Contest: Question #2

Here we go...

The Prize: iPod Touch
The Game: Answer 5 sets of questions correctly (you can find all of the answers on elllo.org)
The Deadline: Friday, May 26, Midnight (24:00 New York Time)

QUESTION #2:
In Game #50, there are only two patients (out of six) who don't have to _________ _____ __ ___________ ?



That was only question #2. DON'T e-mail your answers until you have finished ALL FIVE QUESTIONS. Check back soon for the final three questions.

All entries with all 5 questions correct will be entered into a drawing (I'll put all of the names in a hat and pick ONE lucky winner.

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Good luck!



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News: Wednesday May 20, 2009

Double click on any word to see the meaning.

Where is WHO? What? We're gonna make sense of that in today's edition of CNN Student News. Hi everyone, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Fuel Effeciency Plan

AZUZ: First up, President Obama announces new regulations aimed at making cars more fuel efficient. The plan is to combine the government's current guidelines with California's tough emissions rules to make a new, nationwide standard. The goall of all of this is to help cut down on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. vehicles. The new regulations will take effect in 2012 and force automobiles to become more fuel efficient over the course of four years. By 2016, cars will be required to get 39 miles per gallon. Right now, the standard is 27 and a half. By that same deadline, light trucks will have to get 30 miles per gallon. Current standard: just over 22.

So, what is the potential downside here? Well, cost for one thing. The Obama administration estimates the new rules will add about $600 to the cost of a car. That's on top of an estimated $700 increase from fuel efficiency changes that have already been put in place. Some experts say that might keep consumers from buying. But several automakers have signed on to the plan, and President Obama says the announcement marks a milestone for the industry and the environment.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: For the first time in history, we have set in motion a national policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new trucks and cars sold in the United States of America.

Fuel-less Vehicles

AZUZ: A couple of vehicles already on the road aren't going to need to worry about new fuel standards, because they don't run on fuel! Melissa Long takes us out for a spin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR: A sports car and a scooter. An unlikely pair. But they have something in common.

STEVE SHAPIRO, VECTRIX OWNER: You just plug it in to a regular socket and charge it.

LONG: Neither use gas. Steve Shapiro bought this highway-friendly Vectrix Maxi Scooter last year when gas prices were high.

SHAPIRO: It takes two hours to charge, and then you have about 50 to 60 miles of driving. Underneath the seat and in this back storage compartment, I can get the equivalent of about three bags of groceries, so that works for my family of four.

LONG: We know the trunk can hold a couple of bags, but let me see if I could actually pack my work bag and ride to work. Well, it's a tight squeeze, but it does actually fit. For those willing to give up gas but not the trunk space, the Tesla Roadster might be a better fit.

JEREMY SNYDER, TESLA MOTORS: 95% of Americans drive less than 100 miles per day; the Roadster has a range of 244 miles, so for daily driving purposes, this suits 95% of Americans.

LONG: For about $100,000, it goes from zero to 60 in under four seconds, a bit faster than the Vectrix. This vehicle has a lot of pickup; it can go from zero to 60 in 6.8 seconds. Gun it. To date, Vectrix has sold about 1,500 scooters. Four hundred Tesla Roadsters have been purchased; 1,200 are on order, and there's a waiting list for the not-yet-released cheaper sedan model. This may change the quintessential road trip: no more gas stations.

JOHN ANTHONY, RIDES SCOOTER TO WORK: When you're riding this, you do keep an eye out. There are a lot of outside outlets, and I have plugged in.

LONG: Melissa Long, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Spoken Word

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: I am announcing that the people of the United States are responding to a request for assistance from the government of Pakistan with more than $100 million in humanitarian support. Now, this money comes on top of almost $60 million that the United States has provided since last August to help Pakistanis who have been affected by the conflicts, and in addition to the other funding for Pakistan that we are already seeking from the Congress.

