Americans Traveling More Internationally, Including Vietnam

  Americans are traveling internationally more than ever, the U.S. Commerce Department says. [In 2015], Americans took 74 million trips abroad. That is a nine percent increase from 2014. It is also the highest number ever. The information was released in a recent Commerce Department report. The department said the countries that U.S. residents visited most often last year were Mexico and Canada – America’s neighbors. The third-most popular destination was the United Kingdom. The Dominican Republic and France were the fourth- and fifth-most popular places to visit. France, Spain, and Mexico had the biggest increases in American visitors in 2015, the Commerce Department report says. Vietnam is also growing in popularity among American travelers. More than 330,000 Americans visited Vietnam in 2015. That is a 33 percent increase from 2014. Vietnam is especially popular among travelers between 18 and 35, or millennials, says Kim Sykes. She is with Carefree Vacations. She recently spoke with VOA Learning English. “Vietnam is a popular destination among millennials because it is off-the-beaten- path travel that offers an authentic experience and also provides a lot of bang for the buck,” she said.  By “bang for your buck,” she means a good value. Sykes also said river cruise lines recently started operations in Vietnam and Cambodia. They are popular among older travelers, she said. The International Air Transport Association said travel has been increasing in recent months, after a decrease following terrorist attacks earlier this year in Belgium, Turkey and France. International air traffic was 7 percent higher in September 2016 compared to September 2015. That is the largest year-on-year increase in seven months, the association reported. “Importantly, this rebound from August weakness suggests that travel demand is showing its resilience in the aftermath of terror attacks,” said Alexandre de Juniac, the association’s top official. I'm Alice Bryant.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. What country would you like to visit? ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   destination - n a place to which a person is going or something is being sent off the beaten path - expression. not the most popular tourism destinations authentic - adj. real or genuine resilience - n. ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens rebound - n. an increase or improvement after a decrease or decline aftermath - n. the period of time after a bad and usually destructive event​

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U.S. Government Sells Lucky Dollars for Chinese New Year

The United States Department of the Treasury is selling “Lucky Money” for the Chinese New Year. The special one-dollar note comes with a series of numbers beginning with 8888. The number 8 is considered lucky in Chinese culture. The special U.S. dollar comes in a bright red envelope, with Chinese symbols or lettering. The envelope has a picture of a colorful bird: a rooster. That makes sense. 2017 is the Year of the Rooster. The rooster is one of 12 signs connected with the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The Lucky Money Collection went on sale recently. Sales will continue until the Lucky Money collectibles sell out, even if that comes before the Chinese New Year. In 2017, the New Year will begin on January 28. Selling Chinese New Year products is nothing new for the U.S. government. Since the Year of the Dragon in 2000, the Treasury Department has sold Lucky Money collectibles. “It’s extremely well received,” said Leonard Olijar. He is director of the Treasury Department’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing. He went on to say: “It’s our most successful cultural product that we have. We expect we’ll sell out in the first week of its release.” Lydia Washington already has her Lucky Money. She believes it will bring her good luck. “I mean, it’s pretty and shiny. What more can you ask? Lucky money products are awesome.” The Treasury Department said it is limiting sales this year to 88,888 lucky dollars. That makes sense for a product connected to the lucky number, 8. Each Chinese New Year product sells for $5.95. They are sold through this website.  I’m Bruce Alpert.   Nike Ching reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. Do you believe your luck would improve if you had a lucky dollar? _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   envelope - n. an enclosing cover for a letter, card or money rooster - n. an adult male chicken Lunar Calendar - n. a calendar based on cycles of the moon awesome - adj. extremely good

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English @ the Movies: 'Not Everyone Is Wired'

Our English @ the Movies saying for today is "not everyone is wired." It is from the movie "Arrival." The film is about Unidentified Flying Objects-- UFOs-- and communicating with beings from outer space. Do you know know being "wired" is? Watch and find out!

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November 24, 2016

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

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What Can Thanksgiving Teach You About English Grammar?

