'Glass Ceiling' Still Exists for Women

2016 is a big year for American women. Last month, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to receive a major party nomination for president in the United States.  But does her nomination mean all restrictions on woman and their careers are gone? The term “glass ceiling” is often used to describe an unseen barrier that stops women and minorities from moving up in their careers. American small business owners said in an opinion survey that the glass ceiling remains in place, even with Hillary Clinton running for president. Bank of America contacted 1,001 business owners from across the country for their opinion on the issue. Seventy-seven percent of the women, and 56 percent of the men said they believe the barrier still exists for some women and members of minority groups. Aquila Leon-Soon is chief executive officer of Advance Talent Solutions, a company that helps non-profit groups and government with finding workers. She told VOA the glass ceiling is very real. "I think that glass ceiling does exist and I would like for people to even think more about how it impacts women entrepreneurs.” Entrepreneurs launch businesses and are willing to risk money to make money. The Bank of America survey found that 54 percent of women small business owners did not feel affected by the glass ceiling. But 46 percent said they had felt limited by it at some time in their careers. Sharon Miller is head of small business at Bank of America. She told VOA the survey shows that more women small business owners are hopeful about their companies making money than men. And more women than men plan to grow their business over the next five years. Miller said that "from 2015 to 2016, the number of men small-business owners expressing optimism about revenue and growth declined significantly, more than 15 percentage points.” Most American companies are small businesses -- ones with less than 500 employees. The U.S. Small Business Administration says small businesses make up more than 99 percent of American companies. Miller says the survey found that women want to operate their own businesses. “When we asked why did you become an entrepreneur, why did you open your own small business, most of the women answered because I want to be my own boss, because I want to take control of my own destiny.” She added they found that women were not opening businesses because they were unhappy in their old job. “Those are running towards something, not away. So it wasn’t because I was unhappy in my previous role or didn’t like it, it’s that I wanted to build something for myself.” A big part of getting a business started is finding the capital, or money, to finance it. Some people may have to use credit cards, or borrow money from family or friends, or get traditional loans for their businesses. The survey found that more than one in four women still feel they do not have the same access to capital as men. Leon-Soon knows about that. She says, the first time she went to a bank to get a loan to pay her employees, she was rejected. Now that her company is established, she does not have trouble getting money. But she says people are still surprised to find women in top leadership.  “Often I am asked, and people are surprised, they’re like, well, can I talk to your boss? And I say, I am the boss. They’re like REALLY?!” She says people are also surprised when they find out a successful company is led by a woman. “And that shows that as a nation we have a lot more that we need to do to change the way people view entrepreneurs, and how successful women can be.” And that most likely means there is a lot more work to be done to make that glass ceiling disappear. I’m Anne Ball.   Bernard Shusman reported this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball wrote it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   glass ceiling - n. an unfair system or attitudes that prevents some people  from getting the most powerful jobs survey – n. questions asked to gather data on a group optimism – n. a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future decline - v. something that goes down in numbers boss – n. the person in charge of employees destiny – n. what will happen in the future

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As World Follows Rio Olympics, Brazil’s Economy Struggles