Pakistan Aid

AZUZ: Secretary of State Clinton talking about a humanitarian crisis that's affecting an estimated two million people in Pakistan. They've had to flee their homes to get away from fierce fighting between military forces and the Taliban. Secretary Clinton says the goal of that $100 million is to invest in Pakistan and give its people food and supplies. She says the aid is "essential to the global security and security of the United States."

NASA Releases Hubble

AZUZ: And the Hubble Space Telescope is now floating free after being released by the shuttle Atlantis early yesterday morning. The shuttle's robotic arm has had a hold on the telescope for the past several days, as astronauts made a series of repairs and upgrades during a series of five spacewalks. NASA expects the repair work to keep the Hubble in operation for at least another five years. As we've reported, this was NASA's fifth and final trip to the telescope, which was launched into orbit 19 years ago.

Shoutout

ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for the Shoutout! What city is home to the headquarters of the World Health Organization? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) New York, B) London, C) Atlanta or D) Geneva? You've got three seconds -- GO! The WHO's headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Inside the WHO

AZUZ: The World Health Organization, or WHO, is the branch of the United Nations that's responsible for global health issues. They're the ones who track diseases like the H1N1 virus and how these outbreaks spread around the globe. Fionnuala Sweeney takes us inside a room at the organization's headquarters in Geneva that serves as the "nerve center" of this surveillance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN ANCHOR, WORLD NEWS EUROPE: The SHOC Room; the World Health Organization's very own Situation Room. Short for Strategic Health Operations Center, SHOC is the eyes and ears for the scientific world's response to outbreaks, be they natural or man-made.

JAMES ZIMMERLY, OPERATIONS MANAGER, STRATEGIC HEALTH OPERATIONS CENTER: Well, we might call this similar to a newsroom. This is where the situation is monitored and created. We make a situation report every evening depending on the type of information which is gathered during the day.

SWEENEY: SHOC swung into action in the early hours of Friday, April 24 to respond to the outbreak of H1N1 virus, or as it was known then, swine flu. Three hundred people -- scientists, doctors and communications specialists -- were mobilized to respond to a crisis which less than a month later escalated to Phase 5; one phase short of a pandemic, which means H1N1 is finding its way around the world.

DR. MICHAEL J. RYAN, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: It's a little bit like starting a number of brushfires and wondering which one will burn the forest down.

SWEENEY: The U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, came to see for himself.

BAN KI-MOON, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: This can give hope to many people.

SWEENEY: A rare and ironicly lighthearted moment in a room that has been 24/7 for weeks.

BAN: I'm very much grateful to all of you, who must have been spending many, many sleepless nights.

SWEENEY: A vaccine for H1N1 is some time off yet. Clinical trials are not expected to begin for some weeks. So, there are issues about timing, but also to ensure that there are enough stocks of the seasonal influenza vaccine, which, by itself, kills an estimated half a million people a year. After the SHOC Room, a closed door meeting between the Secretary General and 30 pharmaceutical manufacturers in an attempt to find common ground on the development and distribution of a vaccine.

BAN: We are working very hard. Based on all scientific research and evidences and most of the industrialised countries as well as pharmaceutical CEOs, they have committed themselves that they would stand ready.

SWEENEY: Back in the SHOC room, H1N1 flu is a crisis which is still touch and go.

RYAN: To some extent, it's a matter of time. And that time is precious because it gives everyone a chance to prepare.

SWEENEY: The SHOC Room will be in operation for some time. Fionnuala Sweeney, CNN, Geneva.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: You might have missed something we said in today's show, but our transcript didn't! It's a written version of everything in the program, even the words I'm saying right now! And I just checked and in yesterday's show there were more than 1,600 words spoken. You can use our transcript to catch something you missed or maybe study up on some words you don't know. And you can always find it at CNNStudentNews.com!

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go today, some mornings can feel like a real cattle drive. And these ladies know what I'm talking about. Actually, these cows are on the lam. It's a bovine breakout! Although by the looks of it, not a very well planned one. They escaped from a nearby dairy farm and made it a little ways down the road, before police showed up to steer them back in the right direction.

Goodbye

AZUZ: At least they got to enjoy a mooo-ving experience. You knew that was coming. We're gonna hoof it on out of here. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. We'll see you right back here tomorrow.


