·Society·
A2B1

Why Can't America Agree on Ending Daylight Saving Time?

#daylight saving time#United States#time change#US Congress
0:00 / 0:00

Every year, millions of Americans have to change their clocks twice. Many people dislike losing an hour of sleep in the spring and feeling tired after the time changes. Now, lawmakers are trying to stop this routine, but deciding how to set the clock is not easy.

The US House of Representatives recently voted to end the twice-a-year clock change. Under the proposed plan, daylight saving time would become permanent, meaning people would no longer need to adjust their clocks every spring and autumn.

no longer= not anymore; stopping an action or state that used to happen

However, the bill faces strong disagreement in the US Senate. Senators remain divided on whether permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time is better for safety, school schedules, and daily routines.

remain divided on whether ... or ...= to continue to disagree on which of two options is better

This is not the first time the country has tried to fix the clock system. The US previously introduced permanent daylight saving time, but lawmakers quickly reversed course after complaints about dark winter mornings. Because of this history and conflicting opinions, ending the clock change remains a controversial issue.

reverse course= to completely change a decision or policy to the opposite direction

Learning Notes

Grammar Patterns

PatternMeaning
no longernot anymore; stopping an action or state that used to happen
remain divided on whether ... or ...to continue to disagree on which of two options is better
reverse courseto completely change a decision or policy to the opposite direction

Vocabulary

WordLevelMeaning
daylight saving timeB1the practice of setting clocks forward in spring and back in autumn to extend evening daylight
lawmakersB1people who make or pass laws, such as members of a parliament or congress
permanentB1lasting or intended to last forever without changing
adjustB1to change or alter something slightly to fit a new situation
controversialB2causing lots of public disagreement, debate, or discussion

Language Insights

  • •Daylight saving time (DST) was originally introduced during World War I to conserve energy. However, modern studies show mixed results on energy savings, while healthcare professionals frequently highlight sleep disruption during clock transitions.
  • •The Sunshine Protection Act is a real US federal proposal aimed at making daylight saving time permanent nationwide, though debates between permanent DST and permanent standard time continue among health experts and policy makers.

Practice

Check what you just learned.

  1. Under the proposed plan, daylight saving time would become  , meaning people would no longer need to adjust their clocks every spring and autumn.

  2. Why did US lawmakers reverse course after previously introducing permanent daylight saving time?

  3. What does the pattern 'remain divided on whether ... or ...' mean in the article?

Source: Al Jazeera