Speeches have long been an important tradition at college and university graduation ceremonies in the United States.
Every spring, schools honor students who have successfully completed their study programs. As part of the ceremonies, the schools often invite well-known and well-respected people to speak about their own life experiences and offer advice to the new graduates.
Leaders in the arts, business and politics are among those who are asked to speak. What they say sometimes gains national attention; their speeches often examine the problems and issues the world is facing.
This spring’s graduation speakers were no different.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke at the graduation ceremony for the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington City, Virginia. He asked graduates to be thankful for all the people who helped them get to this point, including parents and teachers. He also discussed how technology helps today’s college students do much more than when he was in college.
Comparing today’s graduates to those of years past and reminding graduates to be thankful are commonly heard subjects in commencement speeches.
Yet Tillerson’s speech also included comments on how important truth is to democracy.
Tillerson said, “It is only by a fierce defense of the truth and a common set of facts that we create the conditions for a democratic free society.”
He continued, “If our leaders seek to conceal the truth or we as people become accepting of alternative realities that are no longer grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on a pathway to relinquishing our freedom.”
Some news reports took those comments as a criticism of President Donald Trump. Tillerson did not mention the president by name. But phrases like “alternative facts” and “fake news” are terms that Trump and his representatives sometimes use when news organizations are critical of him.
Trump dismissed Tillerson from his position as secretary of state in March.
In a graduation speech in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, television star Oprah Winfrey also discussed problems caused by the spread of misinformation. She spoke during the ceremony of the school’s Annenberg School for Communication.
She called truth “our saving grace.”
“Not only are you here, USC Annenberg, to tell it, write it, to proclaim it, to speak it, but to be it. Be the truth,” she said
Winfrey also made note of other pressing issues in America – including gun violence, climate change and economic and racial inequality. “You can’t go anywhere — you can’t stand in line at Starbucks, you can’t go to a party, you can’t go anywhere without everyone talking about how bad things are,” she said.
Chadwick Boseman, star of the hugely successful “Black Panther” movie, made similar comments in his speech at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Howard University is one of the top historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, in the country. Boseman attended Howard University himself.
The school has recently had its own problems. It faced a scandal and student demonstrations after school officials were caught misusing money meant for student aid earlier this year. Boseman spoke about the scandal and the deeper problems facing students -- especially as African Americans.
"Many of you will leave Howard and enter systems and institutions that have a history of discrimination and marginalization," he said.
But both Boseman and Winfrey also offered hope. Boseman suggested that the problems they will have to face will only make them better people in the end.
“I don’t know what your future is,” Boseman said. “But if you’re willing to take the harder way … the one with more failures at first than successes . . . then you will not regret it. … Remember the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose.”
Winfrey offered clear advice for the USC graduates. She noted the power they can have simply by voting. If they feel their leaders are not doing what they want them to, they should vote those leaders out of office, she told them.
Winfrey also argued that for almost any problem, young people could find a solution. All they need to do is act. 
“Pick a problem, any problem, and do something about it,” she said. “Because to somebody who’s hurting, something is everything.”
Christine Lagarde is managing director of the International Monetary Fund. She gave the graduation speech at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. She asked graduates to look into their future to consider what effects their next choices and actions may have.
Lagarde also asked the graduates to think about how different the world is now compared to 10 years ago, and how different it may be in 10 more years. And she asked them how they planned on making sure the world goes in the direction they want it to.
“What kind of country, what kind of world, will you help build?” she asked. “What values will you respect? What will drive your life and the lives of others? Ten years from now, when the class of 2028 stands here and prepares to graduate, what will you have done to help them?”
However, not all the graduation speeches of 2018 had such a serious tone. Many speakers aim to use humor to build a connection with the graduates and make the ceremonies more enjoyable.
Actor and director Michael Keaton did just that in the final part of his speech at the school he attended: Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.
“I’ve got two words that I want you all to remember ... I’m Batman,” he said. Keaton played the popular character in two Hollywood films.
I’m ­Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.
 
Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. What are some of your favorite graduation speeches that you have read or listened to? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
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QUIZ
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Words in This Story
 
graduation – n. a ceremony at which a document which shows that a person has finished a course of study are given out
commencement – n. a ceremony at which a document which shows that a person has finished a course of study are given out
conceal – v. to keep something secret
alternative – adj. existing or functioning outside of the established society
realities – n. true situations that exist
relinquish(ing) – v. to give up something
mention – v. to talk about, write about, or refer to something or someone, especially in a brief way
phrase(s) – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence
saving grace – idm. a good quality that makes a bad or unpleasant person or thing better or more acceptable
scandal – n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong
marginalization – n. the act of putting or keeping someone in a powerless or unimportant position within a society or group
tone – n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing
character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show(2018/05/27 07:03)

Today anyone with a smartphone or a laptop can spread information and video around the world immediately.
This new-found power can play a vital role in our understanding of events in places that have been cut off from traditional journalism.
As in Syria where the effects of the violent civil war are captured by citizens who are often trapped behind the firing line. In this digital age, it is nearly impossible for tyrants to mask their cruelty and anyone can speak about oppression to a global audience.
But digitalization has a dark side. Social media, like Twitter and Facebook, often release information to the public that has not been verified, or long before a legitimate news organization would release it. So, it is possible for erroneous information to spread quickly.
Take the case of Veerender Jubbal. Several European news outlets named the Canadian Sikh as a possible suspect for the November 2015 Paris terror attack. They even published a photo of him wearing a suicide bomber vest.
But Mr. Jubbal was completely innocent. Someone had manipulated a photo on his Facebook page and posted it on social media as a joke. It quickly spread, causing Mr. Jubbal to suffer extreme damage to his reputation and a lot of emotional distress.
This is a dramatic example but think about it. How many times have you fallen for click bait -- those deceptive ads that lure you to click with gossip or untrue information? For example, those ads that imply a famous celebrity has died or suffered a terrible tragedy?
Unlike traditional journalism, social media does not have an obligation to the truth. Its users are its reporters, and they are accountable to no one.
A smart news consumer is always aware of this discrepancy between traditional media and social media.
Exercising news literacy is a skill like any other skill. It requires thoughtful concentration and consideration. A literate news consumer uses the tools we have outlined to evaluate the mounds of information we encounter every minute of every day.
This lesson is based on the News Literacy class at the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University. For more on how to become a news literate citizen, go to http://www.centerfornewsliteracy.org/getting-started/
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Words in this story:
tyrant – n. a ruler who has complete power over a country and who is cruel and unfair
cruelty – n. a desire to cause others to suffer : the quality or state of being cruel
legitimate – adj. allowed according to rules or laws
erroneous – adj. not correct
manipulate – v. to deal with or control (someone or something) in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way
reputation – n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something
distress – n. suffering that affects the mind or body
lure – v. to cause or persuade (a person or an animal) to go somewhere or to do something by offering some pleasure or gain
gossip – n. information about the behavior and personal lives of other people
obligation – n. something that you must do because of a law, rule, promise, etc.
discrepancy – n. a difference especially between things that should be the same
               (2018/05/27 07:00)

