Migrants Cower as Raids Target Illegal Immigrants

The United States recently launched a campaign to expel illegal immigrants from Central America. The Obama administration targeted people who stayed after they were told to leave the country. Government agents detained 121 Central Americans, many of them women and children. VOA’s Carolyn Presutti recently spoke with a number of undocumented migrants just after their homes were raided. They came to the U.S. mainly for economic reasons. Their full names are not made public because of the sensitivity of the issue. Maria, age 8, said she was cleaning her teeth and preparing to go to school, when she heard a noise at the door. She opened the door and found eight immigration agents. “I said, ‘Who are you?’ and they didn’t tell me their names. They said, 'Is there a grown-up here?' And I said, 'Yes,' ” she continued. Maria said she was “trying to be brave,” knowing “they would never get my family because my family hasn’t done anything bad.” But Maria’s Aunt Sofia is in the United States illegally. So are other adults who were not at home when the agents arrived. Sofia hid in a ground floor bedroom with her three baby boys during the raid. Agents went room to room, but never looked in the basement. “I thought they were going to enter the room with my children there and take me,” Sofia said. While she was able to avoid getting detained by the immigration agents, Sofia said she is still full of fear. “Now, I don’t know what I can do. I’m not even going to the grocery store anymore. I’m scared to go,” she said. The Obama administration said the raids are designed to send a message to people in Central America. It wants to prevent more mass migration to the United States. The administration wants to avoid a repeat of the 2014 immigration crisis. Two years ago, tens of thousands of Central Americans were traveling across the Mexican border. Many were children. Jeh Johnson heads the federal agency that organized the raids. “Our borders are not open to illegal migration,” said Johnson, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. “If you come here illegally, we will send you back consistent with our laws and values.” Immigrant advocates call the raids inhumane. Cecillia Wang is director of the American Civil Liberty Union’s Immigrants' Rights Project. She says “The administration is doubling down on a system that is rigged against these families. Many of these mothers and children had no lawyers because they could not afford them. "Without counsel, traumatized refugees don't understand what is happening in court and cannot get their legitimate asylum claims heard." But two candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, want to do much more. Both said they would try to expel all estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Trump also promises to build a fence along the Mexican border and get Mexico to pay for it. “You're going to have a deportation force, and you're going to do it humanely," he said on MSNBC. “Don't forget that you have millions of people that are waiting in line to come into this country, and they're waiting to come in legally. And I always say the wall, we're going to build the wall. It's going to be a real deal. It's going to be a real wall." Immigration activists have reacted to the recent raids by holding meetings and handing out “Know Your Rights” cards. The cards have the following message in both English and Spanish: “I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, unless you have a warrant.” Maria tells VOA she does not plan to get to that point. “I’ve learned to never open the door and to look out the window,” she says. I’m Mary Gotschall. Carolyn Presutti reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert 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 share your views on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   migrant – n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work basement – n. the part of a building or house that is entirely or partly below ground doubling down – v. moving ahead with a program or policy with energy rig – v. to control or affect something in a corrupt way afford – v. to be able to pay for something counsel -- n. a lawyer who represents a person or group in a legal matter traumatize – v. to cause (someone) to become very upset in a way that often leads to serious emotional problems deportation – n. to force a person to leave the country warrant – n. a document issued by a court that gives the police the power to do something  

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Cameras Capture Pictures of Mysterious Bush Dog

Scientists say they have captured photographs of one of the most mysterious known animals: bush dogs. Bush dogs live in Central and South America.  They are a rarely seen and threatened species. But the photos suggest they may be more common than scientists thought. Scientists used cameras that take photos in the forest when an animal passes by. Photos of the bush dogs were taken in wild areas of Panama. The traps can be found across the country from its Costa Rican border to its border with Colombia. Ricardo Moreno is a research associate for the Smithsonian Institution. He and a team of biologists from Yaguará, Panama are studying large, wild mammals in that country. He says, “The bush dog is one of the rarest species that we photograph.” The researchers describe the animals as “short-legged and stubby, standing only about a foot (30cm) tall at the shoulder.” Like other dogs, bush dogs hunt in packs of up to 10. They are known to communicate to each other using “high-pitched whines.” They eat mostly large forest rodents. The bush dog is so elusive that photos of the animal were made only 11 times over 32,000 camera days. That is the number of cameras multiplied by the days in operation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says bush dog populations have dropped by up to 25 percent over the past 12 years. It is considered a “near-threatened” species. Humans do not hunt or directly threaten bush dogs. But, habitat loss is affecting their numbers. They live mainly in rainforests. Scientists think the animals may require large forest spaces to survive. It is estimated that Panama lost 15 percent of its rainforest from 1990 to 2010. I’m Kathleen Struck.   Caty Weaver adapted this story from a VOA news report. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to know what you think of this story. Post a message in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   pack - n. a group of usually wild animals that hunt together​ whine - v. to make a high, crying sound​ rodent - n. a small animal (such as a mouse, rat, squirrel, or beaver) that has sharp front teeth​ elusive - adj. hard to find or capture​ habitat - n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows​