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Winning Smile

Cristiane, the winner of the first iPod contest writes:

I received the prize last Friday, thank you very very much... I really loved it!

Keep checking back. Question #2 of the new contest is coming soon. If you still haven't answered question #1, click here to read it.



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News: May 19th, 2009

Double click on any word to see the meaning.

Possibilities for a Middle East peace plan, an outbreak update, and a delayed diploma ceremony. A lot to cover today, so let's get right to it.

First Up: Obama, Netanyahu Meet

AZUZ: First up, President Obama meets with Israel's prime minister for the first time since both men have taken office. You might remember that Israel's president, Shimon Peres, met with Obama at the White House a couple weeks ago and discussed possibilities for a Middle East peace plan. But Peres isn't in charge of his country's government. The man who is, Benjamin Netanyahu, visited the White House yesterday. He and Obama discussed some of the issues facing both their countries, like Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. and Israel believe Iran is developing nuclear weapons, although Iran denies it.

But the biggest subject that came up during yesterday's meeting was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the possibility of a two-state solution. At the center of this conflict: Gaza and the West Bank. Israelis and Palestinians both have claims to these regions. A first round of major fighting lasted from 1987 to 1993. A second round erupted in 2000. U.S. presidents and other world leaders have tried to move the peace process forward for decades. One idea that's picking up support: the two-state solution. It would establish a Palestinian state alongside the nation of Israel. President Obama supports it; so did former President Bush. But Prime Minister Netanyahu has not endorsed the plan.

Word to the Wise

ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS: A Word to the Wise...

virus (noun) a microorganism that can cause disease in plants, animals or bacteria

Worldwide Update

AZUZ: Like the H1N1 virus. You might know it by its more common name: swine flu. This virus dominated headlines following an outbreak that began last month in Mexico, but you haven't heard too much about it in the past couple weeks. So, it must be gone, right? No! And as Elizabeth Cohen explains, that attitude has health experts worried.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: In Mexico City, actors urge people to return to the theater after weeks of being closed because of swine flu. In New York City, students at St. Francis Preparatory School return to class after an H1N1 outbreak there sickened at least a thousand people. It seems like life is back to normal, swine flu no longer on the radar the way it used to be.

ANDREW PEKOSZ, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: The public and media attention has really dropped off over the past week to ten days or so.

COHEN: And that worries public health experts. H1N1 cases are still on the rise in the United States, with more than 5,000 cases and six deaths, the latest one Sunday in New York City. In Japan, there was a surge of swine flu over the weekend, with 117 cases reported.

PEKOSZ: So, where this virus can gain a foothold, it seems to then become entrenched and spread in the population rather easily.

COHEN: Why, then, has public interest decreased? Some experts think it has something to do with, well, the drama of it all. On April 29th, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan declared that "all humanity was under threat" from H1N1. And when, in the proceeding weeks all humanity didn't crumble, many lost interest. But experts warn you should still be diligent about washing your hands, still be diligent about staying at home if you're sick.

PEKOSZ: I think we should be as vigilant as ever.

COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Ear Bud Users Beware

AZUZ: Sticking with health, and some new research that you'll want to hear. Experts say MP3 players could be threatening our hearing. This study focused on teens, sorry y'all. Doctors say tend to listen to music at a much louder level. Sensors in our ears can only take so much before they suffer potentially irreversible damage. Some ways to avoid that: listen at lower levels, and consider wearing ear plugs when you attend loud concerts.

Shoutout

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Most people know that Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. Who was the second? Was it: A) Edwin Aldrin, B) James Lovell, C) Gordon Cooper or D) John Glenn? You've got three seconds -- GO! Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Space Age Exhibit

AZUZ: Today, space exploration might not seem like that big a deal. We've sent probes across the solar system, there's a permanent space station, and astronauts just upgraded an orbiting telescope. But 40 years ago, when Aldrin and Armstrong walked on the moon, it was called "a giant leap for mankind." A new exhibit celebrates the historic milestone and the president whose vision helped make it possible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: Man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred. The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not. And it is one of the greatest adventures of all time.

