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Friday, September 30, 2016

The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Part II. by Stephen Crane

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Thursday, September 29, 2016

"Superbug" Linked to Chicken Sickens People

An international team of scientists has identified a new kind of “superbug” -- or strong bacteria -- that has made people sick. They link the development of the superbug to the use of antibiotic drugs in farm animals. The scientists say this new strain of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- known as MRSA – sickened at least 10 people in Denmark. They said the bacteria is resistant to several antibiotics and can kill chickens. This strain is not found in Denmark. The researchers believe the Danes likely got sick from it by eating or being close to imported chicken. Most people do not get MRSA from animals used as food. The bacteria usually spreads through person-to-person contact in hospitals or other buildings where people live in small, crowded spaces. Farm workers have a higher risk of staph infections. The researchers compared the strains of MRSA in the 10 Danes to staph infections in other people and in livestock. They found the strain came from poultry -- animals like chickens and turkeys. The contaminated meat in Denmark was imported from other countries, including France, the Netherlands and Germany. The findings were published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. They show that this strain of the virus may be more-easily passed from meat to people. Last week, the United Nations held a high-level meeting of experts on antibiotic resistance. They talked about how resistance could become an international crisis if steps are not taken. One of their main worries is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. If the drugs are used too often they can become ineffective. More superbugs like MRSA will develop, the experts said. They called on governments and private companies to work together to stop the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Laura MacCleery was at the meeting. She works for the Washington, D.C.-based Consumers Union. She says animals that are raised on farms for food are often given antibiotics to prevent disease and help them grow faster. MacCleery said the experts discussed measures to reduce resistance to antibiotics. She said, "Drug pricing and availability at a level of provider incentives -- those are the kinds of things that governments can do to discourage inappropriate prescribing among physicians, and to educate consumers about the potential risk of antibiotic resistance.” MacCleery says her organization has persuaded restaurants like McDonald’s to agree not to sell chicken treated with antibiotics. I’m Jonathan Evans. VOA Health Correspondent Jessica Berman 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 strain –n. one of several closely related infectious micro-organisms contaminated –n. infected, containing something harmful routinely –adv. regularly sub-therapeutic doses –n. less than the required amount of a medicine unsanitary –adj. not clean incentives –n. something that encourages someone to carry out some action prescribe –v. to officially tell someone to use a medicine or treatment to get better

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September 29, 2016

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

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US Congress Overrides Obama Veto of 9/11 Bill

The United States Congress has voted to overrule a presidential veto of a bill supported by families of victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The bill would let the families take legal action against Saudi Arabia for the attacks. Both houses of congress voted Wednesday to reject President Barack of Terrorism Act. Obama's first veto setback The House of Representatives voted 348 to 77 to overrule the veto. In the Senate, the vote was 97 to one. A two-thirds majority is required to cancel the president’s action. It was the first time in Obama’s presidency that Congress has overturned one of his vetoes. Under the legislation, U.S. courts will have power to consider cases against foreign states that support terror acts carried out on U.S. territory. Claims can involve terrorism-related injuries, death or damages. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks were from Saudi Arabia. Opens door for Saudi lawsuits Some relatives of the victims accuse Saudi Arabia of backing the attackers. They plan to bring cases against the Saudi government in U.S. courts. Saudi Arabia has long denied any part in the attacks. Senator John Cornyn of Texas is a member of the Republican Party. He believes the legislation will send a message to international sponsors of terrorism. “The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act will send a strong message to those who sponsor terrorist attacks on American soil, including foreign governments, [they] will answer to those victims and pay for the death and destruction they cause.” President Obama opposed the measure because it would limit the idea of sovereign immunity. Sovereign immunity is the legal policy that protects a government or its agencies from legal action. The Obama administration has said the bill could endanger Americans working overseas. New York Senator Chuck Schumer, a member of the Democratic Party, said he favored the bill, to finally give terrorist victims a chance at justice. “The victims of 9/11 and other terrorist attacks have suffered such pain and heartache. But they certainly should not be denied justice.” The president told CNN television he thought the congressional action was “basically a political vote.” “Sometimes you have to do what's hard. And, frankly, I wish Congress here had done what's hard.” CIA director opposed The director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Brennan, said he thinks the bill will have “grave implications” for U.S. national security. By failing to support the sovereign immunity standard for other countries, “we place our own nation’s officials in danger,” he said. Brennan added that the bill could also make the Saudi government less willing to cooperate with the United States in anti-terrorism efforts. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on stories from VOA’s Michael Bowman, the Associated Press and 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 sovereign immunity – n. the idea that a government is protected from legal action without its consent or acceptance grave – adj. very serious overrule – v. to rule against something or someone sponsor – n. a person who takes the responsibility for someone else or something

