Parliament to Debate Banning Trump from UK

British lawmakers have scheduled a debate about whether to ban U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from Britain. The lawmakers responded to a petition signed by more than a half-million people that called for banning Trump. The British government responds to all petitions that have more than 10,000 signatures. Topics are considered for debate in parliament if a petition reaches 100,000 signatures. In December, Trump called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States. He asked for the ban after a December 2 mass shooting that killed 14 people in California. The alleged shooters were two Muslims whom the FBI said had been radicalized. The debate over banning Trump from Britain is scheduled for January 18. The Associated Press reported that any conclusion from the debate by the lawmakers will not be binding. “A debate will allow a range of views to be expressed,” House of Commons spokesperson Helen Jones said. The petition was launched by longtime Trump critic Suzanne Kelly. Kelly is a Scottish-based campaigner and writer. A ban from the U.K. could hurt Trump personally and professionally. He has business interests in Britain and personal ties to Scotland, according to the Washington Post.   A separate petition opposes the banning of Trump. That petition has been signed nearly 40,000 times. The debate on January 18 can be viewed online.   Jim Dresbach adapted the story for Learning English with reports from VOA, the Associated Press and The Washington Post. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you think Trump should be banned from Britain? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   petition – n. a written document that people sign to show that they want a person or organization to do or change something

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Think You Know How Dogs Drink Water?

Why is it that when dogs drink, water seems to go everywhere? When my dog drinks from her bowl, there is no question, water will end up on the floor. It looks like a sloppy, unorganized way to get a good drink of water. Researchers at Virginia Tech University have been studying how dogs drink. They say dogs know exactly what they are doing. The animals are actually making precise movements at a high speed. This helps them get the fluid they need when they are thirsty. It turns out that neither dogs, nor cats, have a full set of cheeks. This means they cannot create suction to drink, like humans or elephants and horses. Dogs lap, or take up, the water with their tongues curled backward. As they lap, they move their tongues very quickly to build up momentum. That forces the water into a column and up into their mouths. The Virginia Tech researchers filmed 19 dogs of different sizes and breeds as they drank water. They created different laboratory models to measure tongue motion, and the amounts of water taken in. Using the data from these experiments, the researchers were able to make a model that shows how a dog drinks water. The researchers said that since the mouths of dogs and cats are structured nearly the same way, they thought they would drink water the same way, too. But here is a surprise. The studies showed each family of animals has its own special drinking method. “We know cats and dogs are quite different in terms of behavior and character,” said Sunghwan “Sunny” Jung, a study author and an associate professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech. “But before we did fundamental studies of how these animals drink fluids, our guess was dogs and cats drink about the same way. Instead we found out that dogs drink quite differently than cats,” he said. What is the difference? Dogs must quickly move their tongues down into the water using momentum to bring the water up and into their mouths. Cats don't bend their tongues to drink like dogs. Cats use less momentum and a more gentle action. They just skim, or barely touch, the surface of the water to drink it. “Cats tend be viewed as neater, dogs are messier, but dogs really have to accelerate their tongues” to make good use of the way the fluid column works, said researcher Sean Gart, a Virginia Tech graduate student. Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. I’m Anne Ball.   Rick Pantaleo reported this story. Anne Ball wrote it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Do you have a dog or cat?  Are they messy drinkers? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sloppy – adj. not careful or neat precise – adj. very accurate or exact thirsty – adj. needing water suction – n. the act or process of sucking momentum – n. the strength or force that something has when it is moving column - n. something tall and thin in shape accelerate –v. to move faster

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Missing U.S. Hellfire Missile Turns Up in Cuba