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Venice Throws Wild Party Before Lent

The canals of Venice, Italy were packed with boats this week to launch a period of celebration leading up to Lent. The city kicks off its Carnival with a boat parade. “Carnival” means “farewell to meat,” and Carnival covers the days leading to a period of denial, called Lent. Some observant Christians will also fast during holy days in the Lenten period. Those 40 days lead to Easter, the highest holy day for Christians. The Venice Carnival lasts until Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, on February 9. The Venice Carnival is one of the world’s oldest and most colorful. It includes the boat parade in Venice’s famous canals, a ball where people dress in beautiful costumes, and the king’s banquet. People from all over the world come to Venice’s festival. One woman came from England. She says the festival has a great atmosphere. “Great people, great food, getting to have a look around and see the great culture that's here as well." The festival comes at the same time that many large European cities are on guard against terrorist attacks. But Carnival visitors say terrorist threats will not prevent them from enjoying themselves. One Italian woman says she thinks a terrorist attack could come at any time, so she wants to live her life instead of being worried. “We have decided to come anyway to take part in this festival because it really is the most beautiful." Historians think the Carnival celebration has roots in ancient Roman times. Festivals were named after gods. One was called Saturnalia and honored Saturn. Another was called Bacchanalia and honored Bacchus. People of all backgrounds celebrated life together. Slaves could wear masks and dine at the same tables as their masters. Historians think those traditional festivals became the inspiration for Carnival when Christianity became a religion. I’m Dan Friedell.   Zlatica Hoke wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Would you want to visit the Venice Carnival someday? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   background - n. the part of a picture that is farthest from the person seeing it banquet – n. a dinner held for many people, usually to celebrate a special event carnival – n.  a celebration held before Lent that includes music and dancing costume – adj. involving people wearing costumes fast - v. to eat no food for a period of time festival – n. a special time or event when people gather to celebrate something kicks off - v. to start or begin mask – n. a covering used to hide or disguise your face master - n. someone with control over another person; the owner of a slave  

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Businesses Weak on Cyber-Crime Protection

A new report says businesses around the world are not keeping up with the new and increasingly tricky methods of cyber criminals. The international technology company Cisco Systems released the report. It says businesses are trying to prevent cyber-security breaks using old technology and policies. However, the report also says the increased threat is creating many new jobs for those able to help defend computer systems. The report describes major mistakes businesses have made in trying to stop attacks. It said there was a 10 percent recent drop in updates to security measures among businesses. Cisco examined 115,000 devices. It said 92 percent of them had security weaknesses in their software. Jason Brvenik is a top Cisco engineer. He told VOA that computer criminals will attack any system, whether it is owned by a company or an individual. He said criminals will work together to target a computer system to try to steal information. Brvenik said companies are beginning to use defensive measures that watch over their computer systems continuously. He said that helps them know if they are being attacked and to quickly answer such attacks. He said many companies currently do not discover attacks until 100 or more days have passed. He said new programs are able to identify attacks within hours. Cisco says it is able to identify attacks on its systems within about 17 hours. The fight against computer criminals is creating many jobs. Tara Sinclair is the chief economist at the jobs listing website Indeed.com. She says computer attacks have caused a large increase in the need for computer security experts. She says companies need workers who can protect them from attacks. Cisco estimates 1 million people are needed to fill cyber security jobs. The company Symantec is the largest seller of security software in the world. It says the number of people needed for computer security jobs will grow to 1.5 million by 2019. Cisco's Jason Brvenik said universities are working to train students for the growing cyber security market. He said 90 percent of the universities Cisco studied for its report offer cyber-security training. I’m Caty Weaver. VOA Correspondent Ramon Taylor reported this story from New York. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the story into VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver 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   cyber – adj. of or relating to computers, computer systems, the Internet, etc.    