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Candidate Gary Johnson's "Aleppo Moment"

This is What’s Trending Today. Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party candidate for president. His name will appear on ballots in every U.S. state and territory on Nov. 8. It will be next to prominent candidates from the two main political parties, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Johnson is the former governor of the southwestern state of New Mexico. And his name has been on the ballot before. He was the Libertarian candidate in 2012. He received about 1 million votes, but Barack Obama and Mitt Romney received many millions more. Johnson does not have enough support in public opinion studies to be included in the televised presidential debates like the one between Clinton and Trump on Monday night. But a television news program did give Johnson a chance to speak about himself and some political issues on Wednesday. And it did not go well. The host of the show asked him to name a foreign leader he admires. Johnson had trouble coming up with a name. Later, he said he was trying to recall the name of former Mexican president Vicente Fox. Johnson worked with Fox when he was governor of New Mexico. Johnson said he was having “an Aleppo moment” when he could not think of Fox’s name. “Aleppo moment” is trending on Twitter. The phrase refers to the time in early September when Johnson was asked about Aleppo, the city at the heart of the Syrian civil war. And he replied by asking “and what is Aleppo?” People criticized Johnson for not knowing enough about the war in Syria to identify one of the country’s major cities. On Thursday, people reacted to Johnson’s trouble with the names of foreign leaders. They also wanted to remind the candidate that problems in Syria should not be minimized. Many people posted news of bombings or deaths in Aleppo while mentioning Johnson and saying “This is an Aleppo moment.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What do you think of Johnson’s “Aleppo moment?” We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story prominent – n. important and well-known admire – v. to feel respect or approval for (someone or something) minimize – v. to treat or describe (something) as smaller or less important than it is trending – adj. a comment or story popular, or often repeated on social media

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American Businessman Announces Plans for Mars Colony

Businessman Elon Musk says his company is building a powerful, reusable rocket and a spaceship that may travel to the planet Mars. The spacecraft would eventually be able to take as many as 100 people and their equipment to the red planet, he said. The entrepreneur announced his plan on Tuesday at the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Elon Musk is the founder of the American company SpaceX. It designs, manufacturers and launches rockets and spacecraft. During his speech in Mexico, Musk did not talk about the September 1 explosion of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and the satellite it was carrying. But Musk did say he wants to establish a city on Mars. He said the planned city would be able to support itself -- complete with the ability to make iron, as well as pizzas. Musk wants human beings to be able to live on more than just one planet. And he said the best way to do that is to first colonize Mars. He wants many people to be able to travel to the red planet. “Really the key is making this affordable to almost anyone who wants to go...” Reusing rockets and spaceships will help lower the cost for each person, he explained. The spaceships would also be able to refuel in orbit. He suggested the production of methane and oxygen on Mars would provide fuel for the trip back home. Musk says a self-supporting colony on the planet would require about 1 million people. To get them there and to build the colony, it would take between 40 and 100 years -- or about 10,000 flights with 100 people per flight. Musk said the trip would last between 80 and 150 days. Eventually, the cost would go down. “The very first flights will be fairly expensive, but the architecture allows for a cost per ticket of less than $200,000.” No date has been set for the first flight. But Musk said he wanted to send the first manned mission to Mars by 2024. He added that he plans to start transporting supplies to the planet as soon as 2018. Musk invited other companies to join the Mars effort, which reportedly would require about a $10 billion investment. The American space agency NASA has its own program for sending astronauts to Mars. NASA will be using its own equipment. Currently, the space agency does use Space X for taking supplies to the International Space Station. Musk, a wealthy entrepreneur, is also known for his Tesla Motors company, which makes electric cars. I’m Anne Ball. George Putic wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball wrote it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money affordable – adj. to be able to pay for something architecture – n. the method or style of building expensive – adj. costing a lot of money ticket – n. a piece of paper that allows you to travel on a vehicle mission – n. a job that someone is given to do

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New Tech Tools Might Help Americans Choose a President

