©Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg / Getty Images via CNN
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- federal /FED-er-uhl/
- recollection /rek-uh-lek-shuhn/
- indication /in-di-KEY-shuhn/
- donor /doh-NER/
- disclose /dih-SKLOHZ/
[adjective] – relating to the central government, and not to the government of a region, of some countries such as the US
My grandfather was a federal employee of the United States.
[noun] – a memory of something
She has no recollection of what happened last Tuesday.
[noun] – a sign that something exists, is true, or is likely to happen
His question is a good indication of interest.
[noun] – a person who gives money or goods to an organization:
The donor visits the school twice a month.
[verb] – to make something known publicly, or to show something that was hidden
You should not disclose your personal information on the internet.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
The United States (U.S.) State Department is investigating the case of a missing $5,800 bottle of Japanese whiskey that was gifted to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2019, based on the State Department filings in the federal register. The whiskey is a gift from the government of Japan; it is uncertain if Pompeo himself received the whiskey or if a staff accepted it. The department reported the issue in its annual accounting of gifts given to senior U.S. officials by foreign governments. Pompeo said on August 5, 2021, that he never received the bottle of whiskey. “It never got to me. I have no idea how the State Department lost this thing, although I witnessed great incompetence at the State Department during my time there.” Moreover, Pompeo’s lawyer, William Burck, bared that Pompeo has “no recollection of receiving the bottle of whiskey.”
In an interview with Fox News, Pompeo labeled the case as “crazy talk” and said that he is willing to cooperate in the investigation if the State Department contacts him. The case could raise ethics concerns for the former Secretary of State, who has made strong indications that he would be running for the presidency in 2024. U.S. officials are not allowed to accept personal gifts from foreign governments. However, non-acceptance could cause embarrassment to the donor, so the gifts are turned over to the government archives. Failure to disclose personal gifts could result in a $50,000 civil penalty or even jail time, according to government ethics expert Walter Shaub.
In an interview with Fox News, Pompeo labeled the case as “crazy talk” and said that he is willing to cooperate in the investigation if the State Department contacts him. The case could raise ethics concerns for the former Secretary of State, who has made strong indications that he would be running for the presidency in 2024. U.S. officials are not allowed to accept personal gifts from foreign governments. However, non-acceptance could cause embarrassment to the donor, so the gifts are turned over to the government archives. Failure to disclose personal gifts could result in a $50,000 civil penalty or even jail time, according to government ethics expert Walter Shaub.
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- When was the last time you received a gift?
- Have you ever lost a valuable object?
- If you were a government official and a leader from a foreign government gives you a gift, what would you do?
- In your opinion, is gift-giving between countries significant?
- What do you think of government officials receiving personal gifts from foreign governments?
Summarization
Please summarize the whole article using your own words and expressions. You will have one minute to prepare before you answer.
Describe:
Please explain the definition of each word listed below based on your understanding. You can provide example sentences if needed.
- investigate
- uncertain
- run
- personal
- result