At the US-Mexico Border, Many Depend on Trade

Immigration and border security are two major issues in the United States’ presidential election campaign. The candidates of the two main parties have voiced different ideas about border security. The Republican Party’s candidate, Donald Trump, has proposed to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party’s nominee, has taken aim at that proposal. On July 22, President Barack Obama hosted his Mexican counterpart, President Enrique Peña Nieto, at the White House. The idea was to publicize the good relations between the two countries. Americans living near the Mexican border have as many different views as those voiced at the recent U.S. political conventions. Some want to continue good relations with Mexico. They want to keep the boundary area secure. They also want to increase business with their neighbors on the other side of the border. For example, goods and people cross between Nogales, Mexico, and the U.S. city of Nogales, Arizona, at the new Mariposa inland port. Many Mexicans with visas pass through the crossing station to buy goods or work on the U.S. side. There is a long wait on both sides of the line, and a large barrier has been built along the border there. The Reverend Randy Mayer is a migrant rights activist. He says many Mexicans decide to stay in Mexico when they see the crossing. “What happens here along the border is that commerce and business is almost stopped, and what should be a multi-billion dollar industry is actually suffering.” Cross-border commerce continues to help Nogales and also the city of Tucson, Arizona, which is about 100 kilometers to the north. Mike Varney is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce. He supports a balance between border security and commerce. “We want to keep bad people and bad things out of our country, but at the same time, we don’t want to put the brakes on cross-border trade...” Varney points out that Mexicans seem to add a lot to the local economy. “Mexican citizens come to the Tucson area and spend about a billion dollars a year in our stores and our hotels, buying all kinds of services and products here.” However, Varney says companies that do business across the border are even more important. These include companies that open headquarters or special offices in Tucson to direct cross-border manufacturing projects. Import-export businesses also are important to the area’s economy. Varney is frustrated by the way the border issues is discussed in national news stories. “Economic expansion and job growth just doesn’t have the sizzle that a drug bust does, but obviously we cherish the international trade that we enjoy here in Arizona, and we want to do everything we can to expand that...” Many Arizonans blame illegal immigration for suppressing wages in the United States. And they say illegal immigrants increase education and health care costs, and violent crime. Voters in Arizona have supported proposals to limit immigration. But Varney notes that business leaders have lobbied for less restrictive measures. “It’s a mix of politics; it’s a mix of trade and economy; it’s a mix of international relations, so it is a complicated recipe and we need to pay attention to all the ingredients that go into that recipe.” He says there are even more possibilities for bilateral trade and commerce once other border crossing stations are completed and fully operational. Mexico is America’s third largest trade partner. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative says trade between the two countries is valued at more than $580 dollars. Mexico is currently the second largest export market for U.S. goods and services. I’m Mario Ritter.   VOA correspondent Greg Flakus reported this story from Tucson, Arizona. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   counterpart – n. one of two people with the same position or job, but who are from another government, group or business commerce – n. business, the exchange of goods and services frustrated – adj. blocked from reaching a goal, discouraged lobby – v. to make an effort to influence the government to make a decision to support an industry, company, or movement recipe – n. a set of directions to make something, often food

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2aH29zG
via IFTTT

Lesson 23: What Do You Want?