U.S. officials are asking how a Hellfire missile used in a training mission in Europe has ended up in Cuba. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that U.S. officials have asked the Cuban government to return the Hellfire missile. The report says it marks one of the most mysterious disappearances of sensitive U.S. military technology. U.S. officials say the dummy missile was mistakenly shipped from Europe to Cuba in 2014. They say developer Lockheed Martin sent the missile to Spain. The NATO military used it in a training exercise. The missile was then to be returned to Florida. But, it disappeared after it was sent on a long journey through Europe. By the time officials noticed the missile was missing, it was already traveling from Paris to Havana on an Air France flight. The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. officials are investigating whether the disappearance resulted from mistakes or whether spies or criminals were involved. One U.S. official told the Associated Press that Lockheed Martin made a shipping error. The official said the United States is working with the company to return the missile. The Hellfire missile did not contain explosives. But it did have sensors and targeting technology. U.S. officials say they fear the technology could be reconstructed. Officials are also concerned that Cuba would share the technology with other governments, such as North Korea. The United States and Cuba ended diplomatic relations in 1961, but reopened relations on July 15, 2015. However, distrust remains between the two governments. I'm Ashley Thompson.    William Gallo reported this story for VOANews.com. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dummy - adj. looking real but not functioning or able to be used reconstruct - v. to build something again

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'They' Wins as Linguists’ Word of the Year

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. The competition was more youthful, more hipster, more urban, even naughtier.   But in the end, “they” won. The pronoun “they” won out as Word of the Year, voted by the esteemed members of the American Dialect Society (ADS) on Friday. It is a pesky pronoun: It has been used as a singular pronoun in spoken English for years. In writing, however, it has mostly been used as the third-person plural. Although some linguists say “they” has been used in both of these ways for many years, the media has been forced to use “they” more often when reporting about people who identify as transgender. “Singular they [had] the best chance of winning,” says linguist Ben Zimmer, who writes a column in the Wall Street Journal. “There’s been a lot of discussion this year about something that has actually existed in the language for centuries.” English does not have a standard third-person pronoun that is gender-neutral, Zimmer explained. But very often “they” is used to describe a generic person like “everyone” or “anyone.” More and more, “they” is being used beyond the traditional gender binary of the “he” and “she” pronouns, he said. For example, “they” is used for people who identify as transgender, gender-fluid or gender-queer. When former Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner took a female identity this year, he changed his name to Caitlyn Jenner. The new use of “they” would allow the use of “their” instead of “his,” as in, “they changed their name to Caitlyn Jenner.” American Dialect Society president Alan Metcalf said people have argued about the use of “they” for more than 100 years. “I think there is often a false sense that this is the turning point, that from now on this particular usage will be accepted and won’t be argued about,” Metcalf said. "But you look at 100 years ago and you will find the same sorts of arguments. … I think that 100 years from now they will still be a bit of a discussion point." Words from seven categories are considered in the competition: most useful, most creative, most unnecessary, most outrageous, most euphemistic, most likely to succeed and least likely to succeed. Competing with "they" in the "most useful" category were: mic drop, a definitive end to a discussion after making an impressive point microaggression, subtle form of racism or bias shade, insult, criticism or disrespect, shown in a subtle or clever manner "There is no scientific criteria. It's just from all the words used during the past year. Sometimes it's a phrase or an abbreviation, but which one really seems to express the concerns and attitudes of the year gone by?" said Alan Metcalf, president of ADS. Metcalf explains that the group had the idea for the Name of the Year back in 1990. "Every year, Time magazine does a 'Person of the Year,' and we're the experts on words, so why don't we come up with a 'Word of the Year?' And we gradually developed the procedures for doing it, so those who vote on it would take some time to think about it." The society voted at its annual conference in Washington, D.C. Another group, the American Name Society, chose the important names of the year. You will probably not be surprised to learn that the name of the year was "Caitlyn Jenner." I'm Jill Robbins. Now it’s your turn. What new word became popular in your country in 2015? What do you think of the choice for the English Word of the Year? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. See the winners in all categories on the ADS website. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   pesky – adj. making someone annoyed or irritated esteem – v. to think very highly or favorably of (someone or something) —usually used as (be) esteemed transgender – adj. of or relating to people who have a sexual identity that is not clearly male or clearly female gender – n. the state of being male or female binary – adj. relating to or consisting of two things or parts gender fluid - a gender which varies over time (A person who is gender fluid may always feel like a mix of the two traditional genders, but may feel more boy some days, and more girl other days.) gender queer – adj. used to describe a person who feels that his/her gender identity does not fit into the socially constructed "norms" associated with his/her biological sex  euphemism - n. a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive

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U.S. Crude Oil Exports Restart After 40 Years

