World Freedom Declines for 10th Year

A human rights group says the slowing world economy, a crackdown on dissidents and dislike of foreigners fleeing their country have led to a sharp drop in freedom around the world for the 10th consecutive year. Freedom House, a U.S.-based human rights group, measured freedom in 195 countries. Its Freedom in the World 2016 report shows a decline in 72 of those countries last year. It was the largest decline since the 10-year-long drop began. The report says 50 countries are “not free” and 59 “partly free.” Countries with the worst record It says levels of freedom were lowest in Syria, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, Somalia, North Korea, Uzbekistan and Eritrea. Also on the list of least-free countries were Turkmenistan, Western Sahara, Central African Republic, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and Saudi Arabia. The report says the Middle East and North Africa were the areas where people had the least freedom in 2015, followed closely by Eurasia. It says leaders of countries in those three areas increased their punishment of rights activists and other critics. Decline in “free” countries Many democratic countries in Europe and North America continued to be rated “free” in the report. However, the report says civil liberties in democratic countries -- especially in Europe -- have been threatened as those countries deal with terrorist attacks and an increase in refugees. Many people have fled Syria and other conflict areas and have sought asylum in Europe. The United States had one of the top ratings in the report. But it also showed a drop in freedom. The report blames the influence of money in election campaigns, legislative gridlock, failed promises of open government and racial discrimination for the drop. Economy and unrest contribute to the decline The group says the world’s economic problems and fear of unrest caused the governments of Russia, China and other countries to take stronger actions against their critics. It says Russian President Vladimir Putin continued his repressive policies and took action against independent journalists and those who support homosexuals. The report criticizes Putin for his continued support for rebels in eastern Ukraine and for ordering airstrikes to support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Freedom House says China’s communist government increased its attacks on human rights lawyers, journalists and minority rights activists. And it says China has expanded its targets to include labor and public health activists and defenders of women’s rights. It notes that countries where freedom had declined sharply in 2014 had not improved in 2015. These include Thailand, Egypt, Crimea and South Sudan. Improvement in some countries The report finds an increase in freedom in 61 countries, including Latin America. And it says there is a possibility that levels of freedom will increase in Iran and Myanmar this year. In Myanmar, the new government led by the National League for Democracy will face pressure to meet its promises to make the country freer. And in Iran, reformers are preparing for parliamentary elections next month. There will also be an election for the group that names the country’s top religious leader. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. VOA’s Smita Nordwall reported on this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. Hai Do 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   crackdown – n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not allowed; an increased effort to enforce a law or rule consecutive – adj. following one after the other in a series; following each other without interruption gridlock – n. a situation in which no progress can be made journalists - n. news reporters; news media workers homosexuals - n. people with a sexual interest in members of their own sex  

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US Religious Colleges Test Anti-Discrimination Law