Summary Anna and her boss go on a trip around the world. That is, they eat foods from around the world. What will they find? Speaking In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn about counting when you give someone change. Pronunciation In this video, you can learn about three informal English expressions: outta, yep, and whaddaya. Conversation   Anna: Washington, D.C. has great food from all over the world. Anna: Today I’m having lunch with my boss. Ms. Weaver says we’re going on a trip around the world. But she knows I only have an hour for lunch! Silly woman. Jonathan:  Hi, Anna! Anna: Hi Jonathan! Hey, we are meeting Ms. Weaver for lunch at noon, aren’t we? Jonathan:  Yes. Anna: What time is it now? Jonathan:  11:50. Anna: 11:50! We have to go!   Anna: So, where is this world food restaurant? Caty: We’re not eating at a restaurant. Anna: Where are we eating? Caty: We are eating at ... food trucks! Anna: Food trucks … awesome! What’s a food truck? Caty: These are food trucks! Anna: Wow!   Jonathan:  Whoa! Caty: Okay, Jonathan, you will buy the first dish. Here is $10. Surprise us! Jonathan:  Okay, I’ll be back in 15 minutes. Anna: What country do I want to visit? Caty: Anna, you pick the second country. Here is $10. Anna: I want chicken. Caty: The food truck, over there, has great chicken. Anna: Awesome! Caty: After you buy your food, meet me here. Jonathan:  Excuse me, I’ll have the shrimp. Jonathan:  Oh, you’re out of shrimp. Okay, I’ll have the beef then. Anna: Hello. I want the chicken dish. Truck worker: We're out of chicken. Anna: You're out of chicken. Worker: Yep. Anna: I’ll try another food truck. Thanks! Worker: You're welcome. Jonathan:  Okay, here is your change. The dish is $7. So, here is  1, 2, 3 dollars back from your 10. Caty: Great. Jonathan:  Where’s Anna? Is she dancing by that food truck? Caty: Yes. Yes, she is. Anna: Ms. Weaver, here is your change. The dish costs $5. So - $5   back. Caty: Thanks, Anna. But where is the food? Anna: I’m eating it. The Peruvian chicken is delicious! Try some! (Caty and Jonathan shake their heads “no”) Caty: Well, we still have $8! What do you want now? Anna: We can buy dessert!    Caty: I’ll buy dessert. Anna: In Washington, D.C., you can travel around the world … with food trucks! And it does not cost a lot. Anna: Until next time!   Writing Anna and her co-workers are going out for lunch together. What do you usually have for lunch on a weekday? Describe it and send us a photo if you can! Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to practice writing and talking about money and change. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Respond. In many everyday situations, we have to respond to what we hear. Speaking English as a second language might make it hard for you to respond quickly. The strategy respond is part of listening actively. After listening to what the other person says, you respond on the same topic.  In the video, Jonathan listens to the food truck worker. She says they are out of shrimp. Jonathan responds. First, he repeats the sentence, "Oh, you're out of shrimp." That shows he understands. Second, he asks for a different dish. "I'll have the beef, then." When you talk with someone in English, how do you usually respond? 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 ​______________________________________________________________ New Words   after - adv. following in time or at a later time beef- n. meat from a cow or the meat of the chicken used as food cost - v. to have (an amount of money) as a price delicious - adj. very pleasant to taste dessert - n.sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal dish - n. food that is prepared in a particular way hour - n. one of the 24 equal parts of a day; 60 minutes minute - n. a unit of time equal to 60 seconds; one 60th of an hour noon - n. the middle of the day;12 o'clock in the daytime only - adv. no more than pick - v. to choose or select (someone or something) from a group shrimp - n. small shellfish that has a long body and legs and that is eaten as food trip -n. a journey to a place truck n. a very large, heavy vehicle that is used to move large or numerous objects ​_____________________________________________________________ Free Materials   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 learn how to talk about America coins and money. 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: Using want to express desires Topics: Asking the time; Counting back change; Time and Punctuality Learning Strategy: Respond Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Counting change, Reduced form of "out of;" Reduced form, "whaddaya;" Informal agreement using "yep." ______________________________________________________________ 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/2aB2jG5
via IFTTT

What’s Next in America’s Unpredictable Presidential Race?