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White House Protester Dies After Longest Vigil

You probably saw Concepcion Picciotto if you visited the White House over the past 35 years or so. She lived in a camp, in Lafayette Park, right across the street from the official home of U.S. presidents. Picciotto was a peace activist. Holding up homemade signs with anti-war messages, she kept a vigil in the park through rain and snow and heatwaves. She opposed war, nuclear weapons and violence against children. She died January 25 at N Street Village, a shelter for homeless women in Washington. The Washington Post says she had the longest continuous act of political protest in the United States. When she died, Concepcion Picciotto was believed to be about 80 years old. She was also known as “Connie” or “Conchita.” She came to the United States as a Spanish immigrant when she was 18. Through the years she spoke English with an accent. The small woman wore a wig and a scarf over a metal helmet. Walt Palmer worked for ABC News in Washington. Sometimes he was sent to the White House. “I remember talking to her one spring day in the mid-1980s,” Palmer says. “She had particularly big hair. Asking about it, she removed the wig she wore to cover the cooking pot on her head to protect from the 'government X-rays.' '' It was a story Picciotto told many people. She thought the government was trying to hurt her by aiming X-rays at her head. Only a few people would believe that to be true, and many people questioned her mental health. Others thought she had a clear mind. Either way, she provided food for thought for people coming to see one of the most famous houses in the world. Susan McQuillin Bonney works in Washington, D.C. In 2001, she took two children to see the White House. “They were much more fascinated with Concepcion Picciotto and how and why she lived outside than they were with the White House,” Bonney says. “They asked her how she ate and where she went to the bathroom. She told them how a group of people took care of her and the other activists on the vigil. I remember it was hard to explain later what nuclear weapons were.” It would be impossible to know how many times Picciotto spoke with people passing by. But many people who saw her protest signs would talk about them. Some were even inspired by her peace vigil. She was married once and had adopted a child with her husband, according to the Washington Post. She was separated from her family and the newspaper says she last saw her child when the girl was very young. She met a man named William Thomas on the streets of D.C. Together they started the protest in Lafayette Park. Others joined them, including a woman who later married Thomas. He has since died and his wife moved away. Others have worked with Picciotto to keep the vigil. U.S. Park Police rules say that a temporary shelter must be occupied or it will be taken down. Once, years ago, when Picciotto had let others stay at her camp, they left it empty. The Park Police took it down. Eleanor Holmes Norton stepped in to help Picciotto. Norton is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Saying the Park Police action was “outrageous,” Norton picked up the telephone, called the police and had Picciotto’s home put back in the square. Norton says Picciotto was successful in influencing efforts to limit the production of nuclear weapons. Norton says Picciotto is an inspiration to her and her fight for D.C. statehood. “She inspires me and the great struggle of the people of the District of Columbia for statehood, and she inspires all of us who want peace in this world, and a world free of nuclear arms.” And what about the future of the vigil? A spokesperson for the U.S. Park Police, says it can stay as long as it is occupied. And for now, the group of peace activists who had kept the vigil with Concepcion Picciotto are still there -- right across the street from the White House. I’m Anne Ball.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of Concepcion Picciotto’s more than 30-year vigil for peace? Write to us in the Comments section and post on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vigil – n. an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc accent – n. a way of pronouncing words that occurs among the people in a particular region or country wig – n. artificial hair that you wear on your head because you are bald or in order to change your appearance scarf – n. a piece of cloth worn around your head food for thought – phrase. something that should be thought about or considered carefully inspire – v. to make someone want to do something helmet - n. a hard hat that is worn to protect your head adopted - v. taking a child of other parents legally as your own child according - adv. as stated in or by            

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Ice Boats Race Like the Wind

