Health Hackers: Alzheimer’s Patients Help Themselves

Study: 100,000 Deaths From Indonesia's Haze

Researchers say a thick haze caused by man-made forest fires in Indonesia is the likely cause of more than 100,000 deaths. The pollution also has been blamed for deaths in nearby Malaysia and Singapore. The haze has hurt relations between Indonesia and its neighbors. Scientists from Harvard and Columbia Universities used a complex method to estimate the number of deaths from the haze. The number of deaths is far greater than the Indonesian government’s official number of 19 deaths. Researchers estimated there were 91,600 deaths in Indonesia, 6,500 deaths in Malaysia and 2,200 in Singapore. The fires in Indonesia last year were the worst since 1997. Each year, fires are set in Indonesia's forests and in peat areas. Peat is a collection of dead plants. Burning is a fast and low-cost way to clear peat areas and land for palm oil and pulpwood production. Rajasekhar Bals is an environmental engineering expert at the National University of Singapore. He told the Associated Press the study could be a "wake-up call" for Indonesia. He added that the country should take action to stop the fires. Bals said there must be cooperation throughout the area to deal with public health problems caused by the fires. The activist group, Greenpeace, said the study is "groundbreaking." The organization known for protecting the environment also cautioned that the new numbers represent a "conservative estimate." The study did not include the impact the haze has on children and future generations. Nursyam Ibrahim is from the Indonesian Medical Association's West Kalimantan chapter. He told the media how Indonesian health workers have been overworked by the haze. The study is to be published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. I’m Caty Weaver. The staff at VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story haze – n. dust, smoke, or mist that has filled the air so that you cannot see clearly peat – n. a dark material made of decaying plants that is burned for heat or added to garden soil palm oil – n. oil that is obtained from the fruit of some palm trees and used in cooking and in making soap and other products pulpwood – n. wood suitable for making into pulp for making paper groundbreaking – adj. introducing new ideas or methods wake-up call – n. something that makes you fully understand a problem, danger or need

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Record Number of Hispanic Americans Ready to Vote for President

