Documentary Shows Importance of Asian Food in US

  Korean-American filmmaker Grace Lee grew up in Columbia, Missouri. There were not many other Asian families in the university town in the Midwestern part of the U.S. When she was a girl, her family tried to fit in with American culture. That culture included food. “We sort of kept our kimchi to ourselves in our basement refrigerator,” Lee says. Kimchi is a well-known Korean condiment made from fermented cabbage, radish, scallion or cucumber. But in the 1970s and 1980s when Lee was young, people in places like Columbia, Missouri would never have known what kimchi was. “We never exposed it to anybody,” Lee says. Over 30 years later, food culture in the U.S. has changed a lot. Kimchi is now found as a condiment on American foods like hamburgers. Lee wanted to examine the evolution of Asian food in America in her documentary Off the Menu. It came out in 2015. Lee’s work is now available on DVD and as part of the American Film Showcase. The program brings documentaries and independent films to audiences around the world. The showcase is part of a program supported by the U.S Department of State and produced by the University of Southern California. Audiences in countries like Armenia, Nepal and Vietnam see American films. Experts lead discussions about the films as a way to help people around the world better understand American culture. Lee traveled around the U.S. to make her movie about Asian food. She did not think tofu would be a very popular food in a state like Texas. She spoke with Texan Gary Chiu, the son of immigrants from Taiwan. He runs the oldest tofu factory in Texas. Chiu said he makes both tofu eggrolls, a traditional Asian food, and tofu tamales. Tamales are a traditional food from Mexico. Lee says Chiu’s business is an example of fusion: mixing the food culture of China, Mexico and Texas. Some people say food helps the healing process. Lee wanted to find out if that was true. In 2012, six members of a Sikh temple in the Midwest state of Wisconsin were killed. A man with a gun entered the temple and started shooting as people in the temple were getting ready for a meal called langar. Lee talked with people from that temple.  They told her they continued the tradition of langar even after the shooting. They said it helped heal the community. “You can’t pray, you can’t be in tune in with God, unless your belly is full,” one temple member said in the film. Off the Menu ends its 60-minute tour of the U.S. in Hawaii. One family still tries to practice the traditional Hawaiian large meal called a luau. Although much of the food consumed by Hawaiians is imported, Hi’ilei Kawelo says she and her family try to catch seafood just like their ancestors did. In the film, she tells Lee “when you eat it, you’re eating the essence of all the skills passed down from generation to generation.” The Center for Asian American Media, which helped pay for the film, also talked with Lee about her film. She said she hoped the documentary would help people learn more about what it means to be Asian-American. She wants viewers to learn about the people behind the food that has become a big part of life in the U.S. “To really do the topic justice, we’d probably need an ongoing series,” Lee said. I’m Dan Friedell. Heidi Chang wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What do you think about Asian food in the U.S.? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story basement – n. the part of a building that is entirely or partly below the ground condiment – n. something (such as salt, mustard, or ketchup) that is added to food to give it more flavor ferment – v. to preserve and change the flavor of a food through a chemical process sometimes used to convert sugar into alcohol evolution - n.  a process of slow change and development tofu – n. a soft, white food made from soybeans and often used in vegetarian cooking instead of meat essence – n. the basic nature of a thing : the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is tour –n. a trip to several different places, a journey through different parts of a country or area

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Michel Temer Sworn In as President of Brazil

