US: ASEAN Is the Heart of Asia Pacific

At a meeting of Southeast Asian nations in California, President Barack Obama is looking to solidify America’s leadership role in the Asia Pacific region. All 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, are meeting with the U.S. at the historic Rancho Mirage retreat in Sunnylands. Behind the beautiful backdrop, the leaders will take on difficult issues important to the region. Obama hopes to continue his Asian pivot to place more American political and military power in the fast-growing area. The U.S. and China are competing for influence among Asian nations. The talks will include closer relationships on people, trade and commerce, cooperation against violent extremism, and establishing rules and principles to guide nations on different issues. South China Sea dispute A main discussion point will be territorial disputes in the South China Sea and China’s increasing activities in the region. White House officials said the U.S. will send “a very clear message” to ASEAN leaders that it opposes China’s “militarization” of the disputed territories, and any increase in tensions there. The U.S. is not a claimant in the South China Sea disputes. But it will continue to press for freedom of navigation. The U.S. “interest in the South China Sea is the free flow of commerce,” said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security advisor. The administration says ASEAN is “the heart” of the Asia Pacific, and the best way to build a structure for peaceful and legal pursuit of interests. “The more that we can establish clear rules of the road for how issues are managed, for how disputes are resolved, the more stable and prosperous this region is going to stay going forward,” said Rhodes. North Korea’s recent rocket testing is also expected to be discussed at the meeting. The U.S. and ASEAN leaders will discuss how China can help pressure Pyongyang to end its “provocative” actions. The U.S. and China disagree on North Korea, but the U.S. sees common interest in keeping the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free. "We are exceptionally candid in confronting the many differences and tensions that exist between us,” said Daniel Kritenbrink, National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs. He said our relationship with China is “stable” and “complex." Daniel R. Russel is Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He said the ASEAN summit is “not about China,” but about creating an ASEAN committed to rules and fairness. “It allows major countries like the United States and other powers to engage constructively as partners,” Russell said. Obama will speak about human rights and democracy at the meeting. But administration officials said ASEAN countries have very different political models and human rights and democracy records. American officials say that countries that show positive movement towards democracy, like Myanmar, will get U.S. support.   Mary Alice Salinas reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What agreements do you want to see come from the ASEAN summit?  Let us know. Write a comment in the section below or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   solidify - v. make something stronger retreat - n. a place that is quiet and private pivot - n. the action of turning around pursuit –n. the act of following or chasing someone or something prosperous –adj. having success usually by making a lot of money provocative – adj. causing discussion, thought, argument, etc. candid –adj. honest stable –adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change commit –v. to say that someone will definitely do something to make someone obligated to do something  

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Where Are the Best Educated Americans?

The best educated Americans live mainly in the northeastern United States or in California, a new study finds. Zippia.com, a career resource website, studied education levels in all 50 states. It found that 40 percent of adults in Massachusetts have at least a  bachelor’s degree. They completed a four-year study program at a college or university. Just three percent of Massachusetts high school students withdrew from school before finishing their studies. Other states on the top 10 list are Vermont, Virginia, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Minnesota, Maryland and Nebraska. California finished in 10th place on the rankings. Mississippi was ranked at the bottom of the list. Just 20 percent of adults there went to college. Other states near the bottom were Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Zippia used information from the U.S. Census Bureau to decide the rankings. The company used college graduation rates and high school dropout rates from around the country. It did not use information about college entrance exams or intelligence tests. Zippia says there are good reasons for developing ratings of the most educated states. “One of the many qualities that people look for in a potential location or company is the intelligence of those around them,” the report said. “So finding a state with an intelligent population makes sense for both companies and employees.” In 2014, Forbes magazine named Boston, Massachusetts, as the smartest city in America. At the time, over 44 percent of adults living in Boston earned a college degree.    I’m Jim Dresbach.   Dora Mekouar reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Where do you think the smartest region of your country is located? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dropout – n. a person who stops going to a school or college before finishing ranking – n. a list of things that are ordered according to their quality, ability or size census – n. the official process of counting the number of people in a country, city, or town and collecting information about them graduation – n. the act of receiving a diploma or degree from a school, college, or university bachelor’s degree – n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after four years of study location – n. a place or position

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Do You Think You Can?

