Shenandoah: A Western Park in the East

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A Retrieved Reformation by O. Henry

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Trump Vows to End Growing Violence If Elected

Editor's Note: The audio for this story will be added as soon as it is available.   Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination for president Thursday and vowed to end growing violence in America if elected. Trump spoke during the final day of the Republican Party convention in Cleveland. His speech outlined the policies he would pursue if he wins the presidency of the United States.   The speech was widely considered the most important of Trump’s campaign and career. He began by stating that the convention was happening “at a moment of crisis” for the United States. Law and order “Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities,” the billionaire businessman said. “Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims.” “I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th of 2017, safety will be restored.” January 20 is the day the new U.S. president will be inaugurated. Trump addressed recent killings in several U.S. cities involving police and civilians. “An attack on law enforcement is an attack on all Americans,” Trump said about police officers gunned down in Dallas, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Trump said the administration of President Barack Obama has been weak on crime. “In this race for the White House, I am the law and order candidate,” he said. He repeatedly criticized his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, including her tenure as Secretary of State. He said her policies have made America less safe. Jobs and trade deals The real estate mogul promised to create jobs for all Americans by cutting taxes and reducing regulations on businesses. “Every day I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation that have been neglected, ignored, and abandoned.” He said he would not adopt the kind of “disastrous trade deals” supported by Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and other leaders. “My opponent, on the other hand, has supported virtually every trade agreement that has been destroying our middle class,” he said. “I am going to turn our bad trade agreements into great trade agreements.” The Republican nominee also addressed recent terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad. Terrorist attacks He said in last month’s Orlando nightclub attack, “49 wonderful Americans were savagely murdered by an Islamic terrorist.” He pledged that if elected, he “will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.” LGBT is short for the words lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.  He also spoke about the recent Nice, France truck attack that killed 84 people, and identified ways to battle terrorism.     “To make life safe in America, we must also address the growing threats we face from outside America: we are going to defeat the barbarians of (Islamic State) and we are going to defeat them fast.” He pledged to fight terrorism by improving intelligence gathering and working with allies in the region to battle IS. “Lastly, and very importantly, we must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place. We don’t want them in our country.” Trump’s daughter Ivanka introduced her father before the speech. She praised her father as “the people’s nominee” and said he is someone who will fight for the American people. Ivanka, who has worked alongside her father for more than 10 years, said he is "color blind and gender neutral" when it comes to his businesses. "He hires the best person for the job, period.” Hillary Clinton will be nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate at her party’s convention beginning Monday July 25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English, with additional information coming from Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   chaos – n. complete disorder and confusion lesbian – n. a woman who is sexually attracted to other women bisexual – n. a person sexually attracted to someone who is the same sex or the opposite sex transgender – n. a person who expresses or identifies with a gender different from the one they were born with   We want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s convention speech? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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July 21, 2016

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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Trump's Untraditional Path to the Republican Nomination

