News Words: Famine

This news word is the result of a food shortage. Anne Ball and Jonathan Evans tell you what a famine is.

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Let's Learn English Lesson 32: Welcome to the Treehouse!

Anna introduces her new partner, MINDY. They are working together on the new children's show: "The Time Traveling Treehouse." Then, some coworkers watch the show. What will they think of the show? Will they like it?

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Trump's Numbers Falling After Video Fallout

Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump says that he is probably better off without the support of some members of his party. Many leading Republican officials recently withdrew their support for Trump, including the speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan.   The Republicans’ withdrawal followed the release of a video from 2005. In it, Trump said that he kisses and touches women sexually without their permission. “…when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” Trump said. That includes, he continued, grabbing women in their private areas. The Washington Post newspaper first published the video. In it, Trump was speaking off-camera to journalist Billy Bush. At the time, Bush hosted the entertainment news program Access Hollywood. The two men were on a bus going to a television studio. They were speaking informally but wearing microphones that recorded their conversation. Trump later apologized for the comments he made on the video. He called the conversation “locker room talk.” In other words, the conversation included rude, sexual language between men that was not meant to be heard in public. Trump added Tuesday in a Fox News interview that many women have told him they have heard much worse. "If that's what it is going to take to lose an election, that will be pretty sad," Trump said in the interview. Since the video was released, Trump has fallen sharply in national polls. He now trails Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton by 14 points. A week ago, the polls showed Clinton leading by only 7 points. Politicians answer Trump Republicans who have withdrawn their support for Trump include former Republican presidential nominee John McCain. McCain said in a statement that Trump’s behavior and comments “make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy.” But Trump does not appear to be concerned about losing support from other party leaders. He wrote on Twitter Tuesday that “it is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to.” In his interview on Fox News Tuesday, Trump also said that Ryan and other powerful Republicans would support him in office if he wins the election. President Barack Obama’s administration said Obama found Trump's remarks about touching women "repugnant," or disgusting. He said he considered it sexual assault. Women answer Trump Women voters, including longtime Republicans, have also been turned off by Trump’s 2005 comments. Esther Rosser is a 71-year-old grandmother from Virginia. She has voted for Republicans candidates her whole life. But, she said she has decided to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton in part because of Trump’s remarks about women. “I know he apologized, and all you can do is apologize, but he could have said more,” Rosser said. “He disrespected us.” LeighAnn Chase is a 27-year-old registered Republican voter from Florida. She told Reuters that she “can’t in good conscience vote for someone with that kind of mindset to the presidency.” She said she is now supporting Clinton. But some women voters are sticking with Trump. Amy Fryzelka is from Missouri. She told Reuters she thought Trump’s remarks were “horrible,” but she believed his personal life would not affect how he would govern. She said she will probably vote for Trump because she does not trust Clinton. "I'd prefer not to vote for either of them, really," Fryzelka said. Trump says Hillary Clinton disrespects women Trump apologized again for his 2005 words during Sunday's debate with Hillary Clinton. He said he was embarrassed about what he said. But he also said that Clinton threatened several women who had accused her husband, former President Bill Clinton, of sexual attacks. Trump gave three of those women seats at the debate and pointed them out to the audience several times. On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton ignored the sexual assault issue. She spoke in Miami, Florida, about what she called a global crisis: climate change. She said the U.S. could take the lead in dealing with it. Clinton said she fully backed the Paris Agreement on climate change. She reminded the crowd that Trump has called global warming a Chinese-created hoax. I’m Dorothy Gundy And I'm Ashley Thompson. Caty Weaver and Ashley Thompson adapted this VOANews story for Learning English, with additional materials from Reuters. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Share your thoughts in the Comments Section or post a message on Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   better off - adj. in a better position informal - adj. relaxed in tone: not suited for serious or official speech and writing nasty - adj.​ unpleasant and unkind​ rude - adj. relating to sex or other body functions in a way that offends others​ poll - n. study of voters opinions entertainment  - n. the action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment. remarks - n. comments shackles - n. one of two rings or bands that are placed around a person's wrists or ankles and that are connected by a chain; (figuratively) something that prevents people from acting freely ​ locker room - n. a room in a school, sports stadium, etc., for changing clothes and for storing clothes and equipment in lockers assault - n.​ the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically​  