  Pictures from the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro have been beautiful. But underlying the beauty, there is unrest in Rio and many other parts of Brazil. The country is in the middle of a political and economic crisis. Many Brazilians are feeling the pinch, and hurting economically. That is especially true for those who live in Rio’s poorest neighborhoods, called “favelas.” Huberto Sousa spent most of his life renting beach chairs to people visiting Copacabana beach. In October 2010, he decided to open a bar in the favela of Cantagalo, where he was born and raised. Sousa said he always wanted to work for himself, instead of having to depend on others. He said he enjoyed choosing his own hours. In Cantagalo, Sousa is known as “the King.” So, he called his bar “King’s Castle.” The business was successful. Times were good for many businesses in Brazil in 2010. The economy was growing and many Brazilians entered the middle class for the first time. The median household income grew 87 percent between 2003 and 2013. Sousa said, during the best times, middle class people would come and socialize with people in the favela. He said this created an interesting mix of people. “That was the best time, but it started to drop off about (in) about 2014,” he said. Since that time, Brazil’s economy has struggled. Some blame increasing debt and cuts in government spending and investments. The sharp drop in oil prices also might have hurt the economy. Brazilian economist Rodrigo Magalhaes said people who recently moved up into the middle class were hurt most by the economic slowdown. “When the recession began, it broke the expectation of these people because in the last 10 years they had seen the situation getting steadily better and then it all collapsed,” he said. Hospitals, schools and other public services also have been hurt. This year, there have been teachers’ strikes in Brazil. Students also have “occupied” schools for weeks, in some cases, to protest problems in the education system. Fabiola Camargo is a teacher. She told VOA teachers have not received a pay raise since 2014. Camargo says the strikes and student occupations have helped each other. “The occupations are supporting the strikes just as much as the strikes are supporting the occupations because they both were wanting improvements in education,” she said. Brazil’s political crisis is another consideration. Early Wednesday, the Senate voted 59 to 21 to move forward with the impeachment trial of President Dilma Rousseff. Lawmakers suspended Rousseff in May over accusations of hiding budget deficits before her reelection in 2014. Her trial is expected to take place late this month. Holding the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro has lifted the spirits of many Brazilians. The beautiful images of Rio’s bay and Olympic facilities have given many a much-needed lift. But the economic situation remains difficult. Preparations for the games have cost the city billions of dollars. Unemployment in Brazilian cities has reached eight percent and the jobless rate for the whole country is higher. The economy is predicted to shrink by more than two percent in 2016. I’m Mario Ritter. Jeff Swicord reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story feeling the pinch – idiom, to feel pain because of something unpleasant median – n. the middle value among a series of values or numbers, the value right in the middle adjust – v. to make a change or a correction that accounts for something factors – n. things that influence results impeachment – n. to charge a high official with a crime while in office

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Getting African Movies Into African Theaters Proves Difficult

On a usual Friday night in Ivory Coast, movie lovers will choose between American-made blockbusters and French comedies. It can be hard to find African-made films at movie theaters in Africa. A limited number of African movies make it into theaters around the continent. But a new organization is trying to increase the number and inspire young filmmakers. African Screen Network, known as ASN, opened earlier this year. It is trying to bring African films to African audiences. Steve Markovitz is a South African movie producer who started the network with help from the Goethe Institute, a German cultural organization. Because of ASN, an award-winning film from South Africa was also available in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It is called “Necktie Youth.” The film tells the story of young people in a Johannesburg suburb dealing with the suicide of a friend. Bienvenu, an audience member, said he liked the movie. “I liked the interracial friendships in it; it’s a good introduction to South Africa,” he said. Bienvenu grew up in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He watched mostly French and American movies. There were not many African-made movies available. “I can count on my fingers the number of Congolese movies I’ve seen. I want us to be open on the world, but I also want the promotion of African cinema. We have a lot of actors, a lot of movies, but little resources, no marketing. They are not known,” Bienvenu said. Khanyo Mjamba works with ASN. He said it is difficult to make sure African films are available throughout Africa. Money can be a problem. Also, producers do not always know someone who can help them get a movie played in a new city. Currently ASN offers six movies to theaters around Africa. The films are from Kenya, Sudan, Ivory Coast and South Africa. A theater must pay a fee that is split between ASN and the film’s producers if it wants to show one of the movies. So far, about 20 theaters in 16 countries are taking advantage of ASN’s offerings. ASN hopes it can reach 30 theaters by the end of the year. The goal is not only to help movie producers earn more money. ASN also wants to inspire new filmmakers around Africa. Mjamba said he wants to show movies that make people say: “Hey, I could actually make a movie like this, I could be daring and make a film that has never been done before.” I’m Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth.   Emilie Iob wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. What do you think about the attempt to get more African films shown in Africa? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   network – n. a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other daring – adj. willing to do dangerous or difficult things cinema – n. the art or technique of making movies blockbuster – n. something that is very large, expensive, or successful comedy – n. a play, movie, television program, novel, etc., that is meant to make people laugh interracial – adj. involving people of different races introduction – n. the act of making a person known to others by name —usually plural

