America's Presidents - John Tyler

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April 18, 2017

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

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Using VOA Learning English to Improve Listening Skills

Editor's Note: This report is part of a series about how to use the VOA Learning English website for group activities. Such activities can be excellent tools for classroom learning and English language practice groups. For a printable, extended list of activities, directions and suggestions, click here.   In this Education Tips report, we explore ways to use the VOA Learning English website for listening activities to help students learning American English. While these activities require an Internet connection in the planning stage, most do not require you to use the internet in the classroom. For example, the text from our written series can be printed and read aloud to students. You can read more about materials needed for each activity by downloading the printable guide. Now, let’s start with two activities for beginning English learners. Activities for Beginners Activity #1 For the first activity, you can use audio from our popular culture program, What’s Trending Today, or the news-related stories from As It Is. Or try using a video from News Words, a series about terms in the news. Before the activity, choose your audio or video. Also, develop three to four questions to test listener understanding. To begin the activity, divide students into groups of three or four. Hand out the questions for the story or write them on a board or shared screen. Ask the students to read the questions before listening to the audio or watching the video. Then, play the video or recording. Have each group work together on the answer to one question. They should write complete sentence answers. Set a limit of no more than three sentences per question. Then, have each group share their answers to the questions with the class. Activity #2: Another group listening activity for beginning English learners uses the video series Let’s Learn English. For this activity, teachers will need response paddles (image below). These interactive paddles were developed by Bill Pellowe and Paul Shimizu, two professors based in Japan. You can click on the image of the paddles for a downloadable version that you can print, copy, and give to students. For more details, download the printable guide.             Before the activity, choose the Let’s Learn English episode you plan to show. To begin, divide students into pairs -- groups of two. Play the main video at the top of the page. After playing the video, show the online quiz on the shared screen. For each question, play the video and then let students discuss their answers. Then, ask them to raise their response paddles to show which answers they chose.​ For more on this activity, download the printable guide.   Now, let’s explore activities for intermediate level English learners. Activities for Intermediate Learners Activity #1 For this activity, you can choose from a wide variety of English learning series, such as English in a Minute, English at the Movies, Words and Their Stories and Personal Technology. In addition, many of the As It Is stories are perfect for intermediate learners. Before the activity, choose the video or audio you’d like to use and prepare five questions about the material. To begin, divide students into five groups. Pairs will work well if the class has 10 students or less. Hand out copies of the questions or write them on the board or shared screen. Ask each group to be responsible for answering one question. If the class is large, two groups can answer one question and compare their answers. Activity #2: For another activity, intermediate level learners can turn to our Health & Lifestyle and Science in the News series. Before the activity, choose the story you would like to use. You may notice that some health and science reports seem more complex than others; some may be better for intermediate activities, while others are better for advanced activities. To begin the activity, organize students into small groups. Play the audio or have one or two students take turns reading parts of the story text aloud. Afterward, show the online quiz on the shared screen. Ask students to raise their their response paddles to show which options they chose.   Now, let’s look at two activities for advanced learners.   Activities for Advanced Learners Activity #1 The VOA Learning English programs People in America and American Stories also come with online quizzes. (In addition, American Stories also comes with a detailed, downloadable lesson plan each week.) For the first activity, organize students into pairs or small groups. Play the video or audio for the program you have chosen. Then, show the online quiz on a shared screen. For each question, have students raise their response paddles to show the answers they chose. For details on additional listening activities for the two series, download the printable guide. Activity #2 Our series Health & Lifestyle and Science in the News can also be useful as group listening activities for advanced-level English learners. Remember that some of these stories work well for advanced learners, while others are better for intermediate learners. Before the activity, choose the story you’d like to use. To begin the activity, organize students into pairs or small groups. Play the audio or ask one or two volunteers to read the story aloud. Then, display the quiz on a shared screen. Ask student to raise their response paddles to show which answers they chose. After the quiz, there are additional learner-centered activities you can do. For example, you can: Have students pretend to question a scientist or health expert about the subject of the story. Write a letter or 'call' the main scientist named in the report. Ask a question or give advice related to the subject of the story. Create a word web of the main terms you need to know to understand the story. Take the story a few years into the future. How will this affect the average person? What developments do you predict will take place as a result of this scientific research or breakthrough in health understanding? Tell a story or write a 'news' story on the same issue as it would be treated 10 years in the future. In coming weeks, we will look at more on creative ways to use our website for classroom or group practice activities. You can find those reports and others on learningenglish.voanews.com. And, don’t forget to download the printable, extended guide of activities and directions by clicking on the document below or to the right of the page. I’m Jill Robbins. And I'm Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you teach English? Have you used our website in your classroom? Tell us what you've done and what you've enjoyed. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or email the Education team. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   text - n. the original words of a piece of writing or a speech print - v.  to cause words, images, etc.) to appear on paper or cloth by using a machine (called a printer) board - n. a flat piece of material (such as wood or cardboard) that is used for a special purpose screen - n. the usually flat part of a television or computer monitor that shows the images or text interactive - adj. designed to respond to the actions, commands, etc., of a user paddle - n. any one of various tools or devices that are wide, flat and thin intermediate - adj. relating to or having the knowledge or skill of someone who is more advanced than a beginner but not yet an expert variety - n. a number or collection of different things or people pretend - v. to act as if something is true when it is not true

