Success In Debating and Business

  Over the last few weeks we discussed a method for teaching debate to English learners. Debate is a valuable way to practice communicating. It can also bring long-lasting rewards outside the classroom, especially for people working with Western businesses. Communicating Western-style The main activity of debate is presenting one's opinion and supporting it with evidence, such as statistics or facts. It is a way of persuasive communication – of making someone believe what you are saying. Charles Lebeau helped create the "Discover Debate" method. He says debate is important to understanding how people communicate in Western business. Successful debaters learn how to give their opinion, reasons and support. "What we are trying to do is to develop a kind of thinking or approach to discussion and how to interact with someone else’s opinion, rather than brush their opinion aside and say, “well yes, but this is what I think." Debate skills are also important in selling a product, he says. In that situation, the judges are the customers. "So on Monday, for example, one company may come in and present their case to the customer and they'll make as strong a case as they can. On Tuesday, the next day, another company will come in and present their case to the customer. Usually the party that can present the strongest case wins." He adds that people use persuasive communication in meetings, too. Three or four people may present ideas. Then, they attack or support each other's arguments. "I think this way of approaching presenting opinions and responding to opinions, is very important for English speaking. In Japan, we don't really do that, we don't respond to a person point by point. In English-style meetings, we do do that and Japanese participants need to do that in an English style meeting in order to be successful." Critical thinking Debate also strengthens critical thinking. In other words, it helps students learn to ask questions and try to understand someone's reasons and evidence. Mr. Lebeau points out that successful debaters learn to listen carefully to what other people are saying. Then, they look for the weak points in someone else's opinion or argument. He says debate teaches a systematic way of questioning. Broadening one's perspective Successful debaters also learn to think from someone else's point of view. Mr. Lebeau says debate can help broaden the mind. "There's an expression in English: don't criticize another person before you have walked in their shoes. I think the wonderful thing about debate is, it puts us in another person's shoes." For example, students in a debate might argue the topic "soccer is a better sport than baseball." A student may have to argue in favor of soccer, even if he or she does not really think soccer is better than baseball. But the student will have to explain why soccer is an interesting sport and present the viewpoint of soccer fans. The exercise will offer a way of thinking the student may not have normally had. Debate can improve one's thinking and language so much that it brings benefits to a student's life and career. Professor Lebeau tells a story about teaching debate to new employees at Toshiba. One young woman came up and asked, "Do you remember me?" She had been his student in a Debate and Presentation class at her university. She said the class improved her English skills so much that she had been able to get a good job in the company.  She is living evidence of the benefits of learning to debate. I'm Jill Robbins. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   persuasive - adj. able to cause people to do or believe something; able to persuade people critical thinking - n. analyzing and evaluating an issue in order to form a judgment broaden - v. to make something wider or more general Now it's your turn. Do you have any experience with learning to debate? What did you find were the benefits? Write to us in the comments section.

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Gymnast from India Makes History

This is What’s Trending Today… For the first time in history, a woman gymnast from India will compete at the Olympics. Dipa Karmakar won rights to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games during a Test Event last weekend. The test event was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The games officially open in Rio on August 5. Karmakar is 22 years old. She is from the Indian state of Tripura. She qualified for the Olympics by finishing among the top 33 individual gymnasts at the Test Event. Karmakar is also the first gymnast from India -- male or female -- to reach the Olympics in more than 50 years. Her historic performance has made her a trending topic on Facebook and Twitter. Supporters on social media praised and congratulated her. ​ ​ Even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Karmakar’s performance. Speaking on Tuesday, Modi said, “Dipa has made India proud and brought glory to its name. First time, a daughter from the country has been selected in gymnastics…” Also during the Test Event, the women’s gymnastics team from Romania failed to qualify to the Rio Olympics. Romania placed seventh at the Test Event’s team competition. Only the top four teams at the event qualified to the Olympics. Eight other teams qualified to the Olympics at last year’s World Championships. Romania has won a medal in team gymnastics in every Olympics since 1976. That was the year Romanian Nadia Comaneci received the first ‘Perfect 10’ in Olympic history. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson. Ashley Thompson adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gymnast - n. a person who performs various physical exercises on special equipment as part of an athletic competition gymnastics - n.  a sport in which athletes are judged on how well they perform various physical exercises on special equipment qualify - v. to do the things that are required to become a member of a team or to be allowed in a competition glory - n. public praise, honor, and fame

