Religious Leaders Work to Ease US Racial Divisions

  “Let us love not with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” President Barack Obama turned to the Bible to describe what is needed to heal racial divisions in the United States. He read from John’s Gospel at the memorial service Tuesday for five police officers killed in Dallas. But closing racial divisions is a challenge. Many in America turn to places of worship for moral guidance. But LifeWay Research reported last year that 86 percent of Protestant pastors say their congregations are mostly either black or white, leaving little chance for members of different races to talk with each other. It isn’t much different than 1963  when civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. called 11 a.m. Sunday church services “the most segregated hour in this nation.” Recent shootings raise racial division concerns It has been a rough few weeks in America. On July 7th, a black gunman shot and killed five police officers in Dallas, Texas. The gunman told police he was targeting white officers. The shooting came the same week two African-American men were shot and killed by white police officers in separate incidents in Louisiana and Minnesota. The shootings left some people questioning the state of race relations in the United States. “Instead of pointing fingers, we need to figure out why so many police feel so stressed doing their job and why so many African-Americans feel targeted by the police,” said Curt Harlow, minister at the Bayside Church in Sacramento, California. He said his church has black and white members, offering a chance for honest discussion. Percell Duckett is minister of the Ross Road Church in Memphis, Tenn., which also has both black and white members. “We just had people from Black Lives Matter demonstrate -- I called it creating a little bit of civil disobedience,” Duckett said. “And many people wonder why they are doing that.” If more whites went to church with blacks they would hear parents express fear their children could be killed by police for a minor car violation, Duckett said. Pastor Susan Newman Moore of All Souls Church in Washington D.C., knows some people are troubled with the name Black Lives Matter. The criticism from some is that the name should be, “All Lives Matter, she said. ​What Newman Moore tells her diverse church is that the Black Lives Matter movement is very much like a parent with children. “You love all your children. But if one child gets very sick, and has to go to the intensive care unit of the hospital, you are going to put all your attention on that sick child until he or she is better. Right now in America, black lives are in intensive care,” Newman Moore said. Religious community can help reduce divisions Traci Blackmon is senior minister at Christ the King United Church of Christ in Florissant, Missouri. “Integration, diversity is a good thing,” she told Voice of America. “But churches, regardless of whether they are all or mostly black, or all or mostly white, have a role to play because of their moral and religious standing.” “It isn’t just Christians, but this mandate of caring for those who are facing difficulty is found in the Koran and the Talmud,” Blackmon said. Those are the books that provide the teachings of the Muslim and Jewish religions. Some churches are trying to help their mostly black or mostly white congregations get to hear from members of other races. In Hill County, Georgia, members of the mostly white Air Line Baptist Church plan to travel to the mostly black St. John Baptist Church for Sunday services. The ministers of the two churches do not plan to talk about what is on their minds regarding recent events. “I think that way too often we don’t listen to one another,” said Scott Moore, minister of Air Line Baptist. “I’ve been guilty of that myself -- not listening to other people’s opinions and thinking only about what I’m going to say.” Carter bringing black and white Baptists together Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has helped organize the New Baptist Covenant to bring mostly black and white Baptist churches together. In Dallas, Texas. George Mason, minister of a mostly white Baptist Church, and Frederic Haynes, leader of a mostly black Baptist Church, joined Carter’s covenant. They wrote about the Dallas shootings in the Dallas Morning News. “The only way that All Lives Matter is for each life to matter -- black or white, and in this tragic case,” blue,” Mason and Haynes wrote. Blue is the color often given to police. Ed Stetzer chairs the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism at Wheaton College. Stetzer said it makes sense that when blacks and whites sit down together to pray it will help. Stetzer said many ministers recognize that they need to increase diversity. But there is nothing wrong, he said, with U.S. immigrants from Vietnam, Korea, or China wanting to worship together with fellow immigrants. I'm Jill Robbins. And I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. How do you think we can improve relations between people of different races. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bible -- n. a book of sacred writings. The Old Testament is used by the Jewish religion and the New Testament used by Christians congregation -- n. the people who are attending a religious service segregated -- adj. to separate groups of people because of their particular race finger -- n. one of the five long parts of the hand that are used for holding things stress -- n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work disobedience -- n. not obeying the rules diverse -- adj. different from each other integration -- n. to bring different races of groups together role -- n. a part that someone or something has in a particular activity or situation mandate -- n. a responsibility to do something

