Court Case About East Potomac Golf Course

May 5, 2026, 23:00

Introduction

A court is looking at plans for the East Potomac golf course. The government wants to change the land and put old dirt from the White House there.

Main Body

The government stopped a long contract for the golf course. They want to build a new course and a garden. A famous architect visited the place in secret. The government also asked for money for this project. The government moved a lot of dirt from the White House to the golf course. This dirt has dangerous chemicals like lead. The government says the dirt is safe. But other people say the dirt is dangerous. Judge Ana Reyes spoke about the case. She said the government must tell people before they close the course. They must also tell people before they cut down many trees. She does not believe the government's story.

Conclusion

The golf course is still open. The court will decide if the land is safe and if the government followed the law.

Learning

The 'Who Does What' Pattern

In this story, we see a pattern: Person/Group → Action → Thing.

The government $\rightarrow$ wants $\rightarrow$ to change the land.
A famous architect $\rightarrow$ visited $\rightarrow$ the place.
Judge Ana Reyes $\rightarrow$ spoke $\rightarrow$ about the case.

Simple Rule for A2: To make a clear sentence in English, always put the 'doer' first, then the 'action'.

Words to learn from the text:

Government (The people in charge of a country)
Architect (A person who designs buildings/gardens)
Judge (The person who decides the law in court)

Quick Change: Now vs. Then

Now: The government wants (Present)
Then: The government stopped (Past)

Notice how adding -ed to the end of the action word tells us it already happened.

Vocabulary Learning

contract (n.)

A written agreement between two or more parties.

Example:The government signed a contract to build the new golf course.

architect (n.)

A person who designs buildings and other structures.

Example:An architect visited the site to plan the new garden.

dirt (n.)

Soil or earth, often used to describe unclean ground.

Example:They moved a lot of dirt from the White House to the golf course.

chemicals (n.)

Substances that can cause reactions or be harmful.

Example:The dirt contains dangerous chemicals like lead.

lead (n.)

A heavy metal that can be toxic if inhaled or ingested.

Example:Lead is one of the chemicals found in the old dirt.

dangerous (adj.)

Capable of causing harm, injury, or death.

Example:Some people say the dirt is dangerous to the environment.

court (n.)

A place where legal cases are decided by judges or juries.

Example:The court will decide if the land is safe for public use.

judge (n.)

A person who decides legal cases in a court.

Example:Judge Ana Reyes spoke about the case and the government's actions.

law (n.)

Rules that people must follow to maintain order and fairness.

Example:The government must follow the law when changing the land.

project (n.)

A planned activity that involves work or effort to achieve a goal.

Example:The government asked for money to fund the new golf course project.