Vice President: From Joke Target to Top Adviser

Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence are running for vice president. They will compete in a televised debate Tuesday night. Vice president is a position that has long been the object of jokes because many saw it as an unimportant job. The vice presidency has grown in importance. Recent vice presidents have been asked to do much more than represent the United States at funerals. But for many years, even those who held the office said they had little to do. ‘Most Insignificant Ever’ John Adams was the first U.S. vice president, serving under George Washington. He said the vice presidency was the “most insignificant office” ever. Thomas Marshall served as vice president from 1913 to 1921. He joked: “Once there were two brothers. One ran away to sea; the other was elected vice president of the United States. And nothing was heard of either of them again." Walter Mondale, who was Jimmy Carter’s vice president from 1977 to 1981, said that “over most of America’s history, the vice president has been standby equipment.” By standby, he meant that the vice president stands by, ready to become president if the president dies or gives up the office. That has happened nine times -- eight because of the death of the president and once when the president gave up the office. The last two vice presidents to take over the presidency were Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford. Johnson took the oath of office after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Ford replaced President Richard Nixon after he resigned in 1974 as Congress investigated a scandal known as Watergate.   Mourner in Chief Joel Goldstein is a law professor at the University of St. Louis in the state of Missouri. He is considered one of the top experts on the vice presidency. He said the vice presidency was long connected to representing the United States at funerals and casting the deciding vote in the Senate when a vote was tied. But that changed, beginning with Richard Nixon, who served as vice president for Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s. Eisenhower sent Nixon to meet with foreign leaders, Goldstein said. A Nixon visit to the Soviet Union led to a debate with Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev over which is better: capitalism or communism. Nixon, a Republican, went on to run and lose the presidential election to Democrat John Kennedy in 1960. Eight years later, Nixon won the presidency, defeating another vice president, Democrat Hubert Humphrey. Office Grows under Mondale Goldstein said Walter Mondale expanded the importance of the vice presidency. He acted as an important adviser to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. Mondale, a Democrat, started a tradition that future administrations copied. He started weekly lunches between the president and vice president to discuss top issues, Goldstein said. George H.W. Bush served as Ronald Reagan’s vice president. He helped move Reagan’s agenda through Congress, Goldstein said. Bush also helped persuade Reagan to negotiate nuclear weapons reduction with Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev. Bush, a Republican, won the presidency over Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988. From 2001 to 2009, Dick Cheney served as vice president to President George W. Bush. George W. Bush is a Republican, like his father, George H.W. Bush. Reuters said Cheney played a big part in the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq. George H.W. Bush, in a book, said that Cheney pushed too hard for war. Current Vice President Joe Biden has also been a top adviser to President Barack Obama. Biden said he attends almost every meeting with Obama, “at his request.” He has led White House efforts to pass gun control bills and to fight cancer. “One of the finest vice presidents in history” is what Obama said of Biden on CBS Television. Vice Presidential Candidates Are Part of a Ticket People do not vote directly for the vice president. They vote for what is called a “ticket.” On November 8, voters will choose between the Republican ticket of presidential candidate Donald Trump and Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence and the Democratic ticket of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. At Tuesday night’s debate, Pence and Kaine are likely to spend a good deal of the 90-minute debate talking about their partner on the ticket. They will explain why their running mate would make a good president and why the other presidential candidate would not. Goldstein, the University of St. Louis expert, said vice presidential debates generally get less attention than the three debates between the major presidential candidates. But there was one big exception. The 2008 vice presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin drew 70 million viewers. That is more than the number of people who watched the first presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. The most remembered moment in a vice presidential debate was in 1988, Goldstein said. That was the debate between Republican vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle and Democrat Lloyd Bentsen. After Quayle compared his experience to that of former President John Kennedy, Bentsen responded this way: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.” Bentsen’s line was the most quoted in news reports of the debate. But the Republican ticket of George H.W. Bush and Quayle defeated the Democratic ticket of Michael Dukakis and Bentsen that year. I’m Bruce Alpert.​   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Mario Ritter 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 insignificant –adj. small or unimportant standby –adj.  ready or available to take over when needed scandal –n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong ticket –n. candidates running together for elected office agenda –n. things to be done, legislation supported by a political party or leader