  The U.S. made its first export of crude oil in four decades last Thursday. The exports were banned in the mid-1970s. That ban was lifted a few weeks ago. The Arab Oil Embargo began in 1973. Arab nations who produce oil dramatically limited their shipments to the U.S. This was done to punish the U.S. over its military support for Israel. The Arab cartel later expanded the embargo to other countries, and oil prices soared worldwide. By 1974, the price of oil had risen from $3 per barrel to nearly $12 globally. U.S. prices were much higher. The embargo had many short- and long-term effects on global politics and the global economy. The skyrocketing prices led to a drop in demand for oil. Countries looked to alternative energy sources such as natural gas, nuclear energy and coal, says the Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Oil-producing nations outside the Middle East increased their production and relied more on domestic supply.  “The embargo set U.S. energy policy on a path that still guides us 40 years later,” wrote Robert Rapier in an article on the website Oilprice.com. That website reports oil and energy news. Every president since Nixon has made energy security a top priority, he continued. But each president has dealt with the problem in different ways.     President Barack Obama has looked for energy sources apart from imported oil, such as natural gas from wells in the U.S. In addition, the U.S. produces 9.2 million barrels of oil per day, close to 10 percent of the world oil supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. Oil prices are near an 11-year low, reports the Oil Price Information Service. U.S. oil now sells for around $37 per barrel. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is currently selling its oil for about $32 per barrel. OPEC is an organization of 12 oil-exporting nations. Its members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.    I’m Mary Gotschall.        Mary Gotschall adapted this story for Learning English from VOA News. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have an opinion about this topic? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below, or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cargo – n. something that is carried from one place to another by boat, airplane, etc.decade – n.  a period of 10 years embargo – n. a government order that limits trade in some way cartel – n. a group of businesses that agree to fix prices so they all will make more money barrel – n.  a round usually wooden container with curved sides and flat ends skyrocketing – adj.  increasing quickly to a very high level or amount

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Let's Get Down to the Nitty-Gritty!

Hello and welcome to the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories. This is a program about the history of words and how we use them in conversation. Today we talk about the noun nitty-gritty. Nitty-gritty is one of many rhyming compounds in the English language. As with many rhyming compounds, nitty-gritty is informal. It is often used in casual conversation. It is a useful word that serves many purposes. When using it in a sentence, we often say “to get down to the nitty-gritty.” One meaning of nitty-gritty is the most important part or basic truth of any situation or subject. But, if you are not a fan of rhyming compounds or if you need to use a more formal word, you can use many other English expressions.                  For example, nitty-gritty could be the heart and soul of a matter, the gist of a conversation or the essence of an argument. If you want to focus on only the most important part of a problem, you want to focus on the crux or core. The nitty-gritty can also mean the bottom line or reality of a situation, as in this example: The ideas behind planning a city are so interesting. I could talk about it all day! I agree. But the city council needs to get down to the nitty-gritty. Washington, D.C. needs more apartments close to the Metro for young professionals moving here. The nitty-gritty does not have to be part of a problem. Any matter or situation can have nitty-gritty. The nitty-gritty can also mean the practical details that need to be finished. Used in this way, you can also say the nuts-and-bolts of a task or situation. Here is another example. We have talked about our vacation plans all week. Enough talk! You’re right. Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of booking flights and hotel rooms. Nitty-gritty can also be used as an adjective. You can say someone is good at dealing with the nitty-gritty details of a problem. In his song, “Jungle Gym,” Jack Johnson sings about New York City being nitty-gritty. This song is from the 2006 movie Curious George. It's a jungle gym The city's nitty gritty but it's so much fun We can take a ride go tell everyone It's a jungle gym. As with many words, the origin of nitty-gritty is unclear. Even though it is commonly used, some word experts have debated about the political correctness of “nitty-gritty.” Some word historians say that nitty-gritty refers to the debris – or remains -- left on the floor of slave ships. This reference may make the word offensive to some people. However, there is no written proof that nitty-gritty originated on the floors of slave ships. Many word historians say that the claim is an example of a mythical word origin trying to become fact. British word experts have also researched the origins of “nitty gritty.” Word historians on the British website The Phrase Finder say that nitty-gritty first appeared in 1937 as a musical composition. The song ‘That Nitty Gritty Dance’ was copyrighted by Arthur Harrington Gibbs. Merriam-Webster Dictionary says nitty-gritty was first used in 1956. The Online Etymology dictionary claims it was first used in the early 1960s, mainly by black jazz musicians. But no one really knows for sure. What we do know is that these dates place the origin of the word long after slave ships and slavery in America. We also know singer Shirley Ellis recorded “The Nitty Gritty” in 1963. It was a popular song and dance. Let’s listen to Shirley and get right down the real nitty-gritty. I’m Anna Matteo.   Practice using nitty-gritty in the Comments sections. Or get to the heart of the matter by using words like “crux” or “core.” Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Here is Shirley Ellis in 1964 performing her 1963 hit song "The Nitty Gritty" on the television show American Bandstand and her interview with host Dick Clark. And here are some dancers on a television show from the 1960s dancing to "The Nitty Gritty." Check out the male dancer in front who really "gets into it!"   _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gist - n. the main point or part essence - n. the basic nature of a thing : the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is crux - n. a main or central feature (as of an argument) mythical  - adj.  based on or described in a myth : existing only in the imagination ​