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New Antibiotic Found in Human Noses

  The search for new drugs to fight infections has led to a discovery in an unlikely place — in people’s noses. What researchers found in noses is a compound called lugdunin. It fights a human bacterium responsible for the “superbug” infection known as MRSA. MRSA is short for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is considered a “superbug” because it resists many antibiotic drugs. The result is many people die from the infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are 80-thousand cases every year in the United States, and 10-thousand people die from MRSA. The journal Nature Microbiology published a report about the discovery of lugdunin last month. The research team reported that the compound, produced by another bacterium, has been effective against the “superbug.” The Staphylococcus aureus bacterium is commonly known as staph. Many people carry the staph harmlessly in their bodies, in addition to billions of other microorganisms. But it is a different story if this bacterium gets into a person’s blood. S. aureus can quickly spread throughout the body with a possibly deadly infection. One place to find staph is in the nose. But the researchers found that 70 percent of the population does not carry S. aureus. Kim Lewis directs the Antimicrobial Discovery Center at Northeastern University in Massachusetts. He wrote a commentary about the discovery in Nature Microbiology.  “So if you have lugdunin in your nose, chances are you are not going to be carrying staph aureus. So that was the initial finding of that study.” Just like animals in the wild, bacteria in our bodies compete for survival. The bacterium Staphylococcus lugdunensis fights off S. aureus. But it gets even more interesting. Scientists found that about one third of the population has S. aureus in their nose. But almost no one with the S. lugdunensis bacterium had any sign of the possibly harmful staph infection. A few people had neither bacterium in their noses. That raises the possibility that there are other bacteria that can defeat staph. And that could mean there are other antibiotic possibilities that researchers have not yet identified. Lewis says there is a simple reason why researchers are looking high and low for new antibacterial drugs. “We want to stay alive. That’s the short answer to that question.  Pathogens have been acquiring resistance and that has been spreading. And now pathogens are gaining the upper hand. So we need to get back in the game and figure out other ways to discover new antibiotics.” He notes that antibiotics, many of which are still in use today, were discovered during the early to middle of the 20th century. It is a period known as the Golden Age of Antibiotics. These drugs were made from compounds found in soil, a good place to find microorganisms. So that is where Lewis’ Antimicrobial Discovery Center comes in. “Only one percent of soil microorganisms are cultivable. So the rest, the 99 (percent) are called the microbial Dark Matter. So, we are going after the microbial Dark Matter.” Lewis helped create a new method to look for microorganisms that can be made into antibiotics. Last year, Lewis and other researchers discovered the drug teixobactin. It is an antibiotic that kills a number of bacterium, including Staphylococcus aureus, by destroying their cell walls. More traditional antibiotics attack bacterial proteins. But over time, the microbes can develop mutations -- they change and find ways to resist the drugs. Their ability to change makes traditional antibiotics less effective. But when researchers attacked the cell walls, they found no resistance to antibiotics in the animals they studied. This new research means the human body itself might be the source of the new drugs to keep us healthy.  I’m Anne Ball.   Jessica Berman reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow 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   antibiotic – n. a drug used to kill harmful bacteria or infection bacterium – n. any one of a group of small living things that often cause disease pathogen – n. something, like bacteria, that causes disease microorganism – n. an extremely small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope cultivable – adj. relating to something that can be grown mutation – n. a basic and significant change

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Lifelong Refugee Finds a Place to Call Home