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Newest Service Robots Act Like Humans

  Machines are now doing many jobs usually performed by people. One new invention is a machine that operates cars and other vehicles in parking garages. Another kind of robot can transport food or medicine in some hospitals. Robots are now used at a new parking garage in West Hollywood, California. Drivers drop off their vehicles in front of the building, and the robots take over from there. The vehicles are lifted and transported by large machines controlled by computers. The computers record the exact measurements of the automobile and take it to the best available space. The robots can leave cars within centimeters of each other without any mistakes. Car owner Johnny D’Agostino said he feels good knowing that a machine is moving his vehicle. “I take my keys and I don’t got to worry about a valet taking my car. I don’t got to worry about someone scratching my car.” When people return to the garage, they use a ticket to pay for the safe return of the vehicle. The robot then retrieves the car and returns it to the driver. Environment friendly The 200-car parking lot is the first of its kind in West Hollywood. The city’s mayor, Lauren Meister, says the system is easy to use, and reduces air pollution. “You don’t have people going and parking their own cars so the ventilation system is different, and we are literally saving hundreds and hundreds of trees.” City officials say the garage cost about 18 million dollars. This is only a little higher than the usual price, since the building does not need extended lighting systems or walkways for humans to use.  Another kind of robot is being used to carry food and medicine in some hospitals and retirement homes. The automated carriers make deliveries to let workers spend more time with patients. GoCart carries food, medicine The robotic GoCart can recognize people and equipment, and move around them to reach its target. Marcus Liebhardt helped develop the robot. “We drive through the hallways, and during that phase the robot generates a map. Once the robot learns the map, it is able to navigate itself.” The GoCart can operate alone or be used in a group of robots that communicate with each other. Liebhardt said the robot is good at recognizing possible hazards and avoiding them. “So if people jump in its way, kids jumping around the robot, then the robot will stop in time to avoid any collision. And it will also, if possible, re-plan its route, move around people.” The South Korean manufacturer, Yujin, says the GoCart is good at performing the same activity over and over again. So it hopes the robots will be used in other medical settings in the future. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English. It was based on reports from VOA correspondents George Putic and Deborah Block. 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 deliver – v. to take something to a person or place garage – n. building where cars, trucks, etc. are kept valet – n. person who parks cars for guests at businesses retrieve – v. to get something after finding it ventilation – n. – a system that delivers fresh air navigate – v. to find the right way to move through maps or equipment hazard – n. something very dangerous collision – n. a crash between two vehicles scratch – v. to rub a surface with something sharp  

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MacArthur Foundation Honors California Man for Helping Poor

A private group has recognized a California man who helps poor people and immigrant families. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced last month that Jose Quinonez is receiving one of its "genius” grants. He was one of 23 people to get recognized. Quinonez was born in Mexico, but moved to the United States as a boy. Today he is a financial service innovator. Quinonez set up a not-for-profit organization called the Mission Asset Fund. Its job is to create a fair financial marketplace for hardworking families. Borrowing money is a big step for people who want to start a business. Quinonez says his goal is to make loans available to individuals who have limited finances. He said about seven percent of Americans do not have a bank account and do not show up on the credit rating system. Without a credit history, it is difficult for them to borrow money, get a job or start a business. Quinonez is using money lending traditions from Latin America, Asia and Africa to help those in need. He organized "lending circles," where groups of neighbors and others combine their money to make small loans. Each individual has to attend a final education class, and persuade others in the lending circle to repay the money. Quinonez says more than 99 percent of the loans are repaid. He and the Mission Asset Fund follow borrowing and repayment activity. They report results to major credit rating agencies. This information gives the individual a proven repayment history. A good credit history makes banks more willing to make loans to these clients in the future. Jose Quinonez’ work with the fund and minorities in San Francisco helped him earn a MacArthur Fellowship. A number of other organizations are now using Mission Asset Fund as a guide to setting up similar programs in other cities. MacArthur Fellows are chosen for their creativity, past successes and potential. They get $625,000 over five years in an effort to give them the financial freedom to follow through on their projects. The MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Its website says the group “supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.” The foundation also honored a number of people for their work in other areas. This year’s class of MacArthur fellows include a human rights lawyer, an expert on languages, a microbiologist, computer scientists and a poet. I’m Lucija Millonig.   Jim Randle wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted his 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 genius – n. a very smart or gifted person  grant – n. an amount of money that is given by an organization or  company to be used for a purpose innovator – n. a person who does something in an new or unusual way client – n. someone who pays a person or organization for services potential – adj. having the ability to become real institution - n. an established organization verdant – adj. green, with growing plants