No one seems to know what to expect in the 100 days before American voters elect a new president. “There’s never been an election like this,” said presidential historian Jeffrey Engel. He directs the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University in Texas. On one side, there is Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party’s candidate for president of the United States. She is the first woman nominated for the office by a major U.S. party. The former secretary of state has promised to unite Americans to overcome economic problems and the terrorism threat. On the other side is businessman Donald Trump, the candidate of the Republican Party. Trump competed for the Republican nomination earlier this year as an outsider. He promises “to make America great again.” He has promised strong action to fight terrorism, illegal immigration and crime. High Negatives for Both Both candidates face high negatives from likely voters in the November 8 elections. When asked, many Americans have questioned, disapproved of or rejected their positions. Only 31 percent of likely voters have a favorable, or good, opinion of Clinton, compared to 34 percent for Trump. Those numbers come from a CBS News poll taken after the Republican national convention, but before the recent Democratic convention. Joshua Scacco is a political scientist at Purdue University in Indiana. He says many American voters have expressed concern about the Republican nominee. He said they ’’don’t see him having the commander-in-chief qualities” to deal with complex world problems. If elected, Trump would be the first president without military or government experience, noted Jeffrey Engel, the presidential historian. Joshua Scacco said Trump’s Democratic opponent faces questions about trust. He noted that the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Clinton had been careless handing emails as secretary of state. Scacco said she must persuade voters she can improve employment and the fight against terrorism after being part of government for so long. Both candidates played up their opponent’s negatives at their party conventions. Trump called Clinton a “world class liar,” who cannot solve America’s problems. Trump said only he had the skills and toughness needed. Clinton questioned whether Trump has “the temperament to be Commander-in-Chief.” She said he used bankruptcy laws to avoid paying debts, leaving “working people holding the bag.” Different Views of America’s Status The two candidates have very different ideas of America. “Our convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation,” Trump said. “The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country.” Clinton was more upbeat. “So don't let anyone tell you that our country is weak,” she said. “We're not. Don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes. We do. And most of all, don't believe anyone who says, ‘I alone can fix it.’” Over the next three months, the candidates will campaign almost daily -- mostly in swing states. These are states that can swing from (the) Democratic to the Republican side, or back the other way, from one election to the next. There are plans for three presidential debates during the election campaign this fall. There also will be a debate for the vice presidential candidates -- Indiana Governor Mike Pence for the Republicans and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine for the Democrats. The debates will be broadcast nationwide so voters can watch the candidates defend their positions and question their opponent. Supporters Confident Clinton and Trump supporters say they are hopeful about the November elections. Public opinion surveys show a close race. Bob Livingston, a Republican and former congressional leader, said voters like Trump’s strong opinions. They trust Trump to negotiate trade agreements that will produce jobs in America, he said. “Some people are bent out of shape about his comments,” Livingston said. “That includes a few Republicans. But Donald Trump is speaking to blue-collar people who haven’t voted Republican in the last 30 years. They feel he’ll fight for them.” Gary Mauro is leading the Clinton campaign in Texas. He said many speakers at the Democratic convention, notably President (Barack) Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, corrected the “false image that Hillary is cold and not trust worthy.” “As for Trump, I don’t think he can keep telling people that we need change and that only 'I can bring about that change' and not say how he’s going to do it,” Mauro said. “I don’t think that can work for the long term.” Past Predictions Were Wrong But predicting who will win is risky. Many political observers were wrong about the year-long nominating process Democrats and Republicans used to choose their candidates. Few saw Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont, fighting so hard and so long against Clinton for the Democratic nomination. And many experts predicted a Republican with more political experience than Trump would win the party’s nomination. Wayne Steger teaches political science at DePaul University in Illinois. He said the 2016 presidential campaign has been unusual. But this is not the first time two major party candidates faced mostly negative opinions from voters. Steger noted that, in 1992, Hillary Clinton’s husband Bill had to answer questions about his trustfulness. The future president was asked about having relationships with women other than his wife while he served as governor of Arkansas. His opponent, then President George H.W. Bush, also had a trust issue because he agreed to a tax increase after saying at the 1988 Republican convention, “Read my lips. No new taxes.” Clinton won the election, helped by Ross Perot, an independent candidate for the presidency. Perot won almost 19 percent of the votes, taking support mostly from Bush. Smaller parties are also nominating candidates for the presidency. Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson received 11 percent in the recent CBS poll, taking equal support from Democrats and Republicans. I’m Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on a VOA story by Chris Hannas and other reporting. George Grow 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   poll -- n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something temperament -- n. the usual attitude, mood, or behavior of a person bankruptcy -- n. a condition of financial failure caused by not having the money that you need to pay your debts holding the bag -- a phrase that means stuck with the costs of a job or material grasp -- v. to understand swing state -- n. a state that has voted for candidates of different parties bent out of shape -- a phrase meaning angry or annoyed by something read my lips -- a phrase that means people should pay attention to what you are saying  

