News Words: LGBT

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Firefighters Battle Western U.S. Wildfires

This week, a fast-moving fire forced American officials to order the removal of more than 82,000 people from an area north of San Bernardino, California. Twelve hours after the fire began, it had already burned more than 6,000 hectares. Because of the fire and smoke, officials closed roads, including part of the one that connects the Los Angeles area and Las Vegas, Nevada.   Hundreds of people are working to contain the fire. The job is even more difficult because of the hot, windy, and dry weather. Wildfires are common in the western United States during the warm summer months. In northern and central California, wildfires have destroyed more than 100 structures. The fires have forced more than 1,000 people to flee from their homes. Four years of drought — little or no rainfall — has helped fires spread in northern California. There are six major fires still burning in California and others burning throughout the West. In Los Angeles, many homes are just a short drive from wilderness areas. The drought conditions make the dry plants and grasses catch fire quickly. But officials say they are ready to fight the seasonal fires with newly-leased aircraft. These include helicopters known as “super-scoopers,” which are able to collect water supplies without landing. VOA spoke with fire officials and pilots near the aircraft. Richard Licon is with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "(On) rivers, lakes, they can scoop up the water and be ready to go and fight fire continuously without having to ground (land) unless they have to refuel." The huge helicopter carries 10,000 liters of water. But it takes skill to fly it through fire areas. Natalie Jones knows this. As a pilot, it is her job to fly the helicopter and help put out fires. "We're in an environment that's inherently dangerous to begin with, so making sure that you can see other aircraft in the flight path, in the area around you, and making sure you have good communications, safety first with everything. And making sure that we're not dropping water on anything that's going to harm anybody below us." She and other pilots wait to be called into action in Los Angeles. They talk about the issues around keeping themselves, firefighters and their equipment ready for the fires they know will come. Paul Gottwig is with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "It's very difficult, given the amount of pilots that you have, to continue 24-hour operations, rotate those pilots through rest periods, rotate them back onto the fire, is one of the biggest challenges.  Also, another big challenge for helicopters and all the airplanes is maintenance, keeping the aircraft flying continuously." In northern and central California, officials say the fire season could continue until November. But in the southern part of the state, the season could last even longer because of the current drought. I’m Anne Ball. Mike O’Sullivan and Chris Hannas reported this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball wrote it for Learning English. Her report included information from the Associated Press. 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   drought – n. a dry period in the weather with little or no rainfall lease – v. agreement that lets someone use a car, plane or house for a period of time in return for payment rotate – v. regularly change the person who does a job so that each takes the place of another in a group

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Dr. Anthony Fauci: America’s Man on Infectious Diseases

