Editing Challenges – August

Language learners and native speakers alike: Are you ready for a challenge? I’ve made a mess of my writing and need YOUR help to fix it!

The paragraphs below each contain MORE THAN 30 MISTAKES, ranging from spelling, verb tense, punctuation… Anything’s game!

Lower-level learners, try to find at least 10 errors. Are you up to the challenge of fixing everything? Give it your best shot. Then, check your answer on the second page. If you have any questions, arrange a meeting and I can walk you through it.

All editing challenges are adapted from https://nationaltoday.com and https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history (2022-2024).

August 1 “A Game of Thrones“

August 2 “Hitler’s Rise to Power”

August 3 “National Basketball Association”

August 4 “Anne Frank Arrested”

August 5 “Honest Abe’s Tax”

August 6 “Hiroshima’s Nuclear End”

August 7 “Wasington’s Purple Heart”

August 8 “Broecker Climactic Change”

August 9 “Ford Avoids the Vote”

August 10 “James Smithson Institute”

August 11 “Hip Hop’s Brithday”

August 12 “Cleopatra, Unlucky in Love”

August 13 “The Fall of Tenochtitlan”

Aguust 14 “Social Security Act”

August 15 “Panama Builds a Canal”

August 16 “Klondike Fever Folly”

August 17 “Hot Air Crossing”

August 18 “The Universal Ruler’s Death”

August 19 “A Need for Speed”

August 20 “Africans in Virginia”

August 21 “Hawaii Joins the Union”

August 22 “The Nobel Red Cross”

August 23 “Justic for Sacco & Vanzetti”

August 24 “Mount Vesuvius Errupts”

August 25 “Not in Kansas Anymore”

August 26 “Women Get the Vote”

August 27 “Krakatoa’s Guinness Record”

August 28 “Emmett Till’s Dream”

August 29 “First Lightning Strikes”

August 30 “No Crossbows, No War”

August 31 “Edison’s Kinetoscope Premieres”

“A Game of Thrones were first published on August 1, 1996.  Original intending to be a trilogy, these epic fantasy novel series currently include five books, with too more already on the works  .  Millions of copies have being sold, and very popular television series runned from 2011 to 2019.  Author George R.R. Martin started off teach journalism and working on TV series such by The Twilight Zone”.  Superiors often complained that him scripts too ambitions.  So he all ways dreamed of have the free to pen something as complicated he wants.  Shure enough, “A Game of Thrones” is econmpassing a giant world filed with hundreds of characters extensive battle seens and even it’s own language.

Adolf Hitler, born of Austria at 1889, come from humble begins.  Joined the army during World War I saved her form poverty as a starving artist and gave his live purpose he grew biter and obsessed with Germany defeat.  And joined the national socialist German worker’s – or, abbreviated, Nazi – Party in 1920.  The grope tried stage a coup, which Hitler spended five years at prison, but Germany’s economy collapse skyrocketes they back from popularity.  He appointed to the presidents cabinet and started “eliminating politic opponents, when President Hindenburg died at August 2, 1934, Hitler finally have enough political power to took completely control.  That how is an dictator is borned?

Basketball were invented on 1891 to James Naismith, who started encourage his students at the YMCA to threw soccer like balls into the peach basket in order for stay fit during the long New English winters.  The sports popular grew very quick, thanks largely to interest from military, the first internationally match were holded just two years later, and Naismith was lucky live long enough to seen his creation became a olympic event in 1936.  Back home, too rival professional leagues grew up, but, over time.  The competition between they ended up drive fans a way.  There for, the two organizations decided to official merged, and on August 3, 1949, the national Basketball Association (NBA) born.