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1200 UTC Newscast for October 12, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. Pope Francis has called for an immediate ceasefire in war-torn Syria. And as VOA's Jeff Custer reports, previous international efforts to establish a ceasefire have quickly eroded throughout the country's conflict that has stretched on for more than five years. “The Pope addressed the ongoing conflict during his weekly general audience at the Vatican Wednesday. He said a halt in fighting should be put in place long enough for civilians, particularly children, to escape areas subject to bombings. The most recent attempt at a ceasefire was a short-lived, U.S.-Russian-brokered deal focusing on the battered, northern city of Aleppo. Monitors said Tuesday Russian jets resumed heavy bombing in rebel-held, eastern districts of Aleppo, killing more than 20 people. Jeff Custer, VOA News, Washington.” Twelve people have died in Myanmar's Rakhine state in recent clashes between armed troops and men, according to state media Wednesday. It’s a growing challenge for the country's new democratically elected government. Four soldiers and one attacker were killed on Tuesday when hundreds of men, wielding pistols and swords, attacked troops. Hong Kong rebel lawmakers swore, shouted, banged drums and rallied against "tyranny" Wednesday. It happened when they took their oaths of office in the city's parliament, as they call for a split from Beijing. Samsung Electronics Wednesday slashed its latest quarterly profit estimate by one-third. It comes in the wake of the highly-damaging recall crisis of the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. It might end up costing the world's largest smartphone maker trillions of dollars.   This is VOA News.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Exceptional Minds: The Creative Power of Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum

  For young people identified as on the autism spectrum, growing into adulthood can have its own challenges. But students at the non-profit educational program Exceptional Minds prove that autism can also mean special talents. Madeline Petti is an example of how Exceptional Minds helps students with autism seek and reach their full potential. “I want the world to know that I like designing things and Exceptional Minds is a place where you can go and you will be accepted and you will learn things and it’s awesome.” Madeline Petti is part of a new wave of up and coming digital effects artists. She is a young, very talented student who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is learning all about the entertainment industry with Exceptional Minds, a visual effects animation studio in Hollywood, California. Exceptional Minds provides vocational training for young adults with autism. Madeline has played video games since 4th grade. She has also always loved watching animated shows. But, Madeline says she had a hard time learning in traditional settings. “I had kind of a difficult time. I get bored really easily when, like, all I’m doing is sitting there and people are talking at me and I’m not really personally invested in the material and when you are not really personally invested you, well really have to force yourself to stay in the moment and pay attention and well if you don’t have the motivation to force yourself you are pretty much kind of go off into your own personal La La Land.” Exceptional Minds provided the right kind of learning environment for Madeline. More action, less talking. “I like coming here because it’s so hands on. We are doing so many different things like in a normal classroom you just kind of sit there and they lecture at you and you get more and more bored because all you are doing is sitting there and listening. Whereas here it’s a lot more hands on like we get shown examples or we will follow along with the directions. It’s I guess we are doing more. I’m second year so I am learning a lot of editing and visual effects I know how to make a light saber. First year we learned animation and photo shop.  Photoshop is pretty cool actually.  We do a lot of really neat text effects.” Ernie Merlan is EM program director. “The heart of our program is a full time three year vocational program where they learn to do visual effects and animation and title work specifically for the entertainment industry. The program would teach them not only the technical skills that they needed but the work readiness skills that they needed in order to get a job. So we focus on how they look and what their attitude is and organizing themselves and problem solving on their own and then work place conflict which is something I think we all have but learning how to deal with it is a little tough. We also have part time programs and we have a summer program for younger kids that kind of get them indoctrinated into the kinds of things that we are doing here.” Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability marked by repetitive behaviors and social problems. It affects one in 68 American children.  Autism is considered a spectrum condition because its effects can differ widely from person to person. But, like with other disabilities, ASD can make it difficult for a person to find success in work and social experiences. For Ernie Merlan, working at Exceptional Minds permits him to do something that is part of his life purpose…..help people. “I love coming in and talking to the students and sometimes when you’re the director of a program… you don’t have that much of an opportunity to talk to students, but when I come in here and Madeline shows me something she’s working on or one of the students has a problem that is a pretty important problem to him, but I’m able to get him through it…that makes my day. Knowing that these guys are going to make something of their lives and that they are going to be able to show the world who they really are that’s what it is all about.” Tony Saturno is another student at Exceptional Minds. He earned an Art and Animation certificate at a community college in his home state of Maryland. But, he says the instruction at Exceptional Minds has taught him much more. "I feel like I've learned a lot of new things here at Exceptional Minds. I've learned some new technical things that go into movies or tv shows whether its live action or animated, but also just story telling in general."   It is costly to run a program like Exceptional Minds. Most families can only pay partial tuition. The program provides financial assistance to every student at the school.  Some students find jobs immediately after finishing the three year Exceptional Minds program. Other students work first at the Exceptional Minds studio. There, students gain connections to Hollywood’s major entertainment studios, like Marvel, Fox and Sony. They get to work on movies and television. Ernie Merlan says the exacting, creative nature of animation seems to fit for some people with ASD. But, he hopes that Exceptional Minds can serve as a model program for teaching other vocations to those on the spectrum. “Our dream is that we can show other people how to do what we’re doing. That they can in their own towns can figure out ways that these individuals can be useful to the town to the local industry and have them be a part of society.” One thing is certain for Madeline Petti, Exceptional Minds has helped to change her outlook on life. “I don’t want to say my life would have been bleak or something without it but I do think that at Exceptional Minds I have a lot more opportunities than I did before. Like I would have made my way but it wouldn’t have been as good. Ernie Merlan says the program changed him as well. “I am so excited to come into work every day that I don’t have the same kind of stress or worries that I had before.  I know that I am making a difference and so that changes my attitude about work.” That’s Exceptional Minds: ‘changing lives…one frame at a time.’ I’m Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English.  Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words In This Story    autism spectrum disorder - n. a developmental disability marked by repetitive behaviors and social problems vocational adj. – relating to the special skills, training, etc that you need for a particular job anime n. a style of animation that was created in Japan that uses colorful images, strong characters and stories that have a lot of action lecture v. – to give a talk to a group of people to teach them about something indoctrinate – v. to teach someone to fully accept the ideas, opinions and beliefs of a particular group tuition - n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there Try this quiz to check your understanding of this article. Next time on People in America, meet Balanda Atis, a L'Oreal scientist who is changing the face of makeup.