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Willpower is a mysterious force that helps us to control our actions and achieve our goals. We also call willpower determination, drive and self-control. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines willpower this way: Willpower is the ability to resist short-term temptations in order to meet long-term goals. Willpower allows us to ignore unwanted thoughts, feelings or desires. Willpower is a limited resource that you can use up. That last part is important. The theory that our willpower is limited is where psychology experts are divided. For many years in the world of psychology, the widely accepted theory has been that our willpower – our self-control – is limited. If we are not careful, we can use up our willpower before a task is completed or before a goal is reached. Psychologists who believe that willpower is a limited resource say using up our willpower is the main reason some of us fail to achieve our goals. However, in recent years, other psychologists have challenged this theory. A new theory says that the amount of our available willpower is affected by our attitudes about willpower. But first, let’s go back to the “limited supply” theory. The Chocolate-and-Radish Experiment An experiment back in the 1990s formed the popular theory in psychology that your willpower is limited. The experiment is known as the Chocolate-and-Radish Experiment. Researchers put 67 study subjects in a room that smelled of freshly baked chocolate cookies. Sounds good, right? Wrong. Instead of warm, rich chocolate cookies, researchers gave one group radishes to eat – cold, bitter radishes. The other group of subjects ate the chocolate cookies. Then researchers asked both groups to solve a difficult puzzle. The group that ate the radishes gave up on the puzzle after 9 minutes. The group that ate chocolate cookies worked twice as long on figuring out the puzzle. The researchers concluded that the group that resisted the chocolate cookies had used up their willpower. Willpower is like a muscle that can lose strength and tire. Other experiments that support this theory have found that willpower is like a hungry child in need of a “sugar fix.” When we use our willpower, it robs our brain of energy, or glucose. So, feeding the brain a little sugar when doing a difficult task helps you to fill up your willpower resource. The new theory on willpower But a new theory contradicts the idea that willpower is limited and can be charged up with sugar. Carol Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University. In 2013 she and her team asked 87 college students in Germany, Switzerland and the United States to describe their beliefs on willpower. Some said they believed willpower is a limited resource. Others said they believed willpower was plentiful and even increases the more it is used. Dweck then asked the study subjects to complete a difficult mental task. This first task was followed by a second that required the subject to resist an impulse and use their willpower. Dweck described the results in an interview with LiveScience. She said those who believed their willpower was limited grew tired after the first task. They performed poorly on the second task. But, if they received a sugary drink before the second task, they performed better. Dweck also said that people who believed willpower is limited were always looking for signs that they were running out of willpower, or they thought they needed the sugar fix. However, the study subjects who believed willpower was unlimited did not tire during the second task and they did not need a sugar boost. Dweck said the results suggest that willpower is not in limited supply. Instead, it is people’s beliefs about willpower that shape their behavior. She and her team published their findings in August of 2013 in the journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Tips how to use your willpower – limited or not But what do all these studies mean to you? Regardless of what you believe, the American Psychological Association website has advice for people trying to achieve their goals. Avoid Temptations. If you believe that your willpower is limited, remove outside temptations. This way you will not waste your willpower. As the expression goes, “out of sight, out of mind.” Make a Plan. For example, if you have to study over the weekend, set aside a certain period of time to get your work done. But also make time for fun, too. Think about your motivations. Are your goals your own or someone else’s? Studies and common sense suggest that people who pursue goals that are their own are more motivated to reach them. Focus on one goal at a time. Many push their willpower too much. They try to quit smoking, save money, lose weight and get a better job all at the same time. This may use up their willpower, if they believe in the “limited supply” theory. Instead, focus on one goal at a time. Think you can! There is evidence to support that if you believe you can do it, you can. A little positive thinking goes a long way!   I’m Anna Matteo.   What do you think? Is willpower a limited resource? Or do we have an unlimited supply to draw from? Let us know in the Comments section.   Anna Matteo wrote this for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   determination – n. a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult resist – v. to fight against (something) : to try to stop or prevent (something) temptation – n. a strong urge or desire to have or do something contradict – v. to say the opposite of (something that someone else has said) : to deny the truth of (something) impulse – n. a sudden strong desire to do something focus – n. a main purpose or interest motivation – n. a force or influence that causes someone to do something  

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Hollywood Studios Chase Chinese Audiences