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Castaways Get HELP

  After their small boat turned over, three men swam to a small island in the Pacific Ocean. They used the leaves and branches of palm trees to spell the word HELP hoping someone could see them. Just like in a movie, a U.S. Navy airplane spotted the castaways on a small island in Micronesia a week later. The island is close to Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific. The flight crew searching for the men used a camera that can read heat signals to discover that they might be on the island. The men had started a fire, hoping to be found. The pilot flew around the island and discovered the word spelled on the beach. When the plane was close enough, the men ran out from some trees and started waving their orange life vests. The plane flew close to the ground more than once, and tipped its wings to show the men it knew they were there. The crew also threw a smoke signal into the water. The Navy airplane reported the castaways’ location to the U.S Coast Guard and a boat from a nearby island left to pick the men up. Lieutenant Commander John Harkins said he and his crew celebrated when they found the men, because they did not think they would find them. The Associated Press news service reports the men arrived home safely and were not injured. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting by the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. What would you do if you were stranded on a small island in the Pacific Ocean? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ___________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   castaway –n. a person who is left alone in a place (such as an island) as a result of a storm, shipwreck, etc.  

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Ethiopia: South Sudan Gunmen Kill More Than 200

  Ethiopian officials say at least 200 people were killed Friday in a raid by a South Sudanese ethnic group called the Murle. Media reports say more than 100 women and children were kidnapped. The Murle are based in the eastern Jonglei region of South Sudan.  Ethiopian communication minister Getachew Reda told the Associated Press close to 60 attackers were killed, said He said Ethiopian forces may pursue the gunmen and those kidnapped into South Sudan. Ethiopia is home to thousands of refugees who have fled South Sudan. More than 270,000 of the refugees are in the Gambela region, which borders Ethiopia and South Sudan. The refugees fled to Ethiopia in late 2013 after war broke out in South Sudan. Thousands of refugees have been killed and more than 2 million have been forced from their homes during the war.   The staff of VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   region - n. area cattle rustling – v. the theft of livestock, especially cattle

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Justin Trudeau Explains 'Quantum Computing'

This is What’s Trending Today: Justin Trudeau has been the Prime Minister of Canada for only about six months. In that time, he has impressed people by greeting an airplane filled with Syrian refugees, showing off his ability to do yoga, and participating in traditional Indian dances. But last Friday, he showed off his intelligence, and everyone loved it. Trudeau talked with reporters after visiting a physics research center. He stood in front of a board with complex physics notations. One reporter said, “I was going to ask you to explain quantum computing…” But then he asked him a question about Canada’s work in fighting against the Islamic State terror group. Trudeau stopped the reporter. He told him he actually did know about quantum computing. Trudeau then said: “Normal computers work … it’s one or a zero. They’re binary systems. What quantum states allow for is much more complex information to be encoded into a single bit.” Trudeau continued his explanation of quantum computing for about 20 more seconds. A video posted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has already been viewed over 7 million times. A lot of people are still talking about the video. They are impressed with Trudeau's explanation of quantum computing. One Canadian wrote about the video on Facebook. “My Prime Minister can explain the core principles of quantum computing? I just teared up a little.” Another person on Facebook wrote that "Trudeau is not just a pretty face. He is also someone who embraces his inner geek and nerd!" But others on social media wondered if Trudeau should have answered the reporter's other question: about Canada’s role in the fight against the Islamic State. A Canadian blogger, J.J. McCullough, criticized Trudeau. He said he thought the question and answer on quantum computing were planned in advance. He added that reporters should challenge the young prime minister more often. But most Canadians were not worried about that point of view. They were only celebrating their prime minister’s intelligence. One social media user wrote, “I'm not going to second guess this man's ability to run the country, because it's obvious he's very capable.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What did you think about Trudeau’s answer about quantum computing? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   geek – n. a person who is interested in and knows a lot about a particular field or activity nerd – n. a person who is very interested in technical subjects, such as computers noble – adj. having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people admire core – n. the central part of something principle – n. the central part of something

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Brazil’s Senate to Decide if President Should Face Trial