  Brazil’s new president has appealed for national unity after lawmakers voted to remove Dilma Rousseff from the office Wednesday.   In a speech to the nation, President Michel Temer said the vote in the Senate was open and democratic. He called it a moment of hope to reclaim confidence in Brazil. And he urged Brazilians to put the national interest above group interests. The Senate impeachment and conviction of Rousseff ends 13 years of rule by the Workers Party of Rousseff and former president Louis Ignacio Lula da Silva. The Senate voted 61 to 20 to end the presidency of Brazil's first female leader. She was found guilty of violating budgetary laws in an effort to improve her chances of re-election in 2014. Rousseff faced questions about the case for 14 hours on Monday. Her removal raises questions about the future of social programs, which are said to have lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty.  After the vote, Rousseff called her removal an attempt to seize power and restated that she was innocent of the charges. In a statement, she said, "They (Senators) decided to interrupt the mandate of a president who had committed no crime. They have convicted an innocent person and carried out a parliamentary coup." Mark Jones is a Latin American expert at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He told VOA that Brazil is deeply divided and faces difficult economic problems. Jones called Temer, who had been Rousseff’s vice president, a deal-maker who is willing to make compromises to get things done. Temer’s Democratic Movement Party had ruled in a coalition with Rousseff’s Workers Party until now.  Jones called the charges against Rousseff comparatively minor. He said they did not involve personal enrichment or illegal payments. He added that Rousseff faced public anger over suspected corruption involving her party.  He added that had Brazil's economy been growing instead of shrinking Rousseff would likely still be in office. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Victor Beattie reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Give us your thoughts in the comment section below. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   confidence – n. a feeling that a person can do something well or that success is possible interrupt – v. to cause some process to be stopped for a period of time mandate – n. the power to act that voters give to their elected leaders coup – n. an attempt by a small group to take over a government or organization conviction – n. the act of finding that a person is guilty of a crime

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Common Sentence Patterns: Part 3

  From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. English has many patterns. Basic grammatical patterns can explain the structure of around 95% of sentences in English, says Martha Kolln, a grammar expert. Learning and mastering these patterns can help you improve your writing and speaking skills.   We have discussed three common patterns in previous Everyday Grammar stories. Today we will explore another common pattern: the intransitive verb pattern. To start you thinking about intransitive verbs consider this passage. It is from the poem "The human family" by famous writer and poet Maya Angelou. We love and lose in China, we weep on England's moors, and laugh and moan in Guinea, and thrive on Spanish shores. By the end of this story, you will be able to recognize and understand the intransitive verb pattern that Angelou uses many times in the stanza. The intransitive verb pattern: The intransitive verb pattern is unusual. It is unusual because, unlike other verb patterns, the predicate requires only the verb: Subject + Intransitive Verb (Predicate) Common intransitive verbs include action verbs – go, come, walk, cry, or laugh, for example. In these verbs, the subject's action is not applied to an object. In other words, most intransitive verbs can end sentences; they do not need nouns or adjectives to their right.* The lines from the classic American song "Just Friends" give an example of the intransitive verb pattern in its most basic form: We loved, we laughed, we cried However, sentences with just the subject and intransitive verb are not very common in writing or speaking. Usually, the sentence has more information: an adverbial structure. Adverbials: Adverbials are words or phrases that give information about time, place, manner, or reason. Adverbials answer questions like How often? Where? Why? When? The two most common adverbial structures you will find are adverbs and prepositional phrases. Adverbs, such as suddenly, quickly, here, soon, or sometimes, modify a verb. Prepositional phrases are groups of words that begin with a preposition and are followed by an object, usually a noun phrase. Common prepositions include in, on, at, between, above, and below. Adverbs and prepositional phrases often follow intransitive verbs. Think back to the basic intransitive verb pattern. Subject + Intransitive verb It is grammatically correct to say a simple sentence like this: We laughed. Subject + Intransitive Verb You can put more information into the sentence by adding an adverb: We laughed loudly. Subject + Intransitive Verb + Adverb Or you could give even more information by adding a prepositional phrase: We laughed at the man's silly jokes. Subject + Intransitive Verb + Prepositional Phrase In intransitive verb patterns, adverbs or prepositional phrases are often referred to as "optional." In other words, a sentence is still grammatical without them. You, as the speaker or writer, choose how much information you want to include in the sentence. What does this have to do with the poem? Now, think back to the part of Maya Angelou's poem: We love and lose in China, we weep on England's moors, and laugh and moan in Guinea, and thrive on Spanish shores. You can see that every single line uses an intransitive verb paired with a prepositional phrase. Consider the first line: We love and lose in China. The subject is 'we' and two intransitive verbs 'love' and 'lose'** are paired with the prepositional phrase, in China. The two verbs are joined by a conjunction, and. The second line follows the basic intransitive verb pattern, but it has an optional prepositional phrase: The second two lines follow the same patterns as the first two lines. This series of patterns is an example of parallelism, which you can read about in an earlier Everyday Grammar story. What can you do? To practice using the intransitive verb pattern, try writing four lines of poetry in the style of Angelou's poem. Post your writing in the comments section of this story, or on our Facebook page. We/I ______ in _______ We/I ______ on _______ And ____ and ____ in/on _____ And _____ on/in ________ Remember, you should not use Angelou's exact words; rather, you should choose your own noun phrases, intransitive verbs, and prepositional phrases. Just put your own words into the pattern we discussed today. Learning this pattern, and other patterns discussed in previous grammar stories, will not only help you study the writing of great authors. These patterns will help you write and speak in your own clear, concise sentences, too. I'm Jill Robbins. I'm Jonathan Evans. And I'm John Russell.  John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. *There are hundreds, if not thousands, of intransitive verbs. As with many grammar rules, there is a small number of exceptions to the intransitive verb pattern. A few intransitive verbs require adverbial information. ** In many contexts, love and lose operate as transitive verbs. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stanza – n. a group of lines in a poem pattern – n. something that happens in a regular and repeated way intransitive – adj. not taking or having a direct object weep – v. to cry because you are very sad or are feeling some other strong emotion moor – n. a broad area of open land that is not good for farming — used especially to refer to land in Great Britain — usually plural moan – v.  to make a long, low sound because of pain, unhappiness, or physical pleasure thrive – v. to grow or develop successfully

