US: Invitation to Philippine Leader Linked to Containing North Korea

  The United States is defending President Donald Trump’s decision to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the White House. The two presidents spoke by telephone on Saturday. Trump noted the need to strengthen an Asian alliance against the growing threat from North Korea’s military. He also spoke by phone on Sunday with Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The president also invited the two leaders to the White House. A White House statement described the discussions between the Philippines and U.S. presidents as “very friendly.” Trump told Duterte that he was interested in developing a “warm, working relationship." However, on Sunday, Trump’s chief of staff Reince Prebus said on U.S. television that the phone call should not be seen as support of Duterte’s record in his war on drugs. “It doesn’t mean that human rights don’t matter, but what it does mean is that the issues facing us developing out of North Korea are so serious that we need cooperation at some level with as many partners in the area as we can get.” However, the White House statement about Trump’s call to Duterte did not note international condemnation of some of the Philippine leader’s policies. Philippine leader has faced criticism on human rights Rodrigo Duterte has been strongly criticized for his war on drug trafficking. Last year, then-United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Duterte’s support for extra-judicial killings. Philippine forces are accused of executing drug suspects before they can be tried. Ban called the killings “a breach of fundamental human rights and freedoms.” Some observers estimate that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Duerte’s war on drugs since he took office last year. About one-third of the deaths have resulted from police raids; the rest, by vigilantes. Duterte, himself, told British media last year that he personally killed three suspects while he was mayor of the southern city of Davao. Relations between the United States and the Philippines worsened last June after Duterte became president. The administration of then-president Barack Obama criticized the Philippines for a lack of respect for the rule of law in its campaign against drug dealers. Gerard Finin is with the East-West Institute. He told VOA’s Victor Beattie that a meeting of Trump and Duerte could have good results. Finin said that because the Philippines is a treaty partner with the United States, it is important to keep high-level communications open between the two sides. He added that, until now, U.S. efforts to get the Philippines to respect the law in its anti-drug trafficking campaign have not succeeded. Finin said the administration will be able to give a message to the Philippine leader during talks at the White House. Also, the invitation will give Duterte a chance to see how the United States deals with issues such as the illegal drug trade. Finin noted that the Philippine ‘war on drugs’ appeared to ease in October after the death of a South Korean businessman at National Police Headquarters in Manila. Since then, however, the violence has grown worse. Much needs to be done, Finin said, before Philippine officials show a respect for human rights and people receive fair trials before they are punished. Phone calls made as tensions in the area increase Trump’s calls to the Asian leaders took place within days of another test of a missile by North Korea. However, the U.S. effort to build support with Asian nations is considered part of an effort to increase pressure on the North Korean government. North Korea has continued to test long-range missiles in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The latest launch failed last weekend. North Korea also has carried out five nuclear tests. On Monday, Trump said he is willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right conditions to discuss the North’s nuclear activities. A White House spokesman said there is no Trump-Kim meeting planned. He added that such talks are possible only if North Korea ends its "provocative" behavior. The United States recently completed military exercises with South Korea. The U.S. government has ordered the deployment of an advanced anti-missile system to South Korea. In addition, American warships, including the USS Carl Vinson and at least one nuclear submarine, have been sent to waters near the Korean peninsula. Japan plans to send its helicopter carrier Izumo to guard a U.S. supply ship as it travels in the western Pacific Ocean. The move is believed to be the first time that Japanese forces have been ordered to protect U.S. ships. Japan’s constitution bars the nation from carrying out an offensive war. I’m Mario Ritter. And I'm Ashley Thompson. Lou Lorscheider, Fern Robinson and Victor Beattie reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted their reports for Learning English. 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   breach – n. a failure to do something that is required by law or agreement fundamental – adj. something very basic, very important extra-judicial –adj. outside of the justice system vigilante – n. a person who is not a law enforcement officer who acts like one and seeks to carry out justice advanced – adj. at a high level, fully developed provocative –adj. meant to cause a response  

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More US Money to Combat Famine under Budget Deal

