‘Comfort Women’ Top Issue in South Korea, Japan Talks

The leaders of South Korea and Japan have held their first formal bilateral talks since taking office. South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Seoul on Monday. A main topic was the issue of “comfort women.” “Comfort women” in South Korea were forced into sexual slavery by Japan’s occupying military force during World War II. The issue has divided two key military allies in Asia. President Park had refused to meet with Prime Minister Abe until he offered a “sincere apology” and reparations to thousands of Asian “comfort women.” Japan’s position is that a 1965 diplomatic treaty between the countries legally settled compensation for "comfort women.” That is disputed by mostly Korean “comfort women.” After their meeting, Prime Minister Abe said the two leaders promised to increase efforts to peacefully resolve this issue. "It's the 50th anniversary of the normalization of ties (Japan-South Korea) this year,” he said. “Keeping that in mind, we've agreed to accelerate talks for the earliest possible resolution." President Park said it was important that surviving “comfort women” – who are now in their 80s and 90s -- were satisfied with how the issue is resolved. She said it was key to re-establishing a stable diplomatic relationship with Japan. “I hope today's summit will heal the bitter history in a broad sense, and be a sincere one and an important opportunity to develop the two countries' relationship," Park said. The two leaders did not hold a joint public news briefing after the talks. And neither side publicly expressed willingness to compromise on the issue. Hosaka Yuji is a political science professor at Seoul’s Sejong University. He says the South Korean president won a diplomatic concession from the Japanese leader. He said, “Prime Minister Abe slightly moved towards President Park’s demand on the necessity of resolving this issue by the end of this year.” South China Sea was among issues discussed During the meeting, Prime Minister Abe reportedly told President Park that the South China Sea situation is a common concern. He suggested the two counties cooperate about free navigation. Japan has offered support for U.S. efforts to protect important international shipping lanes in the South China Sea. South Korea has been unwilling to publicly criticize China over the issue. The Northeast Asian leaders did not publicly discuss rising tensions in the South China Sea. They made a statement endorsing increased dialogue and cooperation to resolve regional disputes. Trilateral meeting talks center on trade ties, security On Sunday, Abe and Park met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for the first such trilateral leaders meeting in three and half years.  The talks had been suspended over historical disagreements and conflicting claims to islands in the Pacific. The three leaders agreed to work together on trade and security issues. They promised to establish a free trade zone and develop an “East Asia Market.” The proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership could be an all-Asian version of the U.S. led Trans Pacific Partnership. Twelve Pacific economies -- including Japan and the U.S., but not South Korea or China -- recently settled on the agreement. However, South Korea has shown interest in becoming a member. The three Northeast Asian neighbors also restated their support for restarting “six party” international talks on North Korea’s nuclear program. In 2009, North Korea ended talks with the U.S., South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. North Korea has carried out three internationally condemned nuclear tests that have increased United Nations sanctions. I’m Mario Ritter. Brian Padded reported this story from Seoul with contributions from Youmi Kim. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Did you know about "comfort women" before these talks between China, Japan and South Korea? How should nations deal with their histories in foreign policy? ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bilateral – adj. between two groups or countries trilateral -- adj. between three groups or countries reparations – n. something (usually money) that is given as a way to correct a mistake; money that a country or group that loses a war pays because of damage, injury or deaths that were caused accelerate –v. to move faster or gain speed stable –adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change concession –n. something that is allowed or agreed to end a conflict or reach an agreement

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US to Push China on Religious Rights

