield curve lasts for an entire quarter. And, well, the quarter ends today, so here to give us his thoughts about what's to come is professor Campbell Harvey.

Welcome. Thank you so much for joining us.

Great to be on the show.

All right. So let's get the headline, and then we'll work backwards. Are we going into a recession?

turn 1 : "yield curve" - This turn has a figurative meaning, as it refers to the relationship between short-term and long-term interest rates rather than an actual curve.

What does the term "yield curve" refer to?

Answer: Interest


Yeah. So Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in a press conference, announced the number of casualties in today's shooting here in El Paso. That number is 20 total casualties with 26 others injured. Authorities say the victims range in all age groups. The governor called this one of the deadliest days in Texas.

And what more do we know about the person who was taken into custody?

You know, from the authorities, we don't know much more beyond this was a white 20-year-old - 21-year-old male who was apprehended without incident by the El Paso police at an intersection just behind the Walmart. The state police is taking the lead on this investigation. But at today's press conference, the El Paso police chief say that they believe that this incident may be connected to a hate crime.

And why did they say that?

turn 2 : to be connected to something in this context means something happened because of something else

What does the word "connected" mean in relation to the incident mentioned in the dialogue?

Answer: Caused


And has the difficulties of the rebel forces, the defeat in Qusair, the prospect of a bigger defeat in Aleppo, has that concentrated minds on, well, we ought to get unified, otherwise we're going to be in serious trouble.

You would think, but it appears not yet. This is a very chaotic movement. The Free Syrian Army is a brand. It is not an army. And I have been reading accounts of the supreme military commander General Salim Idris, who is the Americans' favorite choice - the choice for funneling arms to the rebels. He was elected by commanders in December. His power on the ground is very limited.

It's certainly in Northern Syria. It is the radical Islamist brigades that have the most weapons, the most power, the most training. He is trying to build a force there hoping that the weapons that come to him from the Americans will give him some power that he - I read today that he had a meeting with commanders who were yelling at him. When you get these weapons, put them on TV so that we all know that they've arrived and then we'll have a transparent system. And he said, wait. In the military, you have to have secrets.

I'm not putting the weapons on TV. So you seen that he - I mean, I don't mean to laugh, but I. . .

turn 1 : Not arms that are funneled but weapons that are provided to them.

Answer: Crowding


So there were a couple of feuds on the blog this week. Break them down for us.

Well, I'll start with the more-amusing one: Aretha Franklin versus Beyonce and Beyonce's dad. So flash back to last week's Grammys. Beyonce introduced her duet partner, Tina Turner, as the queen. Aretha Franklin, the reigning Queen of Soul, was none too pleased and released a statement saying it was a cheap shot for controversy. Beyonce's dad/manager responded, saying Franklin's statement was ridiculous.

Now, most people on our blog seem to agree. C.  Cody(ph) wrote: Re-re(ph) should have exercised her right to remain queen by remaining silent; and Willis Page(ph) had his own beef with Ms.  Franklin. He wrote: I've had tickets to see Aretha Franklin three times, and three times she has cancelled in different cities. How about being mad at the title of Queen of No-shows?

And then the other big feud this week was between Tavis Smiley and Michelle Obama. Journalist Tavis Smiley invited Barack Obama to speak at his annual State of the Black Union. Obama declined, saying he had to campaign, but he offered to send his wife, Michelle, in his place. Tavis Smiley essentially said no thanks.

turn 2 : Tavis Smiley declined Michelle Obama's offer to speak at his event in place of Barack Obama.

How did Tavis Smiley respond to Michelle Obama's offer?

Answer: Declined


Well, that's the thing. Three areas we've looked at - covering about 55 square miles of the jungle - target one, target two and target three. And the first one was target one, and we found these all these archeological features. They covered hundreds of acres, maybe even thousands of acres, and this is gigantic. And then they moved on to target two, and they marked that, and then they moved on to target three. And target three showed even more striking features.

And we've - an archaeologist has been looking at them and a guy named Chris Fisher, who is an archaeologist at the Colorado State University, who's an expert on LIDAR, and he tells us that there is a city in T3 that is comparable in area to the city of Copan. It's absolutely enormous. The track is two square - five square kilometers.

And if these valleys are so remote, how did these civilizations develop in this unforgiving area?

Well, that's the thing. We're only now starting to realize that this so-called virgin or impenetrable jungle in prehistoric times was anything but. It was very heavily settled. There were many thousands of people living in these areas, and it wasn't virgin jungle. It was more like a tended garden. They cleared huge areas for farming. They terraced. They built irrigation canals. They built roads. They built enormous pyramids and structures.

turn 0 : The jungle wasn't as untouched as originally believed and was heavily populated in prehistoric times.

Which area showed more striking features?

Answer: Three


Well, it's interesting. What you find in the data is that Trump did very well among self-described evangelicals. But he did far better among self-described evangelicals who don't regularly attend church. Cruz destroyed him amongst evangelicals who go to church regularly.

And what's also important about that is there's a lot of evidence that white Americans who don't regularly attend church do worse economically and are much more pessimistic about the state of the country. And that's also what Trump tapped into, this sense of deep pessimism about the state of the country. And that pessimism is greater among Americans who don't regularly attend religious services.

And you just - according to your article, you don't see this in just one side of the political divide, do you?

No. What's interesting is that the same divide you see between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump voters, you also saw between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton voters. So if you look at white Democrats, white Democrats who went to church were much more - religious institutions at all - much more likely to be Hillary Clinton supporters. Bernie Sanders much more likely to win the votes of those who did not regularly attend religious institutions.

turn 1 : Trump's success was driven by tapping into the deep pessimism felt by white Americans who don't regularly attend church, and this sense of pessimism is even stronger among them than it is among those who attend religious services regularly.

Which group of Americans did Trump tap into to gain success?

Answer: White


Right.
Just a little.
You could put honey. . .
Yeah. Agave just. . .

turn 2 : "You could put honey..." This turn could be interpreted as a suggestion to sweeten something with honey, but it could also be interpreted as a suggestion to improve or make something more appealing.

Which turn in the dialogue could be interpreted as a suggestion to improve or make something more appealing?

Answer: Turn2


Yeah, absolutely. They'll see Dragon doing a loop around the space station. It's a pretty wide loop, so Dragon will still look pretty small from the space station when it's doing that wide loop around the space station. But I mean, just to visualize things, it's like literally imagine you doing a loop around a bullet that's going 12 times faster than something that came out of an assault rifle.

Yeah.

So it's a dodgy affair.

I know. You know, when - and they first tried this in the '60s.

turn 2 : The loop around the space station is a dangerous maneuver

What kind of affair is performing a loop around the space station according to A?