  Every year around the Thanksgiving holiday, a strange ceremony happens in Washington, DC. The president stands outside the White House, gives a brief speech and then officially pardons a turkey. A pardon is a declaration that someone will not be punished. In this ceremony, President Barack Obama promises not to cook and eat a certain turkey, even though turkeys are the traditional Thanksgiving meal.   ​You might be asking yourself, "What is the connection between turkeys, Thanksgiving and grammar?" In today's report, we explore what turkeys can teach you about English verbs. In particular, we will show you how Thanksgiving can teach you to use stative verbs. We will also show you the difference between stative and progressive verbs. What is a stative verb? The term stative verb refers to a verb that has a stative meaning. In other words, these verbs show or describe conditions or situations that do not do anything but exist. Verbs that commonly have a stative meaning include: verbs that show emotional states, such as love and dislike; verbs that describe sense perceptions, such as smell or taste; verbs that show existence, such as seem or look. In the present tense, a verb with a stative meaning is generally used in its simple form. "I love turkey," or "Americans like turkey" are two examples. Verbs that have stative meanings are generally not used in the progressive tense. So, you will probably not hear a native speaker say, "I am loving turkey," or "Americans are liking turkey." Thanksgiving and stative verbs Do not fear: we can use our Thanksgiving example to make the point clearer. Imagine you are at an American store. You hear a conversation between a customer and a store employee. The customer wants to buy a turkey that weighs 10 pounds, or 4.5 kilograms. Unlike the turkey from the pardoning ceremony, this turkey will have a sad fate: the dinner table. The conversation you hear might go like this: Customer: How much does that turkey weigh? Butcher: It weighs 10 pounds. Customer: How much does it cost? Butcher: It costs 20 dollars. In the dialogue, you can hear two examples of stative verbs: weigh and cost. The butcher said, "The turkey weighs 10 pounds,” and "The turkey costs 20 dollars." In both cases, the verbs have a stative meaning: The butcher is describing a condition or situation that simply exists – the weight and cost of the turkey. Now imagine you are eating Thanksgiving dinner with an American family. You might hear any one of the following sentences: "I love turkey!" "I dislike turkey." "The turkey smells wonderful!" "The food tastes great!" "The turkey seems undercooked." "The turkey looks awful." All these sentences include stative verbs. You might notice that the verbs are also in the simple present form. Why not use a progressive verb? So, why would an English speaker not say, "The turkey is seeming undercooked," or, "I am disliking turkey?" Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are two English grammar experts. They say that, in general, English speakers use the progressive tense only when the subject of the verb actively controls the state or action. In addition, English speakers generally use the progressive only when the verb describes an action or state that happens over an extended period of time. So, you would not hear an English speaker say, "The turkey is seeming undercooked" because the subject of the verb, the turkey, does not control its state – being undercooked. For the same reason, you would not hear an English speaker say, "I am disliking turkey," because the verb's subject, I, probably does not have control over the action of disliking turkey. Now, some verbs can have stative and progressive meanings. Consider these examples: "The food tastes good." "President Obama is tasting the food." In the first sentence, the food does not control whether it is good or bad. As a result, the verb taste has a stative meaning because it simply describes the condition of the food. In the second sentence, "President Obama is tasting the food," the subject of the verb, President Obama, has control over his action. In addition, the action takes place over an extended period of time: Obama must think about tasting food, then raise the food to his mouth, then consider its quality. So, you could say that the verb taste in this example has a progressive meaning. What can you do? The next time you are reading or listening to the news, pay special attention to the verbs. Notice when the progressive form is used, and when the simple form is used. Then ask yourself why. Does the verb's subject control the action? Does the action occur over an extended period of time? Or does the verb simply describe a condition that exists? If you are still confused about whether you should use a simple or progressive verb in your own conversations, Conrad and Biber have one tip that might help you. They say that in conversations, English speakers use simple verbs around 120 times in every 1,000 words. Progressive verbs are much less common: they appear fewer than 20 times in every 1,000 words.* I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm John Russell.    John Russell adapted this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. * See Conrad, Susan and Biber, Douglas. Real Grammar: A Corpus-Based Approach to English. Pearson-Longman. 2009.  Pgs. 4-6 ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stative – adj. expressing a state, condition, or relation progressive – adj. of or relating to the progressive tense of a verb dislike – v. to not like (something or someone) undercooked – adj.  not cooked enough

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Egyptian Court Cancels Life Sentence For Former President Morsi