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Pumpkins Are Huge Around Halloween

This is What’s Trending Today: October might seem to be pumpkin month in the U.S. The holiday of Halloween comes on October 31. Americans around the country are already using social media to show off their pumpkin growing and carving skills. Pumpkins are round, orange fruits related to squashes and gourds. People use their flesh and seeds for food, but they are also popular decorations in the fall. In the weeks before Halloween, people like to carve faces and other decorations into pumpkins. Halloween is a popular holiday where American children dress in costumes and go from home to home asking for candy. It is called “Trick-or-Treating.” Two big pumpkins recently made headlines in the U.S. A farmer in the northeastern state of Rhode Island broke the record for the largest pumpkin ever grown in North America. Richard Wallace’s pumpkin weighed 1,026 kilograms. It broke his son’s record from 2015. Ron Wallace’s pumpkin only weighed 1,011 kilograms last year. A schoolteacher in the northwestern state of Washington brought her large pumpkin to an event in California. Her pumpkin was the champion, weighing 866 kilograms. It turns out that Cindy Tobeck’s pumpkin grew from one of the seeds from Ron Wallace’s pumpkin from 2015. While those pumpkins are large, they are still not the largest in the world. According to the website BigPumpkins.com, Richard Wallace’s pumpkin is only the second-heaviest pumpkin of the year. A man in Belgium produced a pumpkin that weighed almost 1,200 kilograms. Smithsonian magazine wrote a story about people who try to grow large pumpkins. In 35 years, the size of record pumpkins has grown from about 225 kilograms to over 1,000 kilograms. Pumpkin farmers trying to grow record fruits are taking the seeds of champion pumpkins from one year and breeding them with other large pumpkins. But people are not just growing pumpkins. They are carving them, too. One Twitter user from Britain recently posted a photo of a pumpkin designed to look like U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.   ​No word of a Hillary Clinton pumpkin design. But one pumpkin farmer in California allows visitors to shoot small pumpkins out of a cannon. The targets? Large paper cut-outs of both Trump and Clinton. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Anne Ball. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What do you think of the large pumpkins? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story carve – v. to cut (something, such as a pattern or design) into a surface— often + into or on cannon – n. a large gun that shoots heavy metal or stone balls and that was once a common military weapon record – n. a performance or achievement that is the best of its kind squash – n. a type of fruit (such as a pumpkin) that has a usually hard skin and that is eaten cooked  

