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2024 Year in Review

Here’s a look at some of this year’s biggest news stories.

Spreading Joy

© 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. 

This year’s biggest movie was packed with emotions—who are also the main characters! Released in June, Inside Out 2 went on to make nearly $1.7 billion worldwide. It’s the top moneymaking animated movie of all time. 

This year’s biggest movie was packed with emotions. And the emotions are also the main characters! Released in June, Inside Out 2 made nearly $1.7 billion worldwide. It’s the top moneymaking animated movie of all time.

Hippo Hooray

RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Moo Deng translates to “bouncy pork” in Thai.

On July 10, a new internet star was born. Moo Deng, a pygmy hippopotamus, made her debut at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, a country in Asia. A zookeeper there began posting videos of the hippo soon after her birth. People couldn’t get enough of Moo Deng splashing around and nipping at her zookeepers with toothless gums. The zoo’s TikTok page now has more than 3 million followers. 

And in the first two months after Moo Deng’s birth, the zoo had a 30 percent increase in visitors.

On July 10, a new internet star was born. Moo Deng is a pygmy hippopotamus. She made her debut at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand. That’s a country in Asia. A zookeeper there began posting videos of the hippo soon after her birth. People couldn’t get enough of Moo Deng. They watched her splashing around and nipping at her zookeepers with toothless gums. The zoo’s TikTok page now has more than 3 million followers.

And in the first two months after Moo Deng’s birth, the zoo had a 30 percent increase in visitors.

Our Next President

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The 45th U.S. president is set to become the 47th president. By the time voting ended on November 5, more than 146 million Americans had cast their votes. Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to win back the job he’d held from 2017 to 2021. 

Trump and his choice for vice president, J.D. Vance, will officially be sworn into office on January 20. Until then, Trump’s title will be president-elect.

The 45th U.S. president is about to become the 47th president. By the end of November 5, more than 146 million Americans had cast their votes. Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris. He won back the job he’d held from 2017 to 2021.

Trump and his choice for vice president, J.D. Vance, will officially be sworn in to office on January 20. Until then, Trump’s title will be president-elect.

She’s the GOAT

Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Sports fans love to debate who’s the GOAT, or “greatest of all time.” When it comes to gymnastics, most people would agree it’s Simone Biles. She won three gold medals and one silver at the Summer Olympics in Paris, France, in August. She’s now won a total of 11 Olympic medals, the most of any American gymnast. 

The Paris Olympics marked a triumphant comeback for Biles. At the previous Games in Japan, she pulled out of several events to protect her mental and physical health. 

This year, Biles helped Team USA rack up 126 medals, more than any other country. 

Sports fans love to debate who’s the GOAT. That stands for “greatest of all time.” When it comes to gymnastics, most people would agree it’s Simone Biles. She won three gold medals and one silver at the Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Biles has now won a total of 11 Olympic medals. That’s the most of any American gymnast.

The Paris Olympics in August marked a triumphant return for Biles. At the previous Games in Japan, she pulled out of several events to protect her mental and physical health.

This year, Biles helped Team USA win 126 medals. That’s the most earned by any country.

Stuck in Space

NASA

Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams hanging out in space

For astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, a one-week trip to the International Space Station has turned into an eight-month journey. On June 4, the pair launched into space aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Officials at NASA soon discovered that the Starliner was leaking gas and couldn’t transport the astronauts home safely. 

Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return to Earth in February. They’re in good spirits as they wait for their ride home.

“This is my happy place,” Williams said in September. “I love being up here in space.”

For astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, a one-week trip to the International Space Station has turned into an eight-month journey. On June 4, the pair were launched into space. They were on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Officials at NASA soon discovered that the Starliner was leaking gas. The spacecraft couldn’t transport the astronauts home safely.

Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return to Earth in February. They’re in good spirits as they wait for their ride home.

“This is my happy place,” Williams said in September. “I love being up here in space.”

Lights Out

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

On April 8, people in more than a dozen states looked up to watch a rare event: a total solar eclipse. The moon moved between Earth and the sun, blocking nearly all its light. Tens of millions of Americans who weren’t in the path of totality saw a partial eclipse.

On April 8, people in more than a dozen states looked up at the sky. They watched a rare event: a total solar eclipse. The moon moved between Earth and the sun, blocking nearly all its light. Millions of Americans who weren’t in the path of totality saw a partial eclipse.

Double Disasters

Hurricane Helene

Courtesy of family

Miles Kexel (second from right) with his parents and younger sister, Eden

On September 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in northern Florida. Over the next two days, the storm raged across other states. Heavy rain and strong winds caused major flooding and other destruction. More than 230 people died, making Helene one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. 

Miles Kexel, 11, and his family live in Asheville, North Carolina. The city was one of the areas hit hardest by Helene. Miles describes what it was like to live through the storm.

On September 26, Hurricane Helene hit northern Florida. Over the next two days, the storm raged across other states. Heavy rain and strong winds caused major flooding and destruction. More than 230 people died. That makes Helene one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history.

Miles Kexel, 11, and his family live in Asheville, North Carolina. The city was one of the areas hit hardest by Helene. Miles describes what it was like to live through the storm.