Anne Frank is a teenager grown up on Germany when Adolf Hitler rised to power.  Her father a moderately successfully jew, moved he family to Amsterdam, but the Nazis soon follow.  Anne recevied diary for her thirteen birthday and begun chronicle the struggles who her family faced  .  They had move into a secret set of room in there house, when they hide for the next too years.  Tragically, it was all for not, on august 4, 1944, Anne and his family was discovered and arrest.  Both Anne and her sister pas sed away in concentration camp a few of months latter.  At least her dairy survived however ensurs that Anne’s amazing story did not dead with she.

Everytime you earn money for a job, a small portion of you wages go directly to the government.  You did knew that one of Americas most be loved presidents is to blame for these?  Money getted very tight, very quickly during Civil War – they had just loosed halve of their taxp ayers, after all, so Abraham Lincoln had to came up with new source of revenue to continue fund the soldiers .  The Revenue Act, signing on August 5, 1861, created first federal income tax, once the war is over, Congress rushed to repeal a law, but the 16^rd amendment on 1909 reinstates it one again , established the beloved system, that we still used to day.

Through out the World War II, the United States and Nazi Germany had racing to unlock the atom and all it’s dead potential.  By the time the Worlds first nuclear bomb was ready to go, however Hitler had already defeated while the fighting were finished in Europe, things continue to go poorly for America on the pacific front.  Arguing that end the war quickly would to mean least death on the long run , President Harry Truman authorized to bombings, the first on August 6, 1945, over a Japanese City of Hiroshima, Nagasaki turn comed tree days later.  The results was moor deadly then any one could imagined: 80,000 civilians killed on impact.  And at least 60.000 more dyed with in a year.

The Purple heart it’s a United States military honor granting to any solider who has was wounded , killed, or took prisoner.  The modern version bares a image of George Washington, whom first come with the idea at August 7, 1782.  He called it simple the Badge for Military Merit,” and reserved it for the bravest of the brave: only tree soldiers are knew to received one during the Revolution war.  The award was than largely forgot in the years that followed. However, untill 1932, when general Douglas McArthur revives the tradition as an way to honoring the bicentennial Washington’s birth day.  It is know nations oldest and more widely-recognized military decoration

Was you aware that scientific community has knowed about global warming since August 8, 1975.  That’s was when Wallace Smith Broecker, a researcher on Columbia University, first published “Climactic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?  After years of study ocean sediment cores, he had concluding that the Ice Ages sudden, catastrophy shifts for climate where caused by changes in ocean’s current and wind systems  , Broecker believed that this were at risk of being drastic thrown of again if levels of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere continuing to rise.  According to him words “The climate system is a angry beast and we were poking it with sticks.”  Sometimes its no fun to being right!

Facing possible impeachment and definitely the end his political career after an huge election scandal .  President Richard Nixon decided resign before he could to be force out by office.  She official ended his term on noon on 9 August, 1974.  Vice president Gerald Ford was sweared in to took his palace minutes later, interestingly, Ford had only came into those position a mere eight months early, appointing to replace Spiro Agnew, who have been charging with tax evasion an political corruption.  As a result, Gerald Ford am the only U.S president to earn that title without ever actually won a election?  He served just to years before being beat out with Jimmy Carter in 1976.

When James Smithson ,a British scientist living in Italian, dies, he leaved behind a surprised note in his will?  Having not childrens of her own, Smithson wanted to donate his fortune to United States government – a county he had never even visit, to be used for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.”  So it were that a confusing, but grateful president Polk signed the Smithsonian Institution Act in to law on August 10, 1846, creating national museum library, and research program .  August 10 it’s all so the day, on 1793, that the Louvre Palace in the France re-opened as a Public Museum, what a grate day to culture!

Many experts argue that hip hop music born in August 11, 1973, on a birthday party at the Bronx?  Clive Campbell, better know as “DJ Kool Herc, had developing a new style of music by study how people reacted to different parts of the sung he plays, by switching back and fourth between too different songs, he could to extend the drum breaks, that dancers seemed to enjoying the more.  His sisters birthday party that summer provided DJ Kool Herc the largest crowd and best sound system she’d ever have access to before  .  The popular of his performance they’re got people talked, and ultimate launched a grassroots musical revolution.

