question: Much has been said and written recently about heroes, mainly because many people think we have too few of them. There are many different kinds of heroes, but they all seem to have two things in common. First, heroes, by their actions, show the great possibilities of human nature. Second, heroes can also stand the test of time, and their achievements will not be easily forgotten. Because of these good points, we need to choose our heroes carefully. Olympic sports star Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who is believed to be a hero, warns young people to be careful of making athletes heroes. She hopes that if someone tries to copy her, it will be because she has achieved her goals by working hard. Joyner-Kersee says that a hero should be someone who has an influence on another person's life. Poet Maya Angelou believes that a hero encourages people to treat others well and to be concerned about the greater good. A hero should show politeness, courage, patience, and strength all the time. A hero should encourage others to follow him with actions that improve the world, even if only in small ways. Author Daniel Boorstin suggests that, " _ are people who make news, but heroes are people who make history." Thus, if a person is truly worthy to be called a hero, he or she will not be soon forgotten. We all need heroes. We need to be able to respect people who have been there, done that, and succeeded. Many times the greatest heroes are the people we deal with every day -- relatives , friends, and neighbors -- who will keep going when it is easier to give up. The parent who puts her or his family ahead of herself or himself, the teacher who will make more money at another job but chooses to help others -- all these people can be considered as heroes. A hero quietly and continuously sets a good example, an example that inspires others to follow.
1. what Olympic star is mentioned?
2. what does she say that a hero is?
3. how does Maya Angelou believe that heroes should treat people?
4. what is her profession?
5. how many things does the story say all heroes have in common?
6. has a lot been written about heroes?
7. what is one thing that all heroes have in common?
8. what Daniel Boorstin's profession?
9. what does he say heroes make?
10. who are some of the greatest heroes?
11. like who?
12. can parents be heroes?
13. what about teachers?
14. what do some teachers give up in order to help others?
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answer: 1. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
2. Someone who has an influence on another person's life.
3. Well
4. Poet
5. Two
6. Yes
7. They show the possibilities of human nature
8. Author
9. History
10. People we deal with every day
11. Relatives, friends and neighbors
12. Yes
13. Yes
14. A job where they can make more money

question: This is VOA. The National Cryptologic Museum is on Fort George G. Meade, a military base near Washington, DC. The method of hiding exact meanings is called coding. People have used secret codes throughout history to protect important information. The National Cryptologic Museum celebrated 60 years of cryptologic excellence in 2012. One event there marked the sixtieth anniversary of the National Security Agency. Two former NSA workers shared their memories of operating a code machine called Sigaba.

In 1940, an American woman named Genevieve Grotjan found some information being repeated in Japanese coded messages. Her discovery helped the United States understand secret Japanese diplomatic messages. After the United States understood the code, it was possible to study messages from the Japanese ambassador to Germany and to his supervisors in Japan.

Understanding these messages helped the United States prepare for a possible war in the Pacific with Japan. After the attack on Pearl Harbor. the American naval commander in the Pacific Ocean was Chester Nimitz. His forces were much smaller than the Japanese Naval forces. And the Japanese had been winning many victories. Joseph Rochefort had worked for several months to read the secret Japanese Naval code called JN-25. If he could understand enough of the code, he would be able to give Admiral Nimitz very valuable information.

From the beginning of 1942, the Japanese code discussed a place called "AF." Joseph Rochefort felt the Japanese were planning an important battle aimed at "AF." After several weeks, he and other naval experts told Admiral Nimitz that their best idea was that the "AF" in the Japanese code was the American-held island of Midway. Admiral Nimitz said he must have more information to prepare for such an attack.

The Navy experts decided to trick Japan. They told the American military force on Midway to broadcast a false message. The message would say the island was having problems with its water-processing equipment. The message asked that fresh water be sent to the island immediately. This message was not sent in code.

Several days later, a Japanese radio broadcast in the JN-25 code said that "AF" had little water. Joseph Rochefort had the evidence he needed. "AF" was now known to be the island of Midway. He also told Admiral Nimitz the Japanese would attack Midway on June 13.The battle that followed was a huge American victory. That victory was possible because Joseph Rochefort learned to read enough of the Japanese code to discover the meaning of the letters "AF."

One American code has never been broken. Perhaps it never will. It was used in the Pacific during World War Two. For many years the government would not discuss this secret code. Listen for a moment to this very unusual code. Then you may understand why the Japanese military forces were never able to understand any of it.

The code is in the voice of a Native American. The man you just heard is singing a simple song in the Navajo language. Very few people outside the Navajo nation are able to speak any of their very difficult language.

At the beginning of World War Two, the United States Marine Corps asked members of the Navajo tribe to train as Code Talkers.

The Cryptologic Museum says the Marine Corps Code Talkers could take a sentence in English and change it into their language in about 20 seconds. A code machine needed about 30 minutes to do the same work.

The Navajo Code Talkers took part in every battle the Marines entered in the Pacific during World War Two. The Japanese were very skilled at breaking codes. But they were never able to understand any of what they called "The Marine Code."

The Cryptologic Museum has many pieces of mechanical and electric equipment used to change words into code. It also has almost as many examples of machines used to try to change code back into useful words.
1. Have secret codes been used long?
2. What's their purpose?
3. Did the Navy trick Japan?
4. Was the message they sent true?
5. Was in sent in some kind of secret fashion?
6. What place is now known to be AF?
7. Is there a message nobody has figured out?
8. Is it really strange?
9. What language is it in?
10. Is it tricky for most people to learn?
****
answer:
1. Yes
2. to protect important information
3. Yes
4. No
5. No
6. Midway.
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. Navajo
10. Yes