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English in a Minute: Branch Out

We have already learned a few tree-related idioms, such as "go out on a limb" and "barking up the wrong tree." Here is another one for you. Find out what it means to "branch out" in this week's English in a Minute!

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Warm Winter Gives Ice Fishermen the Cold Shoulder

People usually think of fishing as a warm-weather pastime. But some fishers say the activity is best when it is freezing outside. Those people are called ice fishermen. When it gets really cold, they are in their element. In parts of the northern United States and all over Canada, ice fishing is a big sport. People wait all year for lakes and rivers in their cities to freeze. They drive trucks and snowmobiles on the ice, cut a hole into the water, and drop a lure. Here is how it works: First, fishers drill a hole in the ice. Then they drop a line into the water. Then they wait. Hopefully, a fish bites the hook at the end of the line. It is just like regular fishing, but it is done in the winter. The fishermen wear heavy coats and gloves to stay warm. Some people build small shelters on the ice around the hole. They leave the shacks on the ice all winter, so they can come and go easily. The shelters provide some protection from the cold and wind. The shelters are called “shanties,” or shacks. Some have rugs. Some have electricity. Brian King owns a bait shop near Detroit, Michigan. He says he is hoping for ice to form on Anchor Bay, and everyone is wondering if it is going to happen this year. Dan Thompson is a meteorologist from the National Weather Service. He says he expects this year’s warmer weather to continue. “It’s likely due to El Nino. It’s hard to point to one specific factor because there’s a lot of things working. But in an El Nino year, warmer temperatures are favored and certainly that is what we’re seeing this year.” Some people are still buying ice-fishing supplies. They are waiting for enough ice to form on smaller bodies of water, like canals. Other people are happy fishing in the winter, as during the fall or spring, from the shoreline. In some parts of Minnesota, much further north, low temperatures have been below freezing since December 1. The ice fishing has already started. In Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, people like to catch a fish called walleye. It is the most popular fish in Minnesota because it is hard to catch. It has a covering on its eyes that is pearly, and helps them to see in low light, says the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that by January 5, ice fishing was active. Resorts are busy with people who like to catch fish. A local tourism bureau told the newspaper that ice fishing adds about $10 million to the economy each year. An ice-fishing guide in Lake of the Woods tells the Pioneer Press the season began about one month early in 2014. Things are different this year. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting from the Associated Press, Pioneer Press and Star-Tribune. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Have you ever gone ice fishing? Did you catch anything? Did you have fun? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bait – n. something (such as a piece of food) that is used to attract fish or animals so they can be caught meteorologist – n. a person who works in a science that deals with the atmosphere and with weather pastime – n. an activity that you enjoy doing during your free time snowmobile – n. a vehicle designed for travel in snowy conditions lure – n. a device used for attracting and catching animals, birds, or especially fish shoreline– n. the land along the edge of an area of water (such as an ocean, lake, etc.) : a coast or shore

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IS Fighter Executes His Mother in Syrian Town Square

