MIT Seeks 'Moral' to the Story of Self-Driving Cars

  Every time we get behind the wheel of a car, we put our lives and the lives of others at risk. Self-driving cars are designed to reduce those risks by letting technology control our vehicles. Accident rates for self-driving cars have been much lower than the rates for human-driven cars. Google's self-driving car has had only 13 collisions after traveling 1.8 million miles. As humans, we can make moral choices in avoiding accidents. To avoid hitting a child, for example, human drivers might sharply turn a car away from the child even if others might be injured. But what moral choices can self-driving cars make? Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, studied this issue. They have developed the Moral Machine website to help explore the choices self-driving cars should make. MIT says the Moral Machine is "a platform for gathering a human perspective on moral decisions made by machine intelligence such as self-driving cars." You can use the Moral Machine to be the judge and help self-driving cars decide what to do in different driving scenarios. Then, see how your choices compare to those others have made. Moral Machine choices can help MIT researchers examine the decisions self-driving cars should make. Users can also take part but not have their choices included in MIT research. How the Moral Machine Works A video on YouTube introduces Moral Machine:   The Moral Machine website lets you choose how you would react in a collision. You are shown two possible traffic situations and you choose between them. In all situations, the brakes have failed on the self-driving car. The car will remain driving in the current direction or it will turn. An accident will take place. You choose how many living beings would be hurt or killed, and who those victims should be. In one situation there may be a female doctor, a child, two dogs and a homeless person who would be killed. In the other situation, you might have two babies and a cat who would be killed. You choose who lives and who dies. The Moral Machine website has many situations and many possible outcomes. When you click on the situation of your choice, it will be highlighted. Then the next situation is shown.   At the end of the session, you are shown the results, based on the choices you made. The results show which character you were most likely to save and which character you were most likely to have die. Results also show how much each factor means to you, such as age, societal importance or obedience to traffic laws. After you have finished, you are offered a chance to use the Moral Machine again. Each time you are shown different situations.   You can also create your own situations.  You can also look at situations other users have created. You do not make choices in these situations but a discussion section is connected. You can add your thoughts and read what others have posted about each situation. I’m Caty Weaver. Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Have you ever thought about the moral choices of self-driving cars? Have you tried Moral Machine? Were you surprised at your results? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page.   Words in This Story platform - n. a program or set of programs that controls the way a computer works and runs other programs perspective - n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)​ scenario - n. a description of what could possibly happen collision - n. a crash in which two or more things or people hit each other​ outcome - n. something that happens as a result of an activity or process; result database - n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer    

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Interesting Facts About The History Of Presidential Debates In The United States

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Chinese Astronauts Begin Month-Long Stay in Space