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Ring of Fire Eclipse Passes Over Africa

  People in parts of Africa witnessed a “ring of fire” in the sky Thursday, created by the moon passing between the Earth and the sun. The solar event is called an annular eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets in the way of the sun and blocks its light.  An annular eclipse happens when the moon does not completely block the sun, leaving a ring of sunlight around the moon. For those who saw it, Thursday’s “ring of fire” eclipse appeared as red rings of sunlight shining around the moon’s dark shape. Thursday’s eclipse began shortly after 06:00 UTC.  It ended at about 12:00 UTC. C. Alex Young is a solar astrophysicist with the American space agency NASA.  He told the New York Times that much of the sun was blocked out. People who saw the eclipse saw circular shadows, he said. He called the shadows “kind of eerie.” The event was the second solar eclipse of 2016.  The first was a total eclipse, and took place in March.  It was visible to people in Indonesia and other places in the Pacific. Another annular solar eclipse will occur in February 2017. Next August, a total solar eclipse will be visible in the United States. I’m Marsha James. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Marsha James adapted this report for Learning English. Her story has information from an Associated Press report, Space.com, and the New York Times. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   occur – v. to happen astrophysicist – n. the scientific study of physical and chemical properties and structures of stars, planets and other objects in outer space visible – adj. able to be seen eerie – adj. strange and mysterious

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Bill Nye Returns with a New Show

This is What’s Trending Today…. American Bill Nye is a science educator, actor and writer. Nye is probably best known as the presenter and star of “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” a television program from the 1990s. The show explained science to children in an enjoyable, humorous way. One-hundred episodes of “The Science Guy” were shown on Public Broadcasting Service television stations across the United States. Teachers also played videos of the program in classrooms. Americans who grew up in the 1990s may still recognize and remember the show’s opening music. ​ For many young people, Bill Nye helped make science fun and interesting. The U.S. television industry recognized him for his work on the children’s show. Now, almost 20 years after the show ended, Bill Nye is getting a new show. The streaming service Netflix announced this week that it will release “Bill Nye Saves the World” next year. The new talk show will deal with issues related to science. It will include special guests and scientific demonstrations from Bill Nye himself.   Americans who grew up watching the Science Guy reacted with excitement on social media. Bill Nye trended on Twitter and Facebook. One Twitter user wrote, “this might be the best news of 2016.”   Another wrote, “@BillNye is going to have a show on Netflix so everything is right in the world again.” Netflix hopes its large audience of millennials -- the young people who watched the children’s show -- will now want to see “Bill Nye Saves the World.” The show will be released in the spring of 2017. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I'm Dan Friedell.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   episode - n. a television show, radio show, etc., that is one part of a series guest - n. a usually well-known person who is invited to appear or perform on a program, at an event, etc. millennial - n. a person who was born in the 1980s or 1990s

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Facebook CEO Gives Pope Drone During Vatican Visit

