US May Reach Goal of Accepting 10,000 Syrian Refugees

  The United States is working to reach its goal of bringing 10,000 Syrian refugees to the country by the end of September. There has been an increase in the number of Syrian refugees entering the U.S. in the past three months. More than 8,000 people who fled violence and persecution in Syria have been resettled in the United States between October 1, 2015 and this week. The State Department’s Refugee Processing Center -- www.wrapsnet.org -- says half are under the age of 14. A few hundred Syrian refugees have entered the U.S. every month since last September. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced a plan to welcome them. Experts had said it would be difficult to reach the goal of bringing 10,000 Syrian refugees to the U.S. by the end of September. The previous year, 1,682 Syrian refugees entered the country. But in February, the State Department created a center in Amman, Jordan to help refugees apply to enter the U.S. The application, interviews and medical and security investigations necessary before refugees can be accepted usually take 18 to 24 months. But American officials said having the new center would reduce that time to three months. In May, 1,069 Syrian refugees entered the United States. More than 2,000 entered in both June and July. The 8,000 Syrian refugees who have entered so far have been sent to 38 states. Michigan has the most -- 887. California received 783, Arizona 651, Texas 565 and Pennsylvania 481. More refugees have been resettled in the United States than any other country. Almost 61,000 refugees have entered the U.S. since last October. Last year, Kerry also announced that the government would increase the number of refugees permitted into the U.S. from 70,000 to 85,000. The number is set by the president after he or she receives advice from the State Department. It will increase to 100,000 in the coming year. But many more Syrians want to enter the United States. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 4.8 million Syrians have fled to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. The office says 6.6 million have been displaced within Syria. The Syrian civil war began in 2011. At that time, the U.S. was accepting only a few Syrian refugees every year. Millions of Syrians fleeing conflict and Islamic State violence across the country have been accepted by Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. Many Republican governors have criticized the Obama administration’s decision to accept more Syrian refugees. Several state legislatures have considered bills to slow or stop the resettlement of some or all refugees in their states. Some opponents of the refugee resettlement plan say they do not believe the security investigations of the refugees have been complete enough. The administration has said they are. In early July, an Associated Press-GfK public opinion survey found that 69 percent of Republicans support a temporary ban on Muslim immigration. Fifty-two percent of Americans opposed such a ban; 45 percent supported it. In September, the U.N. General Assembly will meet to discuss refugee and migrant issues. Almost one million Syrians are seeking asylum in Europe. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.  VOA Correspondent Victoria Macchi reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for VOA 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   asylum – n. political protection given by a government to a person from another country      

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Everyday Grammar: Commonly Confused Words

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Scientist to Sequence Genes in Space