A United States official has urged the State Department to take steps against China and other nations that violate human rights and religious freedom. Robert George wants the State Department to identify all the violators as “countries of particular concern” in its yearly country-by-country reports. Mr. George is chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He spoke to a Congressional subcommittee earlier this week. The Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent organization within the federal government. Its purpose is to defend the right of freedom of religion overseas. The group’s chairman urged the State Department to list the worst offenders of religious freedoms. In addition to China, the eight other countries he named are Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Mr. George told the committee that China needs to show “greater respect for the rights of Tibetan Buddhists, for the house church members, for the Catholics, for the Uyghur Muslims, for the Falun Gong.” He continued by saying “the flowering of religious freedom (in China)” is still not happening. Congressman Curt Clawson is a member of the subcommittee as well as the Republican Party. He questioned the Obama administration’s statements about making religious freedom a top concern. “Of all the countries that you mentioned, there is a lot of Nike shoes made in Vietnam, and all the toys and electronics are coming from China. They’re the factory of the world. And whether they abuse folks’ religious freedom or not, seems to matter not to the bottom line,' he said. But the State Department Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, David Saperstein, disagrees. He said the United States places great importance to supporting religious freedom worldwide. I’m Mario Ritter. Yang Chen reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   commission – n. a committee, group of organization church – n. a Christian group of a place where Christians meet for religious services catholic – n. members of the Roman Catholic Church folks – n. people in general bottom line – expression. the most important part of something; the final result What do you think about religious freedom in China? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.  ​

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Birds and Bees Take Beating In Climate Change

​ If you like warm weather early in the year, you may be in luck, say researchers at a university in Wisconsin. But birds and farmers might not be so happy. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison published a study in the journal Environmental Research Letters that says the spring growing season in the United States will arrive about three weeks earlier than normal over the next 100 years. And rising global temperatures are to blame. While people in the North who are used to cold and snow into April might be celebrating the news, crops and the animals that depend on them could suffer. Winter will be shorter, according to one of the study’s authors. But birds, who time their migration based on the length of days as winter turns to spring, could be confused. “They may arrive in their breeding ground to find that the plant resources that they require are already gone,” said Andrew Allstadt, one of the study’s authors. It will be easier to notice the arrival of an early spring in certain parts of the U.S. – like the Pacific Northwest and the mountainous West. And “false springs,” when freezing temperatures return after the growing season has begun, will decrease, too. But some regions, like the western Great Plains could see an increase in false springs. "This is important as false springs can damage plant production cycles in natural and agricultural systems," Mr. Allstadt said. "In some cases, an entire crop can be lost." I'm Christopher Jones-Cruise.   This story was published on VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   celebrate – v. to do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion, holiday, etc. mountainous – adj. having many mountains breeding – n. the process by which young animals, birds, etc., are produced by their parents — often used before another noun breeding ground – n. a place where animals go to breed confused – adj. unable to understand or think clearly   Are you noticing climate change in your country? What are you seeing? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments or on our Facebook page. 

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Hemp on Trial in Malawi

In Malawi, the government has approved plans to grow industrial hemp for export on a trial or temporary basis. The government’s decision followed years of heated debate. The proposal continues to meet resistance from anti-drug activists and religious leaders. Industrial hemp and marijuana are from the same family of crops. But industrial hemp does not contain the psychoactive chemical agents found in marijuana, the plant known as chamba in Malawi. Last May, parliament member Boniface Kadzamira asked lawmakers to reconsider the plant's economic abilities. In his country, he says, people used to think that chamba caused madness and crime. He said people now understand that industrial hemp is purely a money-making crop.  Industrial hemp can be used to make paper, cloth, medicine and even food products. But the government’s decision has anti-drug campaigners worried. Nelson Zakeyu is director of Drug Fight Malawi, a local non-governmental organization. "That will just give an easy access to marijuana. The country will have so many problems.  Some of the problems are shootings and suicides as it is in some states in the U.S., like California."   Tony Burden is director of Herbarium, a South African company. He says industrial hemp is very different from marijuana. "We will have to bring in the certified low-drug varieties. And they come from Europe so we have to see if they can grow here in Malawi. If they don't grow then we have to look around Malawi to see if maybe there is also industrial hemp in Malawi or we can see if we can make new varieties that grow well for Malawi's climate." Joseph Chidanti Malunga is deputy chairperson of the parliamentary committee on agriculture. He told local radio that hemp will help the local economy. "I understand the money it fetches is more than what tobacco would fetch for a given unit area. So we think that if we go this direction, we might even surpass what even what we get from tobacco." But religious leaders disagree. Dinala Chabulika is with the Muslims Association of Malawi. "Whether it is going to boost the economy or not, it is not acceptable. There is no inner permission Islam gives to any drug or something that would disturb the intelligence of a human being. So our recommendation is it should not be done."      The government has approved trial crops of industrial hemp starting next year at an agriculture research station in the capital, Lilongwe. I’m Jonathan Evans. Lameck Masina reported on this story for VOANews.com. Marsha James adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Should Malawi grow industrial hemp or not? What do you think? Please leave us a comment or post on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________​_________________ Words in This Story   composition – n. the way in which something is put together   variety – n. a collection of different things fetch – v. to go after and bring back something surpass – v. to be better or greater than something boost – v. to increase the amount of something  