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NATO Warns West Is Losing “Information War” Against Russia, Islamic State Group

NATO commanders are calling on Western nations to expand efforts against the ‘information war’ being spread by opponents of the West. The commanders warn that countries like Russia are using the free press in democratic countries to spread disinformation. The term “hybrid warfare” is often used to describe the deployment of disinformation and military power at the same time. An example is the Russian takeover of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Two years ago, gunmen launched raids on Ukrainian military bases in the area. At first, the Russian government denied the gunmen belonged to the Russian military. Yet similar unidentified armed groups appeared in eastern Ukraine a few weeks later. That conflict, between Russia-supported rebels and the Ukrainian military, is continuing. Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, spoke recently to the United Nations General Assembly. He said hybrid warfare is being used against the whole Western world. “Political pressure, blatant propaganda, interference with the electoral process, economic coercion, secret subversive and military operations, cyber attacks, misuse of diplomatic measures.” Janis Sarts is the director of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s STRATCOM Center of Excellence. She said the West is playing catch-up to the disinformation campaigns. Representatives of Western countries recently met to discuss the growing influence of Russian state media, including its 24-hour Russia Today or RT. The television station is often accused of broadcasting propaganda for Russia. Edward Lucas works for The Economist magazine. He says TV stations like RT should not be considered journalism. He says Russia lies about events. He says Western media prioritizes “fairness over truth.” Lucas says the West must be more active on social media. “There’s a real problem with comment fields, and with fake social media accounts, particularly on Twitter. The Russians are putting lots and lots of money into creating tens of thousands of trolls.” NATO officials said Russia believes control of information is an important part of its conflict planning. They said Western nations use separate public relations teams to provide information during conflicts. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Correspondent Henry Ridgwell reported this story from London for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Special 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   hybrid warfare – n. a combination of conventional weapons, irregular tactics, disinformation, terrorism and criminal behavior used in the same time and battlespace to reach a group’s military and political goals blatant – adj. very obvious and offensive coercion – n. the act of making someone do something by using force or threats journalism – n. the activity or job of collecting, writing and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, radio or the internet troll – n. a person who tries to cause problems on an Internet message board, in comments sections of websites or on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook by posting messages that cause other people to argue, become angry, etc.      

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Scientists Explore Underwater Volcanoes