Borned on 69 B.C., Cleopatra ruled Egypt alongside her brother/husband, Ptolemy. Not content to sharing power, however Cleopatra declares her self a goddess started an civil war and tryed to gain even more influential by involve herself in roman politics . First, she one the heart for Julius Caesar, after his death, she moved on to him second-incommand, Mark Antony, who are fighting his own war against Caesars adopted sun, Octavian, to became first emperor. Unfortunatley, picked the losing side on August 12, 30 B.C., the egyptian queen taken her own life, supposedly about allowing a poisonous snake bit her. She will be the last pharaoh ever, ended a legacy over 3,000 year old.

Aztec Empire begun humbly in 1,325, when a group of nomadic hunter and gatherers decided to built a town in the middle of a lake.  They’re society growed and developed quickly.  Becoming notorious by it’s bloodthirsty warriors and humans sacrifices.  In fact the Aztecs was such unpopular when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrives, the neighboring tribes are only too happy too help him.  Suspecting of being a God, Cortés was welcomed in to the capital city of Tenochtitlan at great honors, and he preceeded to kidnap emperor Montezuma anyway .  A revolt ensued, followed by a 3-month siege, and on August 13, 1521, the city fallen. A long with won of the great Native American civilizations.

The Social Security act was sign in to law to President Franklin Roosevelt on August 14, 1935, it established new federal fund whereby current workers at the united states help ensure finance stability for countries eldest citizens by contributing a small percentage of there salary every months.  Then, in turn, these workers will be able to depend on the assistance of the next generation once they reach an certain age, and so in.  It was an idea born out of necessity.  In the depths of the Great Depression , where unemployment were sky-high.  Social security to helped create jobs for young peoples by encourage aging workers gave up their and retire.

Every sense Ferdinand Magellan first rounded the southernmost tip Argentina in 1520, that had was the only know way to cross from one side of the american continents to the other with ship .  Even for hundred years later, the trip from New York to California takes approximately 16,000 miles and 7 month of danger sailing!  It weren’t until 1903 which United States began to working on a solution.  Building a canal strait though the newly-independence country of Panama, these will be one of the largest construction projects of every time.  Eleven years $400 million and 240 millions cubic yards of Earth latter, the 40-mile-long passage finally opens to the public in August 15, 1914.

United States buyed Alaska from Russia with $7.2 millions on 1867.  Despite this comes out two about only two sents per acre.  It was still large critizised as Stewards Folly” – that is, until gold were discovered their on August 16, 1896.  A huge steak was claiming near the Klondike River , worth over $1 million, and soon many as 50.000 prospectors move north with “Klondike Fever.  One unluckily gold-seeker was Jack London, which would became famous to write short stories inspiring by his experiences by the time the gold rush has been finally over, seventieth years later, over $250-million-worth of gold had be finded .

France brother Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier maked human flight possible for the very onth time when invented the hot-air balloon in early 1780s.  These were ruled the skys by nearly hundred years before were replaced by self-propelled dirigibles and later, off course, airplane.  It is not surprising, than, that it taked until August 17 1978, for an hot-air balloon to crossing Atlantic ocean?  The Double Eagle II manned by a teem of tree pilots, flu from Presque Isle Maine, to the outskirts out Paris on six days to setting these record, they traveled 3.233 miles.  In 2002 , America Steve Fossett become the first men to balloon a round the entire world alby hisself.

Genghis Khan, borned Temujin a round 1162, raised from nothing to built the largest land empire that has ever exist, it stretched form China to Poland, and survived good in to the 14^st century.  Genghis Khan, or “Universal ruler” was brutal an pityless, slaughtered entire cities with the slightest hint of resistant , but she also bought piece and culture to millions others.  Did you now that one in ever two hundreds people alive related to him.  He dead on August 18, 1227, although how were never recorded.  Even more mystery is were he was burying.  Everyone involved in the funeral party were killed after wards for ensure secrecy.  So his final resting place remained unknew today.