American filmmakers are actively luring Chinese movie fans to the cinema with more Chinese plots and characters. The motion picture, Kung Fu Panda 3, is a prime example of Hollywood trying to attract more Chinese movie ticket buyers. Hollywood understands that China is the second-largest movie market in the world. The country will become the biggest movie market within a year when it overtakes the United States. Last year, cinema ticket sales in China added up to $6.6 billion. The American motion picture community has developed strategies to play a larger role in film-making and distribution in China. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst said, “A lot of [movie] studios … in the entertainment business are trying to align themselves with China. Everyone’s trying to scramble and trying to figure out how best to partner with China because it’s so important as a movie market.” The premiere date for Kung Fu Panda 3 was carefully selected to get more people to the cinemas. The opening date coincided with the Chinese New Year. So the animated American movie earned more than $100 million in ticket sales that day in China. Familiar plot lines and characters are another reason for Kung Fu Panda 3’s success in China. The cast includes the voices of internationally known movie stars, like Dustin Hoffman and Jackie Chan. “As a Chinese, it feels more familiar,” said 18-year-old Yifan Li. “I feel I can see a lot of elements that are very close to me.” American film companies are making movie viewing more convenient for the Chinese public. Dreamworks is the film company that produced Kung Fu Panda 3. Dreamworks produced two versions of the film for domestic Chinese audiences. In America, theaters showed the film in both Mandarin and English. Kung Fu Panda 3 went around a bit of Chinese tradition during the new year. The film was allowed to show during the holiday. Most foreign films are not allowed to show in China during the new year celebration. The film received screen time because it was co-produced in China by Dreamwork’s Chinese partner, Shanghai’s Oriental Dreamworks. Another Chinese-themed film will get much attention in 2016. Later this year, The Great Wall will feature American Matt Damon and Hong Kong’s Andy Lau as the main actors. It will also have a Chinese director overseeing his first English-language film. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Shannon Van Sant reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted the story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What is your favorite movie of 2016? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   lure – v. to cause or persuade a person to go somewhere or to do something by offering some pleasure or gain cinema – n. a movie theater overtake – v. to move up to and past someone or something distribution – n. the act of giving or delivering something to people strategies – n. careful plans or methods for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time scramble – v. to move or act quickly to do, find, or get something often before someone else does premiere – n. the first time a film is shown coincide – v. to happen at the same time as something else

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Students Learn Hands-on With Animals

Talking birds, goats butting heads, and a giant tortoise that hangs out with chickens are all part of a living classroom. High-school students at the Career Center in Arlington, Virginia are learning firsthand, and hands-on, how to care for animals. They are at the animal science laboratory, learning about, and taking care of, about 50 species of animals. Holding a happy rabbit in her arms, Elleny Alemu says it is “so cute.” She says soon she will be getting one of her own. Miguel Zambrano doesn’t feel the same way about Snickers. That is a temperamental brown miniature horse. Zambrano is feeding her hay, hoping she will let him brush her. “She gets mad if you just sometimes don’t even pay attention to her. I do not want a horse. It’s going to be way too much work.” Zambrano is one of 70 students taking the yearlong animal science program. Students learn in class and hands-on with the animals. It gives them both class credit and a chance to learn what it is like to work with animals. Sydney Miller takes a rabbit for a walk, to give it exercise. She takes the animal on a leash, like a dog. They walk past cages of rats, salamanders and even a hedgehog. “I wanted to learn more about different kinds of animals and get like a hands-on experience.” Something not so fun she has to do is clean the rabbit’s cage. Rabbits are very dirty, actually, she explains. “I have to clean his litter box and bedding every day.” One day, Miller hopes to be a veterinary technician. Many high schools have animal science programs.  But animal-science teacher Cindy Schall says this program is different because they have a large number of different kinds of animals. They include exotic sugar gliders -- small nocturnal marsupials with big eyes that live in Australia and Indonesia. The students take turns every two weeks taking care of a different animal.  Everything from cats to the less than human-friendly scorpions. Schall explains that the students learn “hand taming.” They have to hold them for at least 10 minutes. Yes, that includes snakes and even tarantulas — a kind of sometimes deadly spider. Schall says she helps the student, by first holding the animal herself. Part of the care includes weighing the animals and checking them for any health problems. Sarah Maller looks into the eyes of a rodent, a degu. "I have to see if there are any little eyelashes or anything in the way, or scratches.” Kimberly Rodriquez learned something new when she fed a turtle a small dead mouse in a tank with fish.  She says she was surprised to find out the turtle eats meat, and he gets along with the fish. Lab assistant Rebecca Brumbaugh helps the students. She says that, like people, animals have minds of their own. “They have their good days and their bad days.” Megan Johnson wants to be a vet. She pet a chinchilla as she held it. "The different animals have different personalities and they connect with different humans.” Ruben Stann weighs a golden-colored albino horned frog. He says he feels an emotional bond with animals. "You have to kind of make a little connection. For me, it's very relaxing." And connecting to the natural world is not always easy for the students living in the mostly urban Virginia towns just outside Washington, D.C. I’m Anne Ball.   Deborah Block reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have animals?  What kind? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tortoise –n. a turtle that lives on the land firsthand –adj. coming directly from seeing or experiencing something rabbit –n. a small animal that usually lived in holes in the ground, with soft fur and long ears temperamental –adj. likely to become upset or angry miniature – adj. very small leash –n. long thin piece of rope or chain used to hold an animal salamander -n. a tailed amphibian, which have a soft, moist, scaleless skin hedgehog -n.  a mammal with spiny hairs on the back and sides veterinary technician –n. a person who helps a veterinarian, an animal doctor exotic –adj. very different, strange or unusual nocturnal – adj. something active at night marsupial –n. a kind of animal, like a kangaroo, that carries its babies in a pocket of skin on the mother’s stomach scorpion –n. a small animal related to spiders, with two front claws and a curved tail with poison in the end hand taming – n. training animals to obey people chinchilla - n. a small South American animal that has soft gray fur albino –adj. lacking pigment, white urban –adj. relating to cities and people who live in them