  Justin Massey chose to study at Wheaton College in 2011 because of the university’s strong religious and academic record. "I grew up as a very strong Christian and my faith was an important part, thinking about moving forward with my academic studies. And Wheaton, from what I came to know, was widely understood as one of the best academic institutions if you’re looking for somewhere with a strong Christian tradition." Massey, 23, thought that a Christian university would be a welcoming place. But there was one problem: Massey is a gay, or homosexual, man. Religious universities across the U.S. have asked the Department of Education for permission to deny equal treatment to homosexual and transgender students. Title IX is a section of a group of laws called the United States Education Amendments of 1972. Originally, Title IX prevented discrimination based on gender at schools receiving federal money. This includes any school with students who use federal loans to pay for their studies. But Title IX does include a special exemption for religious schools. Any school run by a religious organization can ask to ignore Title IX. The schools can make this request if they believe Title IX disagrees with their religious beliefs. For example, some schools that train men to be members of the clergy ask to deny access to women. Some religions prevent women from training to be clergy members. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is part of the U.S. Department of Education. The OCR enforces Tile IX. The OCR also processes the exemption requests. Seth Galanter is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the OCR. Galanter said schools have always had the right to make this type of request: 227 schools have received exemption from some part of Title IX since 1972. Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, received an exemption in 1985. But Justin Massey said that the school does accept different types of people. "I think Wheaton College, as a whole, is a pretty loving environment… It’s just stuck in a … political position." Problems began for Massey when he started working with the administration. Massey became involved in student government during his first year at Wheaton. At that time, he had not openly identified himself as gay. But he did start organizing meetings to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (or LGBT) students. During his second year, Massey tried to create a formal group supporting LGBT students at Wheaton, called Refuge. But the school’s administration learned that Massey was already involved in student government. They did not want a student with connections to a controversial issue to be part of the student government. The administration told Massey he could not be the leader of the group he started. "What I took that to mean was that it was because I was gay and that there was no other similar situation in which a student wouldn’t be allowed to head up a group because of a so-called conflict of interest." Galanter said that the exemptions do not allow schools to discriminate in any way they want. "There is not a wholesale exemption. A school, private college or university is only exempt when Title IX conflicts with the religious organization's tenets and only to that extent. And there is an opportunity for an individual who has been harmed to challenge the exemption in an individual case." But a growing concern among the LGBT community is that the number of exemption requests has increased greatly since 2013. These requests directly involve the parts of Title IX protecting students based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. The Human Rights Campaign (or HRC) is an organization that protects and supports the rights of LGBT people. The HRC released a report in December 2015 on the religious universities that requested and received these exemptions. The report showed that before 2013, only one school had requested an exemption from the part of Title IX involving gender identity. There were at least 43 similar requests in 2015. Sarah Warbelow is the Legal Director for HRC. She wrote the report, called "Hidden Discrimination." Warbelow says it is important that this information becomes widely known. "The majority of these schools did this under the cover of silence. Very few of them talked about it publicly. They were not telling their students." The HRC report also claimed that the increase in requests is in response to several recent actions by the U.S. government. These actions have been in support of the LGBT community. A transgender student accused the Arcadia Unified School District in Arcadia, California of discrimination in 2011. The U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education decided in 2013 that the school system must provide the student with facilities that matched their gender identity. The Department of Justice is pursuing a similar solution in another case. A transgender student accused the Gloucester County Public School system in Virginia of discrimination in 2015. The U.S. Supreme Court also decided that the Constitution protects the right of same-sex marriage in 2015. Massey chose to publicly declare his sexual orientation in his third year at Wheaton. He also became very involved in LGBT rights issues. He often had problems with the administration. "There was just so many times that Wheaton was very quick to react to me or what was happening on campus because they were fearful of what it meant." VOA contacted Wheaton College for a comment. But the school did not give a formal response. VOA emailed 45 of the schools that have received or requested an exemption. Several schools declined to comment. Some offered written statements. Biola University in La Mirada, California is the only school with a religious exemption to Title IX that agreed to an interview. Jerry Mackey is the university’s Legal Counsel. Mackey said there was no controversy when the school received its exemption in 1985. "To my knowledge, there was really no reaction; public, private within the institution… I just don’t think it was a controversial issue at the time at all." Mackey said the media is trying to cause problems for religious colleges and universities. He also said that Biola is a loving place that tries to treat all of its students with care. But, Mackey said, students are free to study at any school they want. "People are here because they believe this is the place that they want to be…  So nobody’s forced to come to Biola or any school." But Massey does not agree. Massey believes that not all young people have total control of where they can study. Some students need their parents to pay for their education. If they do not go to the school their parents want, they will not receive any higher education. Other students do not completely understand their own sexuality when they first make their choice of school. Massey chose to finish his four-year degree at Wheaton for several reasons. He did not have enough money to change schools. Also, he had made many friends at Wheaton whom he did not want to leave. In addition, he felt the school needed students willing to fight for LGBT rights. Massey enjoyed his experience, but says it was difficult. "If I had known what I was going to go through, I probably would have been hesitant... It’s not the duty of any minority person to change an institution... But I don’t regret having been at Wheaton College." He also believes there are still more fights to come. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported and wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Now it’s your turn. How are LGBT people treated in your country? Why is it important for everyone to have access to equal education? Please let us know in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education faith – n. strong religious feelings or beliefs homosexual – adj. sexually attracted to people of the same sex 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 exemption – n. freedom from being required to do something that others are required to do lesbian – adj. a woman who is sexually attracted to other women bisexual – adj. sexually attracted to both men and women formal – adj. made or done in an official and usually public way controversial – adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument allowed – adj. given permission to do something wholesale – adj. affecting large numbers of people or things tenet(s) – n. a belief or idea that is very important to a group extent – n. used to indicate the degree to which something exists, happens, or is true challenge – v. to say or show that something may not be true, correct, or legal gender identity – n. a personal belief of oneself as male or female, or rarely, both or neither sexual orientation – n. the state of being bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual facilities – n. a room or rooms with a sink and toilet and usually a bathtub or shower hesitant – adj. slow to act or speak especially because you are nervous or unsure about what to do ​