  Donald Trump officially became the Republican nominee for president at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, this week. Trump defeated 16 other candidates to win the nomination. The 4-day convention did not show as much unity as the nominee had hoped for. Trump’s campaign spent the first two days of the convention explaining accusations of plagiarism over a speech given by his wife, Melania. The speech contained similar sentences to ones in the speech given by first lady Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic Convention. Former competitors Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and Ben Carson joined other Republicans to support Trump’s candidacy. Both Christie and Carson spoke on Tuesday aiming strong criticism at the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Rubio spoke in a taped message one day later. On Wednesday, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas spoke at the convention. He was Trump’s strongest opponent in a race for the nomination that many observers considered very divisive. Cruz refused to support, or endorse, Trump. Instead, he asked delegates to “stand, and speak and vote your conscience.” Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich followed the Texas Senator. He said Trump understood the threat of Islamic extremism better than Hillary Clinton. He also addressed Cruz’s speech saying that, if people vote their conscience, they would support Trump. The controversy overshadowed the appearance of Indiana governor Mike Pence. He gave his acceptance speech as the party’s vice presidential candidate.   Trump will face Hillary Clinton in the general election this November. Clinton is scheduled to accept the Democratic nomination next week at its convention in Philadelphia An untraditional candidate Donald Trump has taken an untraditional path to win the nomination. He has never held a public office. On June 16, 2015, Trump announced his candidacy from the lobby of his apartment building in New York. Trump said, “I’m really rich.” And he added, “I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” Trump has spoken about the unemployment rate in America. During the campaign, he has said China, Japan and Mexico have taken those jobs. He said Mexico and other Latin American countries have sent illegal immigrants to the United States. Trump has been strongly criticized for saying, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” Trump promised to “build a great wall” on the border with Mexico to keep immigrant out and that he “will have Mexico pay for that wall.” Other candidates spent money to buy advertising during the primary elections. Trump spread his message and attacked opponents on free television, radio and social media. Trump has made many controversial comments during the campaign. Speaking of Republican Senator John McCain, he said, “He’s not a war hero. … I like people who weren’t captured.” Senator McCain ran for president as a Republican in 2008. He was shot down during the Vietnam War and was tortured as a prisoner of war. Many Democrats and Republicans condemned Trump when he called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States. Many criticized Trump for saying U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot rule fairly because of his “Mexican heritage.” Curiel is hearing the case against Trump University. People who paid money to take real estate classes at Trump University are bringing a legal case against Trump. Others disagreed when Trump praised former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for killing terrorists. Trump’s background Trump was born June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York. He graduated from the New York Military Academy and later completed a study program at the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Trump started in business by working for his father who was a wealthy real estate developer in Queens. During New York’s financial crisis, Trump received reduced taxes from the city to build a hotel in Manhattan. The deal was the first of many projects for the developer -- from casinos to golf courses. For a short period, Trump owned a sports team and a small airline company. In 1991, he sought bankruptcy protection when some of his businesses did not make enough money to pay the loans. It was the first of four bankruptcy filings by Trump companies. Trump used his name to sell neckties, water, wines, steaks, books and magazines. He launched the reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” and produced a business seminar called Trump University. In the 1990s, Trump’s name became a headline for New York’s newspapers when he divorced his first wife, Ivana, and married Marla Maples, a little-known actress. He is now married to Melania Knauss, a former model from Slovenia. The businessman has five children by three wives.           Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   plagiarism - n. the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit overshadow - v. to cause (something or someone) less important real estate - n. the business of selling lands and buildings

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You Want to Learn About Tag Questions, Don't You?

Have you ever been in a conversation and wanted to check your understanding? That is the time to use a tag question in English. A tag question is a short question added to a statement. The tag includes a pronoun and its matching form of the verb be, or auxiliary verb. If the tag question is negative, we shorten the phrase, or use a contraction with the auxiliary verb. Here's an example: I was visiting a friend and saw a photo on the wall. I said,        “That’s a picture of your grandson, isn’t it?” My friend answered,        “Yes, it is. That picture is from when he was two. He’s a lot taller now.” Purpose of tag questions In the example, I wanted to confirm something I thought was true. So I started with a positive statement, "That's a picture of your grandson" then I added a negative tag question: "isn't it?" My friend said I was right - the picture was of his grandson. English speakers use tag questions to encourage a listener to respond. You will often hear teachers using tag questions: "You remember the history lesson from last week, don't you?" Some language researchers say that men use tag questions more often than women. They think it might show that men have more power in the conversation, and use tags to ask for information or agreement. Others say women use a certain kind of tag questions to make the conversation run more smoothly. Whatever your gender, when you use a tag question you expect an answer. The form of that answer depends on the type of tag question. Let's look at the two types of tag questions. Positive statements with negative tags We’ll talk first about tag questions that follow a positive statement with the verb be. They use a reduced form, or contraction. Make the tag question with a form of the verb be combined with the negative not and the pronoun. The verb be has to match the number and person of the pronoun. Take a look at these examples: They are walking to school, aren’t they? She is taking the bus, isn’t she? I am supposed to be sitting here, aren’t I? You’re the math teacher, aren’t you? In these examples, you reverse the order of the pronoun and verb in the tag question. “They are” becomes “aren’t they?” and “She is” becomes “isn’t she?” If the statement uses another verb instead of be, the tag question uses an auxiliary verb such as do or have. For example, in the song A Little Time the singing duo Beautiful South ask the question, You need a little room for your big head,  Don't you, don't you? and Your face has been looking like that for hours Hasn't it, hasn't it? If you ask a negative tag question you expect a positive answer. Question: It's raining out, isn't it? Expected answer: Yes, it is. Negative statements with positive tags Now let’s look at tag questions that follow a negative statement. These are in the affirmative. You can use this to confirm that what you are thinking is true, and you expect a negative answer.              Question: You don't eat all the cake, do you?              Expected answer: No, I don't. Negative sentences with positive tag questions are not as frequent as our first type. They use the same form, with reversed word order. British or American? Tag questions are an example of a big difference between British and American English. Language researchers using computer data found that British English speakers used tag questions nine times as often as American English speakers! Changing question intonation In Understanding and Using English Grammar, Betty Azar says that the intonation (change in pitch) shows the purpose of a tag question. If the speaker is trying to confirm information, the tone rises: Adam works at VOA, doesn't he? Speakers saying something that they are almost certain the listener will agree with use a falling intonation. It's a nice day, isn't it? We leave you with a famous line from Carly Simon, in the song You're So Vain: You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you Don't you? don't you? ​ For VOA Learning English, I’m Jill Robbins. And I’m Jim Tedder.   Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   confirm – v. to state or show that (something) is true or correct reverse – v. to change the order or position of (two things or a series) intonation – n. the rise and fall in the sound of your voice when you speak pitch – n. the highness or lowness of a sound Now it’s your turn. Write a sentence with a tag question in the comments. We’ll give you feedback.