Answer: Dodgy.


Yeah. I mean, there was a lot of people pulling up, dropping off food, blankets, and that's fine. Well, below zero, the food was getting cold as soon as someone set it out there.

Yeah. Well, sounds like you've changed their lives and they've changed yours.

Absolutely. They've definitely changed mine because you don't know until you're either in it or next to it. In these past days (ph) I've been next to it. It's freezing outside. You know, some of them are disabled. We've got children here. We got pregnant women here. No. Let them stay where they're at. We'll bring it to them.

You're very impressive, Candice Payne. I'm so glad we could speak with you.

turn 0 : to pull up somewhere means to drive to a particular place

How was the food getting cold during the incident mentioned in the dialogue?

Answer: Treasury


Are they willing to let people die over that principle?

Oh, no. No, you don't - but to who - and that's such an interesting - I love that you got right to the college dorm part of the argument, you know - are you going to let people die?No one's going to let people die. You know, there's talk about - oh, my gosh, the Trump budget cuts Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels gets 3 percent of its funding, approximately, from government sources. Ninety-seven percent is people want to take care of their neighbors.

I. . .

turn 3 : A: "People are not going to let their neighbors die." - Here, A is making a general statement that people are unlikely to allow their neighbors to die, regardless of the specific context of the conversation. The literal meaning of A's words does not match their actual meaning, which is more like "I don't believe that people will let others die, and I want to emphasize that point."

Which statement emphasizes PersonA's belief that people will not let their neighbors die?

Answer: emphasizes


. . . a guinea fowl on the treadmill.

So that's - this is like - I'm already. . .

Another day at the office.

Exactly. It's like I can tell that I'm in a special place right from the beginning, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. They have an emu and they happened to have a day-old goat. A baby goat was born the day before. It's totally bucolic.

turn 3 : In turn (4), the speaker is expressing admiration for a place they are visiting, specifically highlighting the presence of an emu and a day-old goat. The literal meaning of the turn is that the speaker finds the place charming and enjoys the presence of the animals. However, the implied meaning of the turn is that the speaker may be easily impressed or may have a naive or idealized view of rural life. The use of the word "bucolic" suggests a romanticized view of the countryside, and the excitement over the presence of relatively common animals suggests a lack of familiarity with rural environments. The turn implies that the speaker may not have a deep understanding of the realities of agricultural life and may be easily swayed by superficial or picturesque elements.

Which word in turn 3 suggests that the speaker has a romanticized view of the countryside?

Answer: Bucolic


Yes, we have. We haven't canvassed all video game producers. There are a couple of companies that we've worked with in particular. We approach them, and in some cases they have approached us asking for advice. And in one case, we said, hey, would you like to incorporate this in your game?They thought it was a wonderful idea, so we sat down with them and explained some of the basic concerns and maybe some ways that they might want to approach it.

If video games reflect the fact that the rules of war are often flouted, doesn't just reflect what happens in life?

It may reflect what happens in life. At the same time, because they are flouted, we can't throw up our hands and say it's useless. You know, anything is allowable under war. We have to keep insisting on that and we have to keep pushing the notion that there are laws, even in war, and that they must be respected.

And, Mr.  Barrett, I'm sure there's some people listening who might find this very interesting but say but, you know, why doesn't the ICRC do more about Syria?

turn 3 : The literal meaning of this turn is that the ICRC should do more about Syria, but the implied meaning is that some people might find this conversation interesting, but they may ask why the ICRC is not doing more to help with the situation in Syria.

Which conversation topic is implied when PersonB asks, "why doesn't the ICRC do more about Syria?"?

Answer: ICRC


So off I went to Moscow with a couple of colleagues to talk about how intelligence services should work in democracies. And I found myself sitting in the Lubyanka, their headquarters, which over the years had been sort of prison death cell torture chamber, facing a long line of KGB officers and talking to them about democratic oversight and such things. It was certainly one of the strangest events of my working life I think.

(Laughter) Forgive me, but this is a week to ask - do you think they took good notes?Were they paying attention to this democracy?

(Laughter) No, I don't think they were actually. They looked at us with rather hard, cynical eyes. And I wrote somewhere that it seemed to be like two wild animals surveying their prey but not being able to get at them. But I don't think they were particularly interested in all this oversight and democracy stuff, no.

And may I ask you, just based on your experience and the way you survey events, what does Russia want these days?

turn 1 : (2) implies that the speaker doubts whether the KGB officers were actually interested in the discussion of democratic oversight and were just pretending to pay attention.

Which topic did the KGPersonB officers not seem particularly interested in during the discussion?

Answer: Oversight


I think that - I would like to see in a penal system where they had - a separate penal system for those people who have been convicted of drug crimes, non-violent drug crimes, where they address the addictive nature of whatever they're on and have them on probation and ease them out of the penal system with very severe probation conditions so you can address the addiction and the behavior and environment that invite continuing use, even though an addict is trying to change.

Well, Judge, always good to talk to you. Thank you.

Always. Thank you.

Judge Lynn Toler is the star of "Divorce Court. "She's also the author of "My Mother's Rules: A Practical Guide to Becoming an Emotional Genius" and she joined us from radio station KJZZ in Tempe, Arizona.

turn 0 : Proposes a different approach to dealing with non-violent drug crimes.

What kind of crimes does the proposed penal system aim to address?

Answer: Non-violent


And now it's letter time. Our editor Sasa Woodruff is here with me. Hey, Sasa.

Hey Farai, how's it going?

I am great. So, what are listeners filling our inbox with this week?

We got a few letters about the interview you did with Rick Warren this week. Celine Welch(ph) in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote into say she was a fan of the show, but not of the interview you did with the influential pastor.

turn 0 : Sasa Woodruff is not physically present with B

What is the name of the editor who is mentioned in turn 0?

Answer: Sasa


Julie, you've been covering this area for a long time. What strikes you about this moment?I mean, is this as significant as it looks?

It's hard to tell. As I said, the AMA's been kind of everywhere on abortion issues. It looks like they're maybe coming out - finding this to be such a threat to the doctor-patient relationship that they're willing to take a leading role. It remains to be seen exactly where they will go from here.

That's Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News.

Thanks for coming in.

turn 1 : The AMA has been inconsistent on abortion issues and it's uncertain where they stand now.

How has the AMPersonA been on abortion issues?

Answer: Inconsistent


Black tea, cotton jumpsuits and snowblowers made in China are all getting more expensive today. Those are some of the thousands of items now being targeted by the Trump administration with a new 15% tariff. It's the latest salvo in the president's trade war with Beijing. China had threatened to retaliate but may hold off as the two countries prepare for what could be another round of trade negotiations.