[Editor's Note: Audio will be added shortly. Thank you for your patience.] A 20-year-old Islamic State fighter executed his mother in front of hundreds in the Syrian city of Raqqa. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, she had asked her son to leave the militant group and flee the city with her. He shot his mother in a central square as others watched. U.S. defense officials say people living in areas controlled by the Islamic State are increasingly forced to join the terrorist group. In Raqqa, a city of 400,000 people, the militant group requires all men and boys at the age of 14 to register with the “Islamic police” for service. Intelligence experts say that more than 34,000 foreign fighters from 120 countries have joined the group in Syria and Iraq. An official says that at least 6,000 of those fighters are Westerners. These numbers show a small increase since October 2015. Patrick Skinner is a security expert with the Soufan Group. He says Western nations have made it harder for people, mostly young men, to join the militant group. But he adds, “As long as people are willing to go there, they can get there.” Young people are drawn to jihad, or Islamic holy war. There is also evidence that the jihad message continues to appeal to European youth and women. David Sterman is an expert with the New America International Security program. He says the average age of a foreign fighter is 24. And many of them are teenagers. Sterman adds, “Women continue to be quite well represented.” The Washington Post reports that 1-in-6 young people who go to join the IS terrorists are young women. They see romance in the role of terrorist's wife, the newspaper reported.  U.S. officials say they are worried that Russia’s entry into the Syrian conflict would bring more militants to the fight. A counterterrorism official says, “It would not be surprising if ISIL features the Russian build-up as a tie into their apocalyptic narrative, and to help bridge the generational divide among jihadists with Moscow’s actions in Afghanistan and Syria as bookends.”  

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Abigail Adams: Feminist, Partner, First Lady