The United Nations estimates that more than 45 million people worldwide are refugees. For most of his life, Awadh Alsrya was a refugee. He was never a citizen of any country. Now, he finally has a place to call his home.   Alsrya became a citizen of the United States last month on July 4, American Independence Day. It was then that he, his two sons and 80 other people took the oath of citizenship at a ceremony in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Alsrya waited more than half a century before becoming a U.S. citizen. "When I passed my (citizenship) test, I cried because this was my dream for 58 years. It was a long time. I was waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting." Awadh Alsrya was born in Iraq. His parents were Palestinian refugees. Before coming to the United States, Alsrya and his family lived in Baghdad. There, he operated a successful grocery business with an Iraqi partner. In 2003, the United States and its allies launched a military campaign to disarm Iraq. The U.S.-Iraq War was followed by outbreaks of sectarian violence. "Every day when I open my door, I see dead bodies in the street. When I go to my store, I see dead bodies in the street. This is not life." When Alsrya’s business partner was shot and killed, and his wife was shot in the shoulder, the family got their belongings and left Baghdad.   "I closed everything. I don't need anything. I lost all my money, all my businesses. I only wanted to save my sons and my family to leave because I thought one day, one month, my sons might get killed." He and his family came to the United States six years ago through the State Department's refugee program. They resettled in Charlottesville, Virginia. "Believe me, the first day when I came to America, I don't know what happened from my body, I just felt this is my country." Now, Alsrya works in a grocery store, which is similar to his former business in Iraq. His youngest son also has a part-time job there.    "I like this job. I want to give (back) America because she gave me a citizenship. I want to give her more. Until now for six years, I didn't take a vacation..." Since becoming U.S. citizens, he and his sons have requested passports for the first time in their lives. "May my God give me more time to live. I will give back America more, more, more, more because America helped make my dream come true."   I’m Marsha James.   VOA’s June Soh reported this story from Charlottesville, Virginia. Marsha James adapted her report for Learning English. Her story also has information from an Associated Press report. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   oath – n. a formal and serious promise to do something outbreak – n. a sudden start or increase of fighting or disease sectarian – adj. relating to religious or political sects and the difference between them grocery – n. food sold at a store We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Everyday Grammar: Comparatives

This video is based on an article in the Everyday Grammar series: http://ift.tt/2aUsaMC

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Review of Lessons 20 - 24

Introduction We get many comments and emails from our friends online who use this course to learn English. In the video this week, we answer some of your comments. Asif writes that he spends lots of time on different websites to practice English. But he doesn't know how to be a regular on VOA. He says "Please can you help me to be regular?" The important thing in learning a language is to practice it regularly. Decide on a time every day when you can listen to English and practice speaking.  You can set an alarm on your phone to remind you. Another learner, Muneer, writes: The most important things here for me are the pronunciation and speaking parts. Muneer, you learned that you can play the Speaking Practice video and repeat each new word. Do you record yourself on your phone or computer? When you do, you can listen to see if what you say matches the native speaker's words. After you watch the Pronunciation Practice video do you use the new expressions in your conversations with friends? You should! Ederson in Brazil writes, "The course is excellent! I have done all activities and can easily read texts in English. However, I still find it very difficult to talk in English." Ederson, you should find a friend nearby who is also studying English. Get together for coffee on a regular basis to talk in English. Try watching an episode of Let's Learn English and then act out the conversation with your friend. The words to each video are on the web page, so you can read them aloud easily. Make your learning of English fun and you will be able to keep up a regular practice schedule. One way to study every day is to get our podcasts and daily emails. For the Learning English podcast, click the link on the web page to go to the Learning English Broadcast and click on "View in iTunes." Then, click on "Subscribe." Then when you connect your phone or iPod to the computer, choose to automatically update the podcast. Now you can listen when you are out of the house, walking, riding on a bus or train, or running. Listening while your body is active helps your brain work well. We hope you return every week to Let's Learn English for a new lesson.   I'm Jill Robbins. Here are links to the podcasts and mailing list pages: Daily Emails of New Learning English Stories: Check the box, put in your email and click on "Subscribe." Click the link to go to the Learning English Broadcast and click on "View in iTunes." Click on "Subscribe." For all of VOA's podcasts, open your iTunes app and go to the VOA page. ______________________________________________________________ Review Quiz In this quiz, you can test your listening skills. Watch a short video and answer each question. ​ Lesson Review   Lesson 20 What Can You Do? Grammar focus: Expressing ability; Can & Can't; Contractions Topics: Occupations and skills; Helping friends Learning Strategy: Identify Problems​ Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Asking clarification questions; Pronouncing can & can’t   Lesson 21 Can you come to the party? Grammar focus: Have to, Can, Can't, Contractions ​Topics: Invitations​, Apologizing, Hobbies & Personal Skills​, Expressing Obligation​ Learning Strategy: Cooperate Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using then to talk about a result; Using have to or reduced hafta to express obligation   Lesson 22 Next summer… Grammar focus: Talking about a sequence of events using going to to talk about future events Topics: Vacations; Seasons Learning Strategy: Planning Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Talking about plans; vacation activities; shadowing and summarizing   Lesson 23 What Do You Want? 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."   Lesson 24 Yesterday Was Amazing! 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 these lessons.