NPR's Scott Horsley is here to explain this.

Good morning.

Good morning. The tariffs taking effect today cover more than $100 billion worth of Chinese imports, but other products were spared - at least for now. Explain what the administration is up to here.

turn 0 : "the latest salvo" implies the latest executive directive by the Trump administration.

Which word describes the latest executive directive by the Trump administration?

Answer: executive


Absolutely. They may, you know, be with someone, or as they play cards with other decks of playing cards, people talk, you know?We all - we all kind of fill that space. And so hopefully maybe some information that they've heard could prove valuable in cases as we work towards resolution.

How many cold cases do you have there on the books in Colorado?

>>SIMKINS Here in Colorado we have nearly 1,600 cases total. And when we identify a cold case, we are calling any unresolved homicide that is more than three years from the commission of crime a cold case. We're also including any long-term missing person cases and any unidentified remains.

turn 3 :  The turn whose actual meaning is different from its literal meaning is (4): "There are only 52 cards in a deck of cards. So how do you decide which case makes the deck?"  The speaker is using a metaphor to compare the limited number of cards in a deck to the limited number of cases that can be included in the deck of playing cards used by law enforcement to raise awareness about cold cases. The implied meaning is that there are many cold cases to choose from, but only a limited number can be featured in the deck

Which turn uses a metaphor to compare a limited number of cards to a limited number of cases?

Answer: Turn3


Well, the call has gone out to our NPR listeners, who are either going to be repulsed or intrigued by what you're talking about here, Terry Lee.

Yeah.

That's toe master Terry Lee speaking with us from the Sourdough Saloon in Dawson City, Yukon. Terry, good luck. Thanks so much.

Thank you very much.

turn 2 : (3) B: That's toe master Terry Lee speaking with us from the Sourdough Saloon in Dawson City, Yukon.Terry, good luck.Thanks so much.

Answer: Terry


My father believed the world was divided between those who were mentally and physically strong and those who were weak and lazy. For this, I had to undergo a physical and psychological training.

Can you tell us about those nights in the cellar?

From the age of 6, I had to spend one night a month in the basement meditating on death. I sat on a stool, alone, in the dark, surrounded by rats. And I had a cardigan with small bells on it. I wasn't allowed to let the bells tinkle, as it meant that I was moving. It was one of his exercises.

There are just too many instances of abuse and cruelty to recount - I mean, the way he didn't turn on the heat, the way he made you bathe in his dirty water. He said he gave you his energy that way or something.

turn 1 : My father was trying to instill a sense of superiority and strength in me by contrasting the strong and the weak.

Answer: Superiority


. . . You are from this area - born in D. C. , raised in Maryland and Virginia - the DMV, as we like to say. So what's it like to be back home now that you're blowing up like this?Can you go to, like, the CVS if you want to without being recognized?

Yeah. I definitely can go to the CVS. You know, sometimes people recognize me, sometimes they don't. But it's a beautiful feeling, and I just can't wait to move back eventually.

How did you start singing or how did you realize you could sing?

I don't know. I just was always singing. I didn't know if it was good or not, but my grandma, she told me that I sounded like an angel. And that maybe - perhaps that kept me going. I mean, I always wanted a solo at the church, and they didn't ever give it to me. But eventually they did, and I froze. But then I killed it. And I just feel like that kind of just followed me all throughout my life.

turn 3 : The phrase "I froze" does not literally mean that the speaker's body physically froze, but rather that they were nervous or scared.  The phrase "killed it" does not literally mean that the speaker caused harm to anything, but rather that they performed very well.

Answer: Well


We are made to meet a quota as well as deadlines. There are about eight different numerical measures that we have to meet during our rating period, which is generally two years. But this latest rating period is one year because they introduced this concept last October. So during our rating period, during this one year, we're expected to complete 700 cases. And we're expected to do a lot of these within specific timelines. It really is very, very dire circumstance for our judges.

And let's say that a judge does not meet his or her quota. What happens?You mentioned financial interests. Does the judge lose his or her job?

So the judge may lose his or her job because, at the end of the rating period, the judge would have to then justify why those numbers have not been met. And the agency will have to determine whether the judge's justification is appropriate or not. And for the agency to impose a singular quota on all of us, as if we are all interchangeable, is absolutely mind-boggling.

We are in El Paso, looking at how this is playing out. What are you hearing from immigration judges in El Paso in particular?

turn 3 : B statement here implies that they are looking out to how the Judges carryout their duties in El Paso in order not to lose their jobs.

Which location are PersonA and PersonB in?

Answer: ElPaso


Right.

How do you think the election changed the political landscape in this country, or do you?

Well, it's changed the landscape entirely. All of the talk of the time of Bush's presidency from 2002, when we started, all the way up until Obama's election, things got more and more depressing as time went on. Even though Bush got actually elected in 2004 as oppose to the disputed election in 2000 - still, most of the news was bad news, and we had a steady diet of bad news and flubs in this, and worries about war and worries about domestic policy and civil liberties and civil rights, and it was just bad news. It was like everything was downhill. And the country was depressed, psychologically. And Bush, now that he's gone, you got a breath of fresh air. Everybody is waiting expectantly. People have been happy. They've celebrated. And now the news is always about, you know, what is going now and how is it going to play out, and with most people hoping that it will play out positively after so much depression.

Are you surprised at the level of engagement of what I would arguably say is the black community at large in the political arena, both as voters, as viewers, as readers and particularly, as political pundits.

turn 2 : Everything was becoming negative in their respective areas. People got a change when the new president was elected. The news is about what is happening and what will happen.

How was the news after Bush's presidency?

Answer: Negative


Hey, Mary Louise.

So how serious is this?What else do we know?

We don't really know a lot more. We learned of this in a brief statement from campaign senior adviser Jeff Weaver. He said, as you mentioned in the intro there, that Sanders had felt some chest discomfort last night at a campaign event. And what they also told us is that Sanders had a blockage in one artery. Two stents were inserted. His campaign has really not said a whole lot more than that except that events will be canceled until further notice but that the senator is, quote, "in good spirits. "He is resting up for a few days.

Now, I did talk to Steven Nissen today. He's a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. He's not the doctor that worked on Sanders, but he just sort of told me what to expect in these cases, what the prognosis is. And pretty much what he told me is this. The way to look at it is that heart disease is, indeed, serious, but this is also a very routine procedure.

turn 2 : Sanders is feeling happy and hopeful after the procedure.

How is Sanders feeling after the procedure?