On the night Helene hit, we slept in the basement. All we heard was the wind and rain. It was so loud. The storm was bigger than we had expected, and I was scared. 

We lost power and cellphone service and didn’t have running water. Our only connection to the outside world was the local news on a battery-powered radio. 

Branches had knocked down power lines, and a big tree blocked the road. We didn’t travel out of our neighborhood for three days. 

When we were finally able to go downtown, it looked like a bomb had hit. Bridges had caved in, and telephone poles were splintered.

My family owns a bicycle rental business. The building where our shop used to be was flooded up to the second-floor windows. Everything smelled like sewage. 

A family friend found an apartment where we could stay in Floyd, Virginia. It’s nearly three hours away from Asheville. 

We spent about a month going back and forth between Floyd and Asheville while my parents tried to get our business going again. It was a stressful time, and I’m glad to finally be home for good. 

To everyone affected by the hurricane, keep your chin up and keep going. It’ll get better. 

On the night Helene hit, we slept in the basement. All we heard was the wind and rain. It was so loud. The storm was bigger than we had expected. I was scared.

We lost power and cellphone service. We didn’t have running water. Our only connection to the outside world was the local news on a battery-powered radio.

Branches had knocked down power lines. A big tree blocked the road. We didn’t travel out of our neighborhood for three days.

When we were finally able to go downtown, it looked like a bomb had hit. Bridges had caved in. Telephone poles were splintered.

My family owns a bicycle rental business. The building where our shop used to be was flooded up to the second floor. Everything smelled like sewage.

A family friend found an apartment where we could stay. It was in Floyd, Virginia. That’s nearly three hours away from Asheville.

We spent about a month going back and forth between Floyd and Asheville. My parents were trying to get our business going again. It was a stressful time. I’m glad to finally be home for good.

To everyone affected by the hurricane, keep your chin up and keep going. It’ll get better.

ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images

Mud covers a police car in a flooded area of Lake Lure, North Carolina, on October 2.

Hurricane Milton

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

On October 10, two weeks after Helene struck, Hurricane Milton tore across Florida. It caused widespread flooding and even spawned deadly tornadoes. At least 20 people died. In the days before the storm, officials in Florida told more than 7 million people to evacuate. But not everyone was able to. Police officer Jared Coupland was part of a team that rescued 565 people trapped in a flooded apartment complex in Clearwater, Florida. Here’s his account of what happened.

On October 10, two weeks after Helene struck, Hurricane Milton tore across Florida. It caused widespread flooding. It even led to deadly tornadoes. At least 20 people died. Days before the storm, officials in Florida told more than 7 million people to evacuate. But not everyone was able to. Police officer Jared Coupland was part of a team that rescued 565 people. They were trapped in a flooded apartment complex in Clearwater, Florida. Here’s his account of what happened.

We used special tools for the rescue. One looks like a sledgehammer, and the other looks like a big fork, which pries doors open. In the apartments, the water was chest-high. Furniture and appliances were floating around. It was frightening. At one point, my foot got lodged under a giant wire. Luckily, the power was off. 

Once we encountered the residents, we called the command center to get boats sent to us. It was hard to get the boats right up to the building. It was tricky, like fitting pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. Three or four officers had to hold each boat in place while others assisted people onto them. We tried to keep calm and reassure everyone that we’d all get through this together. 

One little girl I rescued was named Star. I told her I was proud of her for being brave in a scary situation. I assured her that we would help her and her family. 

I felt sad about what these people had to go through. Their homes were destroyed. But I was struck by their resiliency. Despite losing much of what they own, they were happy their relatives and friends were OK. It was good to see everyone come together. 

We used special tools for the rescue. One looks like a sledgehammer. The other looks like a big fork, which pries doors open. In the apartments, the water was chest-high. Furniture and appliances were floating around. It was frightening. At one point, my foot was caught under a giant wire. Luckily, the power was off.

Once we found the residents, we called the command center. We asked for boats to get sent to us. It was hard to get the boats right up to the building. It was like fitting pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. Three or four officers had to hold each boat in place while others helped people onto them. We tried to keep calm. We told everyone that we’d all get through this together.

One little girl I rescued was named Star. I told her I was proud of her for being brave in a scary situation. I assured her that we would help her and her family.

I felt sad about what these people had to go through. Their homes were destroyed. But I was struck by their resiliency. They lost much of what they own, but they were happy their relatives and friends were OK. It was good to see everyone come together.

Courtesy of Clearwater Police Department

Jared Coupland (front left) and other rescue workers guide a lifeboat through a flooded street on October 10. 

1. What does the article mean when it says that the Paris Olympics marked a “triumphant comeback” for Simone Biles?

2. Find an example of a cause and a related effect in the 2024 Year in Review. Describe them and note the section in which you found them.

3. What are two words you would use to describe Jared Coupland? Explain.

1. What does the article mean when it says that the Paris Olympics marked a “triumphant comeback” for Simone Biles?

2. Find an example of a cause and a related effect in the 2024 Year in Review. Describe them and note the section in which you found them.

3. What are two words you would use to describe Jared Coupland? Explain.

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