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Starbucks Reveals New 'Unicorn' Frappucino

  This is What’s Trending Today. A unicorn is an imaginary animal that looks like a horse. It has one straight horn growing from the middle of its head. It is a magical beast, and thought to have special powers. But does a unicorn drink coffee? If you ask the American coffee company Starbucks, the answer is yes. But not just any coffee. Beginning this week, Starbucks customers will see a “Unicorn Frappucino” drink on the menu.  A “Frappucino” – or “Frap” for short --  is a kind of mixed Starbucks coffee drink that is served cold. The Unicorn Frap will be on menus for five days. So, what is it? It is what a unicorn probably would order if it walked into a Starbucks, of course. It is very colorful, and looks and tastes nothing like coffee. Unicorns are described in many ancient books. They were thought to be impossible to catch, which is why no one had ever seen one. And, in modern culture, unicorns appear in movies, animated television shows and in many children’s [toy] stores. These days, unicorns are often represented in a very colorful way. Their bodies may be white, but their tails or horns have many colors. That may explain why the Unicorn Frappucino is so colorful and sweet. On Facebook and Twitter, people are already talking about the drink. Some commenters say the drink has actually already been available at Starbucks on a “secret” menu. You just had to know to ask for it. For a short time, though, it will be on the public menu. To make the Unicorn Frappucino, baristas start with one of Starbucks’ normal creamy, cold non-coffee drinks. But then the colors come in.  The “baristas” use mango syrup, sour blue “drizzle” and whipped cream to create the drink. They put blue and pink powder on the top of the drink. The finished drink is blue and pink. Some people on social media say they cannot wait to try the new creation. But one person who has already tried it called it “a hot mess with a cute appearance.” And another person wrote that the drink is “offensive to unicorns.”   The drink will be available in the United States, Canada and Mexico. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reports from the Associated Press and other news services. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Would you try the Unicorn Frappucino? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   menu – n. a list of the foods that may be ordered at a restaurant magical – adj. possessing power to impossible things horn – n. one of the hard pointed parts that grows on the head of some animals (such as cattle, goats, or sheep) animate – v. to make (something, such as a drawing) appear to move by creating a series of drawings, pictures, etc., and showing them quickly one after another syrup – n. a sweet, thick liquid made from the juice of a fruit or plant drizzle – v. to pour a small amount of liquid onto or over something hot mess – slang expression. someone or something that is very unsuccessful and disordered cute – adj. having a pleasing and usually youthful appearance

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US President Orders Changes to H1-B Visa Program

  U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to propose changes to the H-1B program. The program is used to bring highly skilled foreign workers to the United States. Trump signed the order called “Buy American, Hire American” during his Tuesday visit at an American company in the state of Wisconsin. During the presidential campaign, Trump had promised to change the country’s immigration policies. A senior Trump administration official says the order calls for “the strict enforcement of all laws governing entry into the United States of labor from abroad.”  The order directs the departments of Labor, Justice, Homeland Security and State to take action against fraud and abuse in the immigration system to protect American workers. It also directs the departments to propose reforms to ensure that H-1B visas are given only to the most-skilled or highest-paid applicants. The H-1B visa program is designed for foreigners to work for American companies in jobs that usually require higher education -- including scientists, engineers or computer programmers. The government uses a lottery system to give 65,000 visas every year. It gives another 20,000 visas to graduate student workers. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says the number of applications for H-1B visas fell to 199,000 this year from 236,000 in 2016. American companies say they use the visas to recruit highly skilled workers. A majority of the H-1B visas, however, are given to overseas companies that then send workers to American companies. Some critics say those foreign companies give the visas to people to perform lower-level information technology, or  IT, jobs. Critics also say the lottery system works in the favor of the large firms that submit a large number of applications. A Trump administration official says the way the system now works, foreign workers are able to come to the United States and replace American workers because the foreign workers accept lower wages than Americans. The official says this violates “the principle of the program.” The administration has said large American technology companies have been using the program to hire large numbers of foreign workers, lowering wages for Americans. The Reuters news agency examined U.S. Labor Department records and found that more than 15 percent of Facebook’s employees in the United States in 2016 used a temporary work visa. Employers including Walt Disney World and the University of California in San Francisco have replaced American technology workers with H-1B visa holders. Some of the American workers were forced to train the foreign workers who replaced them.   The Associated Press and Reuters news agencies reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the reports for Learning English. Hai Do 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   applicant – n. someone who formally asks for something (such as a job or admission to a college); someone who applies for something lottery – n. a system used to decide who will get or be given something by choosing names or numbers by chance principle – n. a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions  