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Do You Know This Blizzard of Winter Words?

Hello and welcome to the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories! People all over the world love to talk about the weather. Today, we talk about expressions that come from extreme winter weather. Winters in the northern United States are cold and snowy. Sometimes, the snows come with extremely strong winds. These snowstorms are called blizzards. It is difficult to see through the fast blowing snow of a blizzard. So, they are often described as blinding.                         The dictionary Etymology Online says blizzard came to mean a severe snow storm during the late 1800s. Before then, the word blizzard had nothing to do with snow. It had several other meanings. One was a sharp blow, like hitting a ball with a stick. Another meaning was a gun shot. And blizzard was also defined as a most extreme statement or event. These days, we do not use blizzard to mean any of those things. Blizzard is only used to mean an extreme snow storm. The first such use was in 1870. An especially violent and heavy snowstorm struck the state of Iowa. This storm was the worst winter storm in a long time. A newspaper editor in a small Iowa town called the terrible storm a blizzard. Much like a blizzard, the use of the word blew across the country over the next few years. Just as snow sticks to the ground, the word blizzard stuck as meaning any really bad winter storm. Snow changes the world around us. When snow is falling, the world seems somehow soft, peaceful and quiet.  But blizzards are different. They can be dangerous. Blizzards create white-out conditions. A white-out is when snow is falling fast and winds drive the snow so much that is impossible to see. Driving a vehicle in driving snow can be deadly. Cities sometimes declare a temporary state of emergency. This tells people to stay off the roads. This prevents accidents and also lets the snow removal trucks do their work. Deep, heavy snow is difficult to move. Clearing snow from roads and sidewalks is hard work. During a blizzard, people often get snowed in. They cannot leave their houses because snow drifts block doorways. To make matters worse, high winds and heavy snow can break limbs off trees. These limbs often hit power lines, cutting power and sometimes heat to homes and businesses. People who stock up on food and supplies are better prepared to deal with a blizzard. They hunker down -- or remain in their homes for many days. Often before a blizzard, people panic shop. Stores see a run on things like bread, milk, eggs and toilet paper – all classic blizzard supplies. Even though blizzards can be dangerous, some people still enjoy the excitement caused by this extreme weather. But no one likes to be snowed. Snow as a verb means to tell someone many pleasant but false statements. This action is also called a snow job. If someone tries to snow you, you could say they are being cold, meaning their actions are rough, mean or unfeeling. Blizzards may be hard to see through. But if you are smart, snow jobs are not. For example, if someone tells you that you can learn English without working hard, they are trying to snow you.  But listening to VOA Learning English is a good way to help your English studies. And that is no snow job. I’m Anna Matteo. ["The Blizzard," by Jim Reeves, is sung in the background.] Learning English reporter Anna Matteo wrote this story. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you have blizzards where you live? Monsoons? Typhoons? Let us know in the Comments and on our Facebook page. 