  A record 27.3 million Hispanics are eligible to vote in the U.S. elections this November. Hispanics now make up about 12 percent of all U.S. voters. That is the same percentage as African-American voters, according to Pew Research Center. Albert Camarillo teaches history at Stanford University in California. He is also a founding director of the university’s Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. Camarillo said 3,000 more Hispanics become eligible to vote in the U.S. elections every day. In a Stanford University report, he said Hispanic voters could make a “huge difference” in states where Hispanics make up a large percentage of the population. The growth of Hispanic voters, he said, changed Arizona, a state that historically had strong ties to the Republican Party. The state has only supported one Democrat in the past 10 presidential elections. But now, Arizonans could vote for either a Republican or Democratic candidate, he said. Clinton Hispanic Support Compared to Obama’s Political observers thought that Hispanics would vote in larger numbers for Democrat Hillary Clinton than they did for Barack Obama in 2012. Four years ago, Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney 71 percent to 27 percent among Hispanics, according to exit polls. But a new study suggests Clinton, while leading Trump among Hispanic voters, will have a hard time topping Obama’s 71 percent support. The opinion that Clinton would do better with Hispanic voters was based on statements made by Republican Donald Trump. Trump had called on the government to expel all 11 million illegal immigrants. He suggested many Mexican immigrants were drug dealers or rapists, and promised to build a huge wall along the Mexican border. ‘There’s Nothing More Personal’ Yvanna Cancela is political director of the Las Vegas, Nevada Culinary Union. Many members of the group are Hispanic. “A lot of times you hear this rap about how politics doesn’t affect their life,” she told the Associated Press last month. “But that changes when it’s personal, and there’s nothing more personal than Donald Trump talking about deporting 11 million immigrants.” In recent days, efforts to measure the Hispanic vote produced mixed results. Polling organizations questioned likely voters after Trump gave an immigration speech on August 31. In the speech, Trump said he would focus on removing illegal immigrants who were guilty of crimes. He did not say what would happen to the large majority of illegal immigrants who were not guilty of crimes. But he said illegal immigrants who want legal guarantees in the United States would first have to return to their home countries. In his speech, Trump blamed illegal immigrants for violent crimes. And he said the United States would be more selective in deciding who to admit -- choosing people who shared American values and would not take away jobs from U.S. citizens. “We take anybody,” he said of current immigration policy. “Come on in, anybody. Just come on in. Not anymore.” Some members of Trump’s Hispanic advisory group said they were disappointed he did not soften his earlier statements on immigration. Mixed Findings in Recent Poll A recent poll found that Clinton is getting a lower percentage of Hispanic votes than Obama did in four states where the Hispanic vote is important. The polling results were reported by Univision, a Spanish language television station. Univision said “Hillary Clinton holds a wide lead over Donald Trump among Hispanics in Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado. However, her support among Hispanics does not match Obama’s in 2012.” The station added that Clinton led Trump among Hispanic voters 53 percent to 29 percent in Florida, 68 percent to 18 percent in Arizona, 62 percent to 17 percent in Colorado and 65 percent to 19 percent in Nevada. These are large leads, but Obama won between six percent and 13 percent more in the four states, according to polls taken after the 2012 election. The good news for Clinton is that the same Univision poll showed Trump getting a lower percentage of Hispanic votes than Republican Mitt Romney did in 2012. Romney won between six percent and 10 percent more Hispanic votes than Trump is receiving in the states covered by the Univision poll. Poll Came After Bad Week for Clinton Kevin Wagner teaches political science at Florida Atlantic University. He said recent poll results may not relate to how people vote in November because it came after a “bad week” for Clinton. She had to leave a New York City ceremony marking the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks because of she wasn’t feeling well. She also had to back away from a statement in which she called half of Trump’s supporters deplorable. She described them as holding racist or far-right opinions. Wagner said even more important than what percentage of Hispanics support Clinton or Trump is how many actually vote. In past elections, Hispanics voted at lower percentages than both whites and African-Americans, according to the Pew Research Center. “I expect Secretary Clinton to carry the Latino vote by a sizable margin, but the key will be whether the Latino voters turnout in enough numbers to tip some of the closer states,” Wagner said. “That is still very much in question.” Camarillo of Stanford University said Hispanic voter turnout will depend on motivation. By that, he means how much worse voters think a candidate can make their lives. Wagner said it is important that people understand that Hispanic/Latinos include many nationalities. Many Cuban-Americans live in the southeastern state of Florida. They are considered more conservative than other Hispanics and often vote Republican. Wagner noted that Cuban-Americans vote differently than Mexican-Americans, who are more likely to support Democratic candidates. I’m Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story eligible - adj. able to do something poll - n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something rap - v. criticism or punishment that is given in a gentle way for something that you did wrong deport -- v. to remove people from a country focus - v. to direct attention or effort at something specific selective --adj. involving choosing people from a group disappoint - v. to make someone unhappy by not doing something that was hoped for or expected tip - v. to move from one result to another motivation - n. the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something  

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U.N.: Millions of Refugee Children Cannot Attend School