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a8GwI0
via IFTTT

Good News: Earth's Ozone Hole is Healing

  There is big news about the environment: Scientists say a hole in Earth’s protective ozone layer is starting to heal. A new study confirms the hole is getting smaller. A report on the study was published late last month in the journal Science. The scientists say the reason for the improvement is a reduction in the release of man-made chemicals into Earth’s atmosphere. These chemicals are called chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs for short. “It’s a big surprise,” said Susan Solomon, the lead writer of the report. “I didn’t think it would be this early,” she said. Solomon is an atmospheric chemist and works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ozone is a form of oxygen gas. It is found in the air we breathe and in the upper atmosphere. Near Earth, ozone in the air is a danger to life. It is a pollutant. But the ozone layer, 10 to 50 kilometers up in the atmosphere, protects life on Earth. It helps to block dangerous ultraviolet (UV) waves from the sun. It stops them from reaching the planet’s surface. Researchers first discovered the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica more than 30 years ago. The new report credits the shrinking ozone hole to a worldwide ban on chlorofluorocarbons. CFCs once were commonly used in many products, including aerosols, cleaning substances, refrigerators and plastics. Scientists found that when released into the air, the chemicals damaged the ozone layer, creating the hole. CFCs were banned when world leaders signed an agreement called the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Susan Solomon compared the ozone hole to a patient that needs healing. “It isn't just that the patient is in remission,'' Solomon said. "He's actually starting to get better. The patient got very sick in the ‘80s when we were pumping all that chlorine into the atmosphere.” Measurements taken in September showed the ozone hole has shrunk since the year 2000. The new numbers show that the hole is smaller by 4.5 million square kilometers. That is about half the area of the U.S. mainland. One year was different, however. In 2015, the ozone hole got bigger, not smaller. After looking at scientific records, Solomon said that increase resulted from a natural event. She said it was caused by the eruption of the Calbuco volcano in Chile. While the healing is coming earlier than many scientists expected, it is an ongoing, continuing process. The ozone hole will not be completely closed for at least another 30 years. Estimates are it will close by around 2050. "We can now be confident that the things we've done have put the planet on a path to heal," Solomon said. "There is a sense of ‘mission accomplished,''' said Mario Molina in an email to VOA. Molina works at the University of California, San Diego. He shared the 1995 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his research on the ozone issue. He praised this latest study, but was not involved in it. Not-so good news However, there is other news about Antarctica that is not as good. For the first time in four million years, Antarctica registered carbon dioxide (CO2) levels above the level of 400 parts per million. That information comes from U.S. scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “The far southern hemisphere was the last place on earth where CO2 had not yet reached this mark,” of 400 parts per million (ppm), said Pieter Tans. He is the lead scientist of NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. “Global CO2 levels will not return to values below 400 ppm in our lifetimes, and almost certainly for much longer,” he said. Scientists say too much CO2 causes temperatures on Earth to rise. CO2 levels usually go up in colder months. In the warmer months, plants in the northern hemisphere use some of it, and that lowers the levels. But NOAA notes that plants are not enough to stop the rise of CO2 levels. Those levels have risen every year since 1958, when measurements began. Tans said that evidence shows that the CO2 increase is caused “entirely by human activities.” These activities include burning oil and other fossil fuels for energy. Because the burning of fossil fuel has been at a record high during the last several years, Tans said, the rate of CO2 increase has also been at a record high. He said some of the gas will stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years. I’m Anne Ball. And I’m Bryan Lynn.   Smita Nordwall reported this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted those reports for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   layer – n. amount of something spread over an area ultraviolet – adj. rays of light that cannot be seen chlorofluorocarbon – n. an organic compound that damaged the ozone layer aerosol – n. a substance like hair spray kept in a container under pressure that is released in a fine spray when a button is pushed confident – adj.  a feeling or belief you can do something well global – adj. involving the entire world greenhouse gas – n. a gas in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation, causing greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s temperature