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

Experts: Zika Could Infect 93 Million in Americas

  Health experts have a new warning about Zika virus. They say the virus will keep spreading before the Zika epidemic finally ends. The experts say a new model shows a very large number of people could become infected before then. The model is a project of researchers from England, Sweden and the United States. They estimate the Zika virus could infect over 93 million people in South America, North America and the Caribbean. The model projects 1.6 million young women could be infected. Experts say a woman who is infected during the early months of her pregnancy is at risk of giving birth to a baby with microcephaly. A baby born with microcephaly has a small head and brain. The condition causes mental and physical disability, seizures and sometimes death. But experts say not every pregnant woman infected with Zika will give birth to a child with severe birth defects.  The Associated Press says the Zika virus is spreading quickly in South America and the Caribbean. Infected mosquitoes can pass the infection to humans. Over 1,400 cases of the Zika virus have been reported in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Zika study was published in the journal Nature Microbiology. It is the most detailed estimate to date about the spread of the virus. In developing their study, researchers used information from past epidemics of two other viruses: dengue and Chikungunya. Dengue is in the same virus family as Zika. Chikungunya is also spread by mosquitoes. The viruses can cause headaches, muscle pain and higher than normal body temperature. But 80 percent of people who contract Zika have no symptoms.  Researchers also examined data on blood tests from people who have been infected with Zika. That gave them information to predict the rate of transmission at the local level. Unique model The model took into consideration how an event called herd immunity can change the number of infections. Herd immunity happens when a disease or virus can no longer spread because so many people are infected. When that happens, others are protected against the disease. “So really there’s going to be a large proportion of the population that remains uninfected after the [Zika] epidemic," said Alex Perkins. Perkins is one of the researchers who took part in the study. He added the epidemic will die off before it can infect everyone. There is currently no vaccine to protect people against Zika virus. The World Health Organization declared the virus a public health emergency earlier this year. I’m Marsha James   Jessica Berman wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted it 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   epidemic – n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present transmission – n. the act or process of spreading or passing something from one person or thing to another defect – n. a part that is missing or misshaped project – v. to plan or estimate something

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2a7ZtKp
via IFTTT

Open a Window, It's Smoky in Here!

Now, VOA Learning English program, Words and Their Stories. On this show, we are like word detectives. And like a good detective, we uncover the stories behind common phrases in American English. Today we will investigate phrases and expressions that use the word “smoke.” Police officers and detectives often share a problem while investigating a crime. They may catch someone they suspect is guilty. But they cannot send the person to prison unless they can prove guilt to a judge or jury. That is why police will often say they are searching for “a smoking gun.” The smoking gun is evidence that proves a person’s guilt. The expression gets its name from the smoke that rises from the gun after it is fired. The person holding the gun may try to deny they fired it. But anyone seeing the smoke knows the weapon was used. And if someone is lying dead across the room with a bullet wound, the smoking gun proves who did the shooting. The writer Arthur Conan Doyle knew about smoking guns. He used the expression in 1893 in one of his stories about the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. In the story, a group of sailors rebel against the captain of a ship. Sherlock Holmes and others find the captain lying over a map, dead. Standing across from him is a clergyman with a gun in his hand. And not just any gun: a smoking gun. The clergyman has just shot the captain! The smoking gun proves he is not a man of God, but a murderer. However, there does not have to be a murder for there to be a smoking gun. In recent years, the expression “smoking gun” has come to mean any strong piece of evidence. In the early 1970s, for example, many Americans suspected President Richard Nixon was covering up illegal activities by his aides. However, the president denied involvement in any crime. And there was no firm evidence tying him to criminal activity. In the end, the Nixon White House gave Congress tape recordings that proved he had tried to hide information about the illegal activities. The release of the tapes forced him to resign from office. Both politicians and the press called these Nixon’s smoking gun. They firmly tied him to a break-in at the Watergate building in Washington. Americans still call them Nixon’s smoking-gun tapes. A politician or anyone involved in illegal activities can use a smoke screen to hide behind. In the military, a “smoke screen” is a cloud of smoke created to hide military operations. In conversation, a “smoke screen” is something that you do or say to take attention from something else or to hide your real purpose or intention. If a smoke screen doesn’t work, you may want to use smoke and mirrors to hide your criminal behavior. Years ago, magicians would use smoke and mirrors to fool their audiences. These days in conversation "smoke and mirrors" is anything people do to try and fool someone else. However, if you are trying to hide a crime, your opponents or the police may try to smoke you out. To smoke someone out means to try to get them to come out of hiding. This comes from the practice of actually using smoke to make people leave an area. "Smoke out" can also mean to bring someone or something into public view. The media is usually quick to smoke out a scandal. In the Watergate scandal, two Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, were the primary people responsible for smoking out Nixon’s role in the cover up. Even when Woodward and Bernstein did not have the tapes in their possession, they probably knew very early that something was wrong. As we say, “where there’s smoke, there fire.” This expression means that if unpleasant things are said about someone or something, there is probably good reason for it. You may also hear it said this way: “There isn’t smoke without fire.” After the public found out about the smoking-gun tapes, all the work Nixon tried to do during his presidency went up in smoke. If something goes up in smoke it is all wasted. When most people think of Nixon, they think of Watergate. And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories. If you learned even one new expression on this program, your time with us did not go up in smoke. It was not wasted! Join again next time as we explore more American English on Words and Their Stories. I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo and David Jarmul wrote this Words and Their Stories. George Grow was the editor. At the end, The Platters presented the song, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   detective – n. a police officer whose job is to find information about crimes that have occurred and to catch criminals : a person whose job is to find information about something or someone