  Congressional Republicans and Democrats reached agreement on a bill funding the federal government through September 30. Congress is expected to approve the $1 trillion spending bill later this week. Without congressional action, some American government operations would stop and many federal employees would be forced to stay away from their jobs. The bill sets spending levels for U.S.-based programs, such as medical research, education and environmental protection. It also sets spending levels for foreign aid. For example, the bill would provide $990 million to aid the international response to severe food shortages mostly in Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. Almost $7 billion would go to programs that assist refugees and others displaced by conflict. Another $100 million what fund what members of Congress say is countering Russian influence in Europe and South and Central Asia. The bill would also provide $358 million for international antiterrorism programs. That includes efforts to cut financing for terrorist groups, improve border and airport security and keep materials used for weapons of mass destruction from terrorists. The bill also provides over $6 billion to address security needs at 275 American embassies and diplomatic offices around the world. The budget bill accepts some proposals of the administration of President Donald Trump, but not others. For example, it does not provide money for a wall along the United States border with Mexico. The bill also does not fund a request from the administration to employ additional immigration control officers. But congressional Republicans said the bill would provide a $1.5 billion “down payment” for improved border security measures proposed by the Trump administration. However, the bill would raise spending on the U.S. military, as Trump requested. The increase provided in the bill would be $25 billion over the 2016 budget, House Republicans reported. The bill includes some cuts in international aid requested by the Trump administration. For example, it would cut aid to the United Nations and other international organizations by $640 million. There was no immediate comment by UN officials about the effect of such cuts on its operations. Republicans and Democrats in Congress negotiated the legislation. Vice President Mike Pence appeared on “CBS This Morning” Monday to say that President Donald Trump supports the bill. "We couldn't be more pleased," Pence said. He called the bill a “win for the American people.” Senator Charles Schumer of New York leads Senate Democrats. He also praised the spending agreement. He said, “This agreement is a good agreement for the American people, and takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table.” He said the bill removes some proposals opposed by Democrats, such as an “ineffective” wall along the Mexican border.   But the bill would increase spending for programs important to middle class Americans such as medical research and education, Schumer said. Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin leads Republicans in the House of Representatives. He holds the powerful position of Speaker of the House. He said, “America will be stronger and safer because of this government funding bill. It acts on President Trump’s commitment to rebuild our military for the 21st century and bolster our nation’s border security to protect our homeland.” Under the bill, some American foreign aid would come with conditions. For example, the bill would withhold aid to Pakistan unless the government cooperates with the U.S. to fight terrorism. Aid to Egypt would require its leaders to continue its current partnership with the U.S. and continue the nation’s peace treaty with Israel. The bill also places conditions on continued U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority. The group must show willingness to take steps to reduce violence against Israelis. Parts of the legislation are aimed at China. One measure would ban processed poultry from China from being used in the United States Department of Agriculture’s school meal program. The bill also includes funding to cover costs to New York City and Florida for security for President Trump and his family. Trump’s wife and son have remained in New York City so the son could complete the school year at a city school. "We are getting what we are owed," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "That's good news for our city and the hardworking police officers… Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by the Associated Press, Reuters, and budget documents released by Congress. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   funding - v. provided money for programs counter - v. to do something in defense or in response to something down payment - n.  initial funding on a large project or program shutdown - n. the act of stopping the operation or activity of a government or business off the table - phrase meaning that a proposal or project is no longer being considered commitment - n. a promise to do or give something bolster - v. to increase poultry - n. birds such as chickens and ducks that are raised on farms for their eggs or meat  

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‘Clickbait’ for Colleges: Online Media Appeals to Students