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October 12, 2016

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

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Google Announces New Products

  Last week we told you about Google’s new phone, the Pixel. This week we talk about the company’s other new products. Google has expanded its focus from services, such as Maps, Gmail and Chrome, to devices that include them. Google's announcements of new products include a smart speaker, Wi-Fi router, video streaming device and virtual reality viewer. A new voice assistant, Google Assistant, will be included in many of these devices to obey spoken commands, translate phrases and perform tasks. Google Home Google announced a smart speaker called Google Home that uses Google Assistant to respond to users’ commands.     Home also works as a speaker to play music from Google Music, YouTube, Spotify, Pandora and TuneIn. You can set your favorite music service so that you do not have to tell Home each time which one to use. Google Assistant can help users figure out which song they want to hear, so you can ask for "the Sia song from Zootopia" instead of saying the title.   This video shows how Home works:   Home has a feature called “My Day” that can give you a preview of your day ahead. Google Assistant can describe the expected weather where you are. It can provide traffic reports. It can tell you about your calendar appointments and upcoming travel plans. You can use Home to send notes and reminders to your Pixel phone and send videos to your TV using Chromecast. Home can also help users control their smart homes with voice commands to the Nest thermostat, smart lights and other smart home devices. Home has bases in different colors, in metal and fabric. Google Wifi Google is launching a new router, Google Wifi, that helps users connect to Wi-Fi throughout the house. Multiple units link to each other to bring a Wi-Fi signal to dead spots in remote rooms.     The Google Wifi app works with the router and can be used to control Internet connections for the device. Users of the app can see who is connected to the Internet and turn connections off.   A YouTube video shows Google Wifi in action.     Google Wifi is available for preorder in November with shipping in December.   Chromecast Ultra   Chromecast, Google's video streaming device, has been upgraded to Chromecast Ultra. This new unit has 1.8 times faster playback than the older models and can stream videos in 4K, Ultra HD, and HDR.   Chromecast Ultra is shown in this video:   Chromecast Ultra will go on sale next month. Daydream View Daydream View is is Google's new virtual reality viewer (VR) that works with the Pixel phone to show VR videos and games. The device is covered in cloth and holds a phone. You wear the device on your head and see the VR display on the phone through the viewer.           Google said it worked with clothing designers to make the headset comfortable to wear. Three colors are available: snow, slate and crimson. A Google video introduces Daydream View:   Included with Daydream View is a remote control for scrolling through menus or playing games. The remote connects wirelessly to the headset and senses your movements so you can interact with what is being shown on the screen. The headset includes a space to store the remote. Users can play games and watch Hulu, VR YouTube videos, VR videos from Google Maps Streetview, New York Time VR videos, Google Photos, Google Play movies and, in the future, Netflix and HBO videos. Google says that Daydream View is compatible with 50 apps with hundreds more due to launch by the end of 2016. Daydream View is designed to work with Pixel phones and other future Android partner phones that have not yet been named by Google. Daydream View will be available in November. I’m­­­­­­­­­­ Dorothy Gundy. And I’m ­­­Bryan Lynn. Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Are you interested in these Google products? Would you like try Google Assistant? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story focus – n. a main purpose or interest​ translate – v. to change words from one language into another language​ calendar – n. a document, chart, etc., that shows the days, weeks, and months of a year​ virtual reality – n. an artificial world of images and sounds created by a computer that is affected by the actions of a person who is experiencing it comfortable – adj. not causing any physically unpleasant feelings scroll – v. to move text or images of a Web page, document, etc., up, down, or to the side on a computer screen interact – v. to act together  

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L'Oreal's Scientist Balanda Atis

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Exceptional Minds Student Tony Saturno

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Exceptional Minds: The Creative Power of Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum

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