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Syrian Refugees Seek to Complete Their Higher Education

  Studying at a university in his home country of Syria made Amer Horani very proud. But that was before the war in Syria forced him to leave his country. Horani was the first in his family to attend a university. He began studying psychology at Damascus University in 2012. He dreamed of using his education to help others. Then his friend, also a student, disappeared. “The army came for him. I never saw him again,” Horani told VOA. The disappearance of his friend was one reason the 22-year-old chose to leave Syria. He left after completing only eight months of his studies. Horani and many other Syrians were forced to abandon higher education to become refugees. “Everything is bad here,” Horani said. He now works in a small convenience store in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. More than one million refugees live in Lebanon. Some Lebanese do not want them there. The refugees also face difficult living conditions and restrictions on job opportunities. “Sometimes it feels like I have lost everything here, my life has stopped,” Horani said. “I’m not a criminal, I’m not bad. I just want to study.” At one point, at least 250,000 students studied at universities in Syria. Now experts suggest that almost 200,000 students have fled the country. There are many reasons that refugees are prevented from re-entering higher education. The biggest reason is the lack of money to pay the cost. Also studying in a different country may mean they must learn in a language that is not their own. Or the refugees may not have the right documents to register at a university in their new country. Allan Goodman is the president of the Institute of International Education, or IIE. The IIE is an organization that studies and supports the exchange of students between countries. “This is the most challenging higher education emergency we have ever faced,” Goodman said. International media have brought attention to the efforts of Syrian refugees to reach Europe. However, over 4.5 million refugees are now living in countries close to Syria like Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. These countries already struggle to accept and help these refugees. But, support efforts continue. In Lebanon, the Ministry of Education and several United Nations agencies are discussing the problem. They are working to make 300 scholarships available to refugees this year. Estimates suggest 10,000 Syrians are enrolled in higher education programs in Lebanon. One report says about 5,000 people are enrolled in Turkey. Turkey has offered almost 1,000 scholarships. But, those numbers do not show how many of those Syrians are refugees. Goodman said, “I’d be amazed if the number of Syrian [refugees] back in higher education were more than a few thousand.” “There’s not the capacity in Jordan or Lebanon or even Turkey,” he said. Efforts to solve this crisis have spread all over the world. The IIE is working with universities in many different countries to help more than 500 Syrian students and 100 professors. The IIE is only one of several organizations seeking to connect Syrians with universities. Other groups also are creating different ways to help. In Berlin, one organization has started Kiron University. Kiron University offers online courses designed for refugees. Also, an engineering student at Oxford University named Thais Roque started her own scholarship program for refugees. The program will help students beginning their studies in 2017. Roque hopes to raise enough money for 20 scholarships. This would cost around $320,000. “I can’t believe how many emails we’ve been getting – some have said that this is their last chance [to get higher education],” Roque said. She asks others to follow her example. “We are students too,” she added. “We just happen to be luckier than them.” But the gap between refugees’ needs and what is offered is still very large. Goodman says there is already one example of how refugees can really be helped. During World War II, a university designed for refugees was created in New York. Goodman says the IIE is investigating the idea of re-creating this university. For Syrian refugee Amer Horani, getting back into university is still a major challenge. But, his desire to become a psychologist is still very strong. He knows that in his war-torn country, his training and skills would be more important than ever. “After the war,” Horani said, “everyone in Syria is going to need someone.” I’m Pete Musto.   John Owens reported on this story for VOA News Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. What other ways can universities, governments and other organizations help refugees complete their higher education? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   proud – adj. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related to abandon – v. to stop doing or having something convenience store – n. a small store that is open for many hours of the day challenging – adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable scholarship(s) – n. an amount of money that is given by a school, or an organization to a student to help pay for the student's education enroll(ed) – v. to enter someone as a member of or participant in something amazed – adj. feeling or showing great surprise gap – n. a difference between two people, groups, or things