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a3SeRa
via IFTTT

Telephone Hotline in Pakistan Predicts Dengue Outbreaks

  A telephone helpline is aiding public health officials in Pakistan to predict dengue fever outbreaks. Dengue is a disease carried by mosquitoes. It affects people who live in hot and humid climates of the world, according to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dengue causes sudden high fever, headaches and severe joint and muscle pain. There is no cure or vaccine for dengue fever. An estimated 400,000 people are infected with dengue each year. Worldwide, an estimated 2.5 billion people are at risk of getting the disease. Pakistan is making some progress in controlling dengue. Researchers have created a computer process that uses helpline reports from the public. The information is used to help forecast the number of cases. Public health officials then can take measures to limit the effects of dengue on a community. For example, public health workers can get rid of high populations of mosquitoes.   Lakshmi Subramanian is a teacher of mathematical sciences at New York University. He said the computer process is accurate. He said, “The computer is actually giving you the exact range. And that is more powerful than, 'Oh, I think an outbreak is going to happen or an outbreak is not going to happen.'”      He added that an outbreak can be traced to neighborhoods and blocks where they started. The helpline has been in operation for about five years. The Pakistani province of Punjab was hit by a severe outbreak of dengue in 2011. More than 21,000 people were infected and 350 people died. Hospitals in Punjab were unprepared and crowded with patients. Since then, researchers in the United States and Pakistan developed the helpline. Almost 300,000 people have called the service with questions about the symptoms of dengue. They also report areas where mosquitoes are living. Experts say the system is not costly. They say that in 2013 the number of dengue cases in the city of Lahore fell to 1,600 using information from the helpline and disease prevention efforts. I’m Anna Matteo.   Jessica Berman wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it 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   helpline – n. a telephone service that offers help or information dengue fever – n. a viral disease of the tropics, transmitted by mosquitoes and causing sudden fever and pain in the joints. mosquito – n. a small flying insect that bites the skin of people and animals and sucks their blood headache – n. an ache or pain in the head forecast – v.  to say that something will happen in the future trace – v.  to follow something back to its cause

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a0HhjU
via IFTTT

Mali Art School Battles Country's Brain Drain

Mali has produced many world-famous artists and musicians. An arts school in the country’s capital, Bamako, is trying to use that rich cultural history to fight youth unemployment and to deter migration. A famous artist founds the conservatory Abdoulaye Konate is a famous Malian artist. In 2004, he founded the Balla Fasseke Koyate Conservatory. Konate said he wanted to offer students the chance to get a higher education without leaving Mali. To deter migration, one strategy the school has been using is to bring the world to the students. In addition to the school's 80 teachers, instructors from other countries regularly give classes at the school. Cuban teachers, for example, trained Jonathan Dembele in classical guitar. Dembele graduated from the school last year. He had returned to Mali after studying abroad in Denmark and Finland. This training made him a versatile musician, but he still prefers to play folk music. What happens after graduation? Some graduates find jobs at media agencies, or as teachers. Others have set up businesses. The school did a study last year and found that 60 percent of its graduates have found work. Dembele, the guitar player, plays music at weddings and other events. He plays regularly at a hotel, too. Dembele said: “It’s not easy, I repeat, it's not easy to live off the music here in Mali, unless you have some branches somewhere else not in Mali, because in Mali musicians are really not well paid. You work to survive." Arts are important for peace Earlier this year, the conservatory hosted the Bamako Acoustik Festival. It was the first international music festival to take place in Bamako since 2012. In that year, conflict broke out in Mali. The country is still trying to recover. Konate, the founder of the school, says the arts are a key weapon for peace. A new generation, he adds, that works in media and culture can help transform the country, reconcile people and build the economy. I'm John Russell.   Katarina Hoije reported on this story for VOANews.com. John Russell adapted this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   deter – v. to cause (someone) to decide not to do something conservatory – n. a school in which students are taught music, theater, or dance counter – v. to do something in defense or in response to something  brain drain – n. a situation in which many educated or professional people leave a particular place or profession and move to another one that gives them better pay or living conditions versatile – adj. able to do many different things

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a1UMSV
via IFTTT

Lesson 21: Can You Come to the Party?