  His name is Dr. Anthony S. Fauci. Some Americans may never have heard of him, but his work affects tens of millions of people. Fauci is the United States’ top doctor when it comes to infectious diseases. He leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the United States National Institutes of Health. It investigates emerging diseases like Zika and Ebola. It also leads research into diseases HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and allergies. Fauci studied at Cornell University Medical College. He then completed his internship and residency there. Dr. Fauci says he likes talking about science to the general public in a way they can understand why it is important to support it. Fauci says it was his education at a Catholic high school in New York that influenced him to consider a career in healthcare. “Well, I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.  My father is a pharmacist, so I had some exposure to the health issue, but I don’t think that was the major thing leading me in to medicine.  It was mostly training in high school and college by the Jesuits, who taught humanities, classics, Greek, Latin.  So I became much more of a humanitarian-type person than a scientific-type person. So, I figured the best way to combine an aptitude toward science with a desire to do something that strongly that relates to people and taking care of people, you put all of those things together and you come up with the field of medicine, in my mind.” In 1968, Fauci came to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a clinical associate in the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation in NIAID.  Since then he has held many important positions, including chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation, a position he still holds. Dr. Fauci also has made many contributions to basic and clinical research on the pathogenesis and treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or (AIDS), in particular, is one of those infectious diseases. Just as AIDS was beginning to kill thousands of young men across the country, Dr. Fauci was there doing research at NIH. He helped change rules in order to approve drugs for the virus and the disease. In time, these new treatments turned HIV/AIDS into a manageable condition. An HIV or AIDS diagnosis was no longer a death sentence. “When we first got involved in studying what turned out to be AIDS, we didn’t even know what the agent is that caused AIDS. All of the research that was funded by the NIH and our collaborators and people down here have led everything from the identification of the agent, the development of diagnostics, to the combinations of drugs that we now have that can actually get a person with AIDS or HIV infection to live, essentially, a normal lifespan. That’s one of the most impressive medical advances in the history of medicine.” Dr. Fauci is the recipient of many awards. President George W. Bush presented him with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Bush said Fauci’s work on AIDS in Africa reached millions of people, “preventing HIV infections in infants and easing suffering and bringing dying communities back to life.”   “One of the moments, among the few, and I'll just mention a few, that I’m most proud of in my life, my role as the director of an institute that funds most of the research in infectious diseases and the drive toward the development to what now turns out to be lifesaving therapies for a number of diseases, but particularly HIV/AIDS. "We’ve also developed a number of vaccines against very important diseases. And importantly, in 2002, President George W. Bush asked me to go to Africa to see if I could put together a program that would provide life-saving interventions in HIV, a program which ultimately came to be known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which already has been responsible for saving several million lives in the developing world.” I’m Dorothy Gundy. Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Try this quiz to practice your listening skills and check your understanding. Next time on People in America, Dr. Fauci talks more about infectious diseases and his role at National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. ___________________________________________________   Words In This Story   institute – n. an organization created for a particular purpose (such as research or education) allergy – n. a medical condition that causes someone to become sick after eating, touching, or breathing something that is harmless to most people internship – n. a temporary position to provide practical on-the-job experience pharmacist- n. a person whose job is to prepare and sell drugs and medicines that a doctor prescribes to patients exposure – n. experience of something Jesuits –n.  a man who is a member of a religious group called the Roman Catholic Society of Jesus humanities [plural]- n. areas of study that relate to human life and ideas humanitarian – ​n. a person who works to make other people’s lives better aptitude – n. a natural ability to do something or learn something pathogenesis – n. the development of a disease immune – adj. not influenced or affected by something collaborators – n. a person who works with another person or group in order to achieve or do something impressive – ​adj. deserving, attention, admiration, or respect  

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Dr. Anthony Fauci: America's Man on Infectious Diseases

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Dr. Anthony Fauci

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President Obama Releases Summer Music Playlists

  From Aloe Blacc to Esperanza Spalding, 37 musicians are represented in two summer music playlists recently released by U.S. President Barack Obama. The music is available on Spotify, the streaming music service. The White House page on Spotify has links to playlists from Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, too. It is the second year the president released a list of favorite summer songs. He also released a list of five summer books.  The list includes songs from more than 50 years of American, British and World music. Obama starts with jazz stars Miles Davis and Charles Mingus, recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The choices bring listeners through the years, finishing with 27-year-old singer Leon Bridges. Bridges’ song “Smooth Sailin’” came out in the summer of 2015.    The music is organized into two lists. Some songs are meant for a summer day and the others are for the season’s warm nights. The daytime playlist includes the famous Beach Boys song “Good Vibrations.” It came out in 1966. “Good Vibrations” is considered one of the most important songs of the Beach Boys’ career.  Also included is an extended version of “Sinnerman” by jazz singer Nina Simone. It is more than 10 minutes long. Simone was a popular singer for about 20 years starting in the late 1950s.  Jonathan Prince of Spotify told The New York Times that the service’s most listened-to playlist right now is that of the Commander-in-Chief. Prince said that was “bananas,” or unusual. He said Obama could come to work at Spotify as a music-chooser when his term ends in January. Rob Sheffield is a music writer for Rolling Stone. He called the list “extremely good.” He said it is the kind of list that might be written by a music lover or someone working full-time in the music business. British singer Corinne Bailey Rae is on the playlist, too. Her song “Green Aphrodisiac” is on the nighttime list. She told The New York Times that Obama’s list reflects the influence of soul music from the late 1970s. After all, that was when Obama was a teenager. The list also includes Aretha Franklin, Sara Bareilles and Janelle Monae. Combined, the songs have a total running time of just under three hours -- plenty of time if you are relaxing on summer vacation. The Obamas return to Washington Sunday from a summer trip to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English.  Caty Weaver was the editor. What do you think of the music on Obama’s playlist? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   streaming – adj. playing continuously as data is sent to a computer over the Internet vibration – n. a feeling that someone or something gives you bananas – adj. (informal) crazy, impressive or surprising aphrodisiac – n. something (such as a food, drink, or drug) that causes or increases sexual desire reflect – v.  to show (something): to make (something) known relax – v. to spend time resting or doing something enjoyable especially after you have been doing work