Six weeks remain until elections in the United States. Yet many Americans say they still do not know who they want as president. Now, there are some new tech tools that might help them decide. Startup businesses are creating products that try to change behavior and increase political activity. Brigade is one of those startups. The California-based company runs a social media site and mobile app. It did not even exist in 2012, when the U.S. held its last presidential election. Brigade is a platform for debating and deciding political positions. Users can follow the political issues that interest them, such as gun rights, immigration or the environment. Matt Mahan was a creator of Brigade and now serves as its chief executive officer. He says a few problems need to be solved to increase American civic involvement. “We need to give people easy access to the information they need to make decisions, but we also need to embed that within their social lives, we need to make it part of the conversations they’re having with friends, and we need to create cultural norms around participating." Brigade lets users debate issues and try to influence other people online. Users can also see how their opinions compare with other users as well as political candidates. "I think that's kind of the point of democracy -- is to create this public square where people can discuss and debate their values, and their perspectives on issues and, ultimately, create trade-offs and come to a conclusion about what's the best way to move forward to kind of create the greatest good for the most people." Crowdpac is another politically-minded technology company. It also did not exist at the time of the 2012 presidential election. Gisel Kordestani is Crowdpac’s chief operations officer. The company is, in her words, “using technology to try to help the average citizen to connect and engage in politics.” The Crowdpac website describes itself as the first crowdfunding site designed for politics. It provides information about individuals seeking public office. It also helps users find and support the candidates who share their opinions. And, it helps those running for office raise money. It does this through crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is the activity of raising money through small donations from a lot of people. Generally, crowdfunding takes place on the Internet. Kordestani said technology companies are changing how Americans take part in politics by creating new ways for political participation. That is why, she thinks, politicians should look to Silicon Valley, America’s technology center. “This region has just grown over the last four decades, has grown into not a powerhouse just in the U.S. but globally, in setting the technology, the platforms and the rules of engagement of society, for work, for the environment, globally.” Kordestani said many tech companies in Silicon Valley also recognize the importance of working with politicians and the government to create positive changes. I’m Caty Weaver. Elizabeth Lee reported on this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story startup – n. a new business mobile – adj. able to move from one place to another access – n. a way of getting at or close to something or someone embed – v. to set or place firmly in something else conversation – n. a talk or discussion participate – v. to be involved with others in doing something crowdfunding – n. the act of seeking donations from a large number of people, especially on social media or through a website globally – adj. of or related to the whole world platform – n. a structure where people or machines do work We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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The Excitement of Three-Part Phrasal Verbs