STACEY BREDHOFF, MUSEUM CURATOR: We're here getting ready for the opening of a special exhibit, "Moon Shot - JFK and Space Exploration."

PERSON ON THE STREET #1: We always connected JFK with the space program.

BREDHOFF: Well, we couldn't have any rockets in here, but we're hoping people will get, at least, a flavor.

PERSON ON THE STREET #1: JFK was an inspiration, really.

PERSON ON THE STREET #2: That time in history changed our whole country.

PERSON ON THE STREET #1: It was an exciting time to see these young men go up and just hope that they succeeded.

BREDHOFF: We're hoping for people to re-visit those memories in some cases, and we're hoping for younger people to, to hear the message, to hear what President Kennedy was saying.

KENNEDY: We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.

BREDHOFF: President Kennedy set this challenge in 1961. It seemed impossible.

KENNEDY: And its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again.

BREDHOFF: By the time he finishes speaking, you just want to get on board with this project. There's a certain nobility in reaching for something that is so difficult. It speaks to something in the human spirit that we want to reach that high.

KENNEDY: As we set sail, we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Diploma Decades Later

AZUZ: Okay, from exploration to education and an event taking place at schools across the country: graduation! It might feel like it takes forever to get that diploma, but some students at the University of Puget Sound really have been waiting a while: 67 years! Matt Markovich of affiliate KOMO in Washington state explains the reason for the delay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT MARKOVICH , KOMO REPORTER: It's graduation day for 84-year-old Michiko Kiyokawa.

MICHIKO KIYOKAWA, RECEIVED DEGREE AFTER 67 YEARS: Just call me "Mitch."

MARKOVICH: Mitch should have donned her cap and gown more than a half century ago. But on Dec. 7, 1941, her life changed. She was 19, a freshman at the University of Puget Sound, when the U.S. decided to round up all the Japanese on the West Coast and put them into internment camps. Even then, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt made a special trip to UPS, voiced her disagreement. It didn't help. Michiko was pulled from school, never to return again.

KIYOKAWA: We figured what the president says has to be, and we have to follow orders. I think this is our Japanese trait.

MARKOVICH: It's now 67 years later, and Michiko has returned. Cherry trees were planted in their honor right after the students were taken. This is the first time Michiko has visited her tree, now fully grown.

KIYOKAWA: I've never had anything named after me.

MARKOVICH: The school has decided to give Michiko and the 35 other Japanese students that were attending UPS in 1941 honorary degrees.

RON THOMAS, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND: We felt this year was a good time for us to actually complete the circle and provide them with the degrees they should have earned in the 1940s.

MARKOVICH: And while the class of 2009 filed into the stadium, Michiko, class of 1944, took the VIP route and sat with the only other living member of the now famous group of 36 that chose to attend. Michiko got her honorary degree, with no bitter feelings, just gratitude the university didn't forget.

KIYOKAWA: I think you can never right a wrong, because that has happened. But this is a big effort and the college being broadminded to recognize and honor us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: Just a couple weeks left this school year, but you can keep up with us all summer long on Facebook! We will be updating the official CNN Student News fan page while we're off the air. Right now, we're asking about your summer plans. Vacation, staycation or paycation? Check it out and keep checking back throughout the summer.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, what does it sound like when you set off a hundred pounds of explosives? Like that. After that big a bang, you know you're gonna see something awesome. Wait for it... patience is a virtue. It took more than 20 seconds for this domino to fall, when a Pennsylvania company took down a 600-foot tall, coal-fired chimney!

Goodbye

AZUZ: Oh what a crash. Chimney crickets! You can blame our producer for that winner and our audio operator for the sound effects. We will see you tommorow.

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News: May 18th, 2009

Double click on any word to see the meaning

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: One swimmer's secret to setting world records? We're gonna dive into the details in this edition of CNN Student News. I'm Carl Azuz, welcome to the show.