On Earth, American astronaut Kate Rubins researched some of the deadliest diseases like Ebola. Now, while orbiting the planet in the International Space Station, she will be testing a new device that analyzes genetic material. Her job is to use a new kind of DNA sequencing machine and find out if it can be used in space. DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. It is made of chains of molecules that carry the instructions for the development and growth of living things. Genes are made of DNA. The device Rubins is testing is called the MinION DNA sequencer. It is made by the company Oxford Nanopore technologies. The sequencer is small — about half the size of a smartphone. It sequences, or finds the order of, the DNA molecules found in cells. The small device could have a big effect on understanding astronauts’ health in space. The tests will show whether the technology can be used later to understand microbes in the space station. It might also help find genetic changes in the astronauts, and it might be able to diagnose illness in the future. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the U.S. space agency. NASA said the device might even be able to test materials from Mars for signs of DNA-based life in future missions. “And, uh, the hatch now opening to the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft and the arrival of three new crew members on the International Space Station. Kate Rubins, first through the hatch...” Rubins arrived at the space station in July. She is a trained microbiologist. She is known for her work with dangerous organisms that cause diseases. “So I think that people always look at my background and think I’m going to do something crazy, science fiction on the space station. But we do have a lot of controls up here and anything we bring up to the space station has to be checked for safety...” Safety is so important because the space station is a “closed loop environment.” That means the air and water is recycled. Rubins says NASA scientists came up with an “incredibly well thought out set of experiments.” The experiments include testing a virus and bacteria that are used in many labs on Earth and are not harmful. One of the first things the astronauts need to find out is how well the DNA sequencer operates in space, where there is almost no gravity. “Technology behaves differently up here. Fluids behave differently up here. Bubbles form in fluids. And so it’s going to be a really interesting piece of equipment just to check out and to understand.” Sarah Wallace is a microbiologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. She calls the MinION sequencer a “game changer” in space. Until now, samples from space had to be frozen and returned to Earth to be studied. If the device is successful, scientists will be able to see what is happening to human beings and to cells in real time. The machine could be used to help diagnose illnesses in astronauts living on the station. It also could help astronauts understand which drugs would work on disease-causing microbes if someone is sick at the station. This could help limit using valuable medications that cannot be quickly replaced in space. Wallace explains that the MinION sequencer operates differently from other DNA sequencers. Others usually take 24 to 48 hours to run, then stop. But up in space, this sequencer will display its results as it works. “Within minutes of loading your sample,” Wallace says, “you’re starting to get the sequence data back.” If all goes well, the machine will be able to tell which genes are “turning on and off” in response to being in space. This is important, Wallace says, because “we know that there are changes in space flight.” But scientists still do not know how and why the astronauts’ bodies are changing. “We need to know the how and the why,” Wallace says. This is important for NASA to know to be able to send people on longer space flights to places like Mars. In the future, Astronaut Rubins would like to use the DNA sequencer to learn more about possible microbes that might live in the station’s water system and elsewhere on the space station. They have “wonderful clean water” in the station, Rubins says. But she wonders if microbes could be living in the water system after it has been in place for 15 years. The water on the station comes from recycled urine and condensate – sweat and exhaled breath. She says there are “interesting scientific questions” to answer about how people live in space. “We’ve also got a fantastic research environment to really learn some completely novel things about how human beings behave in a closed loop environment.” This device joins other instruments on the space station that can be used to discover problems, including one device that can test single genes. “These kinds of small, portable genomic technologies are going to let us look, in real time, what’s actually happening to bone degradation, for example. What’s happening to your immune system. ” The technology already has been used successfully on Earth. During the recent Ebola outbreak in Africa, it was used for tests in rural and poor areas where it worked quickly, and well. I’m Anne Ball.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English with additional information from Reuters. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and find us on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   analyze –v. to study, to look at closely sequence –v. to place in the correct order microbe –n. a very small, simple living thing that requires a microscope to see game changer –adj. something that represents a big change diagnose –v. to recognize a disease or problem condensate –n. something that condenses sweat –n. water released from the skin exhale –v. to breathe out novel –adj. new, unusual

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Football Player's Non-Profit Supports Start-ups in Africa