Summary Anna meets her friend Marsha in a coffee shop. Marsha asks Anna to come to a party.  But Anna has to take a driving test. Can Anna come to the party?   Speaking In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn how to show that one event comes after another event. Pronunciation This video teaches about two ways to pronounce have to. ​ Conversation   Anna: Hi there! Washington, D.C. has some great coffee shops. My favorite is this one -- Busboys & Poets.  Anna: Actually it’s more than a coffee shop. It’s also a bookstore, a restaurant and a theater! Anna: Marsha and I love coming here. Marsha: Hey, Anna, my friend is having a party on Saturday. Can you come with me? Anna: Sorry, I can’t come with you. I have to get my driver’s license. Marsha: Will you be busy all day? Anna: I don’t know. First, I have to take a test on the computer. Then I have to take a test in the car. Marsha: But you have to take the test during the day, don't you? Anna: Yes.  Marsha: The party is at night. Anna: Oh. Then I can come with you to the party on Saturday night. Marsha: Great! I have to help my friend with the party. Can you help me? Anna: Sure. That sounds like fun. Marsha: Everyone has to bring something or do something. You can bring food, or you can perform. Anna: Really, I can perform? Marsha: You can! Can you? Anna: Yes! I can recite poetry. (Anna is in a club reciting a poem)  - A poem -  Light dark Light dark Darkness Dark Marsha: In this country, nobody recites poetry at parties. Um … can you do anything else? Anna: Hmm, yes. I can do a card trick. (Anna is doing a card trick) Your card is the 10 of diamonds! No? Pick a card. Any card. Here, just pick this one. Great! Marsha: Anna, maybe you can just bring food. Anna: No, I can’t cook. And I really want to perform. You know, there is one thing I can do. (Anna plays a song on the ukulele and sings) Trouble in mind. I’m blue... But I won't be blue always The sun's gonna shine in my back door some day.* Marsha: That’s it! You can sing at the party. Now, I have to go shopping for food. Anna: Can I help? I’m not busy right now. Marsha: Sure, let’s go! Anna: We have to go. I have to help Marsha shop. And I have to practice my song! Trouble in mind. I’m blue... Anna: Until next time!   *The song Trouble in Mind was written by jazz pianist Richard M. Jones.   Writing In this lesson, Marsha asks Anna to come to a party on Saturday. What do you like do on the weekends? Write to us to tell us about what you plan to do next weekend. Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to practice talking about your talents and skills.       Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is cooperate​. When we work together to help others we are cooperating. We also cooperate when we help someone understand their second language. In this lesson, Marsha tells Anna about a party. Everyone who comes to the party cooperates by bringing food or performing something. Anna wants to cooperate by performing at the party. Can you find another time in the video when Anna or Marsha cooperate? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.   Listening Quiz Check your understanding and practice your listening skills with this quiz. ​______________________________________________________________ New Words   bookstore- n. a store that sells books card - n. a small piece of stiff paper that is used for playing games   day - n.  the part of the day when light from the sun can be seen driver’s license- n.  an official document or card which shows that you have the legal right to drive a vehicle else - adv. used to refer to a different or additional person or thing night - n. the time of darkness between one day and the next perform - v. to entertain an audience by singing or acting poetry - n. the writings of a poet recite - v.  to read (something) out loud or say (something) from memory  test - n. a set of questions or problems that are designed to measure a person's knowledge, skills, or abilities trick - n. a clever and skillful action that someone performs to entertain or amuse people ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials   Word Book Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice writing ordinal numbers. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus:  Have to, Can, Can't, Contractions ​Topics: Invitations​, Apologizing, Hobbies & Personal Skills​, Expressing Obligation​ Learning Strategy: Cooperate Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using then to talk about a result; Using have to or reduced hafta to express obligation Are you teaching with Let's Learn English? Send us a photo of your class and we'll put it on our Facebook page.  ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a8GqQu
via IFTTT