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Jimi Hendrix London Apartment Opens As a Museum

The London apartment of American guitarist and rock legend Jimi Hendrix has been restored as a museum. Hendrix was an American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. He and his girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, lived in a top floor flat of an 18th-century house in London’s Mayfair neighborhood in 1968 and 1969. Every detail of the living space has been re-created. Persian rugs are on the floor, a Victorian shawl hangs above the bed, newspapers lie on the dresser and a clamshell ashtray sits next to it. Another room of the new museum has a wall of album covers, including Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced?” That was his first album with drummer Mitch Mitchell and bass player Noel Redding. Some of Hendrix’s own album collection –- including a copy of Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” stained with Hendrix’s own blood -– are on display. Christian Lloyd is a professor at Queen’s University in Britain and the author of a new book, “Hendrix at Home: A Bluesman in Mayfair.” He says Hendrix had no neighbors when he rented the flat, so he could make music as loud as he wanted to. “I think it was the kind of place where, after they’d been to ‘The Speakeasy’ – one of the music clubs just five or 10 minute’ walk away  they’d come back here later and hang out and so on. So yeah, Jimi was 25 when he was here, so yeah they had some fun, yeah.” Lloyd says the display also features Hendrix’s acoustic guitar that was always nearby. “That guitar was always leaned up against the bed there. It was always within hand’s reach, he composed many of his most famous songs on that guitar, not on an electric guitar actually. He’s also someone who worked really, really hard on his music.” The apartment at 23 Brook Street is next to the former house of composer George Frideric Handel. It was originally office space for the Handel House Museum. Hendrix’s old apartment had been open only for special events. Museum directors decided to open a permanent museum in the flat. Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle and was almost unknown when he first came to London in 1966.  Word soon spread in the music community of his extraordinary talent. The following year he released his debut album, “Are You Experienced?” with his band. The Jimi Hendrix Experience made him an international star. Although most of Hendrix's last years were spent touring, he returned to make London his base in 1968. The Brook Street house is his only surviving home. Barrie Wentzell is a former photographer for Melody Maker magazine. He photographed Jimi Hendrix in the flat in the 1960s.  Some of his images are on display in the exhibit. He says Jimi would be pleased with the exhibit. “Every time I hear that ‘Hey Joe’ on the radio, I’m back in the darkroom again. The music and the pictures are a mnemonic to bring you back into that. And I think it’s very important for the younger generation who don’t know that world of freedom and hippyness and money wasn’t an issue and hey you walk down the street and there’s Jimmy Page or Richie Blackmore or you go to The Speakeasy and there’s Keith Moon destroying somebody’s drum it and drinking somebody to the floor in the bar.” Jimi Hendrix died in London in September 1970, at the age of 27, of a drug overdose. Had he lived he would now be 73. I’m Marsha James.   David Byrd reported on this story for VOANews.com. Marsha James adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   flat – n. an apartment usually on one floor mnemonic – n. something that helps people remember something hippy – n. a young person who rejects established social customs and who opposes violence and war

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Death of Supreme Court Justice Becomes Campaign Issue