  While recovering from a football injury, an American college student named John Cefalu decided to use his free time to develop a plan. He wanted to create a non-profit organization. Now in its third year, his organization operates 12 offices in Africa. The program, called Health 2 Humanity, trains people to develop, use, and sell sanitary products. The goal is to not only improve sanitation services and fight disease, but create jobs and economic growth, too. How does the program work? To finance Health 2 Humanity, Cefalu and his team sell soap made in the United States to Americans. Half of the money goes to his business and half goes toward funding Health 2 Humanity. Individual donations also support the non-profit organization. Health 2 Humanity identifies people who agree with its goals and would support its programs in Africa. The organization trains candidates to start up a business. It teaches these men and women to make soap and other sanitary products, and then gives them a short-term subsidy. The money from the subsidy buys raw, unprocessed materials and helps these entrepreneurs launch their business. On average, establishing a soap-making microbusiness that will last 10 to 20 years costs $10,000, said Cefalu. The hope is to help entrepreneurs make and sell products to sustain themselves and their communities. Local Perspectives Hezron Njeri grew up in Central Kenya. He dreamed of directing a business or a hotel. He never imagined an American college student would help make his dream possible. Njeri told VOA, "When Health 2 Humanity came to Kenya, I noticed that this is my opportunity now to become a manager that I've been dreaming to be and also to work with the community, to work with the children … and also encouraging them and giving hope about life and their future." Children are important to Njeri because he grew up without his parents in an orphanage. He started his own business, making and selling soap. He was so successful that Health 2 Humanity asked him to lead its implementation program. Now, Njeri helps other people to become entrepreneurs. Not just a charity Cefalu said Health 2 Humanity is different from many non-profit organizations that work in Africa. It is different, he said, because it is not just a charitable group. Cefalu says that his non-profit's goal is to make sure that people are able to develop themselves. Cori Maass, Health 2 Humanity's Marketing director, said most charity work does not do this. She added that charitable work has created an environment in Africa where people do not believe in themselves. Cefalu added that most of the entrepreneurs helped by Health 2 Humanity have never had any work experience. Many of them lack education and live in places that offer no possibility of employment. "We found that the people we're training … they're looked up to because they’re not looking out for just themselves," Cefalu noted. "They want to bring the community under their wing and create awareness and make their lives better." He added that the entrepreneurs get more than financial security. They also develop a sense of satisfaction and a desire to help others. Cefalu says the program has helped people. It has created jobs, decreased illness rates, and improved awareness of hygiene products. And there are other benefits. "We seeing just overall self-value and self-worth – something about holding onto your own business and having your own opportunity and providing for yourself," he added. Cefalu hopes to expand Health 2 Humanity to Asian and Latin American countries. I’m John Russell.   Elizabeth Lee reported on this story for VOANews.com. John Russell adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sanitary – adj. of or relating to good health or protection from dirt, infection, disease, etc. subsidy – n. money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business sustain – v.  to provide what is needed for (something or someone) to exist, continue, etc. implementation – n.  the act of doing or using (something, such as a plan) hygiene – n. the things that you do to keep yourself and your surroundings clean in order to maintain good health benefit – n. a good or helpful result or effect fund – v. to provide money or financial support charitable – adj. done or designed to help people who are sick or poor

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New Company Plans Very Small Electronic Medical Treatments

  A new company has been created to research and develop medical treatments using bioelectronics. Bioelectronic treatments use a small device placed inside the body to change electronic nerve signals to treat, and possibly cure, diseases. The British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK, and Google’s Verily Life Sciences formed the new company, Galvani Bioelectronics. They expect to invest about $715 million into the business during the next seven years. GSK will own 55 percent of the company and Verily, 45 percent. GSK has spent the last three years creating a special map of nerves. It shows how the nerves affect organs and the disease process. Verily is expert at small device design and engineering. Moncef Slaoui is Chairman of Vaccines at GSK. He says Galvani Bioelectronics will build on the strengths and technologies of the two companies. GSK says these small bioelectronics devices could potentially treat diseases including diabetes, arthritis and asthma. The device could be used to guide insulin out of cells to treat diabetes, for example, or to correct muscle differences in lung disease.  Kris Famm is president of Galvani. He told Reuters news agency that the company had good results using the device in animal testing. He said the first generation of devices would be about the size of a small pill. But, he said, one day it will be smaller than a grain of rice. Famm said Galvani expects the first devices to be ready for government inspection by 2023. A major difficulty for researchers is to make the device work on extremely low power so it can be used deep inside the body. At first, Galvani will employ about 30 scientists, engineers and other lab workers. It will be based at GSK’s research center north of the British capital, London. A second research lab will set up in San Francisco, California.    I’m Dorothy Gundy.    Reuters reported on this story for VOANews.com. Dorothy Gundy adapted this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story bioelectronics – n. a branch of science that deals with electronic control of how the body works, especially in medicine to make up for defects of the nervous system pharmaceutical – adj. of or relating to the production and sale of drugs and medicine potentially – adv. capable of becoming real insulin ­– n. a substance that your body makes and uses to turn sugar into energy pill – n. a small, rounded object that you swallow and that contains medicine   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Lesson 24: Yesterday Was Amazing!