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Michelle Obama Appears on 'Carpool Karaoke'

This is What’s Trending Today… British comedian James Corden is the host of “The Late Late Show.” A regular feature on his show is “Carpool Karaoke.” It shows Corden and a famous person driving around in a car talking and singing along to songs on the radio. Usually, Corden and his celebrity guest are driving around in Los Angeles, where his show is filmed. Many of Corden’s past guests have been famous singers themselves, including Stevie Wonder, Justin Bieber, and Adele. But, this week, Corden “Carpool Karaoke” headed east to Washington, DC. His guest was not a famous singer. But, she sure can carry a tune. This week’s guest was First Lady Michelle Obama. The 15-minute video shows Corden and the First Lady driving around the White House grounds. They sing some of Obama’s favorite songs, including Stevie Wonder’s “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours” and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” The first lady also talked about her recently launched Snapchat account (MichelleObama). She said she joined Snapchat ahead of her travels to Liberia, Morocco and Spain. The trip was part of the Let Girls Learn program.   “Right now there’s 62 million girls worldwide that aren’t in school…” Obama said. “So much could be corrected in the world if girls were educated and had power over their lives.” The first lady and Corden then sang “This is For My Girls.” Obama released the single earlier this year. She released the song to raise money for the Let Girls Learn program. It features singers Kelly Clarkson, Zendaya and Janelle Monae, among others. It also features rapper Missy Elliott, who joined Obama and Corden in the car at the end of the “Carpool Karaoke” episode. The segment aired Wednesday evening in the United States, but days before, Michelle Obama’s appearance on “Carpool Karaoke” was a trending topic on social media. And, after the episode aired, people could not stop talking about it. “Carpool Karaoke” trended Thursday on Google, Twitter and Facebook. One Twitter user wrote: “Michelle Obama’s carpool karaoke was the best 14 minutes of my July.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I'm Dan Friedell _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   feature - n. a special part or section in a show, newspaper, or magazine carry a tune - expression. to be able to sing the correct musical sounds of a song or songs air - v. to broadcast something on radio or television

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Indian State Imposes ‘Fat Tax’ on Fast Food