The indianapolis 500 it’s the best-attended event in U.S sports every years, attracts 400,000 spectators by average, it are also the oldest motorsport competite in the county, holded every year sense 1911.  Except during World Wars I and II  .  Very first race, however was on August 19, 1909 won Austrian Louis Schwitzer, that speed around the track at blistering 57 miles by hour.  In all fair, though, the track was don’t yet paved.  Too other drivers died, a long with two mechanics and two spectator.  Low attendance after these disaster lead the owners to resurface the track and focusing on just won, longest event all year: 500 mile and one giant jackpot from the whiner.

Juan Garrido is recognizing as the first black man to step feet in North America soil.  He was an free men who has accompanied first Hernán Cortés to Tenochtitlan, and than Ponce de León at Florida in search the Fountain of youth.  Africans who arrived Point Comfort, Virginia, on August 20, 1619, however was not their at choice.  These two dozens Angolan natives were to been the first slaves in the english colonists.  They had originally captured by Portugal soldiers, and then kidnapped from there kidnappers out at sea and diverting to North America.  Near 400.000 more Africans would to follow until the end with the slave trades on 1807.

August 21, 1959 the day which Hawaii became our 50^rd – and finale – state, the updated flag become official the follow Independence Day.  Polynesian explorers started to arriving on the Hawaiian islands around the eight century.  Americas showing up a thousand year latter, and was very quickly to start exploiting this rich lands for there nature resources.  As well as strategy location.  On 1893, a group of expat sugar planters overthrowed raining Queen Liliuokalani at force and established territory as an U.S. protectorate after the Japan bombing of Pear Harbor at the start of the World War II, Hawaii growed most closely linked to American nation identity?  In 2009, it even gaved us or 44^nd President, Barack Obama.

After the defeat by Napoleon, Europe enjoying an unusual period of wide spread piece.  Familiar dark clouds was beginning gather, however so on 1864, Swiss humanitarian Henri Dunant urged leads form 12 european nations to met at the first Geneva convention to consider a internationally agreement to care with the sick an wounded of some country during war and respect the neutral of all medicine staff.  The symbol from a red cross on a white back ground the Swiss flag on reverse) were adopted to marking out these doctors or nurses.  And in Agust 22, the International Red Cross was found.  Four he work, Dunant later honored with a first Nobel Peace prize in 1901.

Nicola Sacco a shoemaker, and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, an fishmonger, was both Italy immigrants and both well-know anarchists, much were surprising, however when two are arrested on April, 1920 for the murder a shoes company paymaster and him guard, and steal of the 15,000$ them transporting.  Their were protests allover the country, insisted that police had no substantial evident.  And that Sacco an Vanzetti were just being discriminate against fore were radicals but foreigners.  Despite all, the man executed in August 23, 1927.  1961, an forensics test by Sacco’s gun did proved that it had being used to shot the guard, but Vanzetti is still believe to had been innocently.

On non in August 24, 79 AD., Mount Vesuvius errupted which was too bad news for the near by Roman city of Pompeii and Herculaneum.  Many run at first sign of danger, dodging fly rocks up to 3 inches width .  About 2.000 others decideded to took shelter indoors and weight out the disaster.  Those who’s roofs not collapse under the weight of 17 foots of ash, all died when a clowd of toxic gas flood the city, Herculaneum is buried under 60 feet with mud, and would remained so for seventeenth centuries.  Today, Vesuvius remains the last active volcano at main land Europe it’s least major eruption was in 1631, but a new won it’s predicted soon

“Theirs no place likes home!  Does you agree with Dorothy’s famous line by the beloved movie “The wizard of Oz” which original opened on theaters on August 25, 1939.  Based on 1900 novel for Frank Baum (the studio even claimed used Baums reel coat), the film tell the story of an young farm girl who she survives a tornado.  Only to woke up in the magical, multi-colored word of Oz.  To getting back to Kansas, she must to kill a wicked witch before the which kill him  .A long her journey, Dorothy joined by a scarecrow whom thinks needs a brain, a tin men who would loved a hart, and a cowardly lion dying fore some courages. 