Answer: Good


Yes, far more often. And I'm not sure we fully understand why. In this particular - the latest case, the president said he was not informed until 24 hours before Shanahan pulled out. That was just hard to believe. It's either that reflects gross incompetence on the part of his team in not telling him, or he's lying about it and/or some combination thereof. But we don't know the answer to that.

What we do know is there has been a pattern of withdrawals from nominations that were not fully vetted, or some things popped up at the last minute. You know, both the person nominated that the president wanted to be Army secretary and the person he wanted to be Navy secretary were both knocked out by disclosures that had not come up in the early vetting.

So who's supposed to find this stuff out in the early vetting?Whose responsibility is it?

There are two institutions that are responsible, take primary lead for it - nominees who require Senate confirmation. One first and foremost is the White House working in conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service, working as well with the FBI to do a thorough financial, legal and personal conduct - and that includes domestic violence - kind of search. While that is underway - and it can take a number of weeks - the Senate itself takes up a background check. And so it's almost shocking that the senators are saying they didn't know.

Every administration has some level of dysfunction. But in a White House that is running somewhat more smoothly than this one, how would this work when it's a well-oiled machine or something close to it?

turn 0 : The president may be lying about not being informed

Which nomination was knocked out due to undisclosed disclosures during early vetting?

Answer: Navy


I can do it either way.

There are two different puzzles. You know, they are the dominant forms of matter and energy in the universe. Roughly speaking, dark matter accounts for about 25 percent of the universe, and dark energy 70 percent with the stuff you and I are made of, weighing in at 4. 5 percent. And, you know, dark matter holds things together. Dark matter holds together our galaxy, and it's the dark energy that's causing the expansion of the universe to speed up. So they're doing very different things. But as you alluded to, they're both big mysteries and who knows?They might be related.

We think that in terms of the puzzles that were at different stages, as long as we're talking about the LHC, one of cosmology's big hopes is that the LHC stands for dark matter factory. Let's see, I guess those letters don't quite work. Maybe in some language they do. But we're hoping that the LHC, after it finds the Higgs, will actually find the dark matter particle so that this mystery that started some 70 years ago with Fritz Zwicky will be finished off and that we will have identified the dark matter. The dark energy is one of those puzzles where, who knows, it could get solved this decade, but my hunch is it will be another 30 years or maybe even longer.

Are you saying that the Large Hadron Collider can actually make dark matter?

turn 1 : In turn (2), the speaker is using the phrase "dark matter holds things together" and "dark energy that's causing the expansion of the universe to speed up" in a figurative sense, rather than a literal one. Dark matter and dark energy are not literally holding physical objects together, but rather their gravitational effects are causing certain phenomena in the universe.

What is the figurative meaning of "dark matter holds things together" and "dark energy that's causing the expansion of the universe to speed up" in turn (2)?

Answer: Figurative


It's an interesting question. In the case of the prairie dog system, it, of course, has a dire effect on the prairie dog population in general. And the most dependent species on those is the black-footed ferret, which is a highly endangered weasel-like animal that once was much more abundant on the plains but is now extremely rare.

They eat prairie dogs usually, and so now their food supply is being threatened.

They do, yes. They're entirely dependent on prairie dogs, mostly for food. But they also - ferrets use the prairie dog burrows as shelter, so they're highly linked to the prairie dog system. And the black-footed ferret is directed susceptible to plague itself. So it's not just a matter of losing its prey. It actually probably succumbs to the disease about as quickly as the prairie dogs do.

So what's being done now to keep this from spreading further?

turn 3 : spreading further means something keeps getting worse or better, but in this context its worse.

How does spreading affect the situation?

Answer: Worse


And he - those books served as sort of benchmarks of learning of the time. They were encyclopedias on whatever it was: optics, even music, that kind of thing. And even though they contained many propositions that could then be proven wrong by experiment, which is by the way a pretty valuable service in a way, you know, they were important works that almost all the major figures of that time had to contend with.

You've likened him to a kind of Forrest Gump of the 17th century.

I have, yeah. I mean, well, the thing is - the only difference is that Forrest Gump, you know, was this innocent, naÃ¯ve, you know, sort of - had a kind of pure quality to his character. Kircher was a courtier, a careerist. He was not above fibbing if it suited him to get ahead in his career. But he was, in the way that Forest Gump was, kind of one or two degrees of separation away from so many kind of characteristic moments of the time and also as well as people.

So as I say, you know, born on the eve of a witch hunt, he was kind of thrown around in the turmoil of the 30 Years War. He arrived in Rome in 1633 just months after the Galileo trial. He was in Rome in 1656 for the plague, you mentioned the plague, and. . .

And he survived.

turn 1 : Forrest Gump implies a person achieves a lot when they aren't expected to achieve a lot

Which character from the dialogue is compared to Forrest Gump?

Answer: Kircher


Honestly, much to my mother's chagrin, I think I would like to come back to the Middle East and continue to cover a lot of the developments here, maybe Afghanistan, continue to cover a lot of our diplomatic efforts abroad.

I think that the next four to eight years of the Obama administration are going to be incredibly interesting, with a lot of the diplomatic efforts to just to try to put a lot of the things back together. Certainly, what's going on now in the Gaza Strip is incredibly interesting, as well. So I think, once I learn the business and learn a lot of skills, I'd love to go abroad as a foreign correspondent someday.

Army Captain Nate Rawlings with the First Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division joining us from Baghdad. And it's been great speaking with you. Have a great new year.

Thank you. Happy New Year to you, too.

turn 0 : A wants to continue covering developments in the Middle East despite mother's disapproval

How does PersonA feel about covering diplomatic efforts in the Middle East?

Answer: Interested


I don't want to give away how your story seems to resolve itself toward the end, but I think a lot of people would ask you why do you even talk to your mother now?Why do you care what she thinks?

Oh, my God. I love my mother to death, and I'm a writer and I'm a black, American writer, and I would not be a writer, a reader or teacher had my mother not loved me enough to instill a practice at an early age. And this book, in some way, is like her investment coming full circle. She really believes that reading and writing can save us. And I don't know if that's true, but I know I'm a writer. I know I'm an American reader, and I wanted to use my words to try to talk to her and try to tell her that we can be better. We can be better if we give ourselves a chance to walk honestly together. And that's what I tried to do with this book.

Kiese Laymon - his book, "Heavy: An American Memoir" - thanks so much for being with us.

Thank you so much for having me.

turn 0 : give away in this context means to tell someone something without much warning, usually a secret

Which word describes the type of information that PersonB doesn't want PersonA to reveal?

Answer: Secret


Burnt hair, desiccated strawberry, armpit, you know (laughter).

Very precise and unusual.