  World leaders will gather at United Nations headquarters in New York this week for the yearly meetings of the U.N. General Assembly. The leaders have been invited to a special summit on refugees and economic migrants. They will discuss ways to improve the international community’s reaction to the growing number of refugees and migrants worldwide. The world’s refugee crisis is now as bad as it was during World War II, according to The New York Times newspaper. The leaders are expected to talk about access to education for refugee children. When families flee from countries because of war or political insecurity, the children leave behind not only their homes but, in many cases, their education. That is the subject of a new report from the United Nations refugee agency. The report says that 3.7 million children under the U.N. agency’s mandate are unable to attend school. The situation gets worse as the children get older. The percentage drops from 50 percent for young children to 22 percent at secondary school age. U.N. information also shows that only one percent of refugees attend a university, compared to 34 percent of the world’s population. Filippo Grandi is the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. In a statement, he said that refugee education is, too often, terribly ignored. Grandi also said he would like to change that. In his words, education is “one of the few opportunities we have to transform and build the next generation” of refugees so that they can improve the futures of the many millions of forcibly displaced people. The issue of providing refugees with an education is more difficult because of the expanding population and a lack of necessary financing. According to the U.N. report, the population of school-age children grew by 30 percent in 2014. That number requires an extra 20,000 teachers. Many host nations already struggle to provide simple, but necessary services for refugees. But now, they must also find a place to hold classes and a way to purchase additional school supplies. Often, the children struggle in their studies after missing several years of school and do not speak the local language. "As the international community considers how best to deal with the refugee crisis, it is essential that we think beyond basic survival," Grandi said.  "Education enables refugees to positively shape the future of both their countries of asylum and their home countries when they one day return." Refugees from Syria, for example, have been in the news as the Syrian conflict continues for a sixth year. Countries from Turkey to those across Europe must decide what to do to assist the families that have fled the fighting. The U.N. refugee agency says there are about 1.7 million Syrian refugees who should be in school; however, 900,000 of them are not.  The agency has asked international donors for $4.54 billion this year to aid Syrian refugees. Financing for education involves $662 million of that request. As of June, the U.N. had collected only 39 percent of that total. In 2015, most of the donations for this education program arrived in the final two months of the year. U.N. officials said this hurt the ability of host countries to make effective long-term plans for schooling. The U.N. is asking donors to provide dependable funding over many years to help those countries better plan for providing teachers and supplies. It also urges the host governments to include refugees in their national education systems instead of separate schools. Those schools cannot easily be supervised in the same way to guarantee their effectiveness. The new report discusses the helpful effects of education, saying it helps children avoid child labor and membership in armed groups. It also said that not providing schooling only extends conflict and leads to more people being displaced. "There is solid evidence that quality education gives children a place of safety and can also reduce child marriage, child labor, exploitative and dangerous work, and teenage pregnancy," the report says. I’m Jill Robbins. And I'm Alice Bryant. Chris Hannas wrote this story for VOANews.com. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story summit – n. a meeting or series of meetings between the leaders of two or more governments migrant – n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work access – n. a way of being able to use or get something mandate – n. an official order to do something transform – v. to change (something) completely and usually in a good way forcibly displaced – this phrase describes people who are forced to leave their homes, often because of war or political unrest host – adj. In the context of this story, the word “host” describes countries that receive refugees. Sometimes we say “host countries” or “host nations." Other times, we may say “host governments.” essential – adj. extremely important and necessary enable – v. to make (someone or something) able to do or to be something long-term – adj. lasting for, relating to, or involving a long period of time exploitative – adj. a word describing work that uses (someone or something) in a way that helps someone else unfairly Are there refugees in your country? Do the children attend regular schools or separate schools? Are the children able to attend school? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Voters in Just a Few States Will Decide US Presidential Election

On November 8 this year, Americans across the country will vote for president. But the candidate who wins the most votes will not necessarily be the winner. Instead, the U.S. has a complicated system called the Electoral College. In that system, each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia casts votes for the president. Under the Electoral College, not every state is equally important. In the 2016 election – as in past elections – only a few states will really matter. Not the biggest states. Not the most heavily populated states. The swing states. Swing states vs. safe states In the last four elections, eighty percent of U.S. states selected the presidential candidate from the same political party every time. For example, the majority of voters in the states of Alaska and Idaho consistently voted for the Republican presidential candidate. The majority of voters in the states of Minnesota and New York consistently voted for the Democrat. As a result, the candidates do not usually spend much time or money campaigning in those “safe states.” Instead, they focus on the swing states, where no one knows which candidate is likely to win. In 2016, the swing states are: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. None is more important than Ohio. That state has voted for every winning presidential candidate since 1964. Of course, most voters will mark ballots in safe states, not swing states. And because all but two states follow a winner-takes-all rule, most states go to the candidate whom the majority of voters choose.    So, a voter in Minnesota could mark a ballot for Republican Donald Trump. But, most other Minnesota voters will probably choose Democrat Hillary Clinton. As a result, all of Minnesota’s 10 electoral votes will go to Clinton, and the Republican voter’s ballot will not really do anything to help Trump. However, the voter's other choices may affect candidates for state and local offices. So it is important that people in safe states vote, too.  Are the Democrats one swing state away from winning? At this moment in history, the Electoral College system helps the Democrats. That is because states with the largest populations have recently voted for the Democratic presidential candidate. And, the more people a state has, the more votes it gets in the Electoral College. The Washington Post newspaper notes that “the Democratic nominee begins at a significant advantage over the Republican one.” It says the Democrats have the advantage no matter who the party’s candidate is. Consider the numbers. A candidate needs 270 out of 538 Electoral College votes to become president. In the last six presidential elections, the Democratic candidate has won the same 19 states plus Washington, DC each time. Those areas together carry 242 Electoral College votes.  If Democrat Hillary Clinton can win those areas this year, plus the swing state of Florida, she will earn 271 Electoral College votes –one more than she needs to win the presidency. Republican Donald Trump has a harder path to victory. Thirteen states voted for the Republican candidate in each of the last six presidential elections. But many of them are small states. They have a total of only 102 electoral votes. As a result, Donald Trump must not only win those 13 states. He must also win several swing states – or even some traditionally Democratic states – to reach the 270 electoral votes he needs to win. Will Donald Trump change the map this year? Some Republicans are worried that Trump’s path to victory may be even harder than that. The website TheWeek.com noted that Trump may do worse than lose the swing states this year. He may also lose some of the states that Republicans have historically won. You see, although Trump is very popular with some voters, he is equally unpopular with others. As a result, some voters who usually choose the Republican candidate may choose the Democrat. The Washington Post newspaper reports that some political experts are preparing to blame Donald Trump if the Republicans fail to win the presidency. But Post writer Chris Cillizza says the Republican Party has a problem that “goes deeper than Trump -- or any one candidate.” Cillizza says the real reason may be that the Republican Party has not been able to convince the increasing number of nonwhites in the U.S. to vote for its presidential candidates. He writes: “What has become increasingly clear is that any state with a large or growing nonwhite population has become more and more difficult for Republicans to win.” I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA Correspondent Christopher Jones-Cruise reported this story from Washington and wrote it in 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   cast – v. to make (a vote) formally consistently – adv. always acting or behaving in the same way winner-takes-all – expression a system in which the winner of the most votes in a state wins all of the electoral votes from that state