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More of Us to Go Thirsty As Earth Dries Up

Water supplies around the planet are running dry at an alarming rate. Scientists say the world is experiencing a shortage of fresh water. It will only worsen as the population grows and the climate changes. People living in the western part of the U.S. are experiencing this now. For several years, there hasn’t been much water there. But the American West is not the only place thirsty for water. Jerry Schubel is president and CEO of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. "More than half of the world's population lives in water-stressed areas and, according to the United Nations, that number will increase to two-thirds by 2025, fewer than 10 years from now." Jerry Schubel says the amount of water on earth has not changed for billions of years, but the ratio of fresh to salt water has. He also says there are also other factors that are creating a fresh water shortage.   "In much of the world, shortage of fresh water is a looming crisis that will only be exacerbated by climate change and a growing population." Schubel says most of the world's population live in countries that share bodies of water. Many of those countries don't have agreements on how to share that water. "And many of these regions are in areas of political unrest: North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Southwest, Central and South Asia. The aggregate population in these areas is predicted to triple by the end of this century. So, water shortages could well become flashpoints for regional and international conflicts." Water is Life Scientists say conservation is the first step to solving the water crisis. Kevin Wattier, manager at the Long Beach water department says desalinating – removing salt from sea water -- is also an option. But that comes at a price. "It would cost at least twice or three times as much to desalinate sea water as it would cost to buy imported water. You will increase your global carbon footprint when you go to sea water desal." Schubel says the problem of global water shortage can be solved only if countries work together. "We could supply everyone on this planet with safe drinking water and enough water to grow their food. But it will take money, technology, political will and cooperation. And learning how to share requires collaborative decision making at intergovernmental levels." Extreme Heat in Persian Gulf Water shortages plague many parts of the world. Heat waves could become the norm in the Persian Gulf by the end of the century. Just this past summer, very hot high temperatures in Iran sent the heat index - a combination of temperature and humidity - up to 73 degrees Celsius. The reason? Climate change. According to a new research, the combination of intense sun and shallow waters makes the Persian Gulf area "a specific regional hotspot where climate change is a threat to human health. Heat could be so intense that in many regional cities, the temperature "could exceed a tipping point for human survival, even in shaded and well-ventilated spaces.” A team of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Loyola Marymount University published their writing in the journal Nature of Climate Change. The study also found at high levels of heat and humidity, even a healthy young adult is at risk. When temperatures soar, humans cool off by sweating. The evaporating sweat carries heat away. But when it's very humid, evaporation is slowed and it's harder for the body to cool down. When heat and humidity are extremely high, the human body can lose the ability to regulate its temperature. That is called hyperthermia. The body’s temperature rises, and if this condition goes on long enough, death occurs. The tipping point means a combination of 35 degrees Celsius with enough humidity to make it difficult for humans to survive more than six hours. "It is an upper limit to adaptability to climate change due to heat stress," MIT researcher Elfatih Eltahir told reporters at a news conference called to discuss the findings. The study that showed the consequences of a “business-as-usual” situation where nothing is done about greenhouse gasses, also points out that curbing emissions could prevent deadly temperature extremes. The researchers predict that in cities like Doha, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Bandar Abbas, Iran, could exceed the 35 Celsius threshold several times over a 30-year period. Extreme conditions could "characterize the usual summer day in the future," said Eltahir. I'm Jonathan Evans. Elizabeth Lee and Matthew Hilburn reported on this story. Marsha James adapted her report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Is there drought in your part of the world? Or flooding? Or both? Tell us about it in the Comments or on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ratio – n. the relationship that exists between the size, number, or amount of two things exacerbate – v. to make a situation or problem worse aggregate – n. a total amount flashpoint – n. a point, place or situation in which sudden anger or violence could happen desalinate – v. to remove salt from something, such as water hot spot – n. a very popular or active place ventilate – v. to allow fresh air to enter and move through hyperthermia – n. the condition of having a body temperature greatly above normal  