What covers nearly 29 million square kilometers of this planet beneath the sea? The answer is seamounts. Seamounts are mountains, usually  volcanoes, that rise up from the sea floor. Some of the volcanoes are ancient, some are still active. But they are hard to find because they do not reach the surface of the water. Scientists say seamounts cover more of the earth’s area than deserts, tundra, or any other land-based habitats. Marine life gathers at seamounts because they carry nutrient-rich water upward from the sea floor. In September, a group of scientists set out to explore Cook Seamount. It rises almost 4,000 meters from the Pacific Ocean floor about 160 kilometers off the island of Hawaii. Humans have never seen it up close before. The Associated Press went with the scientists, and provided exclusive images and information about this seamount and the marine life around it. "Pisces V surface you're going in. Roger, going in." Three people went in a submarine down to over 900 meters below the ocean surface to the top of the seamount. As the blue waters became darker, underwater creatures that glow, by chemically creating their own light, began to swim past the submarine. The scientists dove below the level where sunlight can reach.  They spotted some wonders-- like a rare octopus with big fins that look like elephant ears. One even changed colors as it swam by the submarine. The scientists also found several kinds of deep sea corals on the seamount’s sides. These included a possible new species of violet-colored coral they named “Purple Haze.” Conservation International and the University of Hawaii worked together for the trip to Cook Seamount. Greg Stone is the lead scientist with Conservation International. He spoke to AP news service on the ship. “This three day expedition is the start of an effort to survey seamounts throughout the Pacific Ocean over the next five years. And we hope to study a total of 50 seamounts.” He said humans know very little about seamounts, but they are a “key part” of what drives the ocean. Stone said he wants to find out what is living on the seamounts and how they support ocean life. “From that, we will understand ocean health, and ocean health relates directly to human health.” M. Sanjayan is Executive Vice President of Conservation International. He told AP that there are “10,000, maybe 100,000” seamounts across the world’s oceans. He called them “hotspots for marine diversity,” and because most have not been explored, he expects that they will see things new to science when they get there. Sonia Rowley is a researcher at the University of Hawaii who is taking part in the project. She will be studying the samples taken from Cook seamount. “They were really magnificent actually, there were these huge structures that were going like tens of hundreds of meters high, and then on the edges they were kind of encrusted in many places with this beautiful purple Gorgonian sea fan.” Cook seamount is an extinct volcano, which means it is not active anymore. It is part of a group of undersea volcanoes known as the Geologist Seamounts, that are about 80 million years old and could hold many new animal species. They could also contain elements such as nickel and cobalt that mining companies could extract. One of the other two seamounts studied on their trip was Lo'ihi, an active volcano. Lo'Ihi has been studied by manned submersibles over the past 30 years. The scientists saw an “old friend” on Lo’Ihi—a shark they had seen there before. They also saw a two-meter long eel and a number of new geological formations around the volcano’s crater. Scientists say Lo'ihi could someday be the newest island in the Hawaii chain as volcanic activity pushes the seamount upward. But do not look for it to break the surface of the water any time soon. Estimates are that it will not be for tens of thousands of years, if ever.   I’m Anne Ball. Caleb Jones of The Associated Press wrote the exclusive report. Anne Ball adapted his story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and find us on our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story exclusive –adj. not available anywhere else habitat –n. a kind of place where certain kinds of animals and plants live and grow marine –adj. having to do with the sea virtually –adv. through digital technology rather than physically encrusted –adj. covered, overgrown crater –n. a round hole at the top of a volcano or caused by the impact of a meteorite

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Everyday Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement

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

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Lesson 30: Rolling on the River