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New Audi Cars Will Communicate with Traffic Signals

  German carmaker Audi is equipping some of its 2017 models in the United States with technology that will communicate with traffic signals. Information from the signals will let drivers know exactly when the light will change color. The technology is known as vehicle-to-infrastructure (V-to-I). It lets traffic signals and other infrastructure send safety and operations information wirelessly to vehicles. The equipment will be included on Audi’s Q7, A4 and A4 “Allroad” models built after June 1, 2016. The service is set to begin this year in at least five “smart” American cities. These include Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, and Washington D.C. The information will come from government agencies that already collect data to predict and oversee traffic flow. A private company will partner with government officials to pass along the data to vehicles. Drivers will see a countdown on the car’s instrument panel to show when the traffic signal will turn green or red. The message goes away a few seconds before the light changes, so drivers can turn their attention to safely proceeding. Pom Malhotra is general manager of Audi's connected vehicles division. He said the system was designed to provide drivers with a sense of ease and convenience, not as a safety feature. “A better informed driver means a less stressed driver,” an announcer says in an Audi video explaining the technology. The company said the idea is to let drivers know exactly how long before a signal changes. It suggested they use the time to make sure other passengers are fine or monitor vehicle operations. The technology raises the possibility that some drivers may use the vehicle’s downtime to talk on the telephone or send text messages. But Audi said it would never tell drivers to text while driving – an activity that is illegal in almost all 50 states. Many other automakers are experimenting with the technology. The goal is to eventually integrate traffic infrastructure with cars on many city roads. This would let traffic signals use the vehicle data to regulate traffic, suggest better driving paths, or suggest speeds needed to hit all green lights. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Additional material came from Reuters. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   infrastructure – n. basic systems used to serve society, such as transportation and communication instrument panel – n. surface in front of a driver that displays all major functions of a vehicle convenience – n. something that makes life easier monitor – v. watch, keep track of integrate – v. combine two or more things to make something more effective recommend – v. to say something is good and should be chosen  

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Study: To Live Longer, Eat More Chicken and Plant-Based Protein

  The average American eats a lot of red meat, such as beef and meat from other mammals. Meat-eaters often note that red meat has a lot of protein, which helps repair muscles and build bones. But new research shows that if people want to live a long and healthy life, they should get their protein from plants. Dr. Mingyang Song and Dr. Andrew Chan work at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University. They and other researchers examined how proteins from animals and proteins from plants affect human health. They examined information from two major, long-term studies. The studies gathered information about the diet, lifestyle and health of more than 130,000 people. Dr. Chan says the information showed how to live a longer and healthier life. One important finding was that people who ate the highest amounts of animal-based protein, such as red meat, had a higher risk of dying earlier. They were especially at risk of dying earlier from heart-related problems. One reason is that red meat has high levels of cholesterol, which has been linked to heart disease. The researchers found that heart-related – or cardiovascular – problems were higher among people who ate meat and also smoked, drank heavily, were obese and did not exercise. While getting protein is important, red meat is not the only – or best – source. Dr. Chan said researchers found that people who replaced animal protein with plant protein in their diet reduced their risk of early death. The study appears in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA Correspondent Carol Pearson reported this story from Washington.  Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cardiovascular – adj. of or relating to the heart and blood vessels obese – adj. very fat; fat in a way that is unhealthy    

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Photographer Hopes to Save Animals by Taking Pictures of Them