Brazil’s political turmoil has intensified as lawmakers voted to carry forward the impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff. Lawmakers in the lower house of Congress voted late Sunday to send the case to the Senate. Now, Brazil’s upper legislative house is to decide whether to try Rousseff. She has been charged with manipulating budget accounts before her re-election in 2014 to make the country’s economy appear stronger than it was. Rousseff has denied any wrongdoing. The vote to impeach the president required a two-thirds majority of the 513-member lower house. Some of Rousseff's supporters cried after 367 members of the house voted to move the process forward. Jose Eduardo Cardozo is Brazil’s attorney general. He called the vote "a coup against democracy." The announcement of the vote caused cheering, music and dancing on the streets outside Congress where a huge crowd of Rousseff opponents had gathered. The Senate now decides whether to try the president The Senate could vote in early May to move forward with a trial for Rousseff. If it does, she would be forced to step down for up to 180 days while an impeachment trial is carried out.  A simple majority is needed to go ahead with a trial in the Senate. Brazilian media reported 45 out of 81 senators support a trial. Vice President Michel Temer would assume the presidency if Rousseff is suspended. However, he has been implicated in the investigation of corruption at Brazil’s state-run oil company, Petrobras. He also agreed to some of the government's budgetary actions that are at the heart of the impeachment case against Rousseff. Rousseff did not make an immediate statement after the vote against her, but was expected to give her reaction later Monday. Olympics should not to be affected The International Olympic Committee said the impeachment process against Rousseff should not stop work leading up to the summer games. The games in Rio de Janeiro are set to start August 5.  The committee said preparation has “entered into a very operational phase, where these kinds of political issues have much less influence than at other stages of organizing the Olympic Games." A tense political situation continues Brazil is also in one of its worst economic recessions since the 1930s. Many of Rousseff's critics blame her. Some public opinion studies show Rousseff's popularity has dropped to below 10 percent. Other opinion polls show 60 percent of Brazilians support her impeachment. Rousseff has not been accused of corruption. Yet her government is being investigated over bribery accusations related to Petrobas.  Congresso em Foco is an activist group in Brazil. It said that more than 300 of the lawmakers who voted against Rousseff are under investigation for corruption, fraud or electoral offenses.  The speaker of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha, has been charged with taking $5 million in bribes in the Petrobas scheme. He is also second in line to the presidency. I'm Mario Ritter.   Ken Bredemeier reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted his report for VOA Learning English. Additional information came from VOA's Victor Beattie. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   manipulating – n. to deal with or control someone in an unfair way coup – n. a sudden attempt by a small group of people to take over a government assume – v. to take on a position or job implicate – v. to show that some is involved in something (such as a crime)

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1400 UTC Hourly Newscast for Monday, April 18

From Washington, this is VOA News.      I’m Joe Palka reporting. Defense Secretary lands in Iraq… U.S. defense chief Ash Carter has arrived in Iraq for talks with his commanders and Iraqi leaders about ways the U.S. can ramp-up the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.  The visit comes as Washington considers an increase in the number of American troops in Iraq. VOA spoke with correspondent Carla Babb, who is with the Secretary, with regard to his options in helping local troops: “Because more U.S. troops on the ground is going to be a very sensitive thing for the Iraqis. The Iraqis take pride in doing this fight themselves. They do not want to have a lot of Americans on the ground. President (Barack) Obama does not want to have a lot of Americans on the ground either because, as Secretary Carter has put it, this is not about U.S. troops substituting for local forces. Everything that is being done here by the United States is to enable those local forces to push the Islamic State out." A collection of Syrian rebel groups said today (Monday) they were launching a "battle" in response to pro-government violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement that has been in place since late February. But both sides have accused the other of repeated violations during the past two months.  In the meantime, in Switzerland, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura greeting China's Special Envoy, Xie Xiaoyan, for another day of talks. This is Xie Xiaoyan. "I said to Mr. (Staffan) de Mistura, and I said it on different occasions, to me diplomacy is the art of making compromises. So during the discussions and the negotiations, all parties will have to consider the requests from the other side." This is VOA News. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   ramp up – v. increase or cause to increase in amount correspondent – n. news reporter; a person whose job is to send news stories to a newspaper, radio station or television program regard – n. care or concern for something option – n. a choice or possibility sensitive – adj. easily angered by the things people say or think about you pride – n. a feeling that you respect yourself and should be respected by others; a feeling that you are more important than others substituting – v. replacing meantime – adv. for now; for the present envoy – v. someone who represents a government in talks or other dealing with another government greeting – n. a message that expressed good wishes to someone occasion – n. a special time or event party – n. a person or group taking one side in a dispute or competition; a person or group taking part in an action We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Mentally Ill Indonesians 'Living in Hell'