And there's also this new trajectory to incorporate the language of science. So instead of saying that something smells like green bell pepper, sommeliers are now describing it as smelling of pyrazines, which, by the way, is a chemical that is present in both sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon grapes and in green bell peppers. So don't always roll your eyes at the sommelier.

I don't roll my eyes at the sommelier. I've actually always been intimidated by interacting with the sommelier. I wanted to ask you if you would take a moment to sort of teach someone like me. Can you walk me through it?

A lot of us, when we're given the wine list, treat it as a multiple-choice test. We're handed this list of a hundred options. And we have until the sommelier circles back to us to figure out the right answer.

Exactly.

turn 4 : In this turn, the literal meaning of "treat it as a multiple-choice test" would imply approaching the wine list in a structured and exam-like manner. The actual meaning, however, is that people often feel pressured to choose the "correct" wine option from a large list and may feel uncertain about their selection until the sommelier returns for their order.

How do people often treat the wine list?

Answer: Multiple-choice


They open doors at about seven in the morning. The stores aren't open until 11 on Sundays. So there's just hours and hours of people just walking through the mall.

David Segal is a writer for the New York Times. His latest article is called "Our Love Affair with Malls Is on the Rocks. "David, thank you.

You're very welcome.

Stay with us. It's free, from Day to Day on NPR News.

turn 0 : The mall opens early and people walk around for hours before stores open.

Which stores don't open until 11 on Sundays?

Answer: Stores


Well, responses have ranged from one person who said Biden was a great pick to another who said Obama made a terrible decision. But it's interesting, Joe Biden was the top choice of our unscientific online poll. We asked who Obama should pick as his VP, and 40 percent of all respondents chose him. So despite how people feel about Biden, I think a lot of people assumed that Obama would pick him. And Hillary Clinton interestingly was the second choice.

Really?As we get close - well, not closer to the convention, we are at the convention now - have you noticed an increase in the online traffic?Because I know people have really been paying attention. But now that we're here, are they really into it?

They are really into it. And everyone has an opinion. And everyone wants to make their opinion known. And that's just what they're doing.

Now, what are some of the things that we're going to be looking forward to, that our bloggers can look forward to on our website this week as part of our convention coverage?

Well, through npr. org, we have complete convention schedule so people know when to set their TiVos. We also have profiles of all the key Democratic players and we're also going to pose photo feeds from the convention floor. This morning, Michelle Obama was getting ready to make her speech and she was testing out the mics. And so we have some photos of that.

turn 0 : Despite mixed feelings about Joe Biden, many assumed Obama would choose him as his VP.

How was Joe Biden perceived as Obama's VP pick?

Answer: Assumed


Well, this is really interesting. They say they've found evidence that the Sacklers were trying to conceal their wealth in order to avoid paying an appropriate settlement. This is something we've heard even from sources who support the deal on the table, the idea that the Sacklers have worked strategically over the years to drain money out of Purdue Pharma and position those assets all over the world to make them harder to seize. In a statement, Letitia James accused the Sacklers of lowballing victims to skirt a responsible settlement while trying to shield their financial misconduct.

The Sacklers say James and other attorneys general are on a fishing expedition with these suits. They've countersued to squash the investigation. And they also say they're making a good-faith effort now to settle all these lawsuits.

Brian, you cover opioid litigation for NPR. More than 218,000 Americans have died from prescription opioid overdoses. What do you see as the likelihood of communities and families actually getting money or some kind of compensation?

Yeah. I think it's unlikely that it will happen anytime soon, Scott. The legal fight is happening on a lot of fronts right now, so that's going to slow things down. Ohio - just let me give you one example. They've already received tens of millions of dollars in compensation from other drug companies that sold opioid medications and settlements. But because of a legal fight there, none of that money can be spent helping people. It's just sitting in a bank account. And as the money amounts grow here, up into the billions now, the legal fight over who gets all of this cash will likely grow, too.

turn 0 : There is a deal that has been offered to the Sacklers from the attorneys general.

Which attorneys have accused the Sacklers of lowballing the victims?

Answer: Letitia


All right. Let's run through two of the main issues. . .

Yeah.

. . . Briefly. One is Carter Page, the former Trump campaign aide. The Democratic memo contends Page was under surveillance for many reasons which initially had nothing to do with the controversial Steele dossier.

Yeah. I mean, I think - look, I think that everyone agrees that that's sort of part of what's going on here. Carter Page had long had contacts with Russian intelligence officers, apparently unwitting to him. At one point, it appears he may have been working with the FBI to talk about those folks. And so that has now come out. And it's pretty clear. We've known this for a while, though. These are facts that we've known or at least we've heard rumors of.

turn 2 : The Democratic memo contends Page was under surveillance for many reasons which initially had nothing to do with the controversial Steele dossier

What was Carter Page under surveillance for according to the Democratic memo?

Answer: Contacts


Sorry. Sorry. Well, one more sticky issue. You got some pushback from a song - on the song, "Wish You Were Gay. "And people were hoping it would become an anthem for the LGBTQ community. But some people are actually not pleased about it. They feel that it's - there's pushback about it. And how do you think about that?

You know what I think is that everybody has a right to feel exactly what they feel. And it's not anyone's place to tell somebody that their being offended is not correct, you know?It's, like, that's a thing that you can't control. And if somebody doesn't feel OK with something, then you have to respect that and understand that and not try to fight that.

And so I knew writing that song that - it wasn't meant as an insult. And it wasn't meant to be offensive in any way. So for me, I didn't even really think about it because it was so not at all. . .

O'CONNELL: Controversial to us.

. . . Controversial in my mind because I thought of it as almost like a positive thing.

turn 4 : Everyone should respect other people's opinions and feelings, even if they don't agree with them.

Which positive thing did PersonA think the song "Wish You Were Gay" was for them?

Answer: Anthem


Right. So there's one where Kim Kardashian is posing against a pile of sand. She's undressed, very provocative. And then there's you, sort of similarly clad, reclining against gravel (laughter).

Yeah, on a dirt pile. Kim Kardashian on a dirt pile. That's the way people refer to that photo a lot.

Why do you think it's resonated so much?Why do you think people have enjoyed this so much?

Well, first and foremost, I look like an idiot in them, the other person doesn't. And it's not like I'm taking - I don't take paparazzi photos of people or I'll only take what they've posted themselves. And then I look silly in it. So the beginning of it is me looking stupid. And I think people like that. I think people like seeing people make fun of themselves - I do - and just not caring. I think it's nice to see on a platform like Instagram, where it's all about how things are staged. It's nice to see something that is so not.

turn 2 : In Turn (3), when B asks, "Why do you think it's resonated so much? Why do you think people have enjoyed this so much?" they are not asking about the actual vibrations or sounds that the photo has produced, but rather about why the photo has become so popular and well-liked.