  Officials in India’s southern state of Kerala have placed a tax on hamburgers, pizza and other fast food. The 14.5 percent tax will be added to foods at restaurants such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Burger King. The tax is being called a “fat tax” because it adds cost to foods considered high in fat and calories. It is the first fast food tax enacted in India, where obesity levels are rising in the growing middle class. Kerala’s Finance Minister Thomas Isaac proposed the tax after learning of similar measures in other countries. He hopes it will get people to choose to eat healthy food, which he said is “going out of fashion.” Dr. Anoop Misra heads the Center for Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol at New Delhi’s Fortis Hospital. He strongly supports the “fat tax” as a way to reduce the number of diabetes cases in young people. “We used to see diabetes 20 years back, diabetes at 50 or 40 years of age. Now we are seeing diabetes at 15 years of age, 18 years of age.” Misra said he hopes other Indian states will also use fast food taxes. A government finance official in central Gujarat state told the Times of India the state is considering a similar 14.5 percent tax. “This idea can also be adopted in the state, as we also have high consumption of junk and unhealthy food. The ‘fat tax’ can be used as a tool to raise awareness of the harmful effects of junk food,” the official said. India’s fast food market has grown steadily in the past 15 years. McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and KFC already are well established. Other chain restaurants gaining popularity more recently are Johnny Rockets, Burger King, Wendy’s and Barcelos. Critics of the tax say it probably will not stop people from buying fast food. Some also believe the government is only using it to raise revenue. Officials in Kerala reject that idea. They say overall collections from the tax will be small. The “fat tax” will not cover local street vendor food that also can be high in fat and calories. The owner of a small restaurant in Kochi told VOA this is not fair. ​                       “The one food that is eaten widely in Kerala is the ‘paratha,’ which is basically high in fat, high in refined flour, high in trans fats, and it is cheap. It can't be taxed because it is highly unorganized.” Some doctors and health experts say the tax should also include other snack foods and sugary drinks sold across the country. Sheela Krishnaswamy is a nutritionist who heads the Indian Dietetic Association in Bangalore. “Is it enough? I don’t think so. I think we need to go much beyond the burgers and doughnuts and the french fries.” One fast food customer in New Dehli, Vijay Deoli, told VOA the government should deal with more important issues. “First you have to clear up the air, the water, many things are there. This is a small thing.” Others say the government should do more to bring attention to fast food and obesity rather than changing people’s choices. Many health experts agree that bringing attention to the issue is important. But Dr. Misra said education alone does not work.  He compared the tax to a law passed several years ago that got people to wear seat belts to avoid paying a fine. “A certain amount of regulation has to be brought in to change the habits of the people.” I’m Bryan Lynn. Anjana Pasricha reported this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Additional information came from the Associated Press.  Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think fast food should be taxed? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   obesity – n. having too much fat in the body, overweight diabetes – n. a disease that prevents the body from properly controlling the amount of sugar in the blood chain restaurants – n. eating establishments belonging to a certain brand of restraurant critic – n. person who expresses disagreement about something revenue – n. money earned by or paid to a business or government vendor – n. person who sells goods, especially on the street seat belt – n. a strap on a vehicle’s seat that holds a person in place if there is an crash  

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London's Businesses Look to Move after Brexit

  Ten London start-up businesses have made inquiries about moving to Berlin since Britain voted to leave the European Union. The business development group Berlin Partner made the announcement Monday. Each of the new businesses have between 10 and 18 employees. These small businesses are concerned about issues such as the cost of commercial property, the labor market, and the availability of accommodations. Berlin Partner Director Stefan Franzke spoke at a news conference. He said that financial technology companies, known as fintechs, have shown the most interest in moving to Berlin from London. Along with other European cities, Berlin wants to attract companies in London's fintech industry. The German capital says it is an affordable and resourceful substitute to other cities. Berlin's Senator for Economics, Technology and Research, Cornelia Yzer, has sent hundreds of letters to British firms. She also has travelled to a conference called London Fintech Week. Yzer wanted to encourage start-up leaders to move their businesses to Berlin. Other companies, such as Berlin Partner, are also attempting to get start-ups to move to Germany from London. Berlin Partner has launched a website in English that has information about how to set up a business. The company is also going to open an office in London in October to try to woo more companies. A report by the accounting company Ernst and Young said Berlin attracted more than $2 billion in investment capital for start-up businesses in 2014. That is more than London in the same year. Franzke said that the cost of living, skilled workers and the widespread use of English give start-up businesses a reason to come to Berlin. The German capital has about 100 fintech start-ups. These include German mobile financial services firm Number26. Franzke said he expected Berlin also to get inquiries from foreign start-ups that were interested in London, but are now considering other countries. The competition among cities that want fintech companies will be tough. Franzke says he considers Amsterdam to be Berlin’s biggest competitor. The Dutch city used to be home to a number of global banks and has fast data connections. I’m Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth.   This story was reported by Reuters news service. Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   start-up – n. a new business inquiries – n. a request for information : an official effort to collect and examine information about something accommodation – n. a place where people can live, stay, or work affordable – v. to be able to pay for (something) encourage – v. to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen woo – v. to try to attract (someone, such as a customer, voter, worker, etc.) : to attempt to persuade (someone) to buy something from you, vote for you, work for you, etc.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Turkey’s Parliament Approves State of Emergency