 
Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.
On this show, we talk about expressions that Americans use in every day speech.
Today we shine the spotlight on terms that demand our attention.
Andy Warhol was an American artist. He was in the limelight of the pop art movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Warhol once said that "everybody will be famous for 15 minutes." And he said this long before the arrival of social media and YouTube.
Today, you can do anything to become famous.
Just look at the Kardashian family. Reality television made the Kardashians famous for just being themselves. It helps that nearly every member of the family seems to like being in front of the camera. They enjoy being in the spotlight. And they have been in the limelight for a lot longer than 15 minutes.
They have become household names. This terms means exactly as it sounds – names that are well-known in many households. In other words, they are very famous. 
But enough of the Kardashians! Let’s go back to those terms.
Both "limelight" and "spotlight" come from the world of theater.
"Spotlight" is easy to understand. Spotlights are the bright lights used in a theatrical production. They shine light on the most important action in a play. It is where people should be looking.
For the history of "limelight," we turn to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Its explanation is more interesting.
A limelight is a lighting instrument. It was used in theaters to light the front of the stage. The light came from a fire. The fire was directed at a box filled with the mineral lime. Then a lens, a piece of glass, would concentrate the brightness, making the light more intense.
Merriam-Webster notes that Thomas Drummond, an engineer, invented limelight in 1816. He wanted to make boating safer by lighting dark coastlines. But limelight was too dangerous to be used in lighthouses. In fact, it is a wonder that more of those early theaters equipped with limelight did not burn to the ground.
When used as a noun, "limelight" and "spotlight" are interchangeable. One word can be used in place of the other. However, "spotlight" is probably the more common term.
The big difference is that English speakers use "spotlight" as both a noun and a verb. "Limelight" is only used as a noun. So you could not use "limelight" in these examples.
The teacher spotlighted a period of ancient history to his students.
While the owner of the company is in town, it is important to spotlight any problem that requires her attention.
Now, spotlight and limelight may have both come from the theater, but we use them everywhere.
The basketball player stole the limelight from her teammates with her amazing three-point shots.
A wealthy businessman did not want to be in the spotlight of the project and chose to remain in the background.
Situations, issues and problems can all be spotlighted or can all be in the limelight. Here are two examples:
The real estate agent made sure to spotlight the fact that the house was located in a safe neighborhood with highly-rated schools.
On the campaign trail, the politician’s personal scandals were very much in the limelight.
To be in the limelight or the spotlight means that you are the object of public attention. As the expression goes, ‘all eyes are on you.’ You have taken center stage. This is also a theater term.
In the theater, the center of the stage is usually a place everyone can see. The actor taking center stage is easy to recognize. However, that does not mean that the actor taking center stage can't be upstaged by another actor.
"Upstaged" means to direct attention away from something.
People can be upstaged.
For example, when two people are married, the bride is supposed to be in the limelight. She often wears a beautiful, white gown. It would be in very poor taste to upstage the bride by wearing something white and even more eye-catching. No one is supposed to upstage the bride!
An issue can also upstage another.
For example, let’s say the main issue of the parent-teacher meeting was supposed to be raising money for the school. But that issue was upstaged by the discovery that the principal was fired! All the parents wanted to know more about the scandal!
So, just remember, anything that has been upstaged is no longer center stage. It’s no longer in the limelight or spotlight.
And that's Words and Their Stories for this week.
Have you ever found yourself in the limelight? Or were you responsible for shining the spotlight on something that needed attention? Have you ever been upstaged? Let us know in the Comments Section.
I'm Anna Matteo.
 
Spotlight. Shine bright. Tonight. Spotlight.
Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. The song at the end is Madonna singing “Spotlight.”
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Words in This Story
 
stage – n. a raised platform : the part of a theater on which the acting takes place and which often includes the wings
concentrate – v. to think about something : to give your attention to the thing you are doing, reading, etc.
background – n. a position that attracts little attention : used to describe something that occurs without requiring attention while something else is also occurring
upstaged – v. to take attention away from (someone or something else, such as another performer)
scandal – n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong(2018/05/27 06:58)