Popular music can teach you a lot about the English language. You may not realize it, but musicians are actually teaching you about English grammar in each song they perform. Consider this song by the famous reggae artist Bob Marley. It tells about the need for equality and justice: Get up, stand up. Stand up for your rights Get up, stand up. Don’t give up the fight This song is called “Get Up, Stand Up.” It shows you how to use the three-part phrasal verb, "stand up for." "To stand up for" means "to defend (someone or something) with words.” Today, we explore three-part phrasal verbs – idiomatic expressions that can be difficult for students of English to understand. What are phrasal verbs? As you may remember from other Everyday Grammar programs, a phrasal verb is a verb with two or more words. Most phrasal verbs contain just two words: a verb and a preposition, such as “look up,” which means “to research” or “to search for.” “Look” is the verb and “up” is the preposition. Note that “look” and “up” are words with literal meanings. In some situations, you would use the literal meaning of “look” and “up.” For example, you can say, “When I looked up, I saw a beautiful bird.” In that sentence, “look” means “to direct your eyes to a specific direction” and “up” means “toward the sky or top of the room.” But, when used as a phrasal verb, “look up” becomes idiomatic, which means you cannot understand their meaning from the individual meanings of the separate words. Instead, when the words are put together as phrasal verbs, they mean something else. While many phrasal verbs consist of just two words, there are several that have three words. Three-part phrasal verbs have a verb and two particles. A particle is a word that must appear with another word to communicate meaning: Three-part phrasal verb = verb + particle + particle Three-part phrasal verb = stand + up + for In Bob Marley’s song, the main verb “stand” has two particles: “up” and “for.” When these three words are combined, they become a three-part phrasal verb. Here is an easy way to remember how to use three-part phrasal verbs: all three words always appear together, and the order of the three words never changes. So, although using these verbs may seem daunting at first, do not fear! If you learn the most common ones, you will be able to recognize them and use them yourself. Why do we use three-part phrasal verbs? Three-part phrasal verbs are important if you want to express yourself in English in the most natural way possible. You can use many of these verbs in both casual and formal English. For example, “The meeting lasted three hours. Now, I need to catch up on my work.” To “catch up on” is both casual and formal. It means “to do something you have not had time to do earlier.” But, some three-part phrasal verbs are more common in casual English than in formal, written English. Listen for a three-part phrasal verb in this song by the blues singer B.B. King: Oh, I'm sorry for you baby But you know I just can't put up with you This song, called “Get These Blues Off Me,” uses the verb “to put up with,” which means “to tolerate or accept something unpleasant.” Three-part phrasal verb = verb + particle + particle Three-part phrasal verb = put + up + with In English, many songs about love, or love lost, use the verb “to put up with.” But you probably would not use this verb in formal situations. For example, if you reported your noisy neighbors to police, you might want to avoid saying, “I have put up with the noise for a long time.” Instead, you might say, “I have tolerated the noise for a long time.” How often do we use three-part phrasal verbs? In social, personal, and professional communication, three-part phrasal verbs are often the most natural and least wordy choice. That is why we use these verbs every day. For example, when we have not seen friends or family members for a long time, we want to “catch up with” them. We want to learn about the new things happening in their lives. Note the similarity between “catch up with” and “catch up on.” Yet the meanings are different. Changing any word of a three-part phrasal verb creates a new meaning. A work situation where you might use a three-part phrasal verb is when you run out of time. In the workplace, you can also run out of ideas or supplies. “To run out of” means “to have used all of something.” Speaking of running out of time, we are almost out of time for this program. So here are three ideas to help you with three-part phrasal verbs. Tip #1 The first thing to remember is that these verbs are inseparable, meaning that the three words cannot be separated by an object or any other part of speech. Bob Marley did not say, “Stand up your rights for” or “Stand your rights up for.” And, as we noted earlier, the words will always appear in the same order: Bob Marley also did not say, “Stand for up your rights.” Tip #2 Changing any part of three-part phrasal verbs changes their meanings. Remember that the verbs “catch up with” and “catch up on” do not mean the same thing. Tip #3 Now, a final point: The examples we have used today are from American English. Many of these verbs are the same in British English and other forms of English. But remember that some of them may have a different meaning or may not be used at all outside of the United States. Three-part phrasal verbs can be difficult to understand, but learning and using them will make your speaking and writing sound realistic and natural. I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Pete Musto. This program was written by Alice Bryant. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. You can read more about phrasal verbs here. At the end of this page, you can find a list of common phrasal verbs along with their meanings. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story grammar – n. the set of rules that explain how words are used in a language idiomatic – adj. an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but has a separate meaning of its own consist – v. to have (something) as an essential or main part literal – n. involving the common or usual meaning of a word daunting – adj. making people frightened or less sure of themselves; very difficult to do or deal with casual – adj. designed for or permitting normal behavior or clothing; opposite of formal formal – adj. requiring or using serious and correct behavior or clothing wordy – adj. using or containing too many words tolerate – v. to let (something that is bad or unpleasant) to exist, happen, or be done Reference Three-part Phrasal Verbs Meanings “Stand up for your rights.” To defend yourself (with words or other non-violent actions) “I’m sorry, but I’ve run out of time. Let’s meet tomorrow instead.” To have used all of something, such as time, a food, product, or concept. “His mom is not willing to put up with his messy room anymore.” To allow (someone or something unpleasant or annoying) to exist or happen; to tolerate an unpleasant thing or person “We are teaming up with the community garden center to bring fresh food to the school.” To collaborate with a person group of people to achieve a common goal ”He looks up to his older brothers.” To respect and admire (someone) ”He looks down on everyone.” To think of or treat (someone or something) as unimportant or not worthy of respect ”I’m looking forward to vacation! We’re going to New Orleans.” To be excited about something in the future ”That meeting lasted three hours. Now, I need to catch up on my work.” To do something you have not had time to do earlier ”I can’t wait to catch up with you!” To learn about new things happening in someone’s life, usually a friend or family member ”I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids.” To escape blame or punishment ”Let’s come up with some ideas on where to hold the birthday party.” To contribute, for example, a suggestion or plan “I don’t feel well. I think I’m coming down with the flu.” To get sick; to recognize that you are getting sick. ”She broke up with her boyfriend last month.” To end a romantic relationship ”She made up with her boyfriend yesterday.” To reunite after breaking up with a romantic partner

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The Excitement of Three-Part Phrasal Verbs

News Words: Allegations

Learn words in the news with Anne Ball and Jonathan Evans. This week's word is allegations.

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1100 UTC English Newscast for September 29, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I'm Ira Mellman reporting. Pakistan says India killed two of its soldiers in an unprovoked attack. Pakistan says the attack occurred when India fired across the border of the disputed region of Kashmir, while India said it had carried out a "surgical strike'' against terrorists, in an exchange that marks an escalation of tensions between the uneasy and nuclear-armed neighbors. Pakistan’s claim is that India killed the Pakistan soldiers in an unprovoked attack. Talking to reporters in New Delhi Thursday, Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh is director general of military operations for the Indian Army,. (He) said "surgical strikes'' were carried out in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir late Wednesday. "During these counter terrorist operations, significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those who are trying to support them. The operations aimed at neutralizing the terrorists have since ceased. We do not have any plans for further continuation of the operations; however, the Indian armed forces are fully prepared for any contingency that may arise.” Pakistan dismissed the Indian military reports that it had carried out strikes against "terrorist launch pads'' inside the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir. Russia said Thursday it supports a 48-hour cease-fire in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, but not a longer truce proposed by the United States. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said a week-long cease-fire would give militants time to regroup and replenish supplies. His comments came a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Russia they are making plans to suspend bilateral engagement. This is VOA News. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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