Summary Anna discovers a festival - the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. What does she learn there about Basque culture? Speaking Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson. You also learn about the words people use in English when they cannot remember a word, or they do not know a word.  Pronunciation Use this video to learn about three ways to pronounce the past tense ending of regular verbs. Conversation   Anna:  Yesterday was the most amazing day. I want to tell my friend back home about it. So, I am writing her a letter! Anna:  Dear Penelope, Life in Washington, D.C. is interesting. I see something new every day -- like yesterday. Yesterday started like a usual work day. Anna:  I said, "Yesterday started like a usual work day." Anna's voice: I was at work. And I wanted a break. So, I walked and walked … and walked. Then, I saw something! It was a festival -- a big festival! Anna: It is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Anna's voice: Yes. It was the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Every year the festival shows different cultures. This year one of the cultures was the Basque culture. There was dancing and food and games!” Anna: I am dancing a traditional Basque dance. Anna's voice: At the festival, I danced a traditional Basque dance! Anna: They are cooking traditional Basque food. Anna's voice: They cooked a lot of traditional Basque food. Anna: They are playing a game. It’s a kind of handball. What do they call it? They call it pilota! Anna's voice: They played a game with their hands and a small ball. It’s a kind of handball. But this game is called pilota. Anna: This is beautiful! This is traditional Basque art. Anna: They are making a traditional Basque ship. This festival is a lot of fun! Anna's voice: The whole day was a lot of fun! Anna:  Who said that? I want to write my friends and tell them about my day! Anna:  … So, I wanted to tell you about my day! Please, my friend, come visit Washington, D.C. soon. There is a lot to do! Until next time … Anna. Writing Tell about a party or festival in your town.  Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Substitute. When we are speaking a second language, we often do not know a word. That is the time we can substitute a phrase or another word, and continue speaking. In the video, you can hear Anna telling about the game. She does not remember the name at first. They are playing a game. It’s a kind of handball. What do they call it? They call it pilota! Anna uses a phrase, "It's a kind of handball," to tell about the game. She is substituting that phrase for the Basque name. Then she remembers the name, pilota. How about you? Do you sometimes substitute a word or phrase for an English word you do not know? Write to tell us how you use this strategy in an email or in the Comments section. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more on how to teach this strategy. Quiz ​Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. This week's quiz also tests your learning strategy knowledge. ______________________________________________________________ New Words was - v. past tense of the verb "be" in first or third person (I was; he/she/it was) Basque Country _- n. region of Spain culture - n.  the beliefs, customs, or arts of a particular society festival - n. an organized series of performances handball - n. a game for two or four players who use their hands to hit a ball against a wall interesting - adj. attracting your attention and making you want to learn more about something or to be involved in something  said - v. past tense of the verb "say" traditional - adj. following the tradition of a certain group or culture Past tense verbs start - started want - wanted walk - walked dance - danced play - played call - called ______________________________________________________________ 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 practice the past tense. 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: Regular past tense verbs Topics: Festivals and cultural traditions Learning Strategy: Substitute Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Voiced and voiceless past tense pronunciations; Substituting one word for another ______________________________________________________________ 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.