Everyday Grammar: Quantifiers

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a3Sqjs
via IFTTT

Security Tightened for U.S. Political Conventions

American officials are increasing security for the upcoming Republican and Democratic political conventions. This comes after five police officers were shot and killed in Dallas. FBI Director James Comey recently spoke at a congressional hearing about the possibility of domestic terrorism. He said “anytime there’s a national spotlight on a political event in the United States, there’s a risk that groups that aspire ... to engage in acts of domestic terrorism will be attracted.” Jeh Johnson is head of the Department of Homeland Security. He told lawmakers he is concerned about the possibility of violence. And he is concerned about demonstrations at the conventions “getting out of hand.” Johnson said he will travel to Cleveland and Philadelphia to personally inspect the security at both conventions. About 50,000 people are expected at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio from July 18 to July 21. Donald Trump is likely to be named the party’s presidential candidate. A week later, from July 25 to July 28, about the same number of Democrats will meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They will gather to formally name Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential candidate. Cleveland Security In Cleveland, security concerns are complicated by the fact Ohio is a so-called “open carry” state. That means that anyone with a legal permit to carry a gun can do so openly. “We’re going to make sure we stay vigilant,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams. “But we also want to make sure that we ask the community to remain vigilant.” Williams said he will “uphold the law in the state,” but he would prefer that people not openly carry guns during the convention. He said the city is prepared for the event. The U.S. Secret Service banned guns inside the main convention site, and in the security area around it. But people with firearms will be able to carry them in areas that surround the convention site, as long as they are holstered. Cleveland officials have been concerned about the possibility of violent clashes between people who support Trump, and his opponents. In the protest areas, guns will be permitted, but common items like glass bottles, large backpacks, mace and canned goods will be banned from the event area. Philadelphia Security Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said that the Dallas shooting had “required that we do things different tactically.” But he did not say what those plans would be. Philadelphia is handling protesters differently than Cleveland. The city will permit supporters of Clinton’s opponent, Bernie Sanders, to gather in a park across from the convention building. There is also a new border, 1.5 meters high, to protect the convention at the Wells Fargo Center. A spokeswoman for the Philadelphia mayor told VOA that city officials expect demonstrations outside the center to be peaceful. “(We) … feel confident that we’re prepared for demonstrations and any public safety threats,” she said. However, there is another issue that could create problems for people in Philadelphia. The city’s airport workers have voted to go on strike during the convention. Dan Bulla is president of the Treadstone Group, a private security firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. He told VOA that law enforcement officials are preparing for physical acts of civil disobedience, like blocking streets.  But they are also preparing for “extraordinary crimes” such as terror and cyber-attacks. Bulla has been involved in helping with security planning for the conventions.   Wayne Lee wrote this story for VOA news.  Anne Ball adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   aspire – v. to want to have or achieve something vigilant – adj. carefully noticing problems or any signs of danger holster – n. a leather case you wear on your body to hold a small gun

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/29GvBRh
via IFTTT

'As American as Apple Pie'