Summary Anna plans to have a dinner party. She needs to buy seafood, so she goes to the waterfront. She gets a surprise at the fish market. Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words for this lesson. You can also learn about how to use count and noncount nouns. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about the abbreviations for dozen and pounds. Conversation Anna: Hello! Washington, D.C. sits on the Potomac River. This river is important to the history and culture of the city. Today, I am at an outdoor seafood market near the Potomac River. Some say it is the oldest outdoor seafood market in the United States! I am here to buy seafood. Let’s see what they have! Anna: Excuse me. Can you help me? Pete: Sure! What do you need? Anna: Pete!  Pete: Anna! Anna: What are you doing here? Pete: I work here. You know, it’s not easy to be a writer. Anna: Yeah, I heard that. Sorry. Pete: But this job is great. I work outside by the river. And I can eat all the free seafood I want! Anna: That is great, Pete. In fact, I am here to buy some seafood for my dinner party. Pete: You came to the right place. They have the freshest seafood in town. How much money can you spend? Anna: I can only spend $50. Pete: Okay. What do you want? Anna: First, I want to buy some shrimp. Pete: Sure thing. Follow me. How much shrimp do you want? Anna: How much do I need for five people? Pete: (yells to co-worker) Give her a pound of shrimp! Anna: Ok, now I want to buy some crabs. Pete: The crabs here are delicious! They are the best because they come from the nearby Chesapeake Bay! Walk this way. Pete: How many crabs do you want? Anna: I want a dozen crabs. Pete: You should get the larger crabs. They have the most meat. Anna: Then I want a dozen large crabs, please! Pete: Is that everything you need? Anna: Let’s see … I have shrimp and crabs. And a friend is bringing a salad and many ears of corn-on-the-cob. Pete: Is that all the seafood that you need? Anna: Yes. Pete: That’ll be $49.95. Cash or credit? Anna: Credit, please. Pete: Anna, you love to eat seafood. Did you grow up on the water? Anna: No, I didn’t. But I love the water. And I love being on the water. Pete: You know how to sail? Anna: Well … this afternoon I am going on a boat. Pete: You are full of surprises. What kind of boat? Is it a motorboat or a sailboat? Anna: It’s a special boat, Pete. Well, thanks for your help. See you later! Pete: See you, Anna! Wow, Anna’s a sailor! Who knew? Anna: Yes, rivers are important to the history and culture of Washington, D.C. And now I am part of this city’s interesting waterfront culture. Until next time! Writing Where do you buy fresh food? Is there a seafood or vegetable market near where you live? Tell us about it! Try to use some of the words from this lesson, like best, freshest, oldest, spend, money, and larger. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using comparative and superlative adjectives 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 Make Inferences . Making inferences means using some information to make a guess. When learning a new language, we often need to guess at the meanings of words or sentences. In this week's video, Pete guesses that Anna grew up on the water.  He says, "Anna, you love to eat seafood. Did you grow on near the water?"  Anna answers, "No, I didn’t. But I love the water. And I love being on the water."  Pete hears that and uses the information to make an inference about Anna. He asks her, "You know how to sail?" Can you find another place in the conversation when Pete makes an inference?  Do you ever make inferences when listening to or reading 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 best - adj. better than all others in quality or value Chesapeake Bay- n. an inlet of the Atlantic, in Maryland and Virginia. It is 200 miles (or 320 km) long; and from 4–40 miles (or 6–64 km) wide. corn-on-the-cob - n. corn when cooked and eaten straight from the cob - the part of corn that the kernels grow on; an ear of corn. crab - n. a sea animal that has a hard shell, eight legs, and two large claws credit - n. money that a bank or business will allow a person to use and then pay back in the future dozen - n. a group of 12 people or things ear - n.  the part of a corn plant on which the seeds grow freshest - adj. the most fresh many - adj. used to refer to a large number of things or people much - adj. large in amount or extent larger - adj. greater in size or amount market - n. a place where products are bought and sold money - n. something (such as coins or bills) used as a way to pay for goods and services and to pay people for their work most - adj. almost all or the majority of motorboat - n. a boat with a motor oldest - adj. having the highest age of a group Potomac River - proper noun. a river flowing from West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay. It flows between Maryland and Virginia. pound - n. a unit of weight that is equal to 16 ounces or about a half of a kilogram river - n.  a large natural flow of water that crosses an area of land and goes into an ocean or a lake sail - v. to travel on water in a ship or boat sail - n. large piece of strong cloth that is connected to a ship or boat and that is used to catch the wind that moves the ship or boat through the water sailboat - n.  a boat that has a sail sailor - n. a person who works on a boat or ship as part of the crew salad - n.  a mixture of raw green vegetables, such as different types of lettuce, usually combined with other raw vegetables seafood - n. fish and shellfish that live in the ocean and are used for food some - adj.  refers to an unspecified amount or number spend - v. to use money to pay for something water - n. an area of water such as a lake, river, or ocean waterfront - n. the land or the part of a town next to the water of an ocean, river or lake. ______________________________________________________________ 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 comparative and superlative adjectives. 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:  Comparative and superlative adjectives; Quantitatives (much/many); Count/non-count nouns Topics:  Asking for and making food recommendations; Units of measure & their abbreviations; dollar amounts expressed in numerals; credit/debit payment Learning Strategy: Make Inferences Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using count and noncount nouns;  Abbreviations for amounts ______________________________________________________________ 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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Brainwash: Not as Clean as You Think

September 30, 2016

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

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Malawi Girls Learn to Defend Against Sexual Attack