The sudden death of United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Saturday quickly became part of the presidential campaign. Republicans campaigning for the party’s presidential nomination said President Barack Obama -- a Democrat -- should not try to replace Scalia before he leaves office in January. They said he is too close to the end of his presidency. Republican front-runner Donald Trump even called on Republican Senate leaders to block the nomination. He said, “It’s called delay, delay, delay.” But Democrats said it is the duty of the president to name new justices no matter how soon his or her presidency is to end. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told supporters “the president has a responsibility to nominate a new justice and the Senate has a responsibility to vote.” Justices serve on the Supreme Court until they leave voluntarily or die. Some of them serve for many years after the president who named them leaves office. Obama said Saturday that he would seek Senate approval for a new justice before he leaves office. “I plan to fulfill my constitutional responsibilities to nominate a successor in due time,” he said. The president also called on the Senate “to give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote. These are responsibilities that I take seriously, as should everyone. They’re bigger than any one party -- they’re about a democracy.” Republican Mitch McConnell is the Senate Majority Leader. He said the president should not nominate a new justice. The U.S. Constitution gives the Senate the power to approve a presidential nominee for the Supreme Court. Some political experts have said if the president were a Republican with little time left in office, Democrats would be calling for him or her not to name a new justice. And they would be calling on the Senate not to vote on the nominee. In other words, the experts believe that a politician’s positions change depending on whether they believe it is good for their political party. If the Senate does not confirm a new justice before Obama leaves office, the seat will be empty for almost a year. It is unusual for a seat on the court to be empty for so long. In the past 100 years, ten justices have died while they were on the court. They were replaced within about three months on average. Republicans say a Supreme Court justice should not be named in a presidential election year. But 14 justices have been approved in the same year as a presidential election, including in 1988. Many important cases on the court are decided by a vote of 5 to 4. Scalia was often on the winning side of cases that conservatives supported. But now, without his vote, conservatives cannot win many of their cases because there are four liberals on the court. A Supreme Court that has eight members can still decide some cases, if more than four justices agree. Without a fifth vote, many important cases cannot be decided. This year the court was to consider many difficult issues -- including abortion, immigration and religious freedom. I’m Jonathan Evans.   VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.  

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Presidential Facts and 'Firsts'

A history of Presidents' Day The third Monday of February is known as Presidents’ Day in the United States. For almost 100 years, America officially honored the birthday of its first president, George Washington, on February 22. That is his birthday. That date was a national holiday until 1968. That year, the U.S. Congress passed a measure known as the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The measure meant that some public holidays would always fall on a Monday. Today, the U.S. honors its first president on the third Monday in February, and not on Washington’s actual birthday. The holiday is also now commonly called Presidents’ Day. Many say it also honors Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. The nation’s 16th president was born on February 12. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act gives workers a three-day weekend. It also gives shops and marketers a chance to have special Presidents’ Day sales. The U.S. federal government, however, still recognizes the holiday as “Washington’s Birthday.” Presidential Facts and 'Firsts' The year 2016 is a big year in America. The presidential elections take place this November. As the country focuses on electing a new president, let us take a look at some presidential facts and “firsts.” Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, is running to become the first woman president of the country. If elected, she would also be the first First Lady to become president in history. Her husband, Bill Clinton, was America’s 42nd president. Not to be outdone, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is trying to become the first Jewish president of the U.S. If elected, Sanders would also be the first self-declared “socialist” to become president in a strongly “capitalist” country. This year, Jeb Bush is trying to become the third member of his family to win the presidency. His father, George Herbert Walker Bush, was the 41st president and his brother, George W. Bush, was the 43rd. But the Bushes were not the first father-son presidents. That title belongs to the Adams family. John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, was the first son of a president to become president. John Adams, his father, was the nation’s first vice-president. He went on to become America’s second president. And Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president, followed his cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, to the White House. In an election year when voters are unhappy with the unequal distribution of wealth, businessman Donald Trump is looking to become the first billionaire to win the White House. That would make him the richest president ever. Some experts say that John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, currently holds the title of richest person to serve as president. Kennedy was also the youngest person to be elected president, as well as the youngest president to die in office. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. If Donald Trump does win the Republican nomination, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, will not be able to become the first foreign-born president. Cruz, a Republican presidential candidate, was born in Canada to a U.S. citizen. The U.S. Constitution requires that presidents be “natural born citizens.” But, the meaning of “natural-born citizen” is not exactly clear. People read the rule in different ways. The first “natural-born” president of the U.S. was not George Washington or John Adams. It was Martin Van Buren, the eighth president. He was born in 1782, six years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. All seven presidents before Van Buren and William Henry Harrison, the ninth president, were not “natural-born” citizens. They were born before 1776, when the American states were still colonies. William Henry Harrison himself does have one presidential “first.” He was the first president to die in office. Harrison was president for only 32 days, the shortest time of any president. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president, served the longest time of any president. He held office for 4,422 days. After Roosevelt’s death, the 22nd amendment was passed. It limited a person to two four-year terms as president. That law prevents Barack Obama, the 44th president, from running for another term. Obama, of course, will always be known as the first black president of the United States.   Hai Do reported on this story VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   uniform – adj. not varying or changing cousin - n. a child of your uncle or aunt distribution - n. the way that something is divided or spread out assassinated. - v. killed usually for political reasons   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ​