  American photographer Joel Sartore is taking pictures of animals in his effort to save them. He calls the effort, “Photo Ark.” The National Geographic Society is providing financing for the project. The term ark comes from the large boat in which Noah, his family and many creatures were saved from a great flood in ancient times. The flood is described in the writings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Joel Sartore hopes to photograph about 12,000 animals. They all are in danger of disappearing forever because of hunting, loss of habitat and climate change. Sartore launched the project in 1995. He has taken pictures of about half the animals. He told VOA by email that he began thinking about endangered creatures when he was a teenager. He remembered reading a book about the North American wild pigeon. The bird is extinct now because it was hunted and its habitat was destroyed. He said the story had a strong effect on him. The last passenger pigeon died “in her cage at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio,” he said. “She died in 1914, and the species went from billions to none. I couldn’t get over that -- still can’t.” As Sartore grew up, he often thought of that last passenger pigeon. He noted, “I never dreamed I’d be meeting face to face with other species like frogs, birds and even rhinos that are down to the last of their kind. But that’s exactly what’s happening now, and I feel like I’ve got to do something to turn things around, while there’s still time to save species.” Some animal species he will never see again. One example is the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, which he photographed just before she died. It was the last of its kind. Sartore said that when he takes pictures, “I hope the animal glances back at me and makes eye contact. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, that’s exactly the connection I’m hoping to make.” The Photo Ark project began at a small zoo in Lincoln, Nebraska, Sartore’s home. He has now traveled to more than 40 countries for the photography project. He said the animals most at risk are in Asia and Africa because of what he describes as “human overpopulation.” He recently visited the West African nations of Gabon and Cameroon. He said he saw major problems “with habitat destruction from logging, farming and poaching due to overpopulation.” In Cameroon, he searched for the Cross River gorilla and the goliath frog. He said he never saw the frog. “They had all been caught and eaten by local people -- and we saw just one of the gorillas, in a rehab center,” he noted. He said people are often so hungry that they eat animals they normally would not. Even small birds are killed for food. People are even eating bats, he noted. Sartore hopes his photos will persuade people to take steps to save the animals. He told VOA half of them could become extinct by the year 2100.   “I hope the public will finally stop and pay attention to the fact that we’re all in this together,” he said. “There’s still time to save the majority of species on the planet, but we must care, and act now. As other species go extinct, so could we.” Sartore is 54 years old. He hopes he will be able to finish the project. But he has a plan if he cannot. His oldest son is 22 years old and helps him from time to time. The young man has promised to continue the project if his father cannot. I’m Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth.   VOA’s Deborah Block reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   habitat – n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows teenager – n. someone who is between 13 and 19 years old extinct – adj. no longer existing species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants; a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus glance – v. to look at someone or something very quickly log – v. to cut down trees in an area for wood poach – v. to hunt or fish illegally; to catch or kill an animal illegally rehab center – n. a place where injured animals are cared for

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Scientists Go Crazy About a Big-Eyed Squid

  This is What’s Trending Today. Have you ever heard of a “googly-eyed, stubby squid?” Well, you have now. Scientists working to map the Pacific Ocean floor off the coast of North America found a purple squid with big eyes. The squid is called the Rossia Pacifica. It is only about six centimeters long. The small sea creature was found at a depth of about 900 meters, off the coast of southern California. Money for the mapping project comes the Ocean Exploration Trust. The trust was the idea of Robert Ballard, who discovered the wreckage of the ship Titanic in 1985. The scientists making the map are working on a large boat called the Nautilus. The Nautilus has remote-controlled roving vehicles that can explore the ocean floor. The researchers have a number of cameras, all of which are connected to the boat with fiber-optic cables. When researchers found the brightly colored squid, they were very excited. You can see the excitement in a video posted to YouTube. It has more than one million views. You can hear the scientists saying “Whoa! What is that? He has weird eyes.”  The scientists are laughing. One of them jokingly suggests that the squid is actually a child’s toy dropped into the ocean by accident. It turns out the Rossia Pacifica uses its big eyes to look for shrimp that it can catch for food. The Nautilus left from Canada in May and will complete its trip in September. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you ever seen anything like the purple squid? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   squid – n. a sea creature that has a long, thin, soft body and 10 long arms stubby – adj. short and thick googly-eyed – adj. having eyes that stick out remote-controlled – adj. a process or system that makes it possible to control something from a distance by using electronic signals rover – n. a vehicle used for exploring the surface of a moon, planet, etc. fiber-optic cable – n. a rope of wires made from thin threads of glass or plastic to carry very large amounts of information in the form of light signals weird – adj. unusual or strange shrimp – n. a small shellfish that has a long body and legs and that is eaten as food

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August 16, 2016

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

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