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New Orleans Coffee Arrives in Vietnam

People in Vietnam can now get a cup of New Orleans coffee. PJ’s Coffee is a business based in New Orleans, the largest city in the American state of Louisiana. The city is known for great food, including coffee, and music. The new PJ’s coffee shop is opening in Ho Chi Minh City. PJ’s has 84 shops in seven American states. This is the company’s first store outside the United States. PJ’s Coffee is joining a large number of American companies with stores in Vietnam. Companies like Burger King, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Starbucks all operate restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. A Shared Love for Coffee Ryan Stansbury is with PJ’s Coffee. In his words, Vietnam is a “good fit” for the Louisiana-based company. One reason is that coffee is part of the culture, just as it is in New Orleans, he said. “Just like people in New Orleans, people in Vietnam are big coffee drinkers,” he said. New Orleans and Ho Chi Minh City also have very hot weather. That explains why iced coffee and iced tea are so popular in both cities, Stansbury said. “That’s good for us because we hung our hat on making cold-brewed iced coffee since our founder started PJ’s in 1978,” he said. Starting a business in Vietnam is not easy for an American company, Stansbury said. PJ’s worked with a Vietnamese business leader to help work through the country’s business rules. Stansbury said PJ’s is paying “a lot of money” to export PJ’s coffee to Vietnam. Those costs could drop if the U.S. Congress approves the new Trans Pacific trade deal. President Obama's Visit to Vietnam President Barack Obama visited Vietnam in May. He said the trade deal will increase American jobs by lowering costs for U.S. companies to export products. But opponents said it could lead more U.S. companies to move operations overseas. The two major party presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, both oppose the trade deal. Stansbury said that besides the high costs of transporting coffee, language was another barrier. It was hard for English-speaking PJ’s Coffee workers to train new Vietnamese-speaking employees. “It usually takes two weeks, but it took us about three times as long to get the training done because of the language barriers,” Stansbury said. PJ’s has also made changes to satisfy the tastes of the Vietnamese market. Green tea is popular in Vietnam, and PJ’s added a drink that it calls Green Tea Velvet Ice. It is a combination of milk, ice, green tea powder and fruit syrup. The company also offers a sweet iced coffee drink with condensed milk and ice. It is called “Ca-Phe Sua Da.” PJ’s is looking to add the drink to its U.S. coffee shops. Because Vietnamese often sit with friends for long periods of time at coffee shops and restaurants, PJ’s is looking to add more food products. It could include the soup and noodle dishes so popular in Vietnam and Vietnamese restaurants all over the world, Stansbury said. Kerry likes 'incredible changes' in Vietnam PJ’s has a lot riding on its Vietnam coffee shop. Plans are to add more coffee shops in Vietnam, and set up others in Malaysia, he said. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke last month about the “incredible changes in Vietnam” since he fought for the United States in 1968 during its war with North Vietnam. Kerry said he always loved the Vietnamese people, but is now excited by the “pulsating entrepreneurial energy” throughout the Southeast Asian country. Reporter Ralph Jennings wrote about the growing middle class in Vietnam. He said traffic problems have increased in the financial and entertainment district of Ho Chi Minh City. “Restaurants serving foreign cuisine, which is more expensive than local food, fill at night,” he wrote. He said they are full of people talking noisily and using mobile phones. I’m Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. Do you like coffee? Do you choose hot or cold coffee? And what do you like in your coffee? ___________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   cup - n. a small round container that often has a handle and that is used for drinking hot liquids such as tea and coffee condensed milk - n. canned milk with sugar added and much of the water removed shop - n. a building or room where goods and services are sold- adj. to be filled with activity pulsating - adj. to be filled with activity entrepreneurial - adj. willing to risk loss in order to make money with a new product or service condensed milk - n. canned milk with sugar added and much of the water removed cuisine - n. food that is cooked in a particular way incredible -- adj. extremely good, great, or large  