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. A new report from Human Rights Watch details the treatment of mentally sick people in Indonesia. The report is titled "Living in Hell.” It documents the practice of “pasung.” Pasung is the isolation of a person suffering from some sort of mental health problem. They might be held separate from others, either inside or outside their homes or at a health care center. Sometimes they are held in place with tied ropes or chains. The situation forces the person in pasung to eat, sleep and release waste in one small place. The report says about 18,000 people currently live in pasung in Indonesia. The report also cites one case in which a man was trapped in a room for 15 years. Another case involved a 24-year old woman suffering from depression after her husband left her and her small child. Photos show her chained to a wooden platform that serves as a bed. Shantha Rau Barriga is the director of the disability rights division at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta. She spoke to VOA by phone. Barriga says that Human Rights Watch has documented rights abuses against the mentally sick in many countries. These abuses often include chaining or tying people in place. She adds that such cases can be found at mental health centers in Ghana, Russia, Croatia, as well as in prisons in the United States. Barriga warns that abuse is widespread. She says the victims seem "invisible" because they are held in isolation. The expert says stigma connected to mental health problems worsens the situation. She also said that there are not enough community-based mental health care and support services. Barriga said there "is so much misinformation and misperception about mental health.” In her words, “people in Indonesia, and in many other countries, see it not as a medical condition, but as a curse, or that the person is possessed by evil spirits." As a result, people may turn to spiritual healers or prayer for a "cure.” They may choose not to use medical care even if it is available. Superstitions: “She’s a witch” Barriga traveled to Ghana in 2014 to study conditions at so-called "prayer camps." Christian organizations own the camps. The camp leaders often declare themselves to be “prophets.” People go to the camps for help, she explains, during difficult times in their lives, after a death in the family, for example, or the loss of a job. But the camps also contain separate areas for people with mental and intellectual problems. They are often brought to the camp against their will and left for long periods of time. A 2012 Human Rights Watch report described a man tied to a tree for five years. Barriga was interviewing the head of one such camp when she heard a child crying. She asked who it was. The man told her the child crying was a “witch.” He took Barriga to see her. Barriga said she was a five-year-old girl chained to a tree. According to Barriga, the camp leader told her about 95 percent of the so-called witches at the camp are girls. Barriga then claimed that the man pointed to a group of girls, from about ages five to 11, saying, “She's a witch. She's a witch. She's a witch." Multiple treaties violated The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in late 2006. It calls on countries to support, protect and guarantee full human rights and freedoms for all persons with long-term disabilities. More than 160 countries have signed the treaty. Barriga said shackling and other abuse of the mentally ill violates this treaty and others. Indonesia banned the use of pasung almost 40 years ago. However, Barriga says the government needs to do more to stop pasung. Human Rights Watch is calling on Indonesia to enforce the ban by closely watching centers where it takes place. The organization is also urging Indonesia to work toward changing opinions about mental sickness among communities. Shantha Rau Barriga said the long-term goal is for governments all around the world to change how they treat the mentally ill. She said she hopes governments turn toward a “system of community-based mental health care, where people can live independently, make decisions for themselves and get the care services they might want." Studies have shown that in any given year, as much as a third of the world's population suffers some form of a mental disorder. Two-thirds of them do not get the care they need and are at risk of abuse. I’m Anna Matteo. And I’m Jonathan Evans.   Cecily Hilleary wrote this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   isolation – n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others shackle – n. one of two rings that are placed around a person's wrists or ankles and that are connected by a chain invisible – adj. incapable by nature of being seen stigma – n. a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something superstition – n. a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck witch – n. one that is credited with usually malignant supernatural powers

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Survivors Sought After Ecuador, Japan Quakes