  China launched two astronauts into space on Monday. Their launch marks the beginning of China’s longest human space flight yet. A carrier rocket sent a Shenzhou-11 spacecraft with astronauts Chen Dong and Jing Haipeng into space. The rocket was fired from the Jinquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert. Chen is 37 years old. This is his first time in space. But Jing has done this before — it is his third space flight. He will turn 50 years old while orbiting the Earth. Their trip is off to a good start. That is what Morris Jones told VOA. Jones is an independent space expert from Australia. “So far so good. We saw a live broadcast on Chinese television, and the rocket seemed to perform flawlessly during the flight. We had in-cabin video, we saw the solar panels deploy on the spacecraft, so far it looks like a completely nominal mission.” After two days in Earth’s orbit, the spacecraft was to link up with China’s space laboratory, called the Tiangong-2. The name means “Heavenly Palace 2” in Mandarin Chinese. The lab was placed into orbit last month. The astronauts will spend 30 days on the Tiangong-2. They plan to perform scientific and spacecraft-related experiments and test systems for a future space station. The Tiangong-2 laboratory will not be part of that space station. Morris Jones says China plans to launch a special module around 2018. A module is part of a space vehicle that can work independently. He says that piece will be at the center of a new space station. “The main goal of Tiangong-2 is to practice the techniques and the technologies that they’ll be using to build and operate that final space station.” The Chinese space station will be built mostly by machine. Jones said that China will send up a module of the space station, and it will connect with another part already in space. This is different from the way the International Space Station was built. But it is similar to the way Russia built an early space station. There will be some jobs that require astronauts. For example, they will deploy some pieces of equipment, like solar panels. There also will be robot arms on the module to help secure the connections. China hopes to have the space station completed by 2022. It is expected to operate for at least 10 years. The Chinese space station will be different from the International Space Station (ISS). Jones says the ISS is very large and very complex. “China will have a fairly impressive space station. But it will be a great deal less than the international space station. It will have less than half its volume, and a lot less complexity. But considering the fact that this is China’s first-ever space station it’s quite an impressive achievement.” China also plans to land a rover vehicle on Mars by 2020. Until now, China had completed a total of five manned space missions And, in 2003, it successfully landed a probe on the moon. I’m Anne Ball. Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English, with information from VOA News and VOA’s Victor Beattie. 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   flawless – adj. perfect in-cabin – adj. relating to the inside of the spaceship nominal – adj. according to plan module – n. one of a set of parts that can be connected to build something probe – n. a device used to send back information from outer space

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US High School Completion Rate Reaches All-Time High

  President Barack Obama says the percentage of Americans completing high school rose to its highest level ever last year. The president said the completion rate for the 2014-2015 school year was 83.2 percent – the highest percentage on record. The numbers are based on information gathered from schools across the United States. Obama announced the increase Monday during a visit to a high school in Washington, D.C. He said that a goal of his presidency has been to improve the chances of all young Americans finishing high school and continuing their education in college. The higher rate shows “we’ve made real progress,” he said. Nationwide, the high school graduation rate has risen about four percentage points since the 2010-2011 school year. That was the first year when all states followed a consistent, four-year measure of high school completion. U.S. officials say the higher graduation rates were reported across all racial and ethnic groups. The largest increase came from black students. Their graduation rate rose 7.6 percentage points over the four-year period. For Hispanic Americans, the graduation rate rose 6.8 percent. The rate for Native American and Alaska Native students jumped 6.6 percent. There were also increases for students from poor families, as well as those with disabilities and English learners. The rate for white students was up 3.6 percent, while Asian and Pacific Islanders experienced an increase of 3.2 percent.  Overall, Asian Americans had a 90.2 percent graduation rate, while whites were at 87.6 percent. Hispanics had 77.8 percent, African-Americans were at 74.6 percent, and Native Americans had 71.6 percent. Nearly every state reported progress in high school graduation rates since 2010-2011, according to the U.S. data. The District of Columbia had the biggest jump during the 2014-2015 school year -- a seven percentage point increase compared to the year earlier. On Monday, Obama spoke at Washington’s Benjamin Banneker Academic High School. He noted that the school had a perfect graduation record. “Here at Banneker, you graduate 100 percent. It's been a while since I did math, but 100 percent is good. You can't do better than that.” U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said the improved rate shows “meaningful progress.” But he said more needs to be done in U.S. schools to prepare students for college and careers. “Certainly we share the concern that we have more work to do to make sure every student graduates ready for what's next,” he said. Obama told students they need to prepare for careers now more than ever because we live in a global economy. “The best jobs are going to go to the people who are the best educated, whether in India or China, or anywhere in the world.” The Obama administration credited several government programs with helping to improve high school graduation rates. One brought high-speed internet and high-technology tools to classrooms. Another gave assistance to children from low-income families to get them into preschool. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from 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   graduation – n. the act of receiving a diploma or degree for completing educational study consistent – adj. acting or done the same way over time global – adj. relating to the whole world income – n. money earned from doing work or investing preschool – n. school for children who are usually between the ages of 3-5  

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Free Speech: Is It Fine to Say Something Offensive?