Which turn does PersonB ask why the photo has become so popular and well-liked?

Answer: Two


And Happy Thanksgiving to you. This would essentially be an enterprise in which people would put money on terrorist acts.

Well, you know, the prediction markets - markets like political prediction markets, where people risk money on the presidential election, things like that - have been remarkably successful in many different areas. So a little more than a decade ago, the Defense Department thought the idea - why don't we try to do a prediction market that would include all sorts of measures of international instability?- where there'll be a coup, what government might be at risk, where the economy might fall. And it included questions about terrorism as something we might try to predict.

As you said, there was a public outcry. People complained about - this would mean people are earning money from terror attacks. That is, if you bet right in the prediction market, obviously, you'd get a payoff. And so it was dropped.

Well, how does putting money on the chance of something occurring, a terrorist act, improve somebody's sense of judgment in predicting it?

turn 0 : The turn that has an implied meaning different from its literal meaning is turn (1).  Although the literal meaning of "And Happy Thanksgiving to you" is a friendly holiday greeting, the implied meaning in this context is likely sarcastic or dismissive. This is because B responds to A's explanation of the prediction market with a statement that could be interpreted as not taking the idea seriously or finding it distasteful. The greeting could therefore be seen as a way to change the subject or end the conversation.

What was the Defense Department's idea for a prediction market that included all sorts of measures of international instability?

Answer: A


I would love that, and we would absolutely love that.

And watch The Daily Show tonight. I'll be on it.

Oh, absolutely.

Great.

turn 3 : Suggesting that the other person should watch The Daily Show to see the speaker's appearance.

Answer: Appearance


I think there is. There has been a lot of talk here about that, not officially from the state board. But I think when you have both candidates kind of saying they would be open to it, it's really on the table. And the state board does have the ability to do this. They can call an election if - by law, if improprieties occurred to such an extent that they taint the results of the entire election and cast doubts on its fairness.

And any idea when a new election might be in the 9th District?

So - right. We have no idea. And they have said they are mindful that the new Congress is supposed to be seated on January 3. But I think it's going to be probably very difficult if they do do an election to get it done that quickly. Another question is, kind of what kind of election would you have?Would you redo the entire 9th District. . .

Yeah.

turn 2 : It would be difficult to conduct an election in the 9th District quickly.

What is the main concern regarding conducting an election in the 9th District?

Answer: Feasibility


Well, I was abused by a priest when I was a child. And it caused me a great deal of difficulty with my life afterwards. I had a lot of problems with anxiety and depression.

How old were you when it happened?

I had just turned 13. I was in a children's hospital. And the priest who assaulted me was the Catholic chaplain of the hospital. And he also took indecent photographs, which had a lasting effect on me.

You were one of two sexual abuse survivors on the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Yet you resigned March 1. Can you tell us why?

I did because I accepted the appointment to the commission in the hope that the church was really beginning to show, you know, a sincere wish to change. And after three years, I resigned on some specific issues. But, basically, it was the resistance from some quarters in the Vatican to actually change.

Does it surprise you that someone as high up as Cardinal Pell has been accused?

turn 4 : "resistance from some quarters in the Vatican" - This phrase implies that there are factions within the Vatican that are opposing change, rather than a physical space within the Vatican.

What does the phrase "resistance from some quarters in the Vatican" imply about the opposition to change?

Answer: factions


I didn't worry about it too much, but I - you know, I love life. I love to be out there in the field with these scientists. I take the same precautions they take. If they're wearing respirator masks and goggles and latex gloves, then I wear the same - rubber boots, gowns or whatever. And I try and stay three feet or 4four feet behind them. I try not to let them hand me a giant fruit bat.

In one case, Lisa Jones-Engel did say, here, David. Pin this monkey to the ground while I take a blood sample from this other one. And I thought about that a little bit.

Did you think twice?

I said - well, I didn't think - well, I said, sure, and I held it to the ground. And then I thought, this is not exactly what I signed up for, but, you know, you need to pitch in a little bit in these circumstances.

turn 1 : Lisa Jones-Engel asked me to hold a monkey down while she took a blood sample from another, which was not expected of me.

Which monkey did Lisa Jones-Engel take a blood sample from?

Answer: Other.


I should remind Americans that, in Britain, the prime minister normally controls the agenda in Parliament. He was blocked yesterday. What was it like to be on the floor for yesterday's vote?

Well, it was exciting. I mean, the chamber the House of Commons - I often take Americans around it. It's very different from Congress or the Senate. It's very confrontational. There are seats facing opposite each other, so you get to shout at each other. But, of course, in this instance, the fight was between people sitting on the same benches. So you kind of shout across at each other. It's also a very small chamber, a very intimate chamber. So in that sense, it adds to the drama.

Well, Prime Minister Johnson said he would expel you rebels from the Conservative Party. Did that happen overnight?Are you no longer a member of the Conservative Party?

Yeah. He's been true to his word. I have lost what we call the whip. So we're not members of the Conservative Parliamentary Party, we're independent MPs, which has been forced on us rather than a choice made by us.

turn 1 : The House of Commons is a confrontational environment

How would you describe the environment in the House of Commons?

Answer: Confrontational


I'm Farai Chideya and this is News & Notes. Staycation. It's one of those newfangled words that's caught on fast. A vacation is when you vacate. You take off, you stay in a hotel, or camp out, or see the sights. A staycation is - well, you got it. With soaring gas prices and plane tickets, this was supposed to be the summer of staying at home. But was that prediction off the mark?If you're thinking about traveling soon or for the winter holidays, what should you keep in mind?With us to talk about both of those issues we've got Madeline Nunn, senior travel agent with the Richmond, Virginia, branch of the American Automobile Association, or Triple-A. Hi, Madeline.

How are you?

I'm great. So, back in May, a Rand McNally survey found that two-thirds of Americans planning road trips this summer said they would shorten their trips or cancel them all together. Summer is wrapping up, so what actually panned out?

Well, actually, the staycation thing is sort of a myth, so to speak, because Americans are traveling. They're traveling because they are hard-working and they need the rest and the revitalization. They need this vacation. So, what we're finding is that they're not staying home, per se. Some are just staying a little closer to home. And sometimes they're limiting the length of time that they may take for this vacation.

turn 3 : Americans are still traveling but may be taking shorter vacations closer to home

How are Americans traveling this summer?

Answer: Closer


Yeah. So when Governor Richardson in 1994 - he was a young congressman, and he was in North Korea for his first visit. At that time, a helicopter was shot down by North Korea, and two American pilots were taken. One was killed upon the impact, and the other one was alive. And Governor Richardson stayed there on assignment by President Clinton to negotiate for two weeks.