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Chaos at Deadly Attack on Saudi Mosque

Muslim worshippers ran in panic after attackers set off bombs and fired shots in a mosque in Saudi Arabia. Five died and 18 others were wounded. Attackers wore suicide belts and carried assault rifles into a Shi'ite mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia during Friday prayer services. It was at least the fifth such attack in under a year. Amateur video showed worshipers inside the Imam Reda Mosque as a bomb explodes. The explosion broke windows, doors and ceiling tiles. Men were heard shouting religious slogans. The lights went out and gunshots were heard. Eyewitness Mohammed al Ahmed told Saudi TV that worshipers inside the mosque blocked its doors after the attack began. But one terrorist entered after the blast. Several minutes after worshipers locked the doors, an explosion went off, he said. The lights went off and smoke filled the room. A man with an assault rifle took shots, but was wrestled to the ground and disarmed after he was hit with a chair. Security forces exchanged fire with the attackers outside the building. Al Arabiya TV reported that security forces arrested two men. Other media reported that one man was arrested and a second blew himself up. At least four other such attacks on Shi'ite mosques have taken place inside Saudi Arabia during the past year. Saudi TV reported that security forces have been able to prevent more than a half dozen other attacks. Middle East analyst Theodore Karasik told VOA that the attack Friday “is reminiscent of previous Islamic State attacks targeting Shi'ites.” He said that IS has been calling for more attacks in recent weeks. This “may be the start of a new wave” in Saudi Arabia. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack.   Edward Yeranian reported this story for VOA. Kathleen Struck adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Please leave us a Comment, and post on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   panic – n. a feeling of extreme fear that makes someone unable to act or think normally assault rifle – n. a gun that can shoot many bullets rapidly and is designed for the military amateur – n. a person who does something (such as a sport or hobby) that is not part of their job slogan – n. a word or phrase that is easily remembered that is used by a group or business to gain attention reminiscent – adj. something that reminds a person of some memory, fact or incident

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VOA English Newscast: 1400 UTC January 29, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Steve Karesh reporting. The human rights group Amnesty International says satellite images and witnesses point to possible mass graves in Burundi that appeared after security forces retaliated against rebel gunmen in Bujumbura.  And that the images suggest a deliberate effort by authorities to cover up the extent of the killings by their security forces and to prevent the full truth from coming out. The U.N. also is investigating.  The Burundi government has not commented. Political violence has raged in Burundi since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced last April that he was going to run for a third term. Also in Burundi, Authorities have arrested two foreign journalists  British photographer Phil Moore and the Africa chief for the French daily Le Monde, Jean-Philippe Remy. Burundi's security minister said the two men were arrested Thursday in Bujumbura in the company of armed criminals. Le Monde says Moore and Remy were arrested while meeting with government opponents.  It says both men were working for the paper and were doing their job by meeting with all parties involved in Burundi's political crisis. The World Health Organization is convening an emergency meeting on the Zika virus Monday. This after the agency's director said the mosquito-borne virus is spreading at an alarming rate. The WHO warns that millions of people in the Americas could be impacted by the virus, which has been linked to serious birth defects. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning pregnant women against traveling to areas with the Zika outbreak, such as Brazil. This comes as tens of thousands of people are poised to descend on Brazil later this year for the Olympics, possibly making the games a springboard to transmit the virus around the world. There is no vaccine for the Zika virus. From Washington, This is VOA News. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast Retaliate –v. to seek revenge on someone or a group Deliberate –adj. done in a way that is planned or intended Rage –v. to happen or continue in a destructive, violent or intense way Impact –v. to have a strong and often bad effect on someone or something Poised –adj. ready or prepared to do something

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Trending Today: Sia, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots