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Billionaire Aims to Show Where Government Money Really Goes

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has launched a new project to help Americans find out where government tax money actually goes. The project came about after Ballmer – who is estimated to be worth at least $30 billion - retired from Microsoft in 2014. He was looking for something new to do and his wife urged him to help out with her philanthropy efforts. He said his first reaction was to think he had already given enough by paying a lot of taxes over many years. But he then began to wonder where all that tax money he paid actually went. Ballmer said he hoped that at least some of the money was going to help poor, sick and old people. But he found it very difficult to find specific information on the government spending. This led him to start his own database of U.S. government money collected and spent at the federal, state and local levels. According to the New York Times, Ballmer spent more than $10 million developing the project with a research team over the past three years. The project resulted in a website called USAFacts that launched to the public on Tuesday. An introduction calls the new site a “data-driven portrait of the American population, our government’s finances, and government’s impact on society.” Ballmer called the project "our nation, in numbers." It is a free service and meant to be non-political. Whether the information provided makes the government look good or bad, he said it is intended to inform and start discussions on important issues. “I would like citizens to be able to use this to form intelligent opinions,” he told the New York Times. He added that the site aims to provide information that is comprehensive, but also understandable. Users can search through a wealth of information gathered from publicly available sources. Many forms of financial data are covered, along with population and demographic information. Examples of specific areas include education, crime and police, economy, immigration and border security. One of Ballmer’s biggest research surprises was to find that about 23.2 million Americans work for the government. According to USAFacts, the number of U.S. government workers includes 14 million local, 5.3 million state and 4 million federal. Of those employees, nearly half work in some capacity in education. “That felt good to me, as an example,” Ballmer said in an interview on CBS News. Another positive fact he discovered was that the number of fires in the U.S. dropped 30-40 percent since 1980. This was despite the U.S. population increasing by 40 percent in the same period. Ballmer said he also learned that most of the money going to fight world poverty is government funded, not from private sources. He estimated that not-for-profits usually receive 50 to 90 percent of money from the government. The billionaire said another surprising thing he discovered was that the U.S. government is not allowed to collect the total number of guns in the country. “I can’t show it! I’m shocked!” he told the Times. He said the National Rifle Association had apparently lobbied in such a way that government can’t report the exact data. There is information on the number of firearms manufactured, licensed and inspected, but not on the total number of guns, he said. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reports from The New York Times and CBS News. Hai Do 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   philanthropy – n. the practice of giving money and time to help make life better for other people database – n. collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer portrait – n. detailed description of someone or something impact – n. powerful or major influence or effect comprehensive – adj. including many, most, or all things​ lobby – v. try and persuade government legislators to do something  

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Recycled Bottles Find New Life on Women’s Feet

A company in San Francisco, California, has found a way to turn used plastic bottles into women’s shoes. Every day, millions of Americans drink water and other liquids from plastic bottles. More than 60 million of them are thrown away each day. Many of the plastic bottles end up in landfills or are burned with other waste products. A San Francisco start-up company called Rothy’s, however, turns this plastic waste into environmentally friendly shoes. Roth Martin is the company’s co-founder. He explains how they turn plastic into soft material for your feet. They take the plastic, clean it, and break it down into small pieces. Then they press it through a device that makes soft fibers.  Those fibers are then combined, or knit together. This is done by a three-dimensional knitting machine. It is designed to reduce waste while making the shoes. The knitted fabric and the inner part of the shoe are then attached to the shoe's outer part, called the sole. This outer sole is also made from environmentally friendly material: responsibly sourced no-carbon rubber. Rothy's shoes are sold online. They are flat shoes, with either a rounded or pointed toe. They come in different colors and designs. They cost either $125 or $145 per pair, depending on the design. After American actress Gwyneth Paltrow discovered them last year, the demand for the shoes grew. Martin says there is no shortage of material to fill that demand. "We’re not going to run out of water bottles any time soon.  So we have an infinite supply of material, and I think that bodes well for our future." When the environmentally friendly shoes wear out, customers can return them at no cost to a company that uses the recycled materials to make other products. For now, the shoes are only available to be shipped in the United States. However, the company says it will add international shipping in the near future. I’m Anne Ball.   Deborah Block wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson 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   landfill – n. a system in which waste materials are buried under the ground knit – v. to make (a piece of clothing) from yarn or thread by using long needles or a special machine rubber – n. a strong substance that stretches and that is made out of chemicals or from the juice of a tropical tree infinite – adj. having no limits bode – v. to be a sign of a future event or situation  