  Last year, an American research group asked people in 38 countries for their opinions about free speech. What the researchers discovered may surprise you. They found that people in the United States are the most accepting of free speech, even when the comments are critical of their own religious beliefs. The Pew Research Center completed the opinion survey. Its researchers said the findings are timely. They noted that some college officials are debating whether to set up “safe spaces,” or “trigger warnings,” so students can avoid discussions they might finding troubling. A safe place is a place where students can feel at ease discussing concerns without being judged or criticized. A trigger warning is when a teacher warns that a class discussion or reading might be troubling to some students. Protests by Athletes There has been debate in recent weeks about athletes who refuse to stand for the U.S. national anthem to protest racial injustice. Some Americans say athletes should be free to express their concerns about racial injustice. But others say everyone should show respect for the country’s national anthem. The Pew Research Center said its 2015 survey found that 71 percent of Americans said “people can say what they want.” Sixty-seven percent said that the media can report the news freely. Pew used its findings to create measures of free expression for all 38 nations it surveyed. It said the free expression index in the United States is 5.73. That was the highest among the 38 nations in the study. Pew said the 2nd highest index was Poland, at 5.66, followed by Spain, Mexico, Venezuela and Canada. All these countries have a free expression index of 5.0 or higher, it said. Countries with Low Free Press Scores The lowest free expression indexes were in Senegal, at 2.06; Jordan, 2.52; Pakistan, 2.78; Burkina Faso, 2.94; and Vietnam, 2.96. In the United States, Pew found that 40 percent of Millennials believe the government should protect minority groups against offensive statements. They said the government should take action to stop people from making statements that the minorities consider offensive. For the study, Pew defined Millennials as people born after 1980. The percentages of people who say the government should stop offensive statements is lower for older Americans, the group said. In July, a Pew report found 59 percent of Americans agree that “too many people are easily offended these days over the language that others use.” It found a lower percentage, 39 percent, agree that “people need to be more careful about the language they use to avoid offending people with different backgrounds.” A group called the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education opposes moves to limit free speech on college campuses. Nico Perrino speaks for the foundation. “American citizens have a long tradition of meeting speech they find offensive with more speech, not censorship,” he said. But Perrino is troubled by efforts to limit free speech at some colleges. “This is a concerning development,” he said. Over the years, he noted, students have been among the strongest supporters of free speech. Some Subjects Trigger Troubling Responses But there is support for safe spaces and trigger warnings to protect students from material or opinions they might find troubling. A University of Chicago student recently wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times newspaper. The student, Sophie Downes, expressed opposition to the university’s decision to stop trigger warnings and safe spaces. A professor who provides a trigger warning can help students get ready emotionally to deal with difficult subjects, she wrote. Downes said the political debate in the United States lately “has become pretty ugly, so it’s not surprising that students are looking for places to have civil discussions.” At some schools, supporters of trigger warnings say that a student who has been physically attacked might suffer emotional harm by a talk that includes violent language. This year, the University of Chicago wrote a letter to its new students, saying it will not cancel speakers who might express opinions that some students might find troubling. The letter said the university wants students “to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn without fear of censorship." I’m Bruce Alpert. 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. _______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   trigger -- n. something that causes something else to happen -- for example, a subject that requires a professor to warn students that some might find the discussion troubling comfortable -- adj. not causing any unpleasant or troubling feelings athlete -- n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength national anthem -- n. a song that praises a particular country and that is officially accepted as the country's song survey -- n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something index -- n. a number that shows how something is changing or performing ugly - adj. unpleasant to hear challenge -- v. to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal

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2017 Calendar Shows Many Sides of Vladimir Putin