  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg met Pope Francis at the Vatican Monday and gave him a high-tech gift -- a drone.  However, it was not a working drone. His gift was a model of the aircraft Facebook plans to use to bring internet access to people in developing countries.    Zuckerberg posted a picture on Facebook showing him presenting the model drone to the Pope at his Santa Marta residence in Vatican City. “We gave him a model of Aquila, our solar-powered aircraft that will beam internet connectivity to places that don't have it,” he explained. The businessman’s wife, Priscilla Chan, also attended. Zuckerberg said they were touched by the meeting. “You can feel his warmth and kindness, and how deeply he cares about helping people.” He praised Pope Francis for finding “new ways to communicate with people of every faith around the world.” The Facebook founder and his wife launched the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in December 2015. He said he spoke with the pope about the initiative’s goal “to advance human potential and promote equality” in all parts of the world. The organization works on many issues. They include personal learning, fighting disease, connecting people and building strong communities, according to information on its website. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said one topic discussed was "how to use communication technologies to alleviate poverty, encourage a culture of encounter, and make a message of hope arrive, especially to those most in need.” Facebook disaster help Zuckerberg announced he was traveling to Italy after a deadly 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the country last week. Nearly 300 people died in the quake, which hit the central part of the country. In a Facebook post, he expressed concern for victims of the earthquake and their loved ones. Facebook has tried to improve communication during disasters. A few years ago it launched its Safety Check system. The program allows users to let loved ones know they are OK after a disaster or terrorist attack. In Italy, Zuckerberg held a live question and answer session with Facebook community members. The Facebook founder also met in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. He said the two discussed the earthquake, and how technology is creating jobs to help Italy’s economy. Zuckerberg spoke about Facebook’s efforts to provide equipment to researchers across Europe to study artificial intelligence.    I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News and the Associated Press. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. What international causes would you like to see Facebook get involved in? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   drone – n. a small flying machine flown remotely by a pilot beam – v. to send out streams of light faith – n. a system of religious beliefs potential – adj. capable of becoming something real alleviate – v. make something less difficult or painful encounter – n. meeting and interacting with others artificial intelligence – n. the development of computers to perform intelligence-related tasks without human involvement  

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Deadly Lightning Kills Over 300 Reindeer in Norway

  Lightning is being blamed for the deaths of 323 wild reindeer in central Norway. The lightning storm took place in a small area of the Hardangervidda mountain plateau last Friday. Every year, thousands of reindeer travel across the Hardangervidda mountain area. The Norwegian Environment Agency is a government agency that reports on climate and environmental issues in Norway. The agency said 70 calves were among the dead reindeer. Kjartan Knutsen is the spokesman for the Norwegian Environment Agency. Knutsen told the Associated Press that it was unusual to have such a large number of reindeer deaths in one lightning storm. “We have not heard about such numbers before” he said. Knutsen said reindeer like to group together in bad weather. This may be a possible reason for their deaths. He said, “I don’t know if it there were several lightning strikes, but it happened in one moment.” The agency is discussing what to do with the reindeer. Usually the agency leaves the body of a dead animal wherever it is found, Knutsen said. That way they can decompose in the natural way. I’m Patrick Merentie. This story was reported by the Associated Press news service. Patrick Merentie adapted for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Have large numbers of animals died in similar recent events in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   reindeer – n. a large wild animal that has four long thin legs, brown fur, and antlers if male, that lives in northern parts of the world plateau – n. a large flat area of land that is higher than other areas of land that surround it calve(s) – n. the young of various other large animals, such as reindeer or whale decompose – v. to cause something, such as dead plants and the bodies of dead animals, to be slowly destroyed and broken down by natural processes and chemicals

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September 1, 2016

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

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News Words: Accountable

Learn the meaning of accountable with your hosts, Anne and Jonathan.