This is What’s Trending Today. If you have not heard of Sia Furler, you have now, thanks to “Iko Iko” and Jimmy Fallon of the Tonight Show. Sia Furler is an Australian singer and songwriter. Known as Sia, she is famous for her songs “Chandelier,” “Titanium,” “Breathe Me,” and “Elastic Heart.” She also wrote songs for Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and Adele. She appeared on the late-night TV show “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” earlier this week to promote her new record “This is Acting.” Fallon, The Roots, actress Natalie Portman and Sia sang the folk song “Iko Iko” together. It is a song with roots in African and Creole cultures from New Orleans. The video shows all the performers dressed in black and white, wearing blonde and black wigs. Sia is known for being a little shy. She does not like to show her face when she performs. Because of this, she wears costumes or even uses stand-ins – like dancers or mimes – when she performs. In this video, she wears a wig with extra-long bangs that obscure her face. She also wears a short, white dress, and a big, white bow in her hair. See if you can count all the unique percussion instruments in the “Iko Iko” video, especially one band member using cups to provide the beat. People played the video almost 1.5 million times since it came out Wednesday night. And Sia’s new album already is No. 1 in many countries. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What do you think of the way Sia presents herself? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bangs – n. the front section of a person's hair when it is cut short and worn over the forehead blond – adj. of a yellow or very light brown color chandelier – n. a large, decorated light that hangs from a ceiling and has branches for holding many light bulbs or candles creole – n. people descended from the colonial settlers of Louisiana huge – adj. very great in size, amount, or degree mime – n. a form of entertainment in which a performer plays a character or tells a story without words by using body movements and facial expressions percussion – n. musical instruments (such as drums, cymbals, or xylophones) that you play by hitting or shaking shy – adj. feeling nervous and uncomfortable about meeting and talking to people unique – adj. very special or unusual wig – n. artificial hair that you wear on your head because you are bald or in order to change your appearance

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White Actor to Play Michael Jackson in Comedy

“Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon” is a British comedy show based on an unconfirmed story of a road trip taken by Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando. But no one is laughing at the casting of Joseph Fiennes in the role of Michael Jackson. Joseph Fiennes is white. The late Michael Jackson was black. Hollywood is already dealing with controversy about the “color” of the upcoming Academy Awards. Like last year, there is not a single African-American nominee for an acting award. The lack of diversity has led to a planned boycott of the so-called "white Oscars." Now people are expressing their condemnation and shock about “Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon.” A tweet Wednesday on BET’s Twitter page read: “A White Actor will play MJ. Because we aren't whitewashed enough in Hollywood, apparently.” Another Twitterer, @nicomadden, posted this message: “So Joseph Fiennes (A WHITE DUDE!) is gunna play Michael Jackson... I say Denzel Washington plays Elvis in the next movie just to be fair.” ​ Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop, died in 2009 at age 50 of an accidental drug overdose. Jackson suffered from a condition called vitiligo that causes areas of a person’s skin to lose color. After Jackson’s death, investigators found a large amount of a skin lightening cream at his home. “Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon” is based on a 2011 report in Vanity Fair magazine. It tells of a trip the three performers took just after the September 11 attacks in New York City. Michael Jackson had performed there the night before. The three reportedly shared a car and drove across the country. Stockard Channing plays Elizabeth Taylor, and Brian Cox plays Marlon Brando. The show is set for broadcast later this year in Britain. I’m Caty Weaver.

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Businesses Want to Ban Bad Online Reviews