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Lesson 29: A Long Time Ago

Summary Anna and Marsha have a lot of work to do. An advertisement makes them remember their childhood dreams. What do you think they wanted to be? Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words for this lesson. You can also learn about how to use adjectives. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about the noises English speakers make to show they are listening. Conversation Anna: Hello! In Washington, D.C., there are many places that bring history to life. But people who live here often do not have time to see them. They are too busy with work -- like me. Hi, Marsha! Marsha: Hi, Anna! Have a seat. Anna: Thanks. This was a good idea. Working outdoors is nice. Marsha: Um-hum, it is. Anna: I am tired. Today was a busy day at work. And I still have work to do! Marsha: Hmm, that’s too bad. Anna: How are you these days? Marsha: I'm really busy too, Anna. Let’s get to work. Anna: Marsha, look! That bus has a photo of Abraham Lincoln! Marsha: That’s an advertisement for Ford’s Theatre. They have a new show. Anna: They have shows where Abraham Lincoln died? Marsha: Yeah, it’s a working theater and a museum. Anna: I love Lincoln. You know, Marsha, that advertisement reminds me of something. Marsha: Um-hum. What’s that? Anna: When I was a little girl … When I was a little girl … I was not like other children. Marsha: Um-hum, I can believe that. Anna's voice: I was tall, serious child. At the playground the other children played silly games. They played with dart guns. They played on the swings, the slide and the teeter-totter. They also played ball But not me. I loved to read serious books about U.S. presidents. Anna: In fact, I wanted to be … don’t laugh … President of the United States. Marsha: (laughs) Anna: Stop! I know it’s a silly childhood dream. Marsha: I’m sorry. It’s not silly. Guess what I wanted to be? Anna: What? Marsha: I wanted to be... an astronaut. Anna: Really? Marsha's Voice: When I was a kid, I studied the stars and planets. I wanted to fly into outer space! Anna: You know, Marsha, childhood dreams are really important. Marsha: They are. And it’s good to remember them. Anna: Hey! I have an idea. Let’s go. Marsha: Go where? Anna: Let’s go make our childhood dreams come true. Marsha: We’re going to the Air & Space Museum! Yes! Anna: No. We’re going to see a show at Ford’s Theatre just like Abraham Lincoln! It’s not far from here. Marsha: Uh huh. That is your childhood dream. Anna: Good point. Okay, next week, we'll come here and be astronauts. Marsha: Honestly? Anna: Honestly. Anna: Tonight we are seeing a show at Ford’s Theatre, where a man shot President Abraham Lincoln. This is history come to life … and a childhood dream come true! Until next time ...   Writing In this lesson you learn about Anna and Marsha's childhood dreams. What was your childhood dream? What did you want to be? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using adjectives and talking about your career dreams with a friend. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Personalize. When we connect new information to our own interests and experiences, we are personalizing. Personalizing can help us remember new information.  In this week's video, Anna is learning about historic places in Washington, D.C.  The advertisement for Ford's Theatre makes her think of her childhood dream - to be President of the United States. Anna is personalizing because she is connecting new information to her own interest in U.S. Presidents. She decides to act on her interests by going to the theater and learning more about Abraham Lincoln's history. How about you?  Do you ever personalize when you are learning English? Write to us about it in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan  for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz ​Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. ______________________________________________________________ New Words advertisement (ad) - n. something (such as a short film or a written notice) that is shown or presented to the public to help sell a product or to make an announcement astronaut - n. a person who travels in a spacecraft into outer space ball - n. a usually round object that is used in a game or sport or as a toy believe - v.to accept or regard (something) as true childhood - n.the period of time when a person is a child come true - expression. to materialize, to become a reality, or become fulfilled dart gun - n. a small toy weapon that throws out small objects with a sharp point at one end die - v. to stop living dream - n. something that you have wanted very much to do, be, or have for a long time Ford’s Theatre - n. Ford's Theatre is a historic theatre in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the shooting of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. planet - n. a large, round object in space (such as the Earth) that travels around a star (such as the sun) really - adj. without question or doubt—used to make a statement more definite or forceful serious - adj. thoughtful or quiet in appearance or manner shoot - v. - to fire a weapon such as a gun (the past tense is shot) slide - n.a structure with a slippery surface that children slide down star - n.any one of the objects in space that are made of burning gas and that look like points of light in the night sky swing - n. a seat that hangs from ropes or chains and that moves back and forth teeter-totter - n. a long, flat board that is balanced in the middle so that when one end goes up the other end goes down tired - adj. feeling a need to rest or sleep true - adj. agreeing with the facts or not false um–hum / uh-huh - interjection — used to express affirmation, agreement, comprehension, or interest working - adj. doing work or in operation ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials   Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice using adjectives and talking about your career goals with a friend. For Teachers ​ ​ See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus:  Review simple past and irregular past tense verbs; Using adjectives with correct adjective placement; Infinitives: to read, to be; to work Topics:  Describing physical states & emotions;  Learning Strategy: Personalize Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using adjectives; Back-channeling noises: Um-Hum, Uh-Huh ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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Everyday Grammar: Modals (Should, Ought To, Had Better)

