Learning English Podcast - March 04, 2025
29:55 Share

Welcome to Learning English, a daily 30-minute program from the Voice of America. I'm Katie Weaver. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. This program is designed for English learners, so we speak a little slower and we use words and phrases especially written for people learning English.

On today's program, Jill Robbins tells a short history of the skyscraper, then returns with Ana Mateo to talk about the condition called ADHD. Katie has a report on new kinds of flowering plants available this year for gardeners. Then superlatives on lesson of the day. But first,

Skyscrapers were invented in the United States. Two new technological developments made very tall buildings possible in the late 1800s. One development was the mechanical elevator. It meant that people would not have to climb many steps to reach the upper floors of tall buildings. It saved time and effort.

The second was good quality steel that could carry the heavy load of a tall structure. These two developments helped make the skyscraper possible. Many experts consider the home insurance building in Chicago, Illinois to be the first skyscraper. It was completed in 1885 and later increased to a height of 55 meters. Today, this would not be considered tall.

But at the time, this height was striking. What was different about the home insurance building was its structure. It was built using a steel frame. This frame carried the weight of the building rather than the walls. The method was known as skeleton construction at the time. Before this technology, a tall building required thick stone walls to support its weight.

Thick walls are extremely heavy and take up a big area that could be used for floor space or windows. William Jenney was the engineer who helped build the home insurance building. He understood the possibilities that steel frames could offer. Some people consider him the father of the skyscraper.

Soon after the building was finished, builders in Chicago and New York City began copying and improving on the idea of building upwards. Builders in these cities and others would also begin competing for the title of tallest building. The Empire State Building in New York City was completed in 1931. It was the tallest building in the world for more than 40 years. It is still one of the most popular.

Millions of visitors have seen New York from observation areas in this building. Chicago became home to the world's tallest building in 1973 when the Sears Tower was completed. It is 442 meters tall. The Sears Tower, which is now called Willis Tower, was the tallest building in the world for 23 years. Then, in 1996, two taller buildings were completed.

They are the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They are about 452 meters tall. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, CTBUH, is a non-profit organization based in Chicago that studies tall buildings and their place in the design of cities. CTBUH supports tall buildings as a way to create more sustainable cities to live in.

The group publishes a list of the world's tallest buildings. Today, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is considered the tallest building at 828 meters. The tallest building in the United States and North America is One World Trade Center in New York, which replaced the two towers of the World Trade Center destroyed in the terrorist attacks against the United States in 2001.

One World Trade Center stands at 541 meters. I'm Jill Robbins. Allison Burke's daughter was struggling. The American teenager had uncontrolled emotions, a decreased ability to pay attention, and trouble completing work on time. A family doctor suggested testing for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

or ADHD. This led to an unexpected discovery. The teen had ADHD and her mother, Allison Burke, did too. During her daughter's testing, Burke thought, "Wait a minute, this sounds familiar. I was able to piece together that this might be something I was experiencing," said Burke, who lives in Columbus, Ohio. She sought testing for herself

and was diagnosed with ADHD. At 42 years old, more adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. Diagnoses have been rising for at least 20 years, but seem to have increased sharply in the last few years. A recent government study suggested that more than 15 million adults in the United States

about 1 in 17, have been diagnosed with ADHD. The condition starts in childhood, but about half of adults with ADHD are diagnosed when they are 18 or older. Some doctors say the number of people seeking ADHD testing is sharply increasing.

Just in our clinic, requests for assessments have doubled in the last two years, said Justin Bartarian. He is a psychologist based at Ohio State University. ADHD makes it hard for people to pay attention and control their behaviors. The disorder can be genetic. Doctors often treat the disorder with drugs, behavioral therapy, or both.

Judy Sandler is 62 years old and lives in the U.S. state of Maine. She was diagnosed in her 50s. Sandler describes what ADHD feels like for her. "It's like there's an engine in you, and you feel like it's always running, and you can't turn it off except with medication," Sandler said.

ADHD has been called the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in American children. More than 7 million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed. The disorder was once thought to be something that resolved as children became adults. But now, experts say, they believe that many people are not diagnosed as kids and that the disorder continues into adulthood.

Adults with the condition talk about having trouble focusing on immediate responsibilities and planning their time. Some say the disorder has led to problems in their personal relationships. Diagnoses have been increasing in both kids and adults. The recent government report also found adult ADHD was more common than earlier estimates had suggested.

"We haven't had data in a long time," said Angelika Clausen. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researcher was one of the study's writers. "There were signs of the rise," she added. Increasing demand for ADHD medication led to severe shortages after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020.