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2aAli56
via IFTTT

Film Shows Effort to Stop Tribes from Killing Children

  Filmmaker John Rowe discovered a secret after many visits to the Omo River Valley in Ethiopia: people there thought some children were “cursed.” Villagers blamed the children for sickness, a lack of rainfall and other problems. So they killed them. The Omo Valley is a place of beauty. It is home to villagers with customs that date back many generations. Rowe says the villagers believe that if a child’s teeth first appear on the upper gum instead of the lower part of the mouth, the child is cursed and must be killed. He says children are also killed when they are born to a woman who is not married, or if they are disabled or are twins. Rowe heard about this belief from Lale Labuko, the man who helped him during his visits to the Omo Valley. Rowe made a documentary film about the practice. He called the film “Omo Child.” Labuko says that when he was 15 years old, he saw a two-year-old child being drowned in a river. His mother told him that he had two sisters who were killed before he was born. In the film, a woman says 15 of her children were considered cursed. She says when they were born, older members of her village took them and fed them to crocodiles. In the film, Labuko says “I want to stop these things.” Labuko was the first member of his village to be educated. He asked Rowe to help him end the killings. First, he persuaded some young villagers, then families and leaders of the village. Rowe’s son Tyler filmed the documentary over a five year period. He says it was not easy. He says some people admitted they had killed their children. But others said children were not killed. Tyler says some villagers told him, “It doesn’t happen here. We stopped it a long time ago. It only happens (in another village, not here.)” Labuko’s work caused people to begin speaking out about the practice. His tribe agreed to ban the killings in 2012. Rowe’s documentary shows Labuko’s efforts. A charity group created by Labuko and his wife has saved more than 40 children. They now live in a home in Jinka, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has banned the practice, but Rowe says “there are two other tribes that continue to” kill children. But because of the film, more people know about the killings and the efforts of one man to stop them. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA Correspondent Mike O’Sullivan reported this story from Los Angeles. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his 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   twin – n. either one of two babies that are born at the same time to the same mother charity group – n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, etc.  

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

English in a Minute: Suck the Air out of the Room

What does it mean if a person "sucks the air out of the room?" Find out in this week's English in a Minute!

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

Convention Speeches of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

The Republican and Democratic parties both recently held their national conventions. They officially nominated their candidates for the office of President of the United States. Listen as each candidate explains what is important to them and their political parties in this election.