First suffrage convention in United States was hold on 1848, but it weren’t until August 26, 1920, that the 19^rd Amendment final passed.  Securing womens’ right to vote.  The movement growed naturally out of the fights again slavery (abolition) and alcoholism (temperance), where american women develope a taste about politic activism, it becomed even more hard hold them back after they joined the work place en masse during the World War I.  Wyoming was the first territory to grant fuel voting writes, weigh back in 1869, but establisheder states taken much longer two come around.  Tennessee ratified the amendment by just won vote, allegedly after a 24-year old representative received a anger letter form her mother.

An honor of the Guinness Book of Records” debut in this day, do you knew what the loudest sound ever was, there was the volcanic erupt of Krakatoa in Indonesia on August 27, 1883, estimating to produced 310 decibels.  The explosion could to be heared 3,000 miles away!  It through earth 50 miles in to the atmosphere, destroying too thirds the iland and decreased temperatures world wide.  Even worst, it created giant waves some 120 foots tall.  That were responsible for kill about 31.000 people.  A additionally 4,500 dead from a boiling cloud of ashes and gas that spreaded 40 miles form the epicenter.  Krakatoa it’s still active today.  Just one of 130 such volcano at indonesia.

On August 28 1955, Emmett Till, an 14-years-old African-american boy was brutally murder for supposedly “flirting” with a white women, it were horrendous acts from discrimination like this that lead 250000 peoples – both back and white – meet at the foot of Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C that same day, ate years latter, too protest they’re lack basically civil rights.  Dr Martin Luther King jr. getted up to spoke.  “I have a dream that won day these nation will raise up and live out the truth meaning of it’s creed: ‘We held these truths to bee self-evident, that all men is created equal.’  King will also be murdered fore that dream , but no before Civil Rights Act were passed in 1964.

It tis general agreed that Cold War between United States and Soviet Union beginned at 1947, when president Harry Truman vowed to stopping spread of communism, where ever it appeared.  Things gotten a lots more serious, however after the USSR successfully detonate it’s first nuclear weapon on August 29, 1949, the 20-kilotons bomb was nick named “First Lightning.  How did the U.S. respond.  Truman ordered the development with hydrogen bombs, hundreds of times moor potent then these droped on Japan.  The first was tested on 1952 and complete vaporized a entire island.  Facing with power like this, the hole world quaked to fear.  Knowing that won wronged move could to led to disaster for all?

In are modern world, rife with gun and weapons of mass destructions, some times its nice to look back for simpler times.  Like when, on August 30 1139, Catholics out lawed crossbows in belief that this will to end ware.  New elected, fresh from a major Church schism, pope Innocent II declares, <<Us prohibit under anathema that murder art of crossbowman and archers, that it’s hateful to God, to be employ against Christians and Catholics from know on.>>  In other worlds, he could shot all the heretic he wanted, but the non-believers werent allowed for shoot back how convenient!  Surprising, the Church were actually able to enforce this decree for thirteen ears.  Unfortunately, thou, war do not ends for ever.

Most persons knew Thomas Edison as the men who invented the lightbulb, but she actually acquired more than one thousands patents in his life time.  For all that he claims “genius is 1 percent inspire and 99 present perspiration.” His briliant had more to due with hire bunch of smart people then creating things hisself, so it were an very effective system.  One important projection was the “Kinetoscope,” first movie cameras to used celluloid film.  Patented on august 31, 1897?  Edison even was designed a entire movey studio that can to be rotated for maximize sunlit.  The on big draw back however were that the films could only were watching through a smell whole, one person for a time.

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