VOA · What's Trending Today?
Intermediate · B1–B2learner speed3:132018-07-31public domain
What's Trending Today? covers viral stories and social media moments in short, punchy reports. The episodes are brief and topical — perfect for a quick daily dictation session.
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01This is what's trending today.
02A small shark that was stolen from an aquarium in Texas has been found and safely returned.
03Miss Helen is a 40-centimeter-long gray horn shark.
04She spends her time in a touch tank at the San Antonio Aquarium, where visitors are permitted to touch sea creatures.
05On Saturday afternoon, a group of thieves took Helen out of the tank.
06Then they put the animal in a wheeled baby carrier and walked out of the aquarium before anyone noticed Miss Helen was missing.
07The Great Shark Heist, as people are calling it, was captured on surveillance video.
08The aquarium put the video on its Facebook page.
09The video shows one man taking the shark out of the tank and carrying it away, off camera.
10A second man follows him.
11He appears to be holding a blanket.
12The two men then reappear on the video.
13The second man is seen putting the shark, now wrapped in a blanket, into the baby stroller.
14He is then joined by the first man and by a woman carrying a young child.
15The group exits together.
16The aquarium workers quickly noticed that Miss Helen was missing and called the police.
17On Monday night, police found Miss Helen in a home filled with fish tanks and other ocean wildlife.
18She has been safely returned to the aquarium and appears to be in good health.
19Shark napping unsuccessful.
20The aquarium posted on Facebook after Miss Helen's return.
21Experts at the aquarium will be closely examining Miss Helen's health and behavior over the next few days before returning her to the tank.
22Local police chief Joseph Salvaggio said two men have admitted to taking the shark.
23Investigators also plan to talk with the woman seen in the video.
24Salvaggio told the San Antonio television station KSAT that one of the men was very knowledgeable about marine life.
25He likely went to the aquarium especially to take Miss Helen.
26The man told police he had had a horn shark of his own, but the animal died.
27Texas law enforcement officials are speaking with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to see whether any federal charges can be filed, Salvaggio said.
28And that's what's trending today.
29I'm Ashley Thompson.
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