Two Attacks in Washington, D.C.

May 6, 2026, 22:26
USPolitics

Introduction

Police are investigating two attacks with guns in the capital city.

Main Body

On April 25, a man named Cole Tomas Allen tried to kill the President. He had a shotgun and knives. He wrote a long letter about his anger toward Iran. He is now in jail. In May, another man named Michael Marx had a gun near the Vice President. He shot a gun and hurt a teenager. Police shot Marx in the arm and stomach. He is also in jail. Both men hated the White House. The government wants to give them long prison sentences.

Conclusion

The men are in jail. Police are studying why these attacks happened.

Learning

πŸ› οΈ The 'Past Action' Pattern

Look at these words from the text: tried, wrote, shot, hated.

In English, when we talk about things that happened yesterday or last month, we often change the end of the word.

The Regular Rule Just add -ed to the end:

  • Hate β†’ Hated
  • Want β†’ Wanted

The 'Rule Breakers' (Irregular) Some words change completely. You just have to remember them:

  • Write β†’ Wrote
  • Shoot β†’ Shot

πŸ’‘ Quick Tip for A2: If you see -ed or a word like wrote, the story is in the past.

  • Now: He is in jail. β†’\rightarrow (Present)
  • Then: He wrote a letter. β†’\rightarrow (Past)

Vocabulary Learning

police (n.)
A group of people who keep the law and help people stay safe.
Example:The police helped the crowd after the accident.
investigating (v.)
Looking into something to find out what happened.
Example:The police are investigating the crime.
attacks (n.)
An act of violence against someone.
Example:The attacks were very shocking.
guns (n.)
Weapons that shoot bullets.
Example:The police found guns in the house.
capital (adj.)
The main city of a country.
Example:Washington is the capital of the United States.
city (n.)
A large town with many people.
Example:The city is full of busy streets.
man (n.)
An adult male person.
Example:The man was standing near the door.
tried (v.)
Attempted to do something.
Example:He tried to open the window.
kill (v.)
To cause someone to die.
Example:He tried to kill the president.
president (n.)
The leader of a country.
Example:The president gave a speech.
shotgun (n.)
A long gun that shoots many bullets at once.
Example:He had a shotgun in his bag.
knives (n.)
Sharp tools used for cutting.
Example:The police found knives on the table.
letter (n.)
A written message sent to someone.
Example:He wrote a letter to the government.
anger (n.)
Strong feeling of being upset.
Example:His anger was clear in his words.
jail (n.)
A place where people are kept after being convicted.
Example:He is in jail now.