And when he got the pilots back, he got an invoice. And that invoice included a lot of legitimate things - hotels, meals, transportation, fuel - and one line about ammunition. And the governor asked the North Koreans, what is this about?And they said, well, somebody needs to pay for the bullets we used to shoot down the helicopter.

So it's - again, it's not unique. And I have to say, we all followed last summer the return of American servicemen. We've been involved - the governor has been involved in this effort. We're currently involved in more of these. The North Koreans charge for those as well.

How are those payments understood in diplomatic terms?

turn 1 : The North Koreans are trying to make the US pay for the cost of shooting down the helicopter and for other services provided during negotiations and efforts to return American servicemen

Which country demanded payment for ammunition in the invoice sent to Governor Richardson?

Answer: North-Korea


But I'm sure that there's something else that you want to share with us. You have your poems about California, poems about the blues.

I've got one. The once called "Who I Am in Twilight. "And it's a poem that is actually emblazoned on the sidewalk. And it's set in stone, as it were, on something called "Poetry Walk" in Berkeley, California. They put down on sidewalk, Addison Street, about a hundred poets', I think, work. So it's fun to go over there and see how posterity works, because always somebody has dropped some pizza on it, mashed out a cigarette on it, or something like that.

So don't live for posterity, live for now. But here it is. "Who I am in Twilight. "

Like John Lee Hooker, like Lightnin' Hopkins, like the blues himself. The Trickster Sonnet, hoedown, the tango, the cante jondo. Like blessed spirituals and ragas, custom-made. Like sagas. Like stories. Like slick, slow, sly, soliloquies sliding into dramas. Like crime and punishment. Like death and birth. Canal Street, New Orleans. Like the easy, erasable, troubled voices a whirling ceiling fan makes in deep summer nights in hot, un-heavenly hotels. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee. Like the Mississippi River so deep and wide, you couldn't get a letter to the other side. Like Grand Canyon. Like Yosemite National Park. Like beans and cornbread. Like rest and recreation. Like love and like. I know we last. I know our bleeding stops.

turn 1 : The poet's work has been preserved in a special place in California.

What is the name of the sidewalk where the poet's work is preserved?

Answer: Addison


So a country that was bought by the United States 100 years ago - you're celebrating the centennial this year, and there are still so many other islands that are essentially controlled by European countries, as well - like the Netherlands, France and Britain - that were impacted by Irma. And we've seen a pattern in the response. How has the United States talked about it in your view?

The United States has talked about us as if we are effectively a colony, which is that we are secondary. We are perhaps secondary types of Americans. Now, we do carry American passports in the Virgin Islands, but we don't have federal representation.

We cannot vote for president for example. Our congresswoman, who - we vote for her - she cannot vote in Congress. So we really have no say. But I also think that this has to do with just the way that we are thought of in the national imagination as a place for a vacation and respite. And it's a beautiful place. The Virgin Islands is as beautiful as everybody says.

It is a gorgeous, pristine, absolutely divine place. However, it's a place where human beings also live. So, you know, when Americans travel to Europe, for example, they know that they're traveling to Europe to engage with the cultural history. When people travel to the Caribbean, they are often traveling to avoid the human beings and to just engage in the beauty of the space.

So they're in resorts. They're lying in the sun. They're drinking tropical, rum-infused drinks, but they're not necessarily there for the culture or to talk to the people who live there?

turn 1 : The United States treats the Virgin Islands as a colony.

How does the United States view the Virgin Islands?

Answer: colony


Initially, Manaf was very close to Bassel. I mean, he was his childhood friend. But when Bassel died and Bashar became the heir, obviously, the friendship and the loyalties were transferred to Bashar. And Manaf was by Bashar's side, you know, from the get-go.

You know, in 2011, when the uprising started, here, Manaf made the break and said, you know, I'm not going to be like my father, Mustafa; I'm not going to kill, you know, to preserve this regime. So he stepped back and eventually had to leave the country.

When you talked to Manaf Tlass, who was a loyalist for so long, what does he say is the moment when he said, I got to get out of this - this friendship, this country?

Initially, when the uprising started, Manaf was trying to convince Bashar not to use violence, not to actually shoot protesters. But the problem is, you know, Bashar was surrounded by these hardliners - his brother Maher al-Assad and his cousin Hafez Makhlouf. So this is very much a family affair ruling Syria. These people were for actually shooting people from the first day. And the idea was if you shot enough people from the first day, you would scare them off the streets. That was the logic.

turn 1 : Manaf Tlass decided not to support his father's regime

How did Manaf Tlass break away from his father's regime?

Answer: Break


Yeah, it's light and it's very dark at the same time, yeah.

Well, that's what you go for or what?

Yeah, you got to have a little bit of - a little bit of an edge, I think.

You have a woman in a classical gown looking out over the sea coast in the moonlight holding a lantern. The caption - night after night she watches the sea, longing for her husband's departure (laughter).

turn 3 :  "night after night she watches the sea, longing for her husband's departure (laughter)." - The caption is meant to be humorous, as it contradicts the expected sentiment of missing one's husband who has departed. The laughter indicates that the speaker finds it funny that the woman is actually longing for her husband's departure rather than his return.

What is the tone of the speaker towards the caption in turn 3?

Answer: Humorous


And the Trump administration has said that some of these many navigator programs were failing to meet their targets, that they were going to put the largest reductions on to the groups that weren't performing. How does that apply to you?

It does not apply to the Ohio Association of Food Banks and our consortia partners. We have served for four years to carry out navigator activities in the state of Ohio. And for those four years, we have met, nearly met or exceeded all of our deliverables. All of the feedback that we had received was very positive - keep up the great work. We certainly wish other states would perform to your level and standards. I believe at one point they even said that we were, quote, "rock stars. "

So I can - may I presume that you were shocked?

Shocked would be an understatement, but really deeply, deeply and profoundly disappointed and felt as though, quite frankly, we were being held hostage in the belief that it was really - appeared to be a political maneuver to damage the viability and stability of the Affordable Care Act. And at that point, our members voted unanimously to terminate our contract on navigator services in Ohio.

turn 1 : "rock stars" is used figuratively to mean that the Ohio Association of Food Banks and their partners were performing exceptionally well, rather than literally referring to musicians or performers.

How was the term "rock stars" used to describe the Ohio Association of Food Banks and their partners?

Answer: Figuratively


Good morning, Scott.

Please give us a fill - so much going on in the Mueller investigation this week.

