Today we are talking about the somewhat unusual day of February 29. It comes up on the calendar only every four years. A year with a February 29 might be good news if you are paid by the day or the week. But it might be bad news if you were born on a February 29. You have to wait three years in between birthdays! In any case, American English has a term for the unusual situation. February 29 is called a leap day. And the entire 12 month period with a February 29 in it is called a leap year. This year, 2020, is such a year. As a verb, the word “leap” means to jump, or to move quickly. “Leap” can also be a noun, meaning a jump, or a sudden move. In a leap year, the dates jump over one day of the week.
Title: Why Is 2020 Called a Leap Year?
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/frog.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Why Is 2020 Called a Leap Year?' data-article-id='4479'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='6313'>Today we are talking about the somewhat unusual day of February 29.</span> <span data-start-time='6313' data-end-time='10917'>It comes up on the calendar only every four years.</span> <span data-start-time='10917' data-end-time='17750'>A year with a February 29 might be good news if you are paid by the day or the week.</span> <span data-start-time='17750' data-end-time='23229'>But it might be bad news if you were born on a February 29.</span> <span data-start-time='23229' data-end-time='27708'>You have to wait three years in between birthdays!</span> <span data-start-time='27708' data-end-time='33333'>In any case, American English has a term for the unusual situation.</span> <span data-start-time='33333' data-end-time='37083'>February 29 is called a leap day.</span> <span data-start-time='37083' data-end-time='44896'>And the entire 12 month period with a February 29 in it is called a leap year.</span> <span data-start-time='44896' data-end-time='49333'>This year, 2020, is such a year.</span> <span data-start-time='49333' data-end-time='55458'>As a verb, the word “leap” means to jump, or to move quickly.</span> <span data-start-time='55458' data-end-time='61688'>“Leap” can also be a noun, meaning a jump, or a sudden move.</span> <span data-start-time='61688' data-end-time='67104'>In a leap year, the dates jump over one day of the week.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/frog.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=14448 data-hint-location='27708' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/what_does_unusual_mean.wav'>What does unusual mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='not common'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/jump_over.wav'><span>jump over</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/leap_year.wav'><span>leap year</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/not_common.wav'><span>not common</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/in_between.wav'><span>in between</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=14449 data-hint-location='6313' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/how_often_does_leap_year_happen.wav'>How often does leap year happen?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='every 4 years'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/every_4_years.wav'><span>every 4 years</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/one_day_of_the_week.wav'><span>one day of the week</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/in_between_birthdays.wav'><span>in between birthdays</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/on_february_29.wav'><span>on February 29</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=14450 data-hint-location='49333' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/the_verb_leap_means_to__blank_.wav'>The verb leap means to <span class='blank'>jump</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='jump'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/skip.wav'><span>skip</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/hop.wav'><span>hop</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/jump.wav'><span>jump</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/over.wav'><span>over</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
Sound Name: https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/3940/frog.wav
Preview