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When It Rains, Make Beer

There is a saying that advises “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” In other words, make the best out of a bad situation. Some people in the Netherlands are taking that advice. This June, they suffered under one of the rainiest months in Europe in more than 100 years. But instead of complaining about the rain, some Amsterdam residents decided to take advantage of the extra water. No, not to make lemonade – to make beer. Joris Hoebe is an entrepreneur in the Netherlands. He was already working on projects to help Amsterdam be more like a sponge. The projects aimed to help the city capture and use more rainwater before it goes into the sewer system and out to sea. Hoebe also enjoys making beer at home. He thought he might be able to capture rainwater and use it to make beer. “Well, I thought 'I need water to make beer and we   have this problem of these heavy rainfalls, so why don't we combine these two?'” When Hoebe makes beer, he does not need too much water. But larger beer makers do need a lot of water. It takes about five liters of water to make one liter of beer. Because water is a significant expense for a brewery, anything the small brewery can do to limit that cost is helpful. So Hoebe thought he might be able to talk a small brewery into using rainwater to make beer. Workers at Brewery de Prael in Amsterdam were not sure about the idea at first. One concern was that the rainwater would be dirty. But Hoebe and a partner, Pavel van Deutekom, were already working on a rain-catching system that filters the water so it is safe to drink. The two men were assisted by a group of students at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. When Hoebe and the students said they could provide 1,000 liters of water, the brewery workers thought it would be worth a try. Thomas Gesink is the marketing manager of Brewery de Prael. Gesink said he never thought of using rainwater to make beer. He thinks the brewery is the first in Amsterdam to experiment with rain as a water source. “Because it is a first time that it has ever been done by my knowledge and it’s a very innovative project,” Gesnik said. The team boiled the water and filtered it to make sure it was clean. They then started making a blond beer called “Hemelswater,” which means “heavenly water” in Dutch. It is almost sold out. Hoebe told The Guardian newspaper that making beer is only the beginning. The plan is to put more water collection tanks and filters around Amsterdam. If the showers continue, residents can capture the rain and use it to make anything that needs water – soup, sorbet, and yes, even lemonade. I’m Dan Friedell. Serginho Roosblad wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. What do you think about the people using rainwater to make beer? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   blond – adj. of a yellow or very light brown color expense – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money sponge – n. something that absorbs liquid and is often used for cleaning entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money filter – n. a device that is used to remove something unwanted from a liquid or gas that passes through it complain – v. to say or write that you are unhappy, sick, uncomfortable, etc., or that you do not like something shower – n. a brief fall of rain or snow over a small area

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Ivory Coast Hopes to Increase its Chocolate Production

  Ivory Coast is the world's top producer of cocoa. Cocoa beans are used to make chocolate. But, little chocolate is produced in the West African nation. Most of the cocoa produced in the country is sent to chocolate makers in Europe and elsewhere. This is a common issue facing many places in Africa. Countries produce and export large amounts of raw materials, but manufacture few finished goods.  Several businesses in Ivory Coast are working to change that. One of those businesses is led by chocolate maker Suzanne Kabbani. Her shop is called “La Maison du Chocolat Ivoirien” or “House of Ivorian Chocolate.” It is in Abidjan, the country’s economic capital. She recently made special chocolates ahead of the country’s independence day, celebrated on August 7. Ten years ago, Kabbani wanted to prove that it was possible to make high-quality chocolate in Ivory Coast using local supplies. But, she says it was difficult to prove to Ivorians that it could be done.   “I started creating various flavors adapted to local tastes, to encourage the population to eat their own product," she said. Kabbani uses ginger, cashew nuts and coconut grown in Ivory Coast. She works with growers to improve the quality of their crops, especially the cocoa beans. Her customers are mostly middle-class Ivorians and people from other countries. She plans to open another store in Abidjan soon. And she plans to make chocolates that are less costly, so more people can afford to buy them. Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has said he wants the country to process about half of its cocoa production by the year 2020. It now processes about 30 percent. Large signs were recently placed around Abidjan to encourage people to buy and eat Ivorian chocolate.  Axel Emmanuel is also a chocolate-maker. He is a former banker. He says learning to make chocolate is not yet popular among Ivorians. He says that is because people believe chocolate is difficult and costly to make. He says people ask, “Why make something that others are not interested in? Who will buy it?” He says Ivorians prefer to make cakes because they know they will be able to sell them. But his chocolates are very popular. He recently began selling a less costly chocolate bar on the street. He says the quality of the chocolate is as high as his other, more costly products. A street seller is trying to get people to buy chocolates. “Good evening, Madam,” he says . “Chocolate made in Ivory Coast, 200 francs.” That is about 30 US cents for the 50-gram bars. Many people buy them. At a small restaurant nearby, three men sit at a table with a large amount of chocolate they have just bought for their children. “The price is very competitive. For that chocolate bar -- 200 francs -- it’s very cheap.” At another table, two young people try a taste of the chocolate. “We want to see what chocolate made in Ivory Coast tastes like. Yes, it’s good!” Another says, "We can feel the natural taste of cocoa. That’s good! I really like that!” Emmanuel says he will try to raise enough money on the Internet through crowdfunding to attend the famous Salon du Chocolat in France. The huge chocolate conference takes place at the end of October.   His goal is to prove that chocolate made in Ivory Coast is as good as chocolate made anywhere else. I’m Ashley Thompson.    Correspondent Emilie Iob reported this story from Abidjan. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson 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   raw materials - n. the basic material that can be used to make or create something goods - n. things for sale adapt - v. to change (something) so that it functions better or is better suited for a purpose encourage - v.  to make (someone) more likely to do something middle class - n. the social class that is between the upper class and the lower class and that includes mainly business and professional people, government officials, and skilled workers process - v. to change (something) from one form into another by preparing, handling, or treating it in a special way bar - n. a solid piece of something that is shaped like a rectangle competitive - adj. as good as or better than others of the same kind : able to compete successfully with others