  This is What’s Trending Today. The world is getting its first look at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official 2017 calendar. The calendar shows many sides of the Russian leader. Some photographs show Putin doing hard things, such as sitting in a fighter airplane or climbing onto farm equipment. Other photos seem to show his softer side. In one picture, the Russian leader is seen smiling while cuddling a cat. In another, he is holding a child while on a ski trip. Other pictures show him standing by the sea in scuba diving equipment, riding a horse, sitting in a tree, and meeting with World War II veterans.      One photo seems like it would appear in a fashion magazine. In it, Putin is wearing dark sunglasses and the latest in men’s clothing. The BBC’s Moscow correspondent, Steve Rosenberg, got one of the first copies of the new calendar. He made a short video of the photos, which he later posted to Twitter. “Putin with a candle, Putin with a child, with a kitten, Putin by himself, with war veterans, and so on and so on,” Rosenberg said in the video. Rosenberg added that the 2017 calendar ends with a look ahead to 2018. He translated a statement from Russian into English. He read the statement, which the calendar says came from Putin himself. ​ “Russia is a peace-loving and self-sufficient country. We do not need other peoples' territories. We do not need other peoples' natural resources. But if we are threatened, we are prepared to use weapons to guarantee our security.” And that's What's Trending Today. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from VOA News and BBC. 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   calendar – n. something documenting the days, weeks and months of the year cuddle – v. to hold someone or something to show affection ski – n. two long, narrow pieces of wood that are used to slide on snow scuba diving – n. sport in which people swim under water veteran – n. person who served in the military fashion – n. popular way of dressing in new styles of clothes candle – n. stick of wax that you burn for light kitten – n. young cat self-sufficient – adj. able to meet your needs with your own resources

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October 18, 2016

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

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1200 UTC Newscast for October 18, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. Three staff at an Indian hospital have been suspended after a deadly blaze in the intensive care unit, according to authorities Tuesday, as the toll from the disaster rose to 20. Dozens of patients were transferred to other hospitals -- some in critical condition.  Akhila Bihari Ota is a local official. “Right now, there are handling all people who are getting treated at various hospitals. We are trying to see that, you know, the best of treatment is provided to the people who have been admitted. And we hope that nothing wrong further happens.” Fire broke out on Monday night in the dialysis ward of a hospital in Odisha state. Some 30,000 Iraqi, and Kurdish Peshmerga, and Sunni tribal fighters paused Tuesday on the second day of an assault to retake the northern Iraq city of Mosul from a two-year Islamic State occupation.  The pause was requested by the Kurds for more time to achieve their objectives. The air and ground assault was launched early Monday from multiple directions. Meanwhile, the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq expressed alarm over the fate of the civilian population in Mosul. "We would expect up to a million civilians would try and leave the city. Of the million, upwards of 700,000 people would need some kind of shelter. They would be unable to reach villages or they wouldn't be sponsored. They would depend upon us to be in a camp, or to be in a tent, or to receive some kind of direct assistance." Meanwhile, France is to host an international meeting on the political future of Mosul on Thursday. That is according to the French Foreign Minister. This is VOA News.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

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Will Philippines Cut Ties With US and Grow Closer to China?