Turkish leaders are saying life will continue as normal for most people despite a state of emergency. The state of emergency, approved by Turkey’s Parliament, gives more powers to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.  It allows him to expand a crackdown begun after last week’s failed coup led by some members of Turkey’s military. Already, thousands of people have been arrested. But Mehmet Simsek, Turkey’s deputy prime minister, said most people won’t see major changes in their lives. “Life of ordinary people and businesses will go un-impacted, uninterrupted, business will be as usual,” he wrote on Twitter. The Parliament on Thursday voted 356-115 to approve the three-month state of emergency. Erdogan said he needs new powers to “rid the military of the virus of subversion.” The Associated Press reported Thursday that the government arrested nearly 10,000 people and closed hundreds of schools. It said 58,881 civil service workers were dismissed, forced to resign or had their licenses taken away. And academic leaders and teachers were banned from leaving Turkey. “The lynching has started,” said Beyza Ustun, an official of the Kurdish-led, People’s Democratic Party. Her opinion reflects the concern of Turkish minority groups of more threats to their rights. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticized the coup attempt. But he also said: “We need to have Turkey respect democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms.” President Barack Obama called Erdogan on Tuesday. He said the United States would assist Turkey’s investigation of those responsible for the coup, according to the White House. But Obama also urged the Turkish president to avoid reducing public confidence in Turkey’s democracy. Turkey is very important to the United States battle against Islamic State militants. It uses a military base in Turkey to conduct air attacks against IS in Syria and Iraq. Simsek, the deputy prime minister, said there could have been “carnage in the streets” if last week’s coup succeeded. He said the government is going after those who organized and carried out the coup. “We owe it to our people to go after them,” he said. “We will have a legal framework for it." In a televised speech to the nation on Wednesday, Erdogan said the state of emergency would protect Turkey’s democracy. “This measure is in no way against democracy, the law and freedoms,” he said. Erdogan has been accused of taking too much power for himself -- even before the current state of emergency. And some world leaders called on Erdogan to end the state of emergency as soon as possible. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said it is important “the rule of law” is kept in Turkey. He said Turkey should keep the state of emergency only for as long as necessary “and then immediately end it."   Luis Ramirez reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for 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. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   coup -- n. an attempt to takeover a government ordinary -- adj. normal or usual, not unusual or special unimpacted -- v. not affected uninterrupted -- v. not stopped or affected lynching -- n. to kill someone illegally fundamental -- adj. basic carnage -- n. the killing of many people framework -- n. the basic structure of something