First Up: Commencement Controversy

AZUZ: We begin in South Bend, where President Obama gave the commencement address at Notre Dame's graduation ceremony yesterday. As we reported last week, this has raised some controversy. You see, Notre Dame is a Catholic university, and some people are upset that the school invited President Obama to speak and gave him an honorary degree, because of the president's pro-choice position on abortion; that position goes against traditional Catholic teachings.

Police officials say 27 people were arrested during protests before yesterday's ceremony. Some graduates chose to boycott the event to demonstrate their anger over the situation. Others expressed disapproval by painting protest symbols on their graduation caps. A few hecklers even interrupted the beginning of the president's speech, although they were booed by others in the audience. For his part, President Obama acknowledged the controversy, but urged people on both sides of the abortion issue to search for common ground.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: When we open up our hearts and our minds to those who may not think precisely like we do or believe precisely what we believe, that's when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.

Is This Legit?

GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? The U.S. Constitution sets the number of Supreme Court justices. Nope. The Constitution established the Supreme Court, but Congress sets the number of justices.

Supreme Court Vacancy

AZUZ: Right now, that number is nine: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. But one of them, Justice David Souter, is retiring, which means President Obama needs to pick a replacement who will then have to be confirmed by the Senate. Kate Bolduan tells us who's on the final list of candidates and explains why the search process is raising some controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Obama calls it among his most serious responsibilities.

OBAMA: I will seek somebody with a sharp and independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity.

BOLDUAN: Sources close to the selection process tell CNN the list of top candidates for Mr. Obama's Supreme Court nominee is down to about half a dozen, a majority of which are woman. They include Federal Appeals Court Judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Wood, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, and at least two candidates with political experience: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. On his search, the president says he's looking beyond judicial record.

OBAMA: I view that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with people's hopes and struggles, as an essential ingredient for arriving at just decisions and outcomes

BOLDUAN: That worries many conservatives, who translate what Mr. Obama calls "empathy" to mean "judicial activism." Conservative groups are gearing up for a fight.

GARY MARX, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION NETWORK: We want to see the law equally applied. And the empathy talk, really, personal feelings getting in the mix, that is very troublesome.

BOLDUAN: The president is likely to announce his nominee by month's end, a life-time appointment viewed as a key element of any presidential legacy.

THOMAS GOLDSTEIN, SUPREME COURT LEGAL ANALYST: It's impossible to overstate the importance of a Supreme Court appointment because of the justices' power. They decided things like abortion, affirmative action, gay rights, the meaning of all the laws involving the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, and presidential powers, wire tapping, the list goes on and on and on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Is This Legit - Extra Credit!

RAMSAY: Is this legit Extra Credit! Fidel Castro is the current president of Cuba. Not legit! His brother Raul Castro became president more than a year ago.

Cuba Trademarks

AZUZ: With that shift in power, the island nation is undergoing some changes in terms of its relationship with the U.S. Under Fidel Castro's control, which lasted nearly 50 years, Cuba clashed with the U.S., and America established an embargo, or restriction, on trade with the communist country. But as Shasta Darlington reports, U.S. companies are preparing for the possibility of a change in Cuba.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, HAVANA: Fidel Castro's revolution tore down capitalism and all of its symbols, leaving an ad-free oasis in Cuba. Instead of commercials, state-run TV urges Cubans to attend political rallies and fight disease-ridden mosquitoes. This iconic face looms from billboards, peddling revolution instead of retail. And visitors notice.

PERSON ON STREET #1: It's really quiet. It makes your mind very clear.

DARLINGTON: More than 90% of business is state-owned in Cuba, and the U.S. embargo keeps most American companies out anyway. But that hasn't kept them from preparing, in case one day they can break into this market just ninety miles off U.S. shores. Experts say thousands of American brands are trademarked here for just that reason.

JAKE COLVIN, NATIONAL FOREIGN TRADE COUNCIL: Kraft foods, Starbucks coffee, Batman.