Welcome back to Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English! Each week we explore the roots and meaning of common American expressions.   Today let’s talk about apples. The saying “as American as apple pie” describes things that represent the best of American culture. People use this expression when talking about things like blue jeans, baseball and rock-n-roll music. But why use apple pie? Why not some other fruit, like a cherry or peach? The reason might be a man known as Johnny Appleseed. A lot of stories and even a few poems have been written about Johnny Appleseed over the years. They made him into a larger than life folk hero. Yet Johnny Appleseed was a real person. It was the name given to a man named John Chapman. Many Americans consider him responsible for popularizing apples in the United States. John Chapman was born in Massachusetts in 1774 during the Revolutionary War against Britain. His father reportedly fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill and later served under General George Washington. While John’s mother died in childbirth, his father made it home from battle. He taught his son everything he knew about farming. The young Chapman took his father’s lessons to heart. For 40 years, it is said that Johnny Appleseed cleared land and planted apple seeds in the Midwestern states of the U.S. In a short time, the seeds grew to become trees that produced fruit. Apples were an important food for the early American settlers. Apples offered something different in daily meals. They were easy to grow and store for use throughout the year. Perhaps the story of Johnny Appleseed has made apples and apple pie so very American. Historians can debate that. But this we do know. Apples are at the core (Get it? “Core” is the center of the apple.) of many common sayings. Many apples fall from trees when they are fully-grown. When we say that an apple didn’t fall far from the tree, we are describing children who are very much like their mother or father. And this can be for both good and bad reasons. As we said, John Chapman’s father was a farmer. So, we could say that Johnny Appleseed’s apple really didn’t fall far from the tree. That takes this expression to a whole new level! Naturally, apple growers need a way to transport their produce to market. This is where a vehicle called an “applecart” enters the story. It must have been a big mistake years ago to upset or overturn someone’s applecart. In American English, you have upset the applecart if you ruin someone’s plans or go against the usual way of doing things. In fact, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an applecart as “a plan, system, or situation that may be disrupted or ended.” But the verb used with the applecart expression is usually “upset.” The first recorded use of applecart being used in this way appeared in 1788. A man named Jeremy Belknap wrote in The History of New Hampshire that "(John) Adams had almost overset the apple-cart by intruding an amendment of his own fabrication (making) on the morning of the day of ratification" [of the Constitution]. This is yet another example of how apples seem very American. The only thing bad about an upset cart of potatoes, for example, is that potatoes are all over the ground. So, the word apple appears in many American expressions. But does that mean we should eat one every day? You would think so, if you hear the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” That is not scientifically proven. But eating an apple a day can’t be bad for you. Apples are about 85 percent water. They can help you feel full. Also, they travel well. In other words, they rarely get damaged when you carry them in a bag, unlike other fruits (Yes, I’m talking about you, Banana!). So, apples are good for us. And someone who does good things can be described as a good apple. But there are also bad apples. And we all know that one bad apple spoils the bunch. Let’s say there is a classroom of very well-behaved children. All the students are respectful. They do not shout or speak out of turn while the teacher is talking. Then a new student arrives. This student talks loudly and shows disrespect to the teacher. Soon other students follow her lead and disrupt class. In this example, you could say that one bad apple spoiled the whole bunch. Now, students who misbehave in class are not necessarily bad people. But, if the student we just talked about also steals apples from the store and then throws them at very old women, you could say she is rotten to the core. Even a bad child can be loved by their parents. The father of this girl might say, “My daughter would never do such things! She is the apple of my eye!” But this student is not the apple of the teacher’s eye. The teacher punishes her and the class returns to the way it was. The other parents are very happy about this. They might even say, “How about them apples? Or “How do you like them apples?” This expression is the same as saying, “Well. What do you think about that?” It can also be a way of showing you like or admire something. I know. I know. The grammar in the expression “how about them apples” is not exactly right. But that is how we say it. Americans even shorten the word “about” to simply “’bout.” You won’t hear anyone say, “How about those apples?” The grammar is main reason this expression sounds warm, folksy and rural to the ear -- well, the grammar and the apples. And remember, it sounds like a country or rural expression. If a good friend tells you that their original cake recipe just won first place at a baking competition. “How ‘bout them apples?!” would be a great response to that news. However, if a friend from New York City tells you that they just won a high-profile writing award, you might want to say something else. But, comparing language used in a small, farming town with the language used in a city like New York is like comparing apples and oranges. There is no point because they are both so different. I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. At the end of the story, Don McLean sings his 1971 hit song, "American Pie." Are apples popular in your country? And does your language have idioms or expressions that deal with apples? Let us know in the Comments Section! ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   take (something) to heart – idiomatic expression to consider that some comment is significant to oneself level – n. an amount of something fabricate – v. to create or make up (something, such as a story) in order to trick people : fabrication – n. ratify – v. to make (a treaty, agreement, etc.) official by signing it or voting for it : ratification – n. folksy – adj. friendly or informal in manner or style rural – adj. of or relating to the country and the people who live there instead of the city