  The top appeals court in Egypt overturned life sentences against former Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi and officials of the Muslim Brotherhood. The court cancelled the second of two life sentences against the former president. A death sentence against Morsi had been overturned by the same court a week before in the middle of November. The overturned charges include accusations of spying for the militant group Hamas. Abdel Moneim Abdel Maksoud is a lawyer for the Muslim Brotherhood. The group has been outlawed in Egypt. He told the French news agency AFP he believes the court's decision was fair because, in his words, "the (first) verdict was full of legal flaws." The former president and his associates will be retried in the two cases that were overturned. Morsi must still serve a 20-year sentence for his part in the detention and torture of protestors outside the presidential palace in 2012. Political Pressure and Government Crackdown Morsi became Egypt’s first democratically elected president in 2012. But, he was arrested after being ousted by the Egyptian military in 2013. Former Defense Minister Abdel Fattah Al Sisi then took power. Since then, thousands of officials and supporters of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood have faced trials. The Sisi government's crackdown drew criticism from around the world. Human rights groups have accused Sisi of ordering imprisonment and executions for political reasons. Sisi has denied having influence over Egypt’s courts, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal. Many rulings have been overturned in the past two years, but many people are still serving sentences or are awaiting trial. Said Sadek is an Egyptian political expert. He told VOA that the easing of sentences against Muslim Brotherhood officials may have been influenced by the U.S. presidential election. Sadek says the Egyptian government may believe it can deal with the situation. "They feel now that they are strong enough to do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't lead to any provocations," he says. However, Sadek says he does not believe that the series of retrials will lead to acquittals soon: “The legitimacy of (President Abdel Fattah al Sisi’s) regime depends on fighting terrorism, so acquitting Muslim Brotherhood leaders would be counter-productive to this strategy, for the time being,” he said. I’m John Russell. Edward Yeranian wrote this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted this story for Learning English with additional information from the Wall Street Journal. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   overturn – v.  to decide that (a ruling, decision, etc.) is wrong and change it definition verdict – n.  the decision made by a jury in a trial retry – v. to judge (a court case) for a second time crackdown – n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not allowed retrial – n. a second trial in a court of law in order to make a new judgment on a case that has been judged before acquittal – n. the act of deciding that a person is not guilty of a crime

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3-D Printing Lets Blind Experience Famous Painting

  A European Union program is letting blind people experience famous paintings for the first time. The program is called Access to Museums for Blind and Visually Impaired people. It uses three dimensional (3-D) printing to re-create famous paintings so they can be touched. One painting printed with the new technology is Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss.” It is a popular attraction at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria. The painting shows a man and a woman standing in a field filled with flowers. They are wearing gold robes and have their arms around each other. The man leans down to kiss the woman. Klimt finished the painting in 1908. Until now, people who had trouble seeing could not appreciate the artwork. But thanks to the reproduction they can. While the original artwork is flat, this one is in three dimensions. It is white and much smaller than the original. Museum visitors can touch the piece and feel the ridges and depressions. Andreas Reichinger started making 3-D versions of artwork in 2010. He said “The Kiss” was his most difficult project because the couple’s robes are so detailed. Dominika Raditsch is a blind museum visitor. She touched the reproduction. As she moved her hands around it she said, “Exactly, can you see these? There are so many details.” Raditsch said she can imagine what the original painting looks like when she touches the reproduction. "It's somehow round. It's entangled. It's round. You can feel it. You can feel it. It comes with it. And in many places it's so smooth. And then I think to myself: it probably shines too!" The Belvedere is not the only museum to have 3-D versions of its artwork. Some of the pieces at the Prado, in Madrid, Spain have reproductions that can be touched. But the piece in Vienna has one special part: It is made with widely available 3-D printing technology. That means one day, blind art fans anywhere in the world could download the source files and print the reproductions themselves.   I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on stories by VOANews.com and the Associated Press. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. What do you think of the new art project? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story impaired – adj. something that is weaker or worse than normal re-create– v. to make (something from the past) exist or seem to exist again : to create (something) again reproduction – n. something that is made to look exactly like an original ridge – n. a raised part or area on the surface of something depression – n. an area on a surface that is lower than other parts : a low spot entangled – adj. something caught and twisted into something else source – n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed

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New Google App Brings Old Photographs Back to Life