A 2023 study showed the rise in prescriptions, or doctors' orders for such medication, was notable in adults, especially among women. ADHD diagnoses and medication were increasing before the pandemic. This is partly because of a change in general diagnostic measures in 2013. Those changes expanded the definition of ADHD.

and reduced the number of signs or symptoms required for diagnosis. But cases really seemed to increase in 2020 when schools closed and many adults were forced to work from home. "It's very difficult to focus when you are home and you have kids," Clausen said.

She said such conditions may have worsened ADHD symptoms in people with less severe cases. Experts say that it was long believed that ADHD was underdiagnosed in adults. Now, experts debate about whether it has become overdiagnosed. There is no blood or brain test for the disorder.

Experts say it is diagnosed when symptoms cause ongoing problems in more than one area of life and when those symptoms began in early childhood. Experts say the best way professionals diagnose ADHD is by getting careful histories from patients and from people who know them. They also might test a patient's memory and ability to focus.

But getting an appointment with a mental health professional can take months, and assessments can cost thousands of dollars. Many people turn to family doctors. People also take online diagnostic tests, some of which are linked to health companies that prescribe medications. There is a wide variability in this country in how people diagnose, how strict they are, and who they diagnose.

said Margaret Sibley. She is a psychologist at University of Washington. The American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders is preparing a set of diagnosis and treatment guidelines for American health professionals who treat adults. Sibley is leading the work on the guidelines.

which the organization expects to release later this year. I'm Ana Mateo. And I'm Jill Robbins. If you are a gardener, you probably have some favorite plants that you grow year after year. But you might also like to try new plants sometimes.

Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently reported for the Associated Press about one way to find new plants that might appeal to growers.

Each year, the independent non-profit organization All America Selections, or AAS, enlists more than 80 horticultural professionals from around the United States and Canada to serve as plant trial judges.

Today, we share newly developed flowering plants meant to improve the appearance of your garden. Celosia flamma pink is an upright flowering plant. This pink variety is the latest introduction in the Flamma celosia series.

It is a small, easy to grow celosia noted for strong blooming and vibrant long-lasting flowers. Judges praised its good performance even in hot and humid weather. It also lasts a long time in a container after it is cut. The plant is bred by Clover Seed Company.

Vinca sphere polka dot is a flat, wide-petaled flower. Judges call this vinca variety resilient and beautiful. With a naturally tightly grouped, rounded appearance, the plant blooms throughout the summer.

It grows well in hot, dry conditions and has good disease resistance and durability against heavy rain and storms. It is bred by Miyoshi and Company. Zinnia Crestar Mix combines the best crested zinnias in one seed pack.

The pink, orange, red, white, peach, and yellow flower blends well for mass plantings and succession sowing. Succession sowing means growing several plants that bloom in different seasons in your garden.

Zinnia Crestar Mix can also provide a continuous supply of cut flowers during summer. The sun-loving plants also tolerated heat and humidity well in the trials. It is bred by Takai Europe.

Dahlia 'Black Forest Ruby' has ruby-red flowers that show up nicely against dark-colored leaves. The disease-resistant plant impressed judges with its overall durability. It was bred by Takai Europe B.V.

Dianthus interspecific Capitan magnifica is a new Dianthus plant. It thrived through the test garden's summer heat. Its pink flowers that grow on long stems can be used as cut flowers.

Cutting the plants back after their first bloom can result in strong new growth and better flower production. This dianthus was bred by Selecta 1. Marigold Mango Tango is a marigold that has two colored blooms, yellow and red.

The small, strong plants provide non-stop color over an extended season. The variety was honored by European judges. It can be used for plantings in garden borders and in containers. Ernst Benary of America bred this variety.

Nasturtium baby gold, nasturtium baby red, and nasturtium baby yellow were also praised by European judges. These new small nasturtiums produce golden yellow, rich red, and soft yellow flowers that look pleasing next to their dark green leaves.

The judges praised their uniformly small appearance. Takai Europe BV bred these flowers. Petunia Deco Max Pink is easy to grow and grows quickly. These spreading flat blooms excited the judges during summer trials.

Flowers covered the plants throughout the season and held up well against heavy rain and bad weather. It was bred by Syngenta flowers. We hope this list provides you with ideas for your garden planting wherever you are. I'm Katie Weaver. My name is Anna Mateo. And I'm Andrew Smith.

And my name is Jill Robbins. You're listening to the Lesson of the Day on the Learning English Podcast. Welcome to the part of the show where we help you do more with our series, Let's Learn English. The series shows Ana Mateo in her work and life in Washington, D.C. In Lesson 38, we meet Ana's best friend from her hometown. Penelope comes to visit Ana in Washington, D.C. Let's listen.