This video is based on an article in the Everyday Grammar series: http://ift.tt/2d0aY4o

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Californians to Vote on Ending Death Penalty

Californians will vote in November on whether to stop using execution as a form of punishment, or reform the legal process leading up to the death sentence. The state of California currently has about 750 people on death row. A lot of them were sentenced to die many years ago, but their cases are still being appealed in the courts. Death penalty process broken Activists on both sides of the issue agree that the current system needs to be fixed. Two competing ballot measures attempt to do this. Proposition 62 would permanently abolish the death penalty in California. If it became law, death row prisoners would have their sentences changed to life in prison with no possibility of being released. Proposition 66 would try to speed up executions by reforming parts of the appeals process. The changes would set time limits on court appeals and make more lawyers available to dispute death penalty rulings.    Paula Mitchell is with Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California. She says Californians have spent way too much on executions since the state brought back the death penalty in 1978. Billions spent since 1978 “California taxpayers have spent $5 billion. The state has executed 13 people. Roughly 100 have died on death row before their appeals were finished or before the state could execute them.” Actor and activist Mike Farrell says the death penalty has killed innocent people. He claims it is used only against poor people and the poorly defended. “It entraps and kills the innocent. There is simply, in my view, no justice and no justification for it.” Former football player Kermit Alexander supports capital punishment. His mother, sister and two nephews were murdered in Los Angeles in 1984. But Alexander said he believes it should only be for justice, not revenge. The man found guilty of killing his family is still on death row, waiting in jail after more than 30 years. In addition to California, 30 other American states have the death penalty. But it is rarely carried out in the United States. Sharp decline in U.S. executions The rate of U.S. executions has fallen sharply over the past seven years. In 2009, 52 executions were carried out, according to the Washington D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center. In 2015, there were 28 executions. This year, there have been 15. Many government lawyers say the punishment should be kept for people who carry out the very worst crimes.  Mike Hestrin is District Attorney for Riverside County, California. “I think it is a tool that we prosecutors need, and that the justice system needs, in order to appropriately punish people that commit outrageous and heinous crimes. Hestrin added that executions are also a way for society to express anger at the crimes committed. Critics like Mike Farrell note that the United States is one of only a few democratic nations to keep the death penalty. “I think it corrupts the society. And I think it demeans us as people.” Californians will vote on the issue November 8. I’m Bryan Lynn. Mike O’Sullivan reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English, with additional information coming from Associated Press and Reuters. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What is your opinion on death sentences? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   penalty – n. punishment for breaking a rule or law death row – n. part of a prison where prisoners who will be killed as punishment for their crimes live until they are killed abolish – v. officially end something entrap – v. to lure someone into doing something by deception revenge – n. the act of doing harm to someone in order to get even heinous – adj. very bad or evil demean – v. to lower in character, status or reputation  

