EasyEducationSeptember 8, 2025

West Point Cancels Public Ceremonies for Tom Hanks's Thayer Award

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Key Vocabulary

alumni

Meaning: former students of a school; pronunciation: /əˈlʌmnaɪ/

Example: Many alumni visited the campus.

ceremony

Meaning: a formal event; pronunciation: /ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni/

Example: The ceremony will start at noon.

award

Meaning: a prize or honor given to someone; pronunciation: /əˈwɔrd/

Example: She received an award for her work.

🎧 Listening

West Point Cancels Public Ceremonies for Tom Hanks's Thayer Award

A West Point alumni group canceled a ceremony for actor Tom Hanks. The West Point Association of Graduates planned to give Hanks the Sylvanus Thayer Award on September 25, 2025. The ceremony was stopped a few weeks before the date.

The alumni group said it canceled the event so the academy can focus on preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win. It is not clear if Hanks will still receive the award later. Many news outlets reported the change on September 6, 2025. The West Point Association announced Hanks would receive the award in June.

95 words

❓ Quiz

Q1. Who canceled the ceremony?

Q2. When was the ceremony scheduled?

Q3. What award was to be given to Tom Hanks?

📖 Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

💬 Discussion

Do you ever attend formal school events such as ceremonies? Why or why not?

Have you ever canceled plans at the last minute? What happened?

Do you think honoring people at schools is important? Why?