Most of us still have lots of photographs sitting around from the days when we used cameras, not telephones, to take pictures. There are probably many photos stored away that we do not look at and may never see again. But these images, representing memories from our past, do not have to be lost. Google has created a tool to help bring these forgotten pictures back to life in very high quality. The recently-launched PhotoScan app works the same as an image scanner. But this software program uses the camera on your phone to capture images as digital copies. It is a quick and easy way to save old photos without having to spend money on new equipment. The PhotoScan app uses new technology to improve the capturing process. This makes it possible to take a picture of a photo with a camera phone, without glare, a common problem.   After opening the app, the user first positions the desired photo within the camera’s frame. When this is done, four small circles appear in different places over the photo. The user then moves the phone over each of the circles, which change color after the process is complete. And that’s it! The app finds the edges of the photo, straightens the image, and puts it in the right position while removing glare. From this point, the pictures can easily be saved to the Google Photos app or somewhere else. If you do have Google Photos, images are organized by face or place and can easily be searched. The release of PhotoScan came at the same time as some changes to the Google Photos app. One change is an improved auto enhance tool that Google says creates high-quality effects in just one step. Another tool lets users choose from 12 different looks to improve overall photo quality. The third provides high-level controls for changing light and colors. Anil Sabharwal is the Vice President of Google Photos. He told CNET the idea for PhotoScan came from his own family’s experiences. He explained that in 1947, his parents lived under British colonial rule in India. They were Hindu and forced to move when their community became part of the Muslim state of Pakistan. His parents were ordered to quickly leave their home with only a few belongings they could carry. He said they decided to leave behind jewelry and other valuables, but gathered up as many photos as they could take. PhotoScan is available now for both Android and iOS. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you plan to try this app to capture your old photos? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story app – n. computer program that performs a special function scanner – n. device that copies photos or words from paper into a computer digital – adj. using or characterized by computer technology glare - n. a harsh, bright light frame - n. outline that forms the basic shape of something feature - n. new or interesting part, quality or ability enhance - v. to improve something  

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One in Four Americans Make Money from the Online Economy

Nearly one in four Americans made money over the last 12 months by using their personal computers or other devices connected to the I  nternet. The Pew Research Center, an independent research group in Washington, found that people are using the Internet to find extra work. They go online to sell things such as used books and furniture or they offer to provide services such as babysitting, house cleaning or computer repairs. The Pew Center asked people if they make money from the Internet or computing devices, and, if so, what they do to earn their pay. The answers provided the findings of Pew’s new report on what has been called the “Gig Economy.” Pew found that income earned on the Internet can come in many forms. Many Americans said they used their computers to do extra work. About five percent of Americans said they did online computer work over the last year. Some of these people said they had jobs that paid a few pennies each to take surveys. In these surveys, people are asked for their opinions of different products or well-known people. Others typed reports or other information on their home computers. Using digital devices to offer a service online was another way to earn income. About two percent of Americans earned money from ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft. When drivers are ready to pick up passengers, they use their ride-share company’s app. The computer program lets them know when passengers are ready to be picked up and how to reach them. Some people make their homes, apartments, or rooms inside their homes, available for money to people visiting their cities. A popular website people use to makes rooms available is www.airbnb.com. Other people use apps on their computer devices that permit people to hire them to babysit, walk dogs or do repair or clean-up work. Apps operated from phones or tablets connect them to people looking for such services. How Much Does Online Work Pay? About 60 percent of people involved in the gig economy say the income they earn is important to them. But just one in five people who sell things online say the income is enough to be important to their lives. Only 16 percent believe doing online work will lead to a meaningful career. But 37 percent say the extra income earned from online jobs helps them make up for shortages in money. The number one reason people gave for taking online jobs was that the work gave them something to do and was fun. Pew said that reason was listed by 42 percent of people it questioned. But, opinions about the online economy are mixed. Sixty-eight percent say the gig economy is good for people who want flexibility when they work. Flexibility means they do not have to work when they are at their regular jobs or have family or school events or other things they want or need to do. Some People Feel Computer Work Is Advantage Employer But, 23 percent say online work lets companies take advantage of employees and only 16 percent believe they can build careers with gig work. By taking advantage, some people mean they do not get paid enough for work done through online companies. About one in five say they take online jobs to gain work experience, while 17 percent say it is because they cannot find other jobs. What kind of people work online or use online devices to find work? The answer appears to be: mostly people who already have jobs. According to Pew, 68 percent say they are already employed full time or part time. Twenty-three percent say they are students. Thirty-two percent say they have no other jobs. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Bruce Alpert reported on 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. Have you ever used a computer or smart device to make money? _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   furniture - n. chairs, tables, beds, etc., that are used to make a room ready for use gig - adj. the technology economy tablet - n. a flat, rectangular computing device that is used for connecting to the Internet, watching videos, reading books type - v. to write with a computer keyboard or typewriter app - n. a computer program that performs a special function flexibility - adv. able to change or to do different things advantage – n. turn something in a way that is helpful to one party over another -- such as the boss over his or her employee

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News Words: Deliberately

See what this week's news word means with Anne Ball and Jonathan Evans.