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More Than a Place, Silicon Valley Is a Culture

Monisha Perkash and her parents moved to the United States from Nepal. She never imagined that one day she would be heading a company in California’s Silicon Valley. In fact, she once had plans to become a doctor. Perkash is the chief executive officer of a new business, or start-up company, called Lumo Bodytech. It creates sensors people can wear while running, walking or working. These wearable sensors can judge a person’s posture and help prevent back pain or other injuries. Silicon Valley stretches from San Francisco to San Jose in northern California. The area is home to many technology companies, such as Apple, Google and Facebook. Yahoo, which recently made news for being sold to Verizon Communications, started at a small office building in Silicon Valley. Perkash remembers her father once tried to find the area on a map. She says he called her and said “I can’t find the Silicon Valley anywhere!” But Perkash says the Silicon Valley community is not just a location, it is also an attitude and a culture. People who are interested in creating technology businesses move to the area. Once they are there, they find a culture that helps businesses find success. People work together to help businesses grow. Perkash says she and her partners started Lumo Bodytech so they could use technology to help improve people’s lives. Their system is called Lumo Life. One of the wearable sensors, called Lumo Lift, will shake when the user is slouching in a chair. Another sensor can be used to give runners feedback and send the information to a software program for mobile phones. Andrew Chang is one of the start-up company’s founders, with Perkash and Charles Wang. Chang says a start-up’s small size helps it when making decisions and providing products. “You can’t even compare the speed that you move at, the speed at which you make decisions … and so on, because there is a lot less bureaucracy.” However, Wang says that fast-paced environment can also create problems. You have to learn quickly and respond to challenges every day. “I’ve learned so many different things in the role that I’ve had here.” Perkash says her business is proving to be a success. But what about her plan to be a doctor? It seems her parents are happy as long as she’s successful. “I want to make them proud and I want them to know that by giving us this opportunity to pursue anything we want, pursue our dreams, that I’m carrying that on. So in a lot of ways, it’s honoring them that I do what I do.” I’m Dan Friedell.   Elizabeth Lee wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think about the start-up culture in Silicon Valley? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   attitude – n. a feeling or way of thinking that affects a person's behavior posture – n. the way in which your body is positioned when you are sitting or standing slouch – v. to walk, sit, or stand lazily with your head and shoulders bent forward feedback – n. helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance, product, etc. pursue – v. to try to get or do (something) over a period of time challenge – n. a call to take part in a competition; a problem or issue

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Tell Them You 'Heard it Through the Grapevine'