DARLINGTON: Rusty Fords and Chevrolets still ply Havana's highways, but Detroit hasn't unveiled any new models here since 1959. Some big names like Coca Cola are still sold in Cuba today, thanks to exceptions in the embargo for food products. Other names, like this one, can only be found in antique shops. Still, pressure for change is growing in Washington. U.S. President Barack Obama has lifted some restrictions on travel to Cuba. Now, many lawmakers want trade restrictions eased, and companies are taking note.

COLVIN: Cuba's been forbidden for so long that it hasn't been worthwhile for U.S. companies to pay much attention to it. Now that it looks like policy is changing and may change further, it's certainly in a U.S. company's interest to go ahead and look towards registering their trademark

DARLINGTON: While change may not happen overnight, even companies ousted by Fidel Castro are getting positioned for any opening on Havana's horizon. Shasta Darlington, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

100 Meters at 100 Years

AZUZ: Out next story today: an athlete who's been making some waves in competitive swimming. This guy holds three world records, and this past weekend, he went gunning for his fourth at an event in Canada. So, what's the big deal? He happens to be 100 years old! CBC reporter Marisa Dragani caught up with the swimming centenarian before this weekend's race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARISA DRAGANI, CBC REPORTER: He's not your average senior citizen who swims a few laps to stay in shape. Jaring Timmerman is a world class athlete. He has won countless titles, hundreds of medals, and shattered world records. You would think at 100 years old he'd slow down, but he's hungry for more.

JARING TIMMERMAN, WORLD RECORD HOLDER: I got three world records there, and now I still have one to get.

DRAGANI: Which one is that?

TIMMERMAN: That's the 100 [meter] backstroke.

DRAGANI: That's what you're after now?

TIMMERMAN: That's what I'm after now.

DRAGANI: Timmerman is going to go for it at the Canadian National Masters Competition in Toronto. He's the only one in his age category,100-104, so he'll be swimming against the clock, trying to beat the last record. Timmerman didn't start competing until he was 80, at the urging of his wife. Here at home, this centenarian has become a local celebrity. He's agile, lucid, strong. No health problems, he says. Everyone wants to know his secret.

TIMMERMAN: I formed an acronym. And that acronym is G.E.D.S. G-E-D-S: Genes, Exercise, Diet, Spirit.

DRAGANI: Timmerman says it's quite simple. He says you can't do much about what you inherit, but he believes you can change through diet and exercise and having a good spirit. He lifts weights every day and does calistenics, something he began doing training in the Air Force back before the second World War.

DRAGANI: So, you want to know how you did for 100 meters? The current world record is 4 minutes and 42 seconds. You swam a time of 3:54.

TIMMERMAN: Well, I think I'm going to beat it then!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: And he did! When Mr. Timmerman hit the water this weekend, his 100 meter backstroke clocked in at 3 minutes and just under 52 seconds, two seconds faster than that practice time. It's also the exact time he predicted for himself before the race. He got his fourth world record and our congratulations.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go today, speaking of unique world records, this actually qualifies as one: the biggest gathering of people doing the dance from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. No, it doesn't look like much of a dance, but we swear, like 25 years ago I'm told, everyone thought these moves were awesome! Anyway, last month, a senior at William and Mary University got 242 people together to break the record, which was one of his lifelong goals.

Goodbye

AZUZ: So, we're sure that the official announcement from Guinness really gave him a thrill...er. Well, I hope your day's better than that pun. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.

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The NEW Contest: Question #1

Here we go...

The Prize: iPod Touch
The Game: Answer 5 sets of questions correctly (you can find all of the answers on elllo.org)
The Deadline: Friday, May 26, Midnight (24:00 New York Time)

QUESTION #1:
Last week, in the STeP section of elllo, there was a story about the Chinese NBA basketball player Yao Ming.

This question has three parts...

1a. What do the letters "STeP" stand for?
1b. STeP was designed to help you practice for what?
1c. How did Yao Ming use to feel about talking to reporters?

This is just question number one. DON'T send your answers until you have completed ALL FIVE QUESTIONS. Check back very soon for question number two.


If you don't understand how to play, please click on the link below that says QUESTIONS...

Good luck!



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