Schoolgirls in Malawi are learning to defend themselves against sexual abuse. This is the goal of a Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Kenya. The group is not offering martial arts classes to the schoolgirls. But it is teaching the young women what to do if someone tries to attack them. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has financed the program since a report about sexual assault in Malawi was released last year. The report found that one in every five girls under the age of 18 in Malawi has been sexually assaulted. Loveness Thole is with Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa. She says the class teaches girls several different methods of self-defense. “The curriculum involves both verbal and physical skills. With the physical skills, it's used only if it is the last and best option. So, meaning to say, we use mainly the verbal skills, which is how to use their voices to end assaults.” The schoolgirls learn to shout for help or act like they see someone coming to trick their attacker. The girls also learn ways to disable an attacker so they can run away. The NGO has been teaching these classes for two hours every week in seven districts around Malawi. Project coordinator Simang’aliso Domoya says the group hopes to bring change to the country. “At the end of the year, we would like to reduce the incidences of rape. We would also like to promote education by reducing early marriages, school drop-outs and also early pregnancies.” At least 25,000 girls have been involved in the program. Teacher Rebecca Msalanyama says before, girls were not reporting sexual attacks. But now some are feeling empowered to report incidents to teachers and parents. One girl, named Shang Chituzu, said she has already had to use her skills. “My uncle ordered me to lie on his bed,” she said. “When I asked him why, he started touching my body. I told him to stop and that I [would] report him to the police or my mother if he [continued]. After hearing this, he ordered me out of his room.” The project is also teaching boys that they should respect girls. It also shows them how to become involved if they see a girl being assaulted. Project organizers want to extend the self-defense program to students across Malawi. They hope there will be enough money to offer it nationwide.  I’m Pete Musto.   Lameck Masina reported on this story for VOANews.com. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kind of programs are there that educate young people about sexual assault in your country? How can sexual assault be prevented? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story martial arts – n. any one of several forms of fighting and self-defense, such as karate and judo, that are widely practiced as sports assault – n. the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically curriculum – n. the courses that are taught by a school or college verbal – adj. relating to or consisting of words district(s) – n. an area or section of a country, city, or town drop-out(s) – n. a person who stops going to a school or college before finishing uncle – n. the brother of your father or mother or the husband of your aunt  

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Meltwater Lakes in Antarctica Show Signs of Trouble

Antarctica is home to the largest ice mass on Earth. The continent sits on 14 million square kilometers of rock. About 98 percent of the land surface is covered by ice. Beautiful lakes have begun to appear on the top of the ice. They look like islands of deep blue in an ocean of white. These lakes are called supraglacial or meltwater lakes. Although the lakes can be beautiful, the ones scientists studied are a sign of trouble. Amber Leeson is a scientist with Lancaster University in England. "We really weren't expecting to find lakes as far inland as 20 kilometers, which was the furthest inland lake we found during the study. And it was important that we found the link between the atmospheric temperature and the depth, number, and size of the lakes..." Scientists say Antarctica has always had supraglacial lakes appearing on the ice during the summer months. But the more lakes there are, the more unstable they make the continent’s ice shelf. Ice shelves are permanent, but floating pieces of ice that connect to the land. They form where a glacier or ice sheet reaches a coastline and into the sea. Leeson says water from the lakes can drip down through the glacier, causing the huge river of ice and snow to weaken. "If they form on the grounded ice, which is the bit of the ice sheet that sits on the bedrock, then the water they contain can drain away through the ice to the base, where it can lubricate the flow of the ice and make it flow a bit faster. If they form on the floating part of the ice, which is where the ice shelf extends over the ocean and begins to float on the sea, by repeatedly filling and draining they can actually weaken the ice shelf." Leeson and other scientists believe that lakes are partly responsible for the collapse of the Antarctica ice sheets. "...the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed in 2002 and we think that this is because it was covered in lakes in the years prior to collapse, and that by repeatedly filling and draining, they weaken the ice sheet, leading to its eventual disintegration..." And as temperatures rise, the team expects to see more and more lakes appearing in the continent. The scientists fear that all that meltwater could raise the world's sea levels. I’m Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Her story includes information from an Associated Press report. 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 ice mass - n. a large piece of ice supraglacial lake – n. any pond of liquid water on the top of a glacier ice sheet – n. a very large and thick area of ice that covers a region ice shelf – n. a floating sheet of ice permanently attached to a land mass glacier – n. an large areas of ice formed from falling snow and building up over the years

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