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Footwear Made from Recycled Water Bottles

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Discovery of More Chinese Ships Adds Pressure on Malaysia to Respond

  The Malaysian government is facing public pressure to resist, following reports of the Chinese coast guard patrolling waters claimed by Malaysia. From December to late February, three Chinese coast guard ships had been patrolling off the Malaysian coast of Borneo. A Malaysian coast guard ship, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, tracked the boats. The initiative is part of the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS. The Chinese boats were found near Luconia Shoals, a small area of land in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone. The report from CSIS says Malaysia also spotted 100 fishing boats escorted by the Chinese coast guard at the same area in March 2016. The Chinese coast guard had been there since 2013. Pressure on Malaysia for response Experts say the finding will add pressure on Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak to respond against China. Colin Koh is a maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He feels that these issues will be problematic for Razak. “This is going to become a particularly problematic issue that he will find very hard to deal with," Koh said. Economic relations a factor Razak usually avoids direct conflict with China. The country is Malaysia’s top trading partner and its biggest source of direct foreign investment. Jonathan Spangler is director of the South China Sea Think Tank in Taipei. He says, “For Malaysia, which has sought to maintain friendly relations with China, publicly condemning Chinese actions would disrupt that delicate balance and could have serious economic and other repercussions.” Other countries concerned In the past few years, China has reduced economic activities with South Korea, Taiwan, and countries in Europe when it is unhappy with their political decisions. CSIS says the presence of Chinese boats at Luconia Shoals is China’s efforts to establish control over the “nine-dash line.”  China claims more than 90 percent of the South China Sea with the “nine-dash line” boundary. The shoals, 100 kilometers north of Borneo in Malaysia and 2,000 kilometers south from China, fall within the nine-dash line. Several Southeast Asian nations have claims to parts of the South China Sea for its abundance of fisheries and potential oil reserves.  Colin Koh says people in Malaysia feel their government reacts too passively to China’s ship movements. And public pressure will rise fast if China were to stop Malaysian boats in the exclusive economic zone. I’m Phil Dierking   ­­­­­­­­­­­­Ralph Jennings wrote this story for VOA News. Phil Dierking adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Do you think it’s better for countries to be passive and keep peace with each other, or to address conflict over boundaries??  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   abundance - n. a large amount of something boundary - n. something, such as a river, a fence, or an imaginary line, that shows where an area ends and another area begins delicate - adj.  easily broken or damaged escort - v. to go with someone or something to give protection or guidance patrol - v. the act of walking or going around or through an area, building, etc., in order to make sure that it is safe : the act of patrolling an area repercussions - n. something usually bad or unpleasant that happens as a result of an action, statement, etc., and that usually affects people for a long time  reserves - n. levels of primary energy resources found in the ground passively - adv.  done in an accepting way, without active response

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Polish Engineers Make Air-Cleaning Device