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

New 'Star Trek' Movie Out as Series Celebrates 50 Years

Last week the latest movie in the “Star Trek” series was released. “Star Trek Beyond” made close to $60 million in ticket sales. Although it led movie openings in earning that weekend, it made less than the opening of the last film in the series, “Star Trek Into Darkness.” But critics and movie goers have praised the new movie. Movie business experts expect the film to do well overall. And it does not hurt that the release comes during the 50th anniversary year of the birth of “Star Trek.” It began as a television series in September 1966. The show was set in the future. Each week it told stories of the crew on the spaceship USS Enterprise. Actor William Shatner played Captain James T. Kirk, the Enterprise commander. The ship was on a five-year mission to explore space. Week after week, fans watched the Enterprise crew "boldly go where no man has gone before." In real life, at the time, space exploration was going strong.  Russia had launched Sputnik I in 1957. The American Space Agency, NASA, was preparing to send men to the moon. But “Star Trek” was as much about the real social issues of the time as it was about the fictional future. Huge societal changes were taking place in the U.S. in the 1960s. Series creator Gene Roddenberry was a progressive thinker. By placing his show in space, he was able to explore civil rights, women’s rights, population control and the ethics of war while American troops were fighting in Vietnam. The show’s presentation of the possible technology of the future also appealed to television viewers. Michael Caruso is the editor-in-chief of Smithsonian magazine. The magazine recently held “The Future is Here Festival,” in Washington, D.C. Caruso says the 1960s television show influenced real-life science. “‘Star Trek’ has inspired a tremendous number of new technologies," he said. "There are all kinds of inventions and discoveries that have come out of “Star Trek” and other science fiction.” “Star Trek” was not an immediate moneymaker. NBC studios canceled the show after three seasons. But it remained on television in the form of reruns around the world. It began to gain fans. They began to demand the continuation of the series. Shatner and other cast members were becoming famous. Move to the big screen In 1979, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” was released to national and international markets. By then, Roddenberry’s creation had exploded in popularity worldwide. Shatner said the speed of success was not expected. “The concept of making more ‘Star Treks’ in terms of movies occurred. And each movie, they thought that was the last one. So nobody had any idea of the residual popularity that occurred.” Five more “Star Trek” films followed with the original crew. “Star Trek’s” popularity also led to a new TV series with a new cast. Still, throughout the years, millions of fans stayed loyal to the original show and cast. Many were excited when filmmaker and producer J.J. Abrams brought back the original characters in the 2009 special effects blockbuster, “Star Trek.”  Abrams kept close to Roddenberry’s ideas. Filmmaker Justin Lin, known for his work in “Fast and Furious,” directs the latest installment. He chose to move away from the original Roddenberry characterizations. Lin offers exciting special effects and battles in “Star Trek Beyond.” I’m Caty Weaver. Penelope Poulou wrote this story for VOA. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Do you have a favorite science fiction movie or series? Tell us in the Comment Section. Or post a message to our Facebook page. ​ _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fictional – adj. not real: imaginary inspire – v. to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create tremendous – adj.  very large or great occur – v. to happen residual – adj. remaining after a process has been completed or something has been removed blockbuster – n. something that is very large, expensive, or successful    