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'Take' Is a Building Block in English

Now, the weekly program Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. On this program, we explore the history and usage of common expressions in American English. And we give examples so that you can learn to use them yourself. Sometimes we talk about a very simple term – like the word “take.” But "take" is not as simple as it sounds. In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary calls it one of the “elemental words of the (English) language.” Many expressions using the word “take” first appeared in American English years ago and have not changed at all. For example, the website Etymology Online says the saying take it or leave it was first used in the late 19th century. But you can find this phrase commonly used and in many different situations. The phrase to take it out on someone or something means to express anger at someone or something. It is a sign of misplaced anger. One website says this expression was first used in 1840. Today you can often hear it in conversational speech. Let’s say your friend lost his job. He is angry and shouts at you for something unrelated. You can say to him, “Look I know you’re upset. But don’t take it out on me. I didn’t fire you!” Taking it out on someone is very different from having a give-and-take with someone. Give-and-take is the process opposing sides go through to reach an agreement. It’s a compromise. Both sides give up something they want but also take something they want. Give-and-take can also mean the act of exchanging ideas or comments. If you take after someone, it means you seem to be like them in some way. If Felix is very much like his father, you could say he takes after his father. If you are simply taken by someone, you either show complete respect for or are totally in love with the person. For example, “She is really taken with the new man in the office. He is all she talks about!” “Take” can also be used as a noun. And it has several meanings. Take can be money collected during a performance of something. If you are a criminal, your take is your share of what was stolen. But when using the word “take,” the situation is very important. If I ask you what your take is, I am asking for your opinion about something. For example, “give me your take on this year’s election.” Combining the verb “take” with any number of prepositions is where the fun really starts. Let’s start with the term take away. Take away when used as a combination noun is what you learned from something. For example, “What was your take away from the meeting today?” Take off means something really progressed quickly. You could say, “Her career in politics really took off when she moved to Washington, D.C.” Yet the adjective take-out is very different. “Take-out” describes the food you buy from a restaurant and bring home to eat. Chinese take-out meals are very popular in the United States. However, if are tired of spending money on Chinese take-out, you can take up Chinese cooking. This means you are learning how to do it. You can also take up an instrument or take up a hobby like painting. Change the order of those two words and you have “uptake.” Uptake is the process by which something is taken in by the body or a plant. But that is not the way we often use it in every day speech. “Uptake” also means the ability to learn new things, to understand what is happening or being said – as in this example: Hello, miss. Fill out this form and give me your health insurance card. The doctor will see you shortly. You want me to fill out my health insurance and give it to the doctor? No. Just complete this insurance form and give ME the form. Sorry, I’m a little slow on the uptake. I don’t know what is wrong with my brain today. You can also use the expression “uptake,” like this: “He’s kind of slow on the up-take.” This means he is slow to understand a situation. If all this information is too much, you might want to take five, or take a break. Take five is what actors, dancers and musicians say when they want to take a break. But these days anyone can say “take five” if they need a little rest from work. Word historians say this expression was first used in the late 1920s. It may have come from the fact that smoking a cigarette takes about five minutes. But please do not think that we are expressing support for smoking. If we did that, we would have to take on anti-smoking health activists around the world. To take on has several meanings. In our example, it means to deal with someone or something as an opponent. You can also take on new responsibilities. Then the phrase means to begin performing or to deal with something, such as she took on the job of manager after Steve resigned. But to take on can also mean to get control of or to become like something, as in this example: “On the day of the celebration, the boring city’s town center took on the air of a happy carnival.” You can add the word “take” to word combinations and create new expressions. For example, if people take something for granted, they do not place much value on it. Or you believe it to be true, real or expected. This is a very common expression. For example, if you take your friends for granted, you may not have friends for very long. It’s better to let your friends know that you value them. Unless that friend takes you for a ride. If you are taken for a ride, you are fooled by someone. If you take a plunge, you act bravely and with determination. This expression began in the late 1800s. And if you take a back seat to someone or something you have assumed the secondary position of importance to them. The criminal world of the 1930s is responsible for at least two “take” expressions. To take the rap means to accept punishment for something you didn’t do. And to be on the take means to take money from criminals. And if you take the money and run, you are a criminal. To take into account means to consider something. For example, when the man planned his trip to Hawaii, he did not take into account the cost of fuel. He went over-budget by several hundreds of dollars. If someone tells you to take it easy, they want you to calm down. Taking it easy can also mean to simply relax and do nothing. So, do you see what we mean? The word "take" has so many uses. You can take our word for it. That means you can trust us. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I’m Anna Matteo. Take on me, take me on, I’ll be gone, in a day …”   What is your take on this story? Let us know in the Comments Section. Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. The song at the end is the pop band A-Ha singing "Take on Me." _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   compromise – n. a way of reaching agreement in which each person or group gives up something that was wanted in order to end an argument or dispute hobby – n. a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation