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Rocky Year Ahead for Nigeria Amid Oil Price Crash

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer. But the fall in crude oil prices has Nigerians preparing for a below average economy this year. Nigeria’s economy has long been linked to oil. The country now produces more than two million barrels of oil a day. Experts are worried, however, because crude oil prices have fallen below $30 a barrel. In 2014, oil was still valued at over $100 a barrel. Nearly 70 percent of the Nigerian government’s revenue comes from the sale of oil.  Oil makes up over two-thirds of Nigeria’s exports. That puts the country in a difficult position, according to energy experts. “Oil is basically government’s main source of revenue of running the economy, or running the budget,” said Dolapo Oni, Ecobank’s Head of Energy Research. When elected in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to provide jobs and to stop corruption. Those promises led to a 25 percent proposed budget increase over the year before. Experts says the price of oil may force the government to rethink promised projects. “If the promises are waiting while the government is spending money on luxuries…then there will be a crisis,” financial expert Bismarck Rewane said. Dolapo Oni said that the price decline would also lead to major changes to the country’s oil industry. Among those changes are reforms to the fuel subsidy system that keeps fuel prices low. Other changes would be to the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.  Both of these have been accused of waste by industry experts and civil society. I’m Mario Ritter.   Chris Stein reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   revenue – n. money that is made by or paid to a business or organization subsidies – n. money that is paid by the government to keep the price of a product or service low crude - adj. unprocessed barrel - n. a form of measurement equal to about 160 liters

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Everyday Grammar: Modals for Asking Permission

For more on this topic, read our story Everyday Grammar: You Had Better Learn Modals!

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Jordanians Send Anti-Terror Message Through Theater

In Jordan, some people are using theater to suggest a different path than terrorism. The goal is to use actors to show dangers facing young people who join the Islamic State or other terrorist groups. “Our role is to produce plays, TV drama, tackling the danger of extremism,” a Jordanian actor told VOA. “It is considered a powerful way to fight extremist ideology.” The goal is to offer another view than the one presented by terrorist groups through social media. He said terrorists are using social media “to seduce youth.” A Jordanian actress said she is playing a mother trying to protect her children from extremism. The theater group aims its shows at university students. The shows call for taking care of family and respect for all religions. The group mixes serious messages with humor. The actors say they cannot get their message across if they take a serious tone throughout the shows. In the United States, President Barack Obama recently visited a mosque. He talked about ways to combat terrorism. Obama said it is important for Americans to show respect for Muslims and all they do for the U.S., including serving in the military and Department of Homeland Security. “I want every American to remember how Muslim communities are standing up for others,” Obama said. “Because right now, as we speak, there are Muslims in Kenya who saved Christians from terrorists, and Muslims who just met in Morocco to protect religious minorities, including Christians and Jews.” He also said Muslim leaders should speak out against terrorism. And while Obama said Muslims should feel free to criticize the United States, a right belonging to all Americans, there should be a balance. “Muslim political leaders have to push back on the lie that the West oppresses Muslims and against conspiracy theories that say America is the cause of every ill in the Middle East,” Obama said. I'm Mario Ritter.   Haider al Abdadi reported on this story from Jordan for VOA. Bruce Alpert adapted the story for Learning English.  ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Kathleen Struck 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   role – n. a part that someone or something has in a particular activity or situation ideology – n. the set of ideas and beliefs of a group seduce – v. to persuade someone to do something tone – n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing conspiracy – adj. the believe that some people are engaging in a secret harmful or illegal activity

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