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. From Asia to Europe to North America, poor air quality is making people sick and, in some cases, killing them at an early age. Air pollution causes six million premature deaths every year worldwide. This number comes from studies done by the World Health Organization (WHO). Thirty-three of Europe's most polluted cities are in Poland. Part of the reason is how Poles heat their homes. In the winter, many people keep warm by burning coal. Northern China has a similar problem. And it is a big problem. Burning coal releases dirty particulate matter into the atmosphere. Particulate matter, sometimes called PM for short, is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are so large or dark that we can see them with the naked eye. Others are so small that we can only see them using an electron microscope. Scientists say particulates, in large amounts, are partly responsible for changes in Earth’s climate and serious health problems. The WHO is urging governments to set pollution rules for industries and show people how to cook, heat and travel in ways that aren’t so dirty. But in the short-term, we need to create clean technologies and to improve the way we burn fuel. Polish device cleans air In Poland, researchers have invented some simple technology that may help to reduce air pollution. The device looks like a normal pipe. One of the engineers on the project, Robert Kubica, explains how it works. He says the device uses electricity to trap dust in the pipe. He explains that the electricity turns the ash into “ionized particles,” which fall on the inner part of the pipe. There they are gathered by an automatic ash removal system. From there, they go into an ash box. The remaining gases -- without the ash -- go out of a chimney and into the air.   “The ionized particles are deposited on the inner part of the body where they are gathered by an automatic ash removal system. The ashes go into the ash box, while the exhaust goes into the chimney.” The Polish researchers say this simple technology probably will not solve the long-term problem of air pollution in their country. However, it will keep the air cleaner in the near future. Kubica says that from day one, this device immediately reduces the amount of dust released into the air. The researchers say the device will keep 60 to 90 percent of the coal ash from getting into the atmosphere. Kubica says this technology is a short-term solution. Availability of cleaner-burning fuels depends on Poland’s infrastructure. Setting up public services and systems that will allow for cleaner-burning fuels requires long-term investment. “From the first day of its work, this device immediately reduces emissions of dust into the atmosphere. On the other hand, the transition to other cleaner fuels such as gas fuels is mostly dependent on access to infrastructure, and if it’s not there -- then there are long-term investments (that are necessary.)" This year, several hundred of these devices are being set up in the Polish town of Rybnik – a community known for its poor air quality. I’m Anna Matteo.   Kevin Enochs wrote this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   premature – adj. happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time particulate matter – n. the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air (also called particle pollution.) Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope. naked eye – n. the eye unaided by any instrument that changes the apparent size or distance of an object or otherwise alters visual powers ionized – v. to convert wholly or partly into ions automatic – adj. having controls that allow something to work or happen without being directly controlled by a person exhaust – n. the mixture of gases produced by an engine chimney – n. a part of a building through which smoke rises into the outside air deposit – v. to put or leave (someone or something) in a particular place infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly emission – n. substances discharged into the air (as by a smokestack or an automobile engine transition – v.  passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another __________________________________________________________________ Now, test your understand with this short quiz. ​    

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Pence Warns North Korea Not to Test Trump’s ‘Strength and Resolve’

  U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has warned that the United States has not ruled out using military force to deal with an increasing nuclear threat from North Korea. He spoke of recent U.S. military strikes in Syria and Afghanistan as evidence of President Trump’s “strength and resolve.” The warning came as Pence visited South Korea at the start of a four-nation Asia trip. He spoke during a joint appearance in Seoul with South Korea’s acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn. Pence urged the U.S. to move away from a previous policy of what he called “strategic patience.” He said this policy had failed to produce lasting progress with North Korea.   “For more than two decades, the United States and our allies have worked to peacefully dismantle North Korea’s nuclear program, and alleviate the suffering of their people. But at every step of the way, North Korea answered our overtures with willful deception, broken promises and nuclear and missile tests.”   Pence noted that during the past 18 months, North Korea had carried out two nuclear tests and more missile tests than ever before. Kim Jong Un’s government conducted its latest missile test on Sunday, just before Pence’s arrival. The test failed when the missile exploded shortly after launch. Stopping a North Korean nuclear missile While Vice President Pence is in Asia, he is expected to seek support for increasing pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear and missile development programs. “All options are on the table,” Pence told reporters at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea. However, U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said he is not currently considering a military option. On a TV news program, McMaster said U.S. officials are aiming to contain the threat peacefully.   The Trump administration is reportedly considering new economic restrictions on North Korea. These could include an oil embargo, a global ban on its airline, stopping cargo ships, and punishing Chinese banks that do business with North Korean companies. Other players in the area China remains an important partner for the U.S. on North Korea. But Chinese officials have not supported strong measures against North Korea, which is a close ally of China. Those measures could cause instability at China’s border and increase U.S. power in the area. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called for restarting multi-party talks that ended without agreement in 2009. He also spoke out against deploying the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea. Both Pence and Hwang repeated their support for THAAD as a way to protect against North Korean missile strikes.   In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said a “diplomatic effort is important to maintain peace” on the Korean Peninsula. But he said “dialogue for the sake of having dialogue” is useless. “We need to apply pressure on North Korea so they seriously respond to a dialogue,” Abe told a parliamentary meeting. He urged the international community, especially China and Russia, to play a bigger role in the issue. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. Kelly Jean Kelly 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   resolve – n. determination patience – n. being able to wait a long time without becoming annoyed or upset dismantle – v. take something apart or completely get rid of it alleviate – v. reduce the pain or difficulty of something overture – n. something offered with the hope that it will improve a relationship, agreement, etc. deception – n. act of making something seem true that is not embargo – n. a government order that limits trade in some way dialogue – n. discussion held between groups in attempt to come to an agreement

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