In 2009, John and Jen Palmer posted a critical online comment about a business. The Palmers said they ordered and paid for a small toy and a keychain for $20 from KlearGear.com, but never got the items. They said they could never reach anyone at KlearGear to fix the problem. They posted their complaint on RipoffReport.com. Three years later, Jen Palmer said her husband received an email from KlearGear demanding they remove the post. If not, he was told, he would have to pay a $3,500 fine. KlearGear said the Palmers violated the company’s policy that bars customers from posting critical comments. It is becoming common practice for businesses to demand money from customers who criticize them online, according to Eric Goldman, a Santa Clara University law professor. He follows Internet legal issues. These “do not criticize” clauses come as review sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Angies List and ZocDoc become more popular. Comscore, an online research company, lists Yelp and TripAdvisor among the top 50 websites in the U.S. The sites have more visitors than even Netflix and ESPN. Jen Palmer said she and her husband tried to remove their critical post, but could not get Ripoff Report to take it down. They refused to pay the $3,500 fine demanded by KlearGear. They said they did not believe the company had the right to demand it. Two years later, a judge agreed with them. He said the company was wrong to demand money and to report the couple’s refusal to pay to a credit rating agency. That hurt the Palmers credit rating and made it impossible for them to finance the purchase of a furnace and car, Jen Palmer said. The judge awarded the couple over $300,000 in damages. At a recent Senate hearing, consumer advocates said what happened to the Palmers is not unusual. They gave some examples: A New York City inn fined newlyweds $500 for every critical review posted by them or their wedding guests. A dentist demanded $100 a day from a patient for each day he kept an online posting accusing the dentist of overcharging him.  The U.S. owner of a Paris rental apartment barred renters from using “blogs or websites for complaints.”   In all three cases, the business owner either backed down or was ordered to stop by a court. But Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said the public will never know how many critical online postings get taken down under pressure. Most people, he said, would “rather avoid the “threat of excessive penalties, costly litigation or damage to their credit scores.” Since that November Senate hearing, the Senate passed Thune’s bill to stop companies from blocking critical online comments. The bill is now pending in the House of Representatives. The U.S. Constitution guarantees free speech. But backers of the Thune legislation say the guarantee applies mostly to government, not private businesses. The First Amendment Center notes that the Supreme Court has said that private organizations can limit free speech on their property. Some business groups complain that some online reviewers make up problems. One hotel owner wrote that a customer who described his hotel as a “filthy” did not even stay there. TripAdvisor has responded to such criticism. The website said it allows businesses to respond to every review – positive or negative. And most hotels get many reviews, making it hard for a single very negative or very positive review to have much effect, TripAdvisor said. Bruce Alpert researched and reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   post – v. to write an online message keychain – n. a holder of keys customer – n. someone who buys goods or services from a business clause – n. legal language in a contract or document review -- n. an act of carefully looking at or examining the quality or condition of something newlyweds – n. A newly married couple overcharge – v. to charge too much for something excessive – adj. going beyond what is usual, normal, or proper penalty -- n. punishment for breaking a rule filthy – adj. very dirty  

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Asian-Americans Active in US Politics

A growing number of Asian Americans are becoming active in politics, according to demographic researchers. The Pew Research Center says an estimated nine million Asian Americans were registered to vote in the United States in 2014. Among those voters, political researchers say Asian Americans currently relate more with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party. Yet Asian American voters have supported Republican candidates in the past. Thirty years ago, Asian Americans were big supporters of Ronald Reagan. In 1992, President George Herbert Walker Bush lost in his re-election effort to Bill Clinton. Yet Bush received 55 percent of the Asian American vote. But a move away from Republican candidates has taken place over the years. In the 2008 presidential election, 62 percent of Asian Americans voted for Barack Obama, a Democrat. In voting four years later, Obama won 73 percent of the Asian-American vote. Nearly half of Asian American voters are not registered with any political party. They consider themselves politically independent. Hugh Tra is an immigrant from Vietnam. He now lives in southern California. Tra says he identifies with the Democrats, and has been politically active since high school. As the two main parties begin their nominating process, Tra considers how each candidate stands on the issues. He feels immigration and income inequality are two big issues. He also thinks the time is now for candidates from both parties to attract Asian voters. Hugh Tra says “I think there hasn’t been enough effort by either party to outreach to Asian Americans. Definitely both parties need to step up their game and reach out to us.” As of now, Tra said he is thinking he may support Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democrat. The Asian American population is one of the largest growing groups in the United States. By 2040, nearly one in 10 people in the U.S. is expected to be Asian American. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Elizabeth Lee reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow 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   according - adv. as stated by or in demographic – adj. relating to the qualities (such as age, sex, and income) of a specific group of people incumbent – n. a person who holds a particular office or position outreach – n. the activity or process of bringing information or services to people attract – v.  to cause someone to like or be interested in something

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'Benito Cereno,' by Herman Melville, Part Three

Herman Melville

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sometimes (adverb)

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