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/29RdkmT
via IFTTT

Somaliland Prepares Students for Education Abroad

  Mustapha Mohamed Ibrahim is a recent graduate of the Abaarso School of Science and Technology, near Hargeisa, Somaliland. Like many other Abaarso graduates, Ibrahim was recently accepted to a university in the United States -- with a full scholarship. Ibrahim expressed excitement. "For a kid whose parents never graduated from middle school, it is a very, very big deal for getting accepted into universities in the United States." The Abaarso School of Science and Technology The Abaarso School of Science and Technology is a school that teaches students from Grade 7 to Grade 12. Entrance to the school is competitive. Usually, between 500 and 600 students compete for 50 spots in the school. This year, at least 1,000 students are expected to take the test. The school's curriculum centers on math, science, and technology. Students develop their English language skills, too. The school's education helps students win scholarships at schools around the world. The head of the school, James Linville, says that universities and secondary programs around the world have accepted 80 students from the school. Most of the 80 students received full scholarships, he says. "It's incredibly competitive to get scholarships as international students to these schools, and not only that, but it's been a very long time since Somali-educated and Somali-raised students were able to get these scholarships… When our first students got these scholarships three years ago, they were the first in over a generation to be given scholarships to study in the U.S." Abaarso graduates have success in schools around the world When studying in other countries, Abaarso graduates are able to keep up with their classmates. Linville says that Abaarso students have a grade point average of 3.2 out of four in college and preparatory school, on average. Abaarso students have also received high scores on the SAT, an American college entrance exam, says Linville. High SAT scores are important, he says. "Especially considering that at the time they took the SAT, they've been taking classes in English for three years. So, imagine sending an American kid to another country, asking them to take the national exam in three years and then scoring in the 80th or 90th percentile." Political problems in Somaliland A civil war, financial problems, and political problems have limited the educational possibilities for Somalilanders. Jonathan Starr, an American businessman, used $500,000 dollars of his own money to start the Abaarso school in 2009. Since 2009, there have been three graduating classes of about 35 students each. The hope is that the students will bring their knowledge home and improve their country. I'm John Russell.    Jill Craig reported on this story for VOANews.com. John Russell adapted her report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   graduate – n. a person who has earned a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university scholarship – n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education curriculum – n. the courses that are taught by a school, college, etc.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/29LoM1B
via IFTTT