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November 2, 2015

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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Vietnam Shoots to YouTube’s Top 10 Countries

The country of Vietnam is among YouTube’s top 10 foreign markets. It has become a major test area in Asia. YouTube announced the ranking at a Ho Minh City event celebrating the one-year anniversary of Vietnam’s YouTube channel. Vietnam was not close to the top 10 two years ago. Since then, young people thrilled by technology make YouTube popular in Vietnam. The website reports that 400 hours worth of video are uploaded per minute. Vietnam’s YouTube channel has debuted with "120 percent year-on-year growth in terms of watch time,” according to Phuong Anh Nguyen, a YouTube official. Vietnamese are watching YouTube at a big rate. Females are watching British singer Adele’s “Hello.” Foreign situation comedies, like Australia's  “Thank God You're Here,” get 3 to 4 million views per episode in Vietnam, according to the country’s newspaper, Tuoi Tre. The southeast Asia country is also a YouTube test site. The company tries out services for emerging markets in Vietnam. An offline option of saving clips began in April. How did Vietnam and YouTube become so friendly? Inexpensive data plans is one reason. Vietnamese own smartphones rather than laptop computers. Vietnamese connect their smartphones to wireless Internet. They also expect WiFi everywhere. Vietnamese tend to save videos. Their country’s videos are featured on the site. They favor YouTube over other video services like Vimeo, Hulu or Netflix. I’m Anne Ball. Lien Hoang reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   upload – v. to move or copy a file or program from a computer or device to a usually larger computer or computer network comedy – n. a play, movie, television program or novel that is meant to make people laugh laptop – n. a small computer that is designed to be easily carried We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.  ​

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Can Fish Teach Humans to Regrow Teeth?