Hello and welcome to another episodes of Words and Their Stories, a VOA Learning English program. Each week we explore the stories behind common American words and expressions. We try to give you useful information. But some of the most exciting information comes not online or from your phone or in a text. Some of the most exciting information comes to you by way of “the grapevine” That is so because reports received through “the grapevine” are supposed to be secret. The information is very “hush-hush.” It is whispered into your ear, with the understanding that you will not pass it on to others. You feel honored and excited. You are one of the special few to get this information. You cannot wait. You must quickly find another ear to pour the information into. And so, the information, secret as it is, begins to spread – like a vine. Nobody knows how far the vine will spread. The expression “by the grapevine” is more than 100 years old. But it seems like a new expression; it hasn’t changed a bit and is often used in conversations. The American inventor Samuel F. B. Morse is largely responsible for the birth of the expression. Among others, he experimented with the idea of telegraphy, sending messages over a wire by electricity. When Morse finally completed his telegraphic instrument, he went before Congress to show that it worked. He sent a message over a wire from Washington to Baltimore. The message was: “What God hath wrought.” This was on May 24, 1844. And with those words, telegraphy was born. Everybody heard the news with great excitement. Everybody, it seems, but the author of “Walden,” Henry David Thoreau. He wondered if men had anything to say that was worth sending by electricity. But Thoreau was a loner, a dreamer. Few shared his ideas. Quickly, companies began to build telegraph lines from one place to another. Men everywhere seemed to be putting up poles with strings of wire for carrying telegraphic messages. The workmanship was poor and the wires were not often put up straight. One was so badly built that people joked about it. They said it looked like a grapevine. A large number of the telegraph lines looked just as funny, going in all directions, as crooked as a grapevine. And so the expression “by the grapevine” was born. Some writers believe that the phrase would soon have disappeared, were it not for the American Civil War. Soon after the war began, military commanders started to send battlefield reports by telegraph. Then something strange happened. Besides these true reports, all sorts of wild rumors and false stories were being received in different places. These false reports spread quickly. They spread so fast that people believed there were “grapevine telegraphs” sending messages from a number of different places. One soon heard the phrase, “by the grapevine” to describe false as well as true reports from the battlefield. There was a mystery about these reports. People wondered where the secret information came from. It was like a game: Was it true? Who says so? Now, as in those far off Civil War days, getting information by the grapevine remains something of a game. A friend brings you a bit of strange news. It may be so shocking that you ask, “Where did you hear that?” The answer may be, “I heard it through the grapevine.” You have decide if it’s true or not. I’m Anna Matteo. How do secret messages travel in your language? Do they also go through the grapevine? The song at the end is Marvin Gaye singing, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    wild -- adj. uncontrolled and dangerous rumor -- n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true​

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Who Are the Libertarian and Green Party Presidential Candidates?