Well, you know, it seemed like there was Mueller news pretty much every day this week, Scott. On Friday, we learned that Trump's chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, has been subpoenaed in the Mueller probe. Now, this is a man who has the keys to the kingdom, if anyone does. We also got a list of 35 witnesses who are expected to be called in the trial of Paul Manafort. Now, that's Trump's 2016 campaign manager. He is accused of money laundering and deceiving the U. S.  government. That trial was delayed until next week. But we do expect this is going to be the new refocusing of the Mueller probe in the days ahead.

Also this week, CNN reported that Michael Cohen - that's the former attorney for the president - is ready to testify that Trump knew about that June 2016 meeting with Manafort and Donald Jr.  and some Russians offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. And we also learned that Putin and the president will not meet in September because they want to wait until after the Mueller probe is over. So they're planning to exchange visits to each other's capital city next year.

turn 1 : B is asking for an update on the Mueller investigation.

Which person is accused of money laundering and deceiving the U.S. government in the Mueller probe?

Answer: Paul


"The Interview," a bromance.

Tamara, are these mostly symbolic sanctions?I mean, North Korea's already under significant sanctions.

Significant. There have been four UN Security Council resolutions adopted since 2006, as well as two U. S.  sanctions programs. These are largely targeted at North Korea's weapons development - nuclear weapons development. So you could easily argue that these new sanctions are just piling onto a pretty big pile already.

U. S.  officials insist, though, that these are new and different because they name 10 individuals, most of whom work for the country's main arms dealer. They say that this naming them is going to make it very hard for those people to do business basically anywhere in the world. The White House also says that there are more sanctions yet to come.

turn 2 : Implies that the sanctions put in place by the UN Security Council and the US government are more of the same and not necessarily new or different in any meaningful way.

What is the focus of the UN Security Council resolutions and US sanctions mentioned in the dialogue?

Answer: Weapons


OK.

OK.  Palace Council?

Well, the term palace council in the title is left as a semi-mystery to the reader, but I'll give a bit of a clue. It's a clue to the structure of the conspiracy that Eddie and Aurelia spend the book trying to tease out. The conspiracy that I mentioned influenced the highest levels of American government. I kind of like the name, because the idea of a palace council is the advisors behind the throne, rather than the people exercising authority. And that's, of course, how the powerful families in this book see themselves.

Agony?

The term Agony in the novel is the name of a radical, left-underground group in the 1960s that blows things up. I made up the name, but not the idea. Eddie's sister, Junie (ph), disappears early in the novel, then turns up later on as a member of this radical, underground group, and Eddie spends most of the novel really trying to search for his sister. For him the conspiracy isn't central, for him his sister is central. Aurelia, my other protagonist, is trying to track down the conspiracy. Eddie runs into the conspiracy while trying to track down his sister.

turn 4 : Eddie's search for his sister is more important than the conspiracy

Which is more important to Eddie in the novel?

Answer: sister


I think one of the reasons, Tony, that we're seeing so of many of these come to light has, really, nothing to do with the fact that people are being - that this is happening more often so much as it is the fact that people are just paying attention to it more. You know, you watch the news and somebody says, oh, there's a stolen car ring. Now, all of a sudden, everybody's watching for people breaking into cars. Well, people break into cars every day. But when you hear about it on the news, people start paying attention.

There have always been Ponzi schemes. This is not new. This has been going on forever. It has been happening to investors. It'll continue to go on, but we're just aware of because the Madoff scandal was so large and so visible.

You know, it's funny. I was listening to your description of the Ponzi scheme - as our time is running out - and I couldn't help but think that there must be somebody listening to your description who is saying, wow, the stimulus package, that sounds like a Ponzi scheme to me.

The government covering its own losses by printing more money back, which covers losses in which it prints more money. Hey, you know, you could make that - I'm not going to make that argument, but somebody might.

turn 2 : The stimulus package may be seen as a Ponzi scheme by some

How was the stimulus package described by someone in the dialogue?

Answer: Ponzi.


He went to his local bar and he didn't sit on the sidelines there. He took center stage and actually played a kind of Balkan fiddle called a gusle. And everyone stood around and clapped and applauded him. And he was sitting under a portrait of Radovan Karodzic, this man who was the hero for most of the people in the bar. And not one of them spotted the resemblance.

He lived across the stairwell in his block of flats from a woman who worked with Interpol. And her - every time she went into work, she logged on to her computer and saw the world's most wanted, including Osama bin Laden and Radovan Karodzic. And the penny never dropped. It was like a long-running performance that only came to an end really when his brother made a vital slip.

He made a phone call, right?What happened?

He made a phone call. And he used a SIM card that he shouldn't have used. It was one that was on the files of the people chasing Karodzic.

To put you on the spot a bit, does a sentence like this that comes 21 years after the Srebrenica massacre serve as a deterrent to alleged war crimes being committed today, let's say in Syria and/or Iraq?

turn 3 : Karodzic's brother's use of the SIM card was the final piece of evidence needed to identify him.

Which evidence was crucial in identifying Karodzic?

Answer: SIM


Because they - the bystander effect being that they thought somebody else would call in, or I don't want to get involved.

Yeah.

And I think it is different from the bystander effect, because it depends on the community that you're in and what becomes normal for that community and what causes concern in that community. That changes depending upon the way the community does.

Now, having said that, I will say this. We have become a society who says, not me, not get involved. One, out of fear, because you don't want to get involved, you think you'll get hurt too. And number two, I think we've become attenuated as a society for a variety of reasons. One, because of our mobility. I don't live where my grandmother lived, where her mother lived, where my uncles and cousins and aunts are. And most people don't anymore. Not any more, but we're so much of a mobile society, and we're become a technological society. My husband yesterday called my son on his cell phone from our bedroom to his room to tell him to do something.

turn 1 : to call in with this context means to call the police

What does the bystander effect refer to?

Answer: Depends


Some folks get a little bit cranky about having to work on the holiday. It's a day that, you know, most of us spend with our family and friends. How do you feel about working on a day that most people get off?

Folks that work in NASA have a common bond of a real passion for the space program. So, we wouldn't be here if we didn't have that. And obviously, we'd like to be with our families, but if we can't be there, then the next best place to be is working on a space mission.

So, you know, we've been doing a space station for 10 years straight, and there's been someone here every year for every holiday. And beyond holidays even, you know, one of the crew members on board is having their wedding anniversary just yesterday, and tomorrow's one of the birthdays of one of the flight directors working the flight.

So, we all kind of take care and bond together and take care of each other. And we're having a Thanksgiving dinner here that management's all bringing in for the flight controllers that are working, and we try to shift people out so that, you know, there's three shifts so that people do get some time at home.

turn 3 : Efforts are made to provide a sense of community and celebration among the workers

How are workers encouraged to bond and celebrate together?

Answer: Community