Most people are born with two sets of teeth. They use baby teeth to break down food as children. As they become adults, the baby teeth are replaced with permanent or adult teeth. By age 65, 30 percent of all people worldwide have lost all their teeth. But most bony fish can regrow their lost teeth. A team of scientists is wondering if that ability of some fish could somehow lead to human tooth regeneration, with adult men and women producing additional teeth as needed. Fish do it all the time. Whenever they lose a tooth, a new one drops into place. Cichlids are a popular tropical fish. They keep their teeth throughout adulthood. If a tooth should fall out, another one takes its place. Todd Streelman teaches biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He is working with cichlids to find out which genes help the fish keep their teeth.    "Our approach is to find things that are hard to study otherwise and then target them in these animals.  So in this case, Lake Malawi cichlid fishes and many other fishes regenerate their dentition throughout their entire life." As a result, a mouthful of teeth is replaced every 50 days. Professor Streelman and his team reported on their study of cichlids in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They looked at embryotic cell tissue that can develop into either teeth or taste buds. "And what we found were some really interesting commonalities between teeth and taste buds at their earliest development." Unlike humans, fish have no tongues in the mouth, so their taste buds are mixed in with their teeth. Last year, the same researchers made a cichlid genome – a map of the fish’s genes. This year, they crossed closely-related cichlids and then compared genetic differences among the second-generation fish. They found what appeared to be genetic controls that could make the embryonic cells become either a tooth or taste bud. "We could identify this because the genes that are typically positive markers of taste buds and the genes that are typically positive markers of teeth were co-expressed. They were expressed in the same places.  So we basically could watch the path through development, where this epithelial ((surface tissue)) which at one point was bi-potent ((similar tissue)) and then became either teeth or taste buds." Teeth and taste buds begin in the same kind of tissue around the mouth of fish in their earliest stages of development. The researchers made and studied mapped cichlid genomes. They then engineered the undifferentiated tissue in fish to increase production of teeth, but cut back on taste buds. This was done at an early stage, when the fish had eyes and a brain, but were still growing jaws. It turns out that cichlids are not the only animals that express these genes. Todd Streelman says researchers at Kings College, London, demonstrated that a few poorly studied genes in mice were also involved in the development of teeth and taste buds. "These genes that we had identified in fishes are in fact also active in the earliest development of teeth on the jaw margin and taste buds on the tongue of mice."   Professor Streelman says the studies in fish and mice suggest that with the right signals, the tissue in humans might also be able to develop new teeth. "The direction our research is taking, at least in human health," he says, "is to figure out how to coax – work on the tissue to form one type of structure or the other." I’m Marsha James. VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reported on this story from Washington. Marsha James adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   regenerate – v. to grow again after being lost dentition – n. the arrangement or condition of the teeth in a species or individual embryonic – adj. showing that you are sure in yourself or your actions co-expressed – v. to express together with another gene bi-potent – adj. having a function in a biological environment coax – v. to work or cause something to do something    

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Dogs Welcome in New York Restaurants

A new law makes it legal to have dogs in the outdoor areas of restaurants in New York. Past health and safety laws made it illegal to bring dogs to any restaurants in New York. This was to prevent the spread of diseases. State lawmakers voted in May to let people bring dogs to restaurants that have tables outdoors. These areas are often called patios. Not one lawmaker voted no. Late Monday night, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the law. New York joins California, Florida and Maryland in the list of states with similar laws. In many European countries, bringing dogs to restaurants is common. Paris has allowed dogs to accompany their owners in restaurants for a long time. Several special rules are included in this law. The dogs must be on a leash. Dogs must not share water bowls. Also, restaurants can choose to let people bring dogs or not. But, not all New Yorkers are happy about this new law. Christopher Miller is the spokesman for the New York City Department of Health. He told the New York Daily News that letting dogs in restaurants could cause problems. "The Health Department loves all dogs, but just not at restaurants where they can create a risk to the health and safety of diners, restaurant workers and other dogs," Miller said. New York City is often the source of new trends and attitudes in the US. A law forcing some restaurants in the city to show the amount of calories in the food they served passed in 2009. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried unsuccessfully to stop the sale of large amounts of soft drinks in 2012. Cigarette smoking was made illegal in restaurants in 1993. Governor Cuomo believes that this new law will help businesses grow by attracting dog owners. He also said this law "strikes the right balance" between health laws and flexibility for businesses. I'm Pete Musto. Pete Musto reported and wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Are dogs allowed in restaurants in your country? Do you people think dogs are unhealthy or unclean? Let us know in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   outdoor – adj. done, used, or located outside a building leash – n. a long, thin piece of rope or chain is used for holding a dog or other animal spokesman – n. someone who speaks for or represents a person, company or organization diner(s) – n. a person who is eating dinner in a restaurant trend(s) – n. a way of behaving or proceeding that is developing and becoming more common​ calorie(s) – n. a unit of heat used to show the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body soft drink(s) – n. a cold drink that is usually sweet, does not contain alcohol, and is often sold in bottles or cans flexibility – n. the ability to change or try different things  

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US Trains African Soldiers Against Boko Haram