I have great news. My best friend from my hometown is coming here to Washington, D.C. I can't wait to catch up with her. Oh, I gotta go. Her train arrives in ten minutes. Penelope! Anna! I am really happy to see you. Me too. How was your trip? I was fine. Let me help you with your bags. Really excited to be in Washington, D.C.

I can't wait to hear about everything. Penelope, I have so much to tell you. Let's go to my apartment. We can talk over a hot cup of tea. Anna says she can't wait to catch up with Penelope. That's a phrasal verb that means to learn what someone has been doing in the recent past. Andrew, when was the last time you met an old friend? And what did you do?

Well, by coincidence, just six days ago this last weekend, I met with an old friend with whom I used to teach. And this friend loves Washington, D.C. and all the museums. So we went to the wonderful east wing of the National Gallery of Art and we walked around and then we had wonderful Mexican food. It was a great day. I went to a high school reunion last year.

I met some of my classmates I haven't seen in 50 years. I brought my yearbook and we looked at our old photos and caught up with what we've been doing since graduation. Indeed, it is fun to catch up. Now let's listen and find out what Ana tells her friend about her new life in Washington, D.C. I love your apartment building, Ana.

Is your rent expensive? Well, I have a roommate. So we split the rent. Oh, that's right. Is your roommate nice? Marsha is the nicest person I know in this city. Sometimes she worries too much. And she says I'm the messiest cook she knows. But we are great roommates.

So, Anna, is it hard to make friends in DC? At first, it was hard. But now, Marsha is a good friend. And there's Pete. Of all the people I know in DC, Pete is the most serious and also the silliest. He sounds interesting.

Jonathan and Ashley are two other good friends of mine. In the city, they are the friendliest people I know. They always help me when I need it. Your friends sound great. So, tell me about your job. Anna has made some good friends, hasn't she? We hear some superlatives here: nicest, friendliest, messiest, and silliest.

You are listening to the lesson of the day on the Learning English podcast from Voice of America. We've talked about superlative adjectives in an earlier podcast, but in this lesson there are some words that change their spelling when we add the suffix -est. One is messy, which means not neat or tidy.

The final letter Y changes to I when we add the EST. Right. And the same thing happens with the words friendly and silly. Let's listen to more of the story. What do you think Anna will tell Penelope about her job? I love my work.

I make a children's show called The Time Traveling Treehouse. Anna, that is the best job for you. Do you remember when we were little? We played in that old treehouse behind my family's house for hours. It is really good to talk to you. New friends are good, but old friends are the best.

Ah, now we know where that idea came from. Anna's childhood games. Jill, do you remember that old expression? Make new friends, but keep the old? Yes, I do. I think it's a song. One is silver and the other gold. That means friends are valuable, whether they're new friends or old friends.

You know, at the end of this lesson, we get a hint of what may be coming in the next Let's Learn English series. Anna invites Penelope to come and live in Washington, D.C. I know. Our hometown isn't the same now. You are not there. No crying. No crying. Penelope. Penelope.

Why don't you move here and live with me and Marsha? Anna, I can't leave our hometown. You forget I love my job too. I didn't forget. You are the most famous turkey farmer I know. Thanks, Anna. Come on, let's go eat dinner at one of DC's most famous restaurants.

I have a great apartment. I love my work and I have awesome friends. I am the luckiest woman in Washington. Until next time. I noticed another kind of superlative there. But in this kind, we do not add the suffix -est. Instead, we use the most, as in: You are the most famous turkey farmer I know.

Wow! You know, my nephew and his wife are turkey farmers. Let's give a shout out to turkey farmers and the hard work they do. Okay, we'll do that. And a shout out means we'll just call attention to them. Jill, I was trying to explain why some adjectives don't add EST for the superlative.

Oh, sorry. Just make that little rewind sound, Andrew, and we can replay what I said in Podcast 27. When the adjective is longer, usually two or more syllables, we just put the two words "the most" or "the least" before it. Thanks, Jill. One exception to the rule... Sorry, listeners, you should know by now that English grammar rules have a lot of exceptions.

One exception is the word friendly. It is two syllables, but it can still add the EST to make the superlative. Friendliest. Some other superlative adjectives that take the most are dangerous and difficult. For example, raising turkeys is the most difficult job my niece does. I think that's enough about turkeys, Dr. Jill.

Let's get our listeners involved here. When was the last time you caught up with an old friend? What did you do together? How long had it been since you last saw each other? Please write to us at [email protected] or in the comments on our YouTube video.

Remember, you can find us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. We hope you have enjoyed the lesson of the day on the Learning English Podcast. Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening. I'm Dr. Jill, and I'm going to make some pies now. Well, save some for me, Jill. I'm Andrew Smith.

And that's our show for today. But join us again tomorrow to keep learning English on The Voice of America. I'm Katie Weaver. And I'm...