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Research Shows Dogs Really Do Understand Humans

This is What’s Trending Today.... Researchers at a university in Hungary say there is truth to what many dog owners always believed. Dogs do understand what humans say. The researchers made images of the brains of 13 dogs using a machine that records brain activity. The dogs were trained to lie down in the machine for seven minutes. During that time, they listened through headphones to their trainers’ voices. Dog owners may think the news is not surprising. But scientists are impressed. Brian Hare is a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University. He called one of the findings a “shocker.” The brain imaging showed dogs processed words using the left side of their brains, just as humans do. They use the right side of their brains to understand tone and pitch. The study showed dogs understand words and how they are said. Meaningful words said in a neutral way did not have the same effect as the same words said in an encouraging way. Attila Andics was the lead researcher on the project. “Dog brains care about both what we say and how we say it,” he said. Researchers say they think dogs are tuned in to what people say because dogs have lived with people for a long time. Andics said he thinks other animals probably can understand human language like dogs do. But those animals are not very interested in what humans have to say. People reacted to the story on Facebook and Twitter. They said they always knew their pets could understand them. And they were happy to see scientific support for what they experienced every day. One reader from Virginia said she thought her dog could probably read her mind, too. Someone in California joked that he always knew his dog ignored him. And Greg Matos in Boston called the study “fascinating!” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. What do you think of the dog study? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story impress – v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest evolutionary – adj. the way things change due to a natural process over a long period of time tone – n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing pitch – n. the highness or lowness of a sound encouraging – adj. causing a hopeful feeling tune in – v. to understand and be aware of a situation, other people's needs

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Remembering Actor Gene Wilder

This week, the United States lost a beloved actor and funnyman. Gene Wilder, the wild-haired star of unforgettable comedy films, died Monday at the age of 83. A family member said Wilder was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease three years ago. He said the actor kept the condition private so he would not disappoint fans. "He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world,'' his nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said. Gene Wilder started his acting career on the stage. However, millions of people knew him from his work in film. His movies with director Mel Brooks were especially famous. They included "The Producers,'' "Blazing Saddles'' and "Young Frankenstein.'' 'Truly great talent of our time' In a statement Monday, Brooks wrote, "Gene Wilder, one of the truly great talents of our time, is gone. He blessed every film we did together with his special magic and he blessed my life with his friendship. He will be so missed.'' Wilder was a master at playing nervous characters trapped in impossible, but funny, situations. In 1974’s "Young Frankenstein,'' Wilder’s character sought to build a living person from the dead. Wilder played Leo Bloom in the 1968 film "The Producers,'' about a man who tries to produce a costly failure on Broadway. The play, “Springtime for Hitler,” becomes a surprising hit instead. Wilder could play cool-headed characters like the gunslinger in "Blazing Saddles.'' He also made millions of child fans with his portrayal as the main character in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'' 'But I don't think I'm that funny' Many have posted messages on social media about the loss of Gene Wilder. "The greatest comedic mind of my childhood is now gone,'' tweeted actor Josh Gad. Comedian and actor Jim Carrey posted, "Gene Wilder was one of the funniest and sweetest energies ever to take a human form.'' Wilder was close friends with Richard Pryor. Their opposite personas - Wilder the worrier and the easy-going Pryor - were perfect for making comedy. They starred in four films together: "Silver Streak,'' "Stir Crazy,'' "See No Evil, Hear No Evil'' and "Another You.'' They created several memorable scenes, such as when Pryor provided Wilder with directions on how to "act black'' as they tried to avoid police in "Silver Streak.'' However, Wilder said in a 2013 interview that he was no comedian. He told interviewer Robert Osborne it was the biggest misunderstanding of him. “But I don't think I'm that funny. I think I can be in the movies.'' An early performer Wilder was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933. His father was a Russian emigre. His mother was of Polish descent. When he was six, Wilder's mother suffered a heart attack that left her disabled. He soon began performing comedy at home to entertain her. He started taking acting classes at age 12. In 1961, he made his Broadway debut. That is when he took on the professional name of Gene Wilder. Wilder was married three times. His second marriage, to Saturday Night Live performer Gilda Radner, ended when she died of ovarian cancer in 1989. Wilder spent much of his time after her death speaking in support of cancer research. He also opened a support center for cancer patients. In 1991, he spoke before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer. Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991, and his daughter Katherine from an earlier marriage. I’m Jonathan Evans.   The Associated Press news agency reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. 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   comedy – n. a play, movie, television program, novel, etc., that is meant to make people laugh​ disappoint – v. to make (someone) unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected​ persona – n. the way you behave, talk, etc., with other people that causes them to see you as a particular kind of person: the image or personality that a person presents to other people​ entertain – v.  to perform for (an audience): to provide amusement for (someone) by singing, acting, etc.​ debut – n. the first time an actor, musician, athlete, etc., does something in public or for the public​

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