Efforts to rescue victims continue after strong earthquakes in Ecuador and Japan killed hundreds and injured thousands. In Ecuador, officials say at least 350 people died and more than 2,500 were injured in an earthquake that struck the coastal area late Saturday. Officials say the number of dead will increase as aid workers reach isolated areas. Rescuers are digging with their hands and tools to find survivors under collapsed buildings. Soldiers have been deployed to areas hit by the earthquakes. President Rafael Correa visited the coastal city of Manta, where the earthquake caused much damage. He said the earthquake was the worst natural disaster in his country since 1949, when thousands of people died in an earthquake. Officials say the quake was felt throughout the country. It stopped electricity and mobile phone service throughout the capital, Quito.  In Japan, the U.S. military is helping Japan recover from three powerful earthquakes there. At least 41 people were killed in southern Japan on the large island of Kyushu. Officials said as many as 100 people were trapped under collapsed buildings in Kumamoto Prefecture. In addition to the dead and the missing, almost 2,000 people have been hurt since the first earthquake struck Thursday. Buildings collapsed. Fires and landslides occurred. Two stronger quakes struck on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the Japanese government sent 25,000 Self Defense Force troops to help people on Kyushu. Officials say many people are trapped or buried under collapsed buildings or homes. About 200,000 people are in evacuation centers at schools and government buildings. Officials will not have complete damage reports until all communities are reached. Dangerous aftershocks often happen after large earthquakes. Experts say they will be felt in southern Japan for more than a week. There have been more than 450 aftershocks since Thursday. “There is no connection between the earthquakes” in Japan and Ecuador, says Gavin Hayes, PhD, a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. “Earthquakes are random,” he says, and sometimes they happen around the same time. These recent ones are not connected, he says. What Japan and Ecuador do have in common is that they are both part of what is called the “ring of fire.” That is the area around the edges of the Pacific Ocean, like coastal Asia and coastal North and South America. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes happen there. Earthquakes happen when the "plates" — or the crust and upper layer of the earth -- move against each other. When they shift, it causes the earth to shake and shudder, moving energy along the lines of the plates. These lines are called faults. Hayes says earthquakes are not increasing or getting worse than in the past. What is different is word spreads more quickly now. “We are in a situation now that everyone is in tune with the Internet and media… and we’re hearing more about (earthquakes) than in the past.”  With Twitter and other social media, Hayes says, people can post pictures and information immediately after an earthquake. I’m Anne Ball.   VOANews.com and Correspondents Richard Green, Steve Herman and Anne Ball reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. (Name) 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   aftershock – n. a smaller earthquake that takes place after a larger one landslide – n. a large mass of rocks and earth that suddenly and quickly moves down the side of a mountain or hill isolated – adj. separate from others shudder - v. to shake or move violently  

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North Korean Volcano Waiting to Blow

A volcano in North Korea is at risk of erupting, according to scientists. Scientists say Mount Paektu, on the border of North Korea and China, had one of the largest eruptions in history. That eruption took place around the year 946. In 2013, researchers placed seismometers on Mount Paektu. These meters measured seismic waves beneath the volcano. Seismic waves are waves in the earth produced by an earthquake. The volcano had been quiet until 2002. Then earthquakes started until 2005. Now, scientists have discovered soft and melted rock beneath Mount Paektu. They say magma is rising to the surface, and that proves the volcano is active. The U.S. State Geological Service defines an active volcano as any volcano that has had at least one eruption during the past 10,000 years.  Mount Paektu is the tallest mountain in North Korea. Its elevation is close to 2,700 meters. The information from the study was published in Science Advances journal. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English and VOANews.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   erupt – v. to send out rocks, ash and lava in a sudden explosion seismometer – n. an instrument that measures and records details of earthquakes, such as force and duration. seismic waves – n. elastic waves in the earth produced by an earthquake magma – n. hot liquid rock below the surface of the Earth

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Iraqi Refugees From IS Share Their Stories