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Trump

Donald Trump officially became the Republican nominee for president at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, this week. Trump defeated 16 other candidates to win the nomination. The 4-day convention did not show as much unity as the nominee had hoped for. Trump’s campaign spent the first two days of the convention explaining accusations of plagiarism over a speech given by his wife, Melania. The speech contained similar sentences to ones in the speech given by first lady Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention. Former competitors Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and Ben Carson joined other Republicans to support Trump’s candidacy. Both Christie and Carson spoke on Tuesday aiming strong criticism at the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Rubio spoke in a taped message one day later. On Wednesday, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas spoke at the convention. He was Trump’s strongest opponent in a race for the nomination that many observers considered very divisive. Cruz refused to support, or endorse, Trump. Instead, he asked delegates to “stand, and speak and vote your conscience.” Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich followed the Texas Senator. He said Trump understood the treat of Islamic extremism better than Hillary Clinton. He also addressed Cruz’s speech saying that, if people vote their conscience, they would support Trump. The controversy overshadowed the appearance of Indiana governor Mike Pence. He gave his acceptance speech as the party’s vice presidential candidate.   Trump will face Hillary Clinton in the general election this November. Clinton is scheduled to accept the Democratic nomination next week at its convention in Philadelphia An untraditional candidate Donald Trump has taken an untraditional path to win the nomination. He has never held a public office. On June 16, 2015, Trump announced his candidacy from the lobby of his apartment building in New York. Trump said, “I’m really rich.” And he added, “I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” Trump has spoken about the unemployment rate in America. During the campaign, he has said China, Japan and Mexico have taken those jobs. He said Mexico and other Latin American countries have sent illegal immigrants to the United States. Trump has been strongly criticized for saying, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” Trump promised to “build a great wall” on the border with Mexico to keep immigrant out and that he “will have Mexico to pay for that wall.” Other candidates spent money to buy advertising during the primary elections. Trump spread his message and attacked opponents on free television, radio and social media. Trump has made many controversial comments during the campaign. Speaking of Republican Senator John McCain, he said, “He’s not a war hero. … I like people who weren’t captured.” Senator McCain ran for president as a Republican in 2008. He was shot down during the Vietnam War and was tortured as a prisoner of war. Many Democrats and Republicans condemned Trump when he called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States. Many criticized Trump for saying U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot rule fairly because of his “Mexican heritage.” Curiel is hearing the case against Trump University. People who paid money to take real estate classes at Trump University are bringing a legal case against Trump. Others disagreed when Trump praised former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for killing terrorists. Trump’s background Trump was born June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York. He graduated from the New York Military Academy and later completed a study program at the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Trump started in business by working for his father who was a wealthy real estate developer in Queens. During New York’s financial crisis, Trump received reduced taxes from the city to build a hotel in Manhattan. The deal was the first of many projects for the developer -- from casinos to golf courses. For a short period, Trump owned a sports team and a small airline company. In 1991, he sought bankruptcy protection when some of his businesses did not make enough money to pay the loans. It was the first of four bankruptcy filings by Trump companies. Trump used his name to sell neckties, water, wines, steaks, books and magazines. He launched the reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” and produced a business seminar called Trump University. In the 1990s, Trump’s name became a headline for New York’s newspapers when he divorced his first wife, Ivana, and married Marla Maples, a little-known actress. He is now married to Melania Knauss, a former model from Slovenia. The businessman has five children by three wives.   Where does Trump stand on the issues? On immigration, Trump has said he opposes giving undocumented workers a path to citizenship. He said he wants to end birthright citizenship, and wants undocumented immigrants to leave the U.S. On foreign policy, Trump has criticized the Iran nuclear agreement. He opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Trump has said he would consider withdrawing troops from East Asia if Japan and South Korea refuse to increase security payments to the U.S. In an interview with The New York Times, Trump suggested that he might not honor America’s commitment to NATO unless the countries meet their financial obligations. On national security, Trump calls for more military spending. He wants to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. He said he supports a form of interrogation called water-boarding which is considered torture. On gun control, Trump generally supports the right to bear arms. But he said he supports the existing ban on some assault weapons, a waiting period on gun purchases, and criminal and mental health background investigations. On healthcare, Trump said he will cancel the Affordable Care Act, if he is president. He will replace it with a “much better and much less expensive [plan] for people and for the government.” He has not given details of the plan. On taxes, Trump said he wants to reduce personal and business income taxes on Americans, and end the “death tax” on inheritances. Trump said he would close loopholes to pay for tax cuts. On China-U.S. relations, Trump called China “a currency manipulator,” meaning that he believes China unfairly controls the exchange value of its money. He would act against hackers and counterfeiters. On the environment, Trump has questioned climate change calling it a hoax. He also has said he would cut the Environmental Protection Agency.   Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story plagiarism - n. the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit      

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