Roman Catholic Church Prepares to Honor Mother Teresa

  The Roman Catholic Church is making plans to honor Mother Teresa during a special ceremony at the Vatican. Mother Teresa was a religious worker. She spent most of her working life helping the poor in Kolkata, India. During her lifetime, she was given many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize. She died in 1997. On September 4th, Pope Francis will officially recognize Mother Teresa as a saint. That means church leaders recognize her as a holy person and believe she joined Jesus Christ in Heaven immediately after her death. Many people believed Mother Teresa had an unlimited capacity to give people unconditional love. She once said there are two kinds of poverty -- “the poverty of material, for example, in some places like India, Ethiopia or some other places, where people are hungry for bread, real hunger. But there is much deeper hunger, and that is hunger for love.” Mother Teresa was born Anjeza Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. She was the third child of Albanian parents. When she was 18, she decided to become a nun -- a Catholic religious worker. She joined a religious group as a student and then became a teacher at a Roman Catholic school for girls in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta. Professor Gëzim Alpion has studied the life of Mother Teresa and written about her. He worked for many years to persuade the church to recognize her as a saint. He says Mother Teresa left her teaching position to work among the poor in the slums of Kolkata. She began a religious group she called Missionaries of Charity.   Alpion says “what Mother Teresa put in practice was different from the European orders in Kolkata and India at that time. She believed she could serve the people better by living like them, in the poorest areas of Kolkata. And she did this with that kind of integrity which is impossible not to admire,” he says. Mother Teresa had to fight hard with church officials for permission to begin her humanitarian work. Then she had to fight with officials in India who were worried that she was trying to spread Christianity. They soon understood that all she wanted to do was live among the poor and help them. Gëzim Alpion says Mother Teresa’s beliefs could be seen in her work. “Yes, there are two sides of Mother Teresa, if you like -- the religious aspect of her work, as well as the humanitarian aspect. Both of them are linked together, and Mother Teresa had the ability to express her philosophy of life, her theology, if you like, through simple words but which have, if you like, a deep philosophical meaning.” Mother Teresa was given the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1979. At the ceremony, she talked about the joy of spreading peace and loving one another. She said there was joy in realizing that the poor are “our brothers and sisters.” Archbishop Engjëll Masafra is an Albanian church leader. “That a small woman physically, but in fact a great person, who has been called the Mother of Humanity, of the World, becomes a saint, it’s a great honor, as well as an obligation for us Albanians, that in spite of the religion they belong to, like Mother Teresa to be as a model for the love of God and to help others.” The Missionaries of Charity -- the organization Mother Teresa launched with 20 nuns -- now has 4,500 nuns who work in more than 130 countries. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA’s Laura Konda reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Heaven – n. the place where God lives and where good people go after they die according to some religions capacity – n. the ability to do something; a mental, emotional, or physical ability slum – n. an area of a city where poor people live and the buildings are in bad condition integrity – n. the quality of being honest and fair aspect – n. a part of something (usually + of) in spite of – n. without being prevented by (something); “despite” -- used to say that something happens or is true even though there is something that might prevent it from happening or being true  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/29LgHhw
via IFTTT

Company Finds, Trains Technology Workers in Africa

  A new Nigerian technology company plans to produce some of the best software developers in the world. The company is based in Lagos. It is called Andela. It performs work for large companies, most of which are in the United States. At the same time, it trains software developers. The training period is four years. During that time, Andela teaches workers programming languages and skills. “Our goal is to basically train 100,000 software developers who are world class, in Africa, over the next 10 years,” said Seni Sulyman. He is the company’s director of operations. Sulyman says after the developers train at Andela, they can work for major tech companies such as IBM and Microsoft. Recently, several groups showed their support for Andela by investing $24 million in the company. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was one of the investors. That group -- created by Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan -- issued a statement praising Andela. The statement said Andela’s “innovative model of learning” was one of the reasons the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invested in the company. Others have also praised Andela for providing high-quality training. Bankole Oluwafemi is the editor of a technology news website. He said Andela is different from other technology companies in Africa because it focuses on education. “Andela is kind of like, attack that problem, and they’re kind of like, unique in that they’re one of the first, if not the first, to attack that problem at scale, the problem of education,” he said. Seni Sulyman says the company hopes to use the money it recently received to increase the number of workers it recruits. Andela hires only about 12 new people every three months. It chooses them from about 3,000 to 5,000 applications. Sulyman said Andela would also like to find more companies to complete projects for, and to expand into a third country in Africa. Andela now works in Nigeria and Kenya. Sulyman noted the recent investment of $24 million seems like a lot of money. But, he said, Andela has so many things it wants to do that he’s sure the company will figure out ways to spend it. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Correspondent Chris Stein reported this story from Lagos, Nigeria. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly 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   world class – adj. among the best in the world focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific (often + on) scale – n. the size or level of something especially in comparison to something else hire – v. to give work or a job to (someone) in exchange for wages or a salary (chiefly US)

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/29LoSGH
via IFTTT