Most attention in the U.S. presidential race is going to Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. But two other candidates – Libertarian Gary Johnson and Jill Stein of the Green Party – are starting to get more attention. They are also rising in popularity in public opinion studies. Both Johnson and Stein ran for president for their parties in the last election in 2012. Back then, public opinion studies showed Johnson had the support of four percent of voters. Stein got two percent. Recent poll results show both candidates getting nearly two times that level of support in this election. High voter unhappiness Opinion surveys also show that more than half of Americans have negative views about Trump and Clinton. Political experts say this high level of dissatisfaction is getting more people interested in the Libertarian and Green Party candidates. Robert J. Guttman is the director of the Center for Politics and Foreign Relations at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. "Hillary Clinton having an untrustworthy factor of about 66 percent, Trump being even higher than that. We have two candidates out of 330 million Americans that are the most disliked I’ve seen in the 40 years I’ve covered politics." It would be highly unusual for a candidate who is not Republican or Democrat to be elected president of the United States. The last time this happened was in 1850, when Millard Fillmore became president as a member of the Whig party. Fillmore was serving as vice president under President Zachary Taylor and became president when Taylor died. It is difficult for third-party candidates to compete with Republican and Democratic nominees. They do not receive the same organizational and financial support. The U.S. Electoral College voting system also favors major-party candidates. But Johnson says he believes he has a chance of winning because of the "extraordinary" things that have happened in this year’s campaign season. The Libertarian candidate appeared this week in his second town hall broadcast on the television channel CNN. He appeared with his vice presidential running mate, Bill Weld. "So really our strategy is to win this thing outright, and some extraordinary things have to happen," Johnson said. "But has there ever been a more extraordinary political year in our lives?" Johnson is a businessman and former two-term Republican governor of the U.S. state of New Mexico. Weld served two terms as Republican governor of Massachusetts.   Libertarians agree with Democrats on some issues and with Republicans on other issues. The party’s name comes from the word "liberty," which means the state of people living free in society.   The Libertarian Party is more liberal than the Republican Party on social issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. But the party has conservative views, too. It supports lower taxes, smaller government and less military involvement abroad. "We want the government out of your pocketbook and out of your bedroom. And I will tell you the polling shows a majority of Americans think that," Weld said during the town hall event. The Green Party is expected to officially nominate Jill Stein and her vice presidential running mate Ajamu Baraka in the coming days. Stein is a Harvard-educated doctor and an advocate for environmental and health issues. Baraka is a longtime human rights activist. Also running for the Green Party nomination is William Kreml, a professor of politics at the University of South Carolina. CNN will hold a town hall broadcast on August 17 for the Green Party. The Green Party platform calls for government action to protect the environment from global warming and for developing renewable energy sources. It also supports full access to abortion for all women, opposes the death penalty and calls for an end to corporate campaign donations. One sure way to get noticed by millions of Americans is for Johnson and Stein to appear on the debate stage with Trump and Clinton. But debate rules require them to first get at least 15 percent support in multiple public opinion studies. Johnson himself said "There’s no chance of winning without being in the presidential debates." Guttman said it is even possible that Trump might not participate in the debates. The Republican nominee has accused the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party of trying to "rig" – or unfairly control – the debates. "I think it’s 50/50 if Trump will even show up. And if Gary Johnson – the Libertarian candidate who’s on the ballot - gets I think it's 15 percent, so we could have Hillary Clinton debating Gary Johnson." Along with trying to qualify for the debates, candidates Johnson and Stein are also trying to get on the voting ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the November election. Johnson is currently on the ballot in 36 states, according to the Libertarian Party’s website. Stein is currently on the ballot in 24 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Green Party’s latest online map.   Even if Johnson and Stein do get on the all the ballots before the November election, they will face difficulties in getting votes. In the 2012 election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66 million votes. He beat Republican Mitt Romney, who received 61 million. Johnson received just 1.2 million votes and Stein about 500,000. But Guttman said 2016 is a very different political year. He expects both Johnson and Stein to do much better with voters. "Republicans are turned off by Trump. Hillary has a high negative factor, and (Clinton Vice President candidate) Senator (Tim) Kaine from Virginia seems like the most grown-up person in the race. But most people don’t vote for vice president. So yeah, this is a great year for a third-party candidate..."  He added that many voters are now "looking for alternatives like crazy." He said that means both Johnson and Stein could get more votes in this year’s election than any other third-party candidates in U.S. history. Some consider a vote for a third-party candidate a "wasted" vote, because the candidate has a low chance of winning. That could stop some voters from supporting Johnson or Stein. But, Guttman says, this is not a "normal year." "In a normal year I would agree with that. But this is so far out of a normal year that I don’t think people are going to think they are throwing their vote away." I’m Bryan Lynn.   Chris Hannas reported this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted his story and did additional reporting for Learning English. Ashley Thompson 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   dissatisfaction – n. feeling unhappiness or a lack of approval pocketbook – n. amount of money someone has available to spend advocate – n. person who supports or works for a cause or policy renewable energy – n. energy that comes from natural sources capable of being replenished rig – v. to manipulate or control to achieve a desired outcome wasted – adj. not used in a good or useful way

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