Abigail Adams was like a modern woman, even though she lived in colonial times. She strongly supported the American Revolution, women’s rights and education. She worked to get public schooling for girls. She was a smart businessperson during a time when women in the U.S. could not even own property. Abigail Adams and her husband, John Adams, were also strong voices against slavery at a time when owning another person was legal in the U.S. Unlike some of America’s other founders — including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson — John and Abigail Adams did not own any slaves. Journalist and author Cokie Roberts has written several books about women in the early days of the U.S., including “Ladies of Liberty.” She says Abigail Adams is best known for this phrase: “Remember the ladies.” “When the men were meeting in Philadelphia to think about creating a new country, breaking away from the British, she wrote to her husband and said, ‘Well I suppose we will have to have to have a new code of laws and when you write those laws, remember the ladies, because all men would be tyrants if they could.’  And those have become some of the most famous words in the English language, or the American English language. ‘Remember the ladies.’” Roberts adds that nobody knows exactly what Abigail was arguing for at the time. She thinks Abigail, who was a strong supporter of women’s rights, was probably arguing in favor of legal rights for women. A life in letters Abigail Smith was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1744. Her father was a pastor and she received a fine education at home -– but not a formal one at a school. She married John Adams when she was 20 years old. John became a prominent lawyer in Boston. Historians know a lot about Abigail and John Adams because they wrote each other many letters over the course of their marriage. And, unlike Martha and George Washington, the Adams did not burn their letters. More than 1,100 still survive. Abigail and John often wrote to each other when they were apart. First, during the American War of Independence against the British, John left the family farm in Massachusetts and stayed in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was an important part of the Continental Congress there. Journalist Cokie Roberts says Abigail managed the family’s affairs while her husband was gone. “She was very good at math. We know that because even though women, married women, were not allowed to own property at that time, she bought and sold property all the time. And she made a very handy income which supported the family for long periods of time, when her husband was away and not making any money.” Abigail and John were apart again when he went to Europe as one of the first U.S. diplomatic ministers. When John was in Europe, Abigail would see what people needed in America. She asked John to send items such as lace, cloth and handkerchiefs from Europe, then she would sell them at home to make money. The separations were difficult for the couple. Cokie Roberts says, “John Adams really could not function without her.” One example: When John was sworn in as president of the United States in 1796, Abigail was still at their home in Massachusetts. She was taking care of the family’s farm, as well as John Adam’s mother, who was dying.  But John wanted Abigail at his side. “He wrote her letters every day saying, 'You must come, you must come. I cannot do this without you! Come, I can't do this! You must come!' The letters became more and more and more insistent. Because he really depended on her so mightily to help him make decisions about what was important and what political decisions he should make.” Eventually, Abigail was able to join her husband. They became the first people to live in the president’s mansion in Washington, D.C. – what we call today, the White House. The house was still being built when they moved in. Abigail wrote that it was cold and drafty.  She hung up the laundry to dry in the East Room. Today, the East Room is where formal dinners and important events are held. Abigail Adams said her situation as first lady was one of “splendid misery.” John lost the presidential election of 1800 to Thomas Jefferson. Then Abigail and John retired to their land in Massachusetts. She was 73 years old when she died in 1818. Legacy Three of her daughters and one of her sons died before she did. Two other sons survived her, including John Quincy Adams. He became the sixth president of the United States. However, Abigail did not live to see him elected president.  Until recently, she was the only woman to be both the wife and mother of a U.S. president. When George W. Bush was elected president in 2000, his mother, Barbara Bush, became only the second woman to have both a husband and a son be president. Reaching back all those years to the 1700s, what many people say stands out the most about Abigail Adams is her relationship with her husband. Journalist Cokie Roberts says they were a team. “The relationship with John was one that was very, very close, and quite romantic.” Sometimes Abigail Adams was an outspoken adviser to her husband. Roberts says she had “an abrasive style” and there were times when “she could not hold her tongue.” People complained about her, especially those from the opposing political party. Some called her “Presidentess.” The term was not a compliment. If one is to believe White House lore, Abigail Adams still appears at the White House ... as a ghost. The White House Historical Association says,  “Abigail Adams hung laundry in the East Room, and contemporary staff can smell wet laundry and the scent of lavender.” Like Martha Washington before her, Abigail Adams set an example of what a political wife and a first lady could be. She was more outspoken than Martha, as well as more modern in her thinking and style. But both were treasured partners for their husbands, the first, and second, presidents of the United States of America. I’m Anne Ball.         What do you think are important qualities in the spouse or partner of a politician? Write to us in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. Anne Ball wrote this story. Kelly J. Kelly was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   insistent – adj. demanding that something happen or someone do something mightily –adv. very much prominent –adj. well known and important endured – v. to experience something painful for a long time lace – n. a very light and thin cloth made with patterns of holes handkerchief – n. a small cloth used for wiping your ears, nose, or face drafty – adj. cold air moving through that makes it feel cold outspoken –adj. talking freely about what one thinks abrasive – adj. having a rough, unpleasant quality she could not hold her tongue – phrase. She was not able, or unable, to control what she said, and said things other's disagreed with.

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New York Street Vendors Battle Over Permits

A conflict is forming on the streets of New York City between legal and illegal food trucks and carts. The city grants 5,100 food vending permits every two years. The permit is issued by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Most of the permit holders pay $200 to renew their permit every two years. Some permit holders rent their license, or permit, for a profit. Some cart or truck operators pay more than $20,000 for a food vending permit. Because there is greater demand than supply of permits, a black market for the licenses has emerged. The Wall Street Journal reported that transferring or renting these permits to another vendor is illegal. But many vendors have turned to this illegal black market for permits. Business owners who have legal permits, or who compete with the food carts and trucks, are against the black market. “The people out there operating the carts are not the ones who have the permits,” said business official Dan Pisark. He questioned the permit owners’ motives. The vendors say getting a cart or truck permit can take 10 to 15 years. Some vendors work the street unlicensed. Vendors have protested at City Hall about the permit system. They call for vendors to be licensed. They say vendors should have a permit in their own name. Others call for more permits to be issued. “People got to live. They’ve got families. They got kids, children,” said Bernard Thompson, a New York City street vendor. “You know, they’ve got to eat.” I'm Mario Ritter.   Bernard Shusman wrote this story for VOAnews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vending – adj. to offer for sale, especially by peddling renew – v. to cause something to continue to be effective or valid for an additional period of time​ black market – n. a system through which things are bought and sold illegally emerge – v. to become known or apparent transferring – v.  to move someone or something from one place to another motives – n. a reason for doing something ​

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