The four medal winners lined up to take their turns on the stage. They were mostly quiet and calm. Except for Summer, who could not stop burying her nose into Sgt.Taker.
Her act is not as strange as it might sound because Summer is a dog  – and an extremely intelligent, loyal and brave military dog, like all the winners. Summer, Sgt. Taker, Jag and Taba have spent years in conflict areas searching for explosives, tracking dangerous people and taking part in raids.
Recently, they came to the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. to receive the American Humane Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage. American Humane is a more than 100–year-old nonprofit group. It supports American war dogs and other animal interests.
Lois Pope believes the dogs’ work is critical. Pope was an opening speaker at the ceremony. She said it was time to honor the animals that “serve on the other end of the leash,” saving “hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Nine-year-old Taba, a Dutch shepherd, was the first dog awarded. She climbed the stairs quickly and gracefully even though she recently lost a leg to cancer. 
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Thomas Kearney presented Taba with the medal. He praised her two years of service, including “many dangerous raids during her deployment to Afghanistan.”
Next up was Jag, along with his partner Army Sergeant Dennis Dow. The man and the Labrador retriever began training together more than ten years ago. Jag learned to identify explosives and other threats. He used those skills to help protect soldiers in Germany and Afghanistan. Admiral Kearney praised Jag for his seven years of, in Kearney’s words, “tireless bravery and keen sense of detection.”
Jag now lives happily with Dow and his family, although Dow joked that he lived with Jag and his family.
Marine Corps Colonel Zachary White awarded the medals of courage to Sgt. Taker and Summer.
Sgt. Taker is a black-furred Labrador retriever.  At 12-years-old, he is starting to gray a little around his friendly face. Taker served in Iraq and in Afghanistan. He is now retired and lives with one of the Marines he served with, United States Marine Corps Sergeant Kevin Zuniga.
Zuniga said he and Taker spent 20 hours a day together during their deployment.
“We slept together, we played together,” he said. Zuniga says Taker was also a comfort to the other Marines. He helped break the loneliness and the tension that can come with war, Zuniga said.
Finally, it was Summer’s turn. The energetic 7-year old jumped up on stage with her partner Micah Jones, a retired U.S. Air Force Sergeant. Summer is also a Labrador retriever – or, Lab – but smaller than Taker and yellow-furred.
​When Summer served with the U.S. Marines Corps, she found many hidden weapons and bombs. Now, Summer is retired from the military. But she is still serving America. She is a member of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration K-9 Team. She and Jones work together to keep passengers and crew safe on Amtrak passenger railroad service.
So, Summer is still using her nose to sniff out danger – as well as to make friends.
I’m Caty Weaver.
 
Caty Weaver wrote this story. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
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Words in This Story
 
stage –​ n. a raised platform in a theater, auditorium, etc., where the performers stand​
leash –​ n. a long, thin piece of rope, chain, etc., that is used for holding a dog or other animal​
gracefully –​ adv. moving in a smooth and attractive way​
comfort –​ v. to cause (someone) to feel less worried, upset, frightened, etc.: to give comfort to (someone)​
sniff out –​ phrasal verb to smell (something or someone) by taking air in through your nose in short breaths​
 (2018/05/27 06:57)

 
The most successful female climber of Mount Everest broke another record in reaching the top of the mountain a ninth time.
The climber is Lhakpa Sherpa. She is a 44-year-old single mother who lives in the United States with her three children. She was born in Nepal and has been climbing for many years.
Sherpa was guiding about 50 people up the mountain when she completed her latest climb on May 16. This broke her own record for the most climbs of Mount Everest by a woman. Her first successful attempt came in 2000, and she completed her eighth climb last spring.
She told the Associated Press the ninth climb was her hardest one yet. She said severe wind and snow forced the group to wait a few days before making their final climb to the top.
One member of the group was Sherpa’s brother, Mingma, who operates a mountaineering company in Nepal. “Only two of our clients did not make it, but most of them made it to the top and were happy,” Sherpa reported.
Lhakpa Sherpa says she hopes her climbs will inspire women everywhere to keep reaching for their own dreams. “If an uneducated woman who is a single mother can climb Everest nine times, any woman can achieve their dreams.”
Sherpa never got the chance to get a full education. She began working at a young age in jobs providing assistance and carrying supplies for Everest climbers. She now works as a dishwasher at a Whole Foods Market in West Hartford, Connecticut.
In an interview last month with espnW, Sherpa said she never does much preparation for her Everest climbs.
“My training is here...washing dishes, taking out garbage. I want a hard job,” she said. She told the publication that many climbers see Everest not just as a physical test, but also as a spiritual experience. 
"We believe Everest is a god,” she said. “The Earth and the mother. Mount Everest and I have a connection. I feel it talking when snow blows on the top of the mountain.”
Sherpa told the Associated Press she still feels healthy and fit enough to keep mountaineering for years to come. “People who are 70 years old are still climbing Everest, I am no where there,” she said. She plans to climb the mountain again next year.
Nepalese mountaineer Kami Rita holds the record for most completed Everest climbs. The 48-year-old has reached the top of the mountain 22 times.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
 
The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
 
client – n. someone who pays someone else for services or advice
inspire – v. to make someone want to do something or give an idea about what to do or create​
achieve – v. to get or reach something by working hard
garbage – n. items that are no longer useful or wanted that have been thrown away
challenge – n. a difficult task or problem: something that is hard to do
 (2018/05/27 06:56)