  Many people are watching and listening to Rodrigo Duterte, the recently elected president of the Philippines. This week, President Duterte is going overseas and visiting China. The visit is being watched closely for signs of a change in relations between the two countries. Until recently, China was considered the biggest security threat to the Philippines. The two sides have argued repeatedly over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. During his campaign for the presidency, Duterte said he would ride a jet ski into the South China Sea to defend his country’s territorial claims. He later told Al Jazeera television that he was only making the statement to excite his political supporters. Since taking office, the president has threatened to cut relations with the United States. He also has suggested that he might begin improving ties with China or Russia. But experts say it will be difficult for China and the Philippines to establish good relations after so many years of tensions. Duterte is traveling to China with more than 200 business leaders. Aileenn Baviera is a professor with The Asian Center at the University of the Philippines. She told VOA that expanding trade ties between the two countries is an important goal of the visit. She said the Philippine government wants improved economic relations with China “to get more trade, investment and (to take part in) China’s infrastructure development programs” for the first time in many years.   Japan is the Philippines’ biggest trade partner. Hong Kong is a close second. The Philippines wants China’s help to improve its railroads and provide guarantees for its workers overseas. Fishermen from the Philippines have been stopped from working in parts of the South China Sea because of territorial disagreements. Many of them hope the visit will help them regain access to the disputed areas. Aileen Baviera said it is unlikely Duterte’s visit will be able to reset the issue of the South China Sea. But she said the talks could lead to new thinking and new programs. Duterte has said he will not negotiate on his country’s rights in the South China Sea. But he said he is willing to talk about the issue. China and the Philippines may disagree about control of the disputed waterway, but they agree on other issues. For example, Duterte has reacted strongly to criticism from the United States and the European Union about his campaign against drug dealers. The Chinese government has offered to help in that effort. In fact, China has invested in a treatment center for people who are addicted to illegal drugs. The Chinese foreign ministry has said that during Duterte’s visit to China, he will take part in activities aimed at fighting the drug trade. The ministry said the anti-narcotics agencies of both countries have begun to talk about ways they can cooperate. China has shown through its actions that it can help the Philippines with many problems facing the island nation. And Duterte has spoken openly about how much his country needs China. The president recently spoke with Xinhua, China’s state-operated news agency. He reportedly said that “Only China can help us.” And he said that Chinese help in improving the Philippines’ railroads and economic cooperation is more important than talking about disputes. I’m Jonathan Evans. Correspondent William Ide reported this story from Beijing. Joyce Huang contributed to the report. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the 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   jet ski – n. a small and fast vehicle that is used on water and carries one or two people infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region or organization to function properly access – n. permission or the right to enter, get near or make use of something or to have contact with someone (usually + to) addicted – adj. unable to stop using a harmful substance (such as a drug) (usually + to) narcotics – n. a drug (such as cocaine, heroin, or marijuana) that affects the brain and that is usually dangerous and illegal

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Iranian-Americans Have Strong Opinions about Presidential Candidates

  Los Angeles, California is home to the largest group of Iranians living outside of Iran. The National Iranian American Council says about 1 million Iranian-Americans live in the L.A. area. One study found that 87 percent of them are registered to vote in the United States. So it is no surprise that many Iranian-Americans have strong opinions about presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Westwood is a neighborhood in west Los Angeles. Persian businesses are seemingly everywhere in Westwood. Some stores still fly the Iranian flag that was used before the country’s revolution in 1979. The Jordan Market has operated in the neighborhood for 30 years. A man who calls himself Reza is an employee. He said “I think the candidates should offer their utmost respect to the Iranians.” “Iranians know where their interests lay. But the world community should expose the (Iranian) regime’s corruptions and show that it does not represent the Iranian people. It’s better for Mr. Trump to stop lying, and he should put a halt to attacking Iranians.” Farid Khanlou owns the Jordan Market. He has been in the United States for almost 40 years. But he says he will not vote for either candidate. “Trump, you cannot trust his word; Clinton, it’s bad for the economy. It’s bad for me because the Obamacare is killing me for my health insurance, and this is not right. I'm paying almost $30,000 (for) health insurance because of the Obamacare.” Todd Khodadadi is the owner of the Tochal Market in Westwood. “Because I’m Republican, I am supporting Donald Trump. The major reason I’m supporting him because is … economic wise. I believe if he became the president we can have better economic choices for all of us in the United States...” Zohreh Forouhi voted for the Republican Party’s candidate in the 2012 presidential election. She says she will not vote for a Republican this November. “I think I (will) vote (for) Hillary. I did last time for the Republican, but I changed my parties.” Bijan Khalili is the publisher of a weekly Iranian newspaper. He says some Iranian-Americans like Trump’s ideas about foreign policy. “It’s exactly like the general public in the United States – it’s split, you know, and divided into different types…” But others, like Reza, fear Trump’s policies. He said “His speeches are aggressive towards the minorities. He’s an extremist who poses (a) danger to both the U.S. and the world.” A recent opinion survey found that 40 percent of Iranian-Americans are either independent or have no ties to a political party. I’m Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth.   VOA’s Elizabeth Lee reported this story from Los Angeles. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for 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   expose – v. to leave something without covering or protection; to make public Obamacare – n. a federal health care law called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act insurance – n. an agreement in which a person pays a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something lost or stolen poses – v. to put or set in place; to come to attention as