A few days ago, a man named Arif ran barefoot with his family from an Iraqi village as American fighter jets dropped bombs from above. They walked 25 kilometers through deserts and valleys. They crossed fields filled with landmines. After more than a year and half of living under the Islamic State, Arif and his family were finally free. They are not alone. Arif and his family have joined 6,000 others in a small Kurdish-run camp. The camp is built on rocks and mud. It is there to take in villagers fleeing the Islamic State as the Iraqi army started its push to retake the area south of Mosul.​ Life under Islamic State Rule From interviews with five men, we learn what life was like under the Islamic State. Some of the men are single, some are fathers, and some are only teenagers. Most of them did not give their full names. They said they fear IS will hurt their relatives left behind. The men said they were beaten if they were found with cigarettes. They were fined or whipped if their beards were not long enough. They were fined or whipped if their female relatives did not hide their faces fully with a niqab, or black cloth. And children in school were taught how to count with bullets. Arif is a former Iraqi military man himself. He was one of many Sunnis who stayed in their village when the largely Sunni extremist group Islamic State took over in 2014.​ Lack of jobs and money Arif is like several of the men who risked their lives to reach this camp. He described a difficult life in his village that soon became unlivable. There were few jobs. And the jobs that were available were badly paid or dangerous. Families were running out of money.  IS was running out money, too. So, the militants demanded money from people with threats of physical harm. The men said IS members forced former Iraqi police officers to pay a $2,000 fee or be killed. Ahmed is another refugee living in the camp. He said most IS members get paid very little, about 60,000 dinar, or $50, a month. So they smuggle people to get money for themselves. In Iraq, a pack of cigarettes usually costs 500 dinar, or 50 cents. Under IS, Arif said, it costs 5,000 dinar, or $5. He added that an IS member would convince you to sell cigarettes in the neighborhood. Once you began selling them, they sent another IS member to take the cigarettes and all the money you had made.  Among the crowd of men is teenager Saifuddin Mohamed. He said that IS took him and beat him badly for selling cigarettes. “It was a warning,” he said. “After that, I stayed home.”​ Breakdown of education system Schools also cost money under the Islamic State’s rule. Many villagers did not have enough money to pay and their children stayed at home. Ahmed Saleh Mohammed is from Kudela village. He said IS schools only teach about "bombs, how to use guns, how to identify tanks and weaponry." Saleh Mohammed said IS cared less about the children in villages. But in the cities, they forced children to attend IS-run schools. Wearing a jersey, Saleh said when they tried to play football, the militants would “come and shoot rounds in the air just to keep us from playing.” Rule by force Saleh Mohammed worked as an ambulance driver. "I have not received a salary for a year and a half, so it was extremely difficult to support my family. There are no salaries," he said. He tried to sell mobile phones to support his family. But after a while, he said, no one in his community had any money to buy anything. The IS also demanded car owners to register their vehicles. Saleh did not have enough money to pay. At that point, he said, he could neither drive the car nor sell it. Enforcement of Islamic State rules The Islamic sects known as Sunni and Shi’ite have been in conflict long before the rise of IS. Now the Islamic State has declared its Sunni extremist version of an Islam as the rule of law it will use. IS claims it will use this form of Islamic law to create a caliphate across Iraq and Syria. Some of the conservative Sunni villagers see life under IS control as normal. "No one from IS actually did anything to harm us," said a female relative of Saifuddin Mohamed. "They gave us orders to wear the niqab and we followed it.” She said IS gave poor families like hers 50,000 dinar a month. That is equal to $40. But it was not enough. "The biggest problem we had was financial. We could not support ourselves. And this applies to most of the families in our village. Men were sitting at home without jobs, we could not feed our children -- and the bombings, that is why we left." Resistance was dangerous The men talked about how the Islamic State was quick to punish anyone who spoke against their rules. People who disobeyed or protested would disappear "My brother-in-law was taken by IS a year or so ago. He was a former military commander. No one knows where he is. We don't know if he is in prison or dead,” said one young man, standing outside the camp mosque. After a person disappeared, he said, the family of that person would get a single document. The document would state the person was dead. But, the young man said, sometimes a family would get that paper, and the missing family member actually returned. "They don't want people constantly asking, where is my brother? Where is my brother-in-law?'" I'm Pete Musto.   Sharon Behn wrote this story for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo and Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of the conditions of refugees? Please leave a comment, and post on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   barefoot – adv. without shoes jet(s) – n. a fast airplane that has one or more jet engines beard(s) – n. the hair that grows on a man's cheeks and chin smuggle – v. to move someone or something from one country into another illegally and secretly jersey – n. a loose shirt worn by a member of a sports team as part of a uniform round(s) – n. a shot fired from a weapon ambulance – n. a vehicle used for taking hurt or sick people to the hospital especially in emergencies salary – n. an amount of money that an employee is paid each year mosque – n. a building that is used for Muslim religious services

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