Who says you have to stay inside your home when it is cold outside? There’s an unusual sport practiced in the northern United States, and the season only starts when winds start blowing and the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius. The sport is called ice boating. Clement Chua, who comes from a much warmer climate, is learning all about ice boating. He is an exchange student from Singapore and attends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chua signed up for an ice boating class because he wanted to do something he could not do at home. “Ice boating is a most unique class,” he says. One experienced ice boater calls the sport “ephemeral.” In other words, the conditions for ice boating do not happen very often. And when the conditions are right, they are not right for very long. “You can go weeks in the winter when you can’t go ice boating,” says 81-year-old Lloyd Roberts. Roberts has been ice boating for 40 years. He says dedicated ice boaters make the sport a major event in their lives, just after funerals and weddings. The capital of ice boating in the United States is now the northeastern state of Maine. It once was New Jersey. But the capital moved north because Maine has warmer winters than before, and New Jersey’s winters are sometimes too warm for good ice to form. Maine gets cold enough in the winter that lakes and ponds will freeze, but it is no longer so cold that the ponds are covered with snow. Chua says he does a lot of windsurfing back home in Singapore, a place where water sports are popular. The sport of ice boating also uses wind to power a small vessel. But that is where the similarities end. Ice boats are like small sailboats, but they have sharp blades designed for skimming over the ice. The boats catch the wind and move fast on clear, smooth ice. Roberts says there are only about six good ice boating days each winter. Jim Thieler is a serious ice boater. He says there is always a concern about getting wet, because sometimes the ice is not strong enough to support the weight of both the boat and the boater. “They say there’s two kinds of ice boaters: those that have gone swimming, and those who are going to. Me, personally, yeah, I’ve gotten wet up to my thighs before.” That is why ice boaters always go out in groups, and wear special equipment. You need to wear shoes with metal cleats to avoid slipping on the ice. You also need warm clothing, because sometimes the wind will stop blowing, and boaters can stay in the cold for long periods before they make it back to land. They also carry ice picks, so they can pull themselves out of the water in case the ice breaks. The ice boaters say it is easy to get started in the sport. But the costs for new gear and new boats add up fast. The cost may just be the price people have to pay when faced with the other option: spending the long winter indoors. I’m Dan Friedell.   Arash Arabasadi wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English with reporting from the Portland Press Herald. George Grow was the editor. Would you want to try ice boating someday? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dedicated – adj. having very strong support for or loyalty to a person, group, cause, etc. cleat – n. a piece of rubber, wood, or metal that is fastened to the bottom of a shoe or boot to prevent slipping — usually plural ephemeral – adj.  lasting a very short time gear – n. supplies, tools, or clothes needed for a special purpose pond – n. an area of water that is surrounded by land and that is smaller than a lake practice – v. to do (something) regularly or constantly as an ordinary part of your life skim – v.  to move quickly or lightly along, above, or near the surface of something windsurf – v. to ride along the surface of the water while standing on a long, narrow board that has a sail attached blade – n. the sharp metal piece on the bottom of an ice skate option – n. a choice of possibility  

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China Charges Canadian with Spying and Stealing

China said Friday it has charged a Canadian with spying and stealing state secrets. Kevin Garratt was arrested in August 2014 with his wife, Julia. She was released after six months but is not allowed to leave China. She and her husband ran a coffee shop in Dandong in northeastern China. They also conducted Christian aid work for North Koreans. "During the investigation, authorities found that Kevin Garratt may also be involved in gathering information for Canadian information agencies," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in Beijing. Garratt's parents said their son was arrested because he is Christian. Hua rejected that it has anything to do with religion. She said "he was indicted because of spying and stealing Chinese state secrets.” China's concept of state secrets can be very broad. Canada said it was concerned about the Garratt indictment. It has raised the issue with the Chinese government "at high levels."  A week ago, Canada accused Chinese hackers of breaking into a key computer network. News of the indictment reached Canadian officials one day after they attended a lavish party hosted by China in Ottawa, the Canadian capital. It marked the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. I’m Anne Ball.    Kathleen Struck adapted this story for Learning English from VOA news. Hai Do was the editor. Now it's your turn. Please leave a comment or post on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   indicted –v. to be formally charged with a crime concept –n. the idea of what something is or how it works hacker –n. person who secretly gets access to a computer system to get information, or cause damage lavish –adj. giving or using a large amount of something

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English in a Minute: 148 Head Over Heels

Have you ever been "head over heels" for someone? Find out what this dizzying expression means in this week's English in a Minute!

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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. 

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1ShLEbw
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