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Asia-Pacific Closely Watching US Presidential Race

People in East Asia and Pacific nations are closely watching the American presidential election campaign. Experts say statements made during the election campaign have raised concerns about the United States and its future in Asia and the Pacific. They wonder whether the next U.S. president will follow through on promises to stay active in the area. Many observers say the Asia-Pacific area is very important to America’s future security and economic success. President Barack Obama and former president George W. Bush both worked to expand diplomatic, economic and security ties across the area. The U.S. government has long sought to restrict North Korea’s nuclear activities and to guarantee freedom of movement in the South China Sea. The government also has been working to expand American trade ties with East Asia.     The two main presidential candidates have made comments suggesting some policies might change under the next administration. Also, the presidential campaign has gotten increasingly personal, with almost daily attacks by the candidates directed at each other.   Experts say this has led to questions about whether the United States will act on its promises to keep the Asia-Pacific a priority. Jonathan Pollack is with the Brookings Institution, a research center based in Washington, D.C. He says either candidate -- Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton – will need to reassure Asia-Pacific leaders after the election next month. “It’s really undermined the faith and the convictions that many regional actors have about the viability of American commitments and the stability of our own democracy. And I don’t think any future president is going to be able ignore those issues.” Some Asia-Pacific leaders are worried about a Trump presidency, according to Robert Manning of the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security. Manning said there is a feeling of “fear and loathing” by some leaders about a possible win by Trump. Yet, he adds, there is “not enough coherence to Trump’s comments” to get a clear idea of his foreign policy. If Hillary Clinton is elected, she is expected to continue the strategic policies of the Obama administration. But Clinton opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was signed by 12 Asia-Pacific nations. The U.S. Congress has yet to consider the trade deal. It faces opposition there from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Trade has been a major issue in the presidential campaign, with many Americans in the two parties blaming such deals for lost jobs. But if the United States does not support agreements like the TPP, experts say, the U.S. will lose credibility in East Asia. Trump also opposes the TPP, saying it would be a killer of U.S. jobs. The businessman has also raised concerns in the Asia-Pacific with his statements about security issues. During a campaign stop in August, Trump expressed his displeasure with Japan, one of America’s closest allies. “If Japan is attacked, we have to get involved probably with World War Three, right? If we’re attacked, Japan doesn’t have to do nothing. They can sit home and watch Sony television, right?" Robert Manning said the concern by some nations is that Trump has not shown he understands how nation alliances work. He added that one main reason the Asia-Pacific has remained secure since World War II is because of U.S. leadership and regional partnerships. “Even though he [Trump] sounds like he is trying to be tough, [his position] is essentially an abdication of American leadership,” Manning said. While there are concerns about possible U.S. policies in the Asia-Pacific under a new president, Pollack said he expects America to remain an important regional partner. “It is inconceivable to me that any American president, will in fact, try to detach the United States from the region.”  I’m Bryan Lynn. Mary Alice Salinas reported this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. How do you think a new American president will affect the rest of the world? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story priority – n. something important placed ahead of other things reassure – v. do or say something to make someone feel more comfortable loathing – n. very strong feeling of dislike or hatred faith – n. strong belief or trust in someone or something​ conviction – n. a strong belief or opinion viability – n. capable of being done or used; capable of succeeding  coherence – n. spoken in a clear, logical well-organized way abdication – n. no longer responsible for something inconceivable – adj. impossible to imagine detach – v. to separate from someone or something else strategic – adj. of or related to a general plan regional – adj. of or related to an area  

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