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2axu16e
via IFTTT

July 29, 2016

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2aB9VcV
via IFTTT

Big Bend National Park: A Texas Treasure

  Today on our national parks journey, we head to the far western part of Texas. The landscape here is severe. The Chisos Mountains rise from the desert. The Rio Grande River cuts deep into ancient limestone rock. Cactus plants flower under the intense sun. Welcome to Big Bend National Park. At first sight, Big Bend seems empty of life. But, the park is home to many plants and animals. Over 450 kinds of birds can be found within the park, along with 75 mammal species and more than 50 kinds of reptiles.   The park’s diversity comes from its three different ecosystems. Within the park are mountain, desert and river environments. The Rio Grande sustains the park. The river starts high up in the Rocky Mountains. Melting mountain snow is its main source. It travels more than 3,000 kilometers on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. The river cuts through the dry Chihuahuan Desert. Big Bend National Park contains the northernmost part of this desert. It is the second-largest desert in North America. Much of the desert is south of the border in Mexico. The Rio Grande serves as an international border between the United States and Mexico for about 1,600 kilometers. The park itself shares a border with Mexico for 189 kilometers. The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest ecosystem in the park. Eighty percent of the park is desert. Animals like jackrabbits, roadrunner birds and mule deer live in the Chihuahuan. Many cactus and yucca species thrive. These are succulent plants. Most succulents have thick, heavy leaves that store water. Cacti store water in their stems. High up in the park’s Chisos Mountains, you will find fir and pine trees, aspens and maples. Temperatures here are much cooler than down on the desert floor. The entire Chisos Mountain range exists within Big Bend. It is the only mountain range in the United States that is fully within a national park. Its highest mountains, Emory Peak and Lost Mine Peak, each rise more than 2,000 meters above the hot desert floor.  The woodland environment in the mountains is home to black bears, mountain lions, and gray foxes. It is also home to many kinds of birds. Visitors are drawn to the park because of its rare and unique bird species. One of these is the Colima warbler. These small gray, yellow and red birds arrive at Big Bend in the springtime to mate and nest. Then, they return south to Mexico. In the late summer, mountain sage flowers appear. Hummingbirds -- blue-throated, ruby-throated, magnificent, and Lucifer, and others -- seek out these flowers. Along with its plant and animal life, the park is also rich in cultural history. Archaeological records of humans in the area go back about 10,000 years, beginning with the prehistoric Paleo-Indians.   Later on, the Chisos Indians lived here, as did the Comanche and Jumano people, and other native groups. Spanish explorers began to arrive in the area in the 1500s. They were searching for gold and fertile land. They described this land as “despoblado,” or “uninhabited.” Much of what is now Big Bend National Park was Mexican territory until 1848. Mexican settlers farmed and raised animals here. In the early 1900s, many Anglo-Americans began settling in the area. The creation of Big Bend National Park Big Bend became a national park on June 12, 1944. It covers more than 320,000 hectares. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the park just one week after D-Day. That is the day American and British troops invaded Normandy, France. As America’s attention centered on World War II, Roosevelt established a new national park for future generations to enjoy. For several years before the park was created, hundreds of men worked to build roads and trails to prepare the area for visitors. They built the 11-kilometer road that leads to the Chisos Mountains Basin. A basin is a large area of the earth’s surface that is lower than the area surrounding it. Today, the basin is a popular place within the park. Visitors can stay in the Chisos Mountain Lodge there or at campgrounds. Many of the park’s hiking trails begin near the basin. One of the most popular is the Lost Mine Trail. It starts near the Chisos Mountain Lodge. The trail goes up sharply through forests of pine, juniper and oak trees. The 8-kilometer-long hike passes by lookout points for viewing Casa Grande Peak, one of Texas’s major mountains. Hikers can also enjoy a view into the park’s Juniper Canyon. More than 300,000 people visit Big Bend each year. Most come between November and April, when the weather is cooler. A favorite way to explore the park is by boat on the Rio Grande. Many tour operators organize rafting trips. Rafting trips take you through many kilometers of beautiful deep canyons. They may last half a day or several days. On longer trips, travelers sleep next to the river in tents. Another way to enjoy the Rio Grande is in its many hot springs. These are places where hot water flows up from underground. The water temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius. The river’s hot springs are said to have healing properties. They hold mineral salts from the earth. Big Bend National Park has offered beauty, excitement and recreational challenge to visitors for more than eighty years. It is a true treasure of Texas, and the larger United States. I’m Caty Weaver. And I’m Ashley Thompson. Ashley Thompson wrote this story for VOA Learning English with materials from the National Park Service. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ecosystem - n. everything that exists in a particular environment sustain - v. to provide what is needed for (something or someone) to exist, continue, etc. thrive - v.​ to grow or develop successfully​ range - n. ​a series of mountains or hills in a line​ mate - v.​ to have sexual activity in order to produce young​ hummingbird - n. ​a very small, brightly colored American bird that has wings which beat very fast​ fertile - adj. able to support the growth of many plants uninhabited - adj. not lived in by people​ rafting  - v. the activity of traveling down a river on a flat boat (called a raft) tent  - n. ​a portable shelter that is used outdoors, is made of cloth and is held up with poles and ropes​

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