American soldiers are training soldiers in Niger to fight Boko Haram militants. The training began October 19 in Agadez, the largest city in central Niger. More training will follow for armies in Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad, a U.S. military official told the VOA. The Niger government asked for the training, Africa Command spokesman Chuck Prichard told VOA. The training provides benefits to the African nations and the United States, said Major General Daryl Williams, commander of U.S. Army Africa. “This training benefits Nigeria military personnel and U.S. Army soldiers who share the mutual security goal of regional stability and security in Africa,” Williams said. News of the U.S. training mission that targets Boko Haram comes after some rare good news in the fight against the militant group. Nigerian soldiers Tuesday rescued 338 Boko Haram captives from villages near the Sambisa Forest, Nigeria military officials reported. The Sambisa Forest is a place where Boko Haram is active. The rescued captives include 192 children and 138 women, the Nigerian military said. None of those rescued included any of the 276 school girls taken from a Nigerian boarding school last year. Boko Haram is an Islamic militant group operating primarily in northeastern Nigeria. It is also active in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon. The new U.S. training mission in Niger involves about 40 U.S. soldiers. Plans call for the training of about 150 Niger troops. Training details were not reported. But U.S. officials said training will include basic soldier skills, as well as teaching small-arms shooting. I'm Jonathan Evans.   Carla Babb reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think about U.S. helping to train troops against Boko Haram? Leave us a comment or post your thoughts on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   militants – n. having or showing a desire or willingness to use strong, extreme, and sometimes forceful methods to achieve something personnel – n. the people who work for a particular company or organization stability – n. the quality or state of being stable benefit – v. a good or helpful result or effect captive – n. captured and kept in a prison, cage, etc. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section on our Facebook page.  

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Is Sunscreen Killing Coral Reefs?

A new report blames sunscreen for harming coral reefs. Corals are animals that live in the oceans and seas. Sometimes they are called the rainforests of the sea. They create some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Their great spread of colorful rock-like structures form exoskeletons in the water. They are home to tiny marine, or sea, creatures. Now they are being destroyed by pollution, warming seas, overfishing and sunscreen. John Fauth is a biology professor at the University of Central Florida. He is also a diver. He says the harmful chemical in sunscreen is something called oxybenzone. It blocks the sun’s ultraviolet light—the substance that causes sunburn.  “If you were wearing a bathing suit, say, and covering most of your body with sunscreen, then you jump into the water, the arc that you are contaminating is about the size of an Olympic-size swimming pool.” Fauth and his fellow researchers ran some toxicology studies. They looked at how oxybenzone effects the coral. He says it does three things: It causes their exoskeletons to turn white, and it damages the adult coral’s DNA, or genetic structure. The genetic damage also hurts the coral at the larvae stage, when it is very young. The journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology published the study in October. Scientists studied coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. They also studied reefs in Hawaii. Fauth says if you look at the water’s surface when people come out of the sea, you can see the sunscreen that has washed off of them.  “Once all these visitors come out of the water, you’ll see a sheen on the water from the sunscreens that they leave behind, because they are slathering up with the sunscreen and jumping into the water so it’s washing off. And when you multiply that times several hundreds (of) people in a small, enclosed area, that’s a recipe for trouble.” Fauth says the coral aren’t the only creatures in the sea affected by oxybenzone.  “It degrades and then all the other marine life that depend on that reef, including the fishes that we eat, they disappear. They don’t have homes anymore. The corals are the homebuilders.” He says there is a choice between getting sunburned and harming the coral and the marine life around them. The older sunscreens -- the kind that turn your nose white -- appear to be safe around coral reefs. Fauth recommends covering up with a long sleeved cotton shirt. He says you can also wear a wetsuit.That will help protect the sea creatures and keep the oceans colorful and alive. I’m Anne Ball Jessica Berman reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story alarming – adj. warning of danger diverse ecosystems – n. (plural) different ecological systems exoskeletons –n. an external supportive covering of an animal toxicology studies – n.  the study of poisonous chemicals, drugs, etc., and how a person or living thing reacts to them larvae –n. a very young form of an insect or creature and it looks like a worm sheen –n. something shiny slathering –v. using a large amount  

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