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Changing Presidents Can Be a 'Very Stressful Process'

  The election may be over, but for President-elect Donald Trump, the work is just beginning. The president-elect’s transition team now needs to choose who will work in his administration. It is a big job. There are positions, such as cabinet secretaries, that must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In all, there are about 4,000 jobs in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government. They include everything from top-level advisers and cabinet members to ambassadors, agency directors, and people who answer the telephones. Dorrance Smith knows about working at the White House.  The former senior White House advisor has worked there two times, for Republican Presidents Gerald Ford and George Bush. Later, he was a senior advisor at the Defense Department for President George W. Bush, the son of President George Bush. ​Smith says filling all those jobs is not as easy as saying, “I want this person in this job.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and government lawyers first must investigate them. “They will go through your background for the past 20 years to determine whether or not you are fit to serve… And you also are going to have to reveal publicly as a public servant your assets and many people would prefer not to have that be public information.” If the person has financial investments in a related area, they may have to sell them before taking the job. Smith did when he took a media-related job in the administration. “There are sacrifices and there are decisions that people of means are going to have to make in order to serve and they’ll have to make the determination if it's if it's worth it.” Donald Trump: Untraditional Traditionally, the incoming White House team hires people from their party who have worked at the top levels of government. However, Donald Trump is different. He ran a campaign that was not traditional. Smith says there are Republicans who do not want to work in Trump’s administration. Before the election, Trump did not have as many people working on a transition plan as democrat Hillary Clinton. Sources say she had more people chosen for government jobs. Shortly after his election, Trump also replaced Chris Christie as the head of his transition team. He named vice-president-elect Mike Pence as the leader of the team. The president-elect has said he wants to “drain the swamp.” A swamp is a wet muddy area. By using that phrase, he may mean he wants to get rid of government workers he thinks are not doing a good job. But Smith says that not using people who already have strong government experience makes Trump’s job harder. “Part of what he ran on was draining the swamp and part of being the fact that he's elected was the first step and pulling the plug on the swamp. But now he's got to fill the pond. And it's an overwhelmingly daunting task.” White House Changes Presidential elections mean big changes for many workers in the executive branch of the U.S. government. In 1992, George Bush was not re-elected. So, Dorrance Smith had to decide what to do when he left the White House in January. The same year, Democratic Congressional official John Angell was moving to the White House. His boss, Leon Panetta, had been named head of the White House budget office. Angell explains,  after the president’s inauguration speech and parade are over, he walks into the Oval Office of the White House. Then he is in charge of one of the world’s largest organizations. “You don't know what's going to happen that afternoon. The next morning there could be a financial crisis. There could be a foreign policy crisis. So, you really have to be up and running is the phrase. On January 21st.” For Angell, getting ready for that day meant many meetings in Washington to prepare a new budget for the Clinton presidency.  It also meant flying down to Arkansas in a private jet to meet with then President-Elect Bill Clinton. It is a “very stressful process” he says. As a government official  with many years of experience, both in Congress and the White House, Angell says he thinks Trump is facing a very difficult transition. That is because of his lack to government experience. Angell says preparing a budget at the beginning of the Clinton presidency was a very difficult experience. “And we were working 18 hours a day, and throwing together two or three meetings a day for the president and the team. And it had to be done very quickly and in the end the worst thing was you didn't want to fail. Because you'd be failing at a level you've never failed at before.” As a former top Congressional official , Angell says Trump faces hard choices about cutting government and cutting programs that are popular with Americans. Trump will be working with a Republican Congress. Some members will have their own ideas of what to cut, and what to keep. Dorrance Smith gives a funny example of how these things can work. After losing the 1992 election, President Bush’s administration wanted to cut the yearly “pardoning” of a live turkey at Thanksgiving time in November. In the ceremony, the president appears with a real turkey at the White House and says the turkey will be pardoned—not killed for a meal. But when they took the event off the president’s schedule, they were in for a surprise. Smith says The White House was “swamped” by turkey industry supporters demanding that the pardon ceremony continue.  “I guess there are a lot of turkeys in a lot of congressional districts with a very strong lobby because we had to put it back on. And the lame duck president had to go pardon the turkey one more time.” What will happen next in the current presidential transition is hard to predict. Smith says Trump’s campaign and election “blew up all of the models.” The Trump transition team will work on filling those 4,000 jobs. Their new administration will need to be ready for whatever happens on January 21, the first full day of the Trump presidency. I’m Anne Ball. Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English.  Mario Ritter 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 transition – n. a change from one group or state or condition to another assets – n. investments or other items worth money swamp – n.  a wet and muddy place outside pond – n. a body of water daunting – adj. difficult task – n. a job for someone to do inauguration – n. the ceremony when the new president is sworn into office pardon – v. to be forgiven, so one will not face punishment lobby – v. to try to influence government officials to make decisions for or against something  

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