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Italian Immigrant Brings Gelato to Washington, DC

  Gianluigi Dellaccio operates three gelato shops in the Washington, D.C. area. Each shop is called Dolci Gelati. Shoppers can find his products in local stores and supermarkets. Dellaccio is living his dream of bringing gelato to the United States. But it was not easy to get to where he is today. Delaccio grew up in Italy. Before he became interested in making gelato, he was a star athlete. He says that as a water polo player with the Italian national team, he developed a trait of persistence. That drive was helpful when he came to the U.S. in 2000. After his sports career ended, he spent years learning how to make gelato. He learned the business from family members in Germany. Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, but there are differences between the two frozen desserts. Like ice cream, gelato is made with milk and cream, but mixed together with eggs, sugar and flavoring. Dellaccio perfected his method for making gelato while working in Milan. That is where he became a master gelato maker. He even taught young people in prison how to make gelato so they would have a skill when they were released. It was one thing for Dellaccio to arrive in the U.S. with a dream. But it was something different to put the dream into action. First, Dellaccio proved himself as a dessert-maker with a restaurant in Washington, D.C. He made pastries for an eatery called Galileo. He tried to get a “green card,” the document that gives a non-citizen the right to work and live permanently in the U.S. But it was a long process. “It was very tough,” he said. “Sometimes you have those days that you feel lonely and sad.” It was not until 2006 that he received the important residency document. That was the same year he opened his first gelato shop. But it took time for Washingtonians to learn about his product. Dellaccio went from restaurant to restaurant on an Italian Vespa motor bike. He carried samples of his gelato on a small trailer connected to the back. That is how he gained buyers for the creations he makes in his gelato kitchen. Now Dellaccio has a successful business, and on warm days, his stores are busy with people looking for a cold treat. But he does not want to stop there. “Once you reach a goal, you need to put another target to keep going,” he said. “Because if you reach one goal and you settle, that’s the day that you go down.” So now Dellaccio is trying to become the best gelato maker in the world. He is off to a good start. His flavor -- Saffron Pistachio with Candied Lemon Peel -- won a prize at the Gelato World Tour event in Chicago earlier this year. The prize gave him a right to return to Italy in 2017 for a competition. The person who makes the best flavor will earn the world championship. I’m Dan Friedell.   Arash Arabasadi wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you think Dellaccio’s flavor will be named the best in the world? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gelato – n. frozen milk and cream mixed together with eggs, sugar and flavoring. trait – n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another persistence – n. the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people dessert – n. sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal flavoring – n. a substance that is added to a food or drink to give it a desired taste star – n. the most important and well-known performer in a movie, play, etc. master – adj. highly skilled restaurant – n. a place where you can buy and eat a meal trailer – n. a long platform or box with wheels that is pulled behind a truck or car and used to transport things

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English in a Minute: Miss the Boat

As an idiom, the phrase "miss the boat" is NOT about sea travel. Find out what it means if you "miss the boat" in this episode of EIM!

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