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Pulp from Plants Makes Packaging More Earth-Friendly

The average American throws away about 84 kilos of plastic every year. Much of that ends up in the ocean, according to the marine research group Algalita. Almost half is thrown away after just one use. And the plastic in the ocean does not go away. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. Then the fish and other marine life eat it. That can make them become sick, or even die. National Geographic reported in 2015 that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris, or trash, in the ocean. Paul Tasner is an industrial engineer. He spent most of his career making plastic. He made “blister packs,” the plastic wrap around consumer products that are very hard to open, even with scissors. The packs help protect products during shipping, and help prevent goods from being stolen. Then one day, Tasner had a moment that changed his life. “My wife came back from a big box retailer with a pair of these industrial-strength shears for opening packages. That’s what is said on the package: you know, ‘For opening those hard to open plastic blister packages.” The shears were called, ‘Open it.’” He says the funny -- and crazy -- part was that the shears to open the blister packs were packed -- in a blister pack. This gave him an idea. That idea was to create environmentally friendly, biodegradable packaging. Tasner lost his job during the economic recession years ago. He was 64 years old and he did not want to retire. So he decided to start his own company. His aim was to create a product that was similar to regular plastic, but able to be composted into soil. That means that when the product is put in the ground after use, it will break down quickly into the soil. Regular plastic ends up in oceans or in landfills, where it can remain for thousands of years before breaking down into soil. Elena Olivari is an architect. She has experience in engineering and design. She was looking for something new to do. She decided to join Tasner in his start-up —or new—business. For Olivari, a family member’s death from cancer had a strong effect on her. “There are links of plastic-related cancer, so even doing something that can reduce that number of people that are harmed by the plastic and reducing the amount of plastic in the world, which is becoming absolutely too big to deal with. We’re doing something that made me feel like, well, you know, even if we can make a small difference its better than nothing.” Tasner and Olivari named their company PulpWorks. It launched in August 2011. They worked together to create a product called Karta-Pack to replace the plastic blister packs. The PulpWorks website says that the company turns “garbage into safe, planet-friendly products.”  Tasner admits that the technology they use is not new. Karta-Pack is similar to some kinds of egg cartons—the packaging that protects eggs in the store. Some egg cartons are made from recycled newspaper. Karta-Pack is also made from recycled newspapers, as well as cardboard and different kinds of agricultural fibers, Tasner says. These are plant-based materials. The company has six business partners in five countries that only use local material. Tasner says his partners in China use bamboo and sugar cane. His business partner in Canada uses wheat straw. He uses all of these materials to create Karta-Pack packaging. “So, by having a wide variety of geography, you have a wide variety of raw materials.” Since it launched in 2011, PulpWorks has become a leader of “green” packaging. The company makes packaging for some of the biggest companies in the world, including T-Mobile, Burt’s Bees cosmetic products, Max Factor and Cover Girl cosmetics, and Leapfrog toys. “Every package that we produce replaces a piece of plastic that is not going into a landfill. What could be better than that?  Except to do it a billion times over, really, and that’s our goal.” The company plans to expand its use of local agricultural fibers to more countries and continents, including Africa. I'm Anne Ball.   Jan Sluizer reported this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball wrote her report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and look us up on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   marine – adj. having to do with the sea or ocean debris – n. trash big box retailer – n. large store, part of a national group shears – n. scissors, a tool to cut things with biodegradable – adj. of a substance or object capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms composte – n. decayed mixture of plants used to improve the soil landfill – n. an area where waste is buried under the ground architect – n. a person who designs buildings fiber - n. plant material made into thin threads geography – n. an area of study that deals with the location of countries, cities, rivers, mountains, lakes, etc.

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Son of Nigerian Immigrants Satisfies Dream of Flying

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