Millions of people share material like videos and news stories with their friends and family over the Internet every day. They use social media websites like Facebook and Twitter to do so. In 2016, the Pew Research Center reported about 62 percent of adults in the United States get their news from social media. Now, some U.S. colleges and universities have decided they want some of that internet action. And they are using a kind of web content known as ‘clickbait’ to get it. Clickbait is content that is designed to attract web users and persuade them to click on a link to a webpage. Clickbait often uses shocking headlines that make users feel like they have to know more, like “What Famous Stars Look Like Without Makeup” or “Five Common Foods That Could Kill You.” People are likely to want to learn what those foods are. So they click on the link. Often this leads to a page with an advertisement written as a news report. And the page is also usually filled with more clickbait. The more clicks these websites get, the more advertisers pay the website owners. Buzzfeed is one of the most popular websites in the U.S. For years, critics have viewed Buzzfeed as a major source for what they call clickbait. Some Buzzfeed reports are based on lists, like “23 Things Parents Should Never Apologize For” or “50 Tweets That Show How Different America and Britain Are.” The lists include lots of pictures and little written information. Other Buzzfeed reports are advertisements, like “13 Things You Could Actually Buy If You Didn’t Have Student Loan Debt.” The University of Wyoming paid for that one. The ad promotes the school’s lower costs of education. Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was one of the first universities to partner with Buzzfeed in 2015. Shortly after, schools like Indiana University and the University of Wyoming began working with Buzzfeed, as well. Chad Baldwin is the vice president of communications at the University of Wyoming. His school paid $100,000 for two pieces of material from Buzzfeed in 2016. He admits it was costly. But he said the stories on Buzzfeed have received more than 100,000 views. “There are a lot of the traditional things we still use,” Baldwin said. “[But] the social media element is huge and anyone who resists engaging in those [ways] is probably going to get left behind.” Jay Baer is the creator of U.S.-based Convince & Convert, a marketing company that deals mostly with social media. He is also a parent of a high school student currently choosing a college to attend. Baer said there are many media companies that do this type of branded advertising for businesses. This includes large newspapers like The New York Times. And he feels that universities should have considered this method of advertising much sooner. But he also said he is concerned about the ethics of universities using this kind of advertising and about news media sites that receive money from businesses. “As a parent, I wondered whether this was actually informing potential students … and how [trustworthy it] is,” Baer said. “Does it concern me as a citizen that people who report the news are also making [material] for money? Yeah, of course. But I don’t know what the alternative is.” Stephen Loguidice is the vice president of global brand development for Buzzfeed. He said Buzzfeed does not create clickbait and its content is not all paid advertising. Loguidice said Buzzfeed understands how young people react to advertising. He said most do not trust or even see information on television or in print media. He said young people seek information from content shared on social media. “It’s always been, ‘How do I get the message that I want to say in front of the people I need it in front of?’” Loguidice said. “With social [media], now [companies] have to think about, ‘How do I say what they want to hear and not necessarily what I want to say?’ And at the end of the day, now [companies are] competing with friends and family and co-workers and trusted news sources and all these other things.” In traditional advertising, a company tells an advertiser exactly the kind of message it wants to send. But Buzzfeed studies its most popular stories and uses that information to create copy. Instead of forcing people to listen to a company’s message, Buzzfeed includes parts of that message in with other interesting material. For example, the online music service Spotify paid Buzzfeed for a branded marketing campaign in 2014. Buzzfeed then created a story for them with the headline “15 Of The Best Bands To Come From College Campuses.” Jennifer Cronin is a professor of marketing and social media in the Mendoza School of Business at the University of Notre Dame. She noted that Buzzfeed’s materials could be considered clickbait. But, she said there is also nothing wrong with that. And the website clearly shows what is and is not paid advertising, she said. Yet she did warn that several companies have faced trouble recently for things they have said or shared themselves online. Companies can lose public favor easily if they are connected to online material considered offensive or untrustworthy. She said, “Colleges are supposed to be very elite and [centered] on academics. … And so, when you use these other [methods], if you do it poorly then there is the chance that you could harm your reputation.” I’m Caty Weaver. And I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. What do you think is the best way for universities to share their message with the current generation of young people? Should colleges be using this type of branded marketing? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   website(s) – n. a place on the internet that contains information about a person, organization or thing, and that usually consists of many websites joined by hyperlinks click – v. to press a button on a mouse or some other device in order to make something happen on a computer headline(s) – n. the title written in large letters over a story in a newspaper branded – adj. having a well-known brand name, or name of a category of products that are all made by a given company and all have a given name alternative – n. something that can be chosen instead of something else global – adj. involving the entire world band(s) – n. a usually small group of musicians who play popular music together campus(es) – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, or school elite – adj. seen as the most successful or powerful academics – n. courses of study taken at a school or college reputation – n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something

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Children of 'BBC Dad' Inspire New Show

  This is What’s Trending Today. Do you remember Robert E. Kelly? He is the professor from South Korea who quickly became world famous earlier this year. On March 10, Kelly was giving an interview to the BBC about the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye when his two young children burst into his home office.    His four-year-old daughter, Marion, opened the door to Kelly’s home office and marched confidently up to her father. Her baby brother, James, followed. He entered the room in a walker, a device with wheels for babies who cannot yet walk. Not long after, Kelly’s wife, Jeong-ah Kim, ran into the office. She quickly tried to gather the children so that Kelly could continue with his interview. The video of Kelly’s interview spread quickly on the Internet. In two days, more than 20 million people watched it. The incident started an online discussion about the roles of men and women, and whether Kim should have been so concerned about the children interrupting Kelly’s interview. An Australian television comedy show even made a parody video of the moment. Only this time, the politics expert was the mother. A few days after the BBC interview, the whole Kelly family held a news conference and appeared together on several television news programs. Many people who watched these talked about young Marion’s stylish look. She wore glasses and a trench coat. Now, about six weeks later, the New York Times has an update on the Kellys.  The Times reported that the Kelly kids inspired an animated show. It is called “The Adventures of Mina and Jack.” Two New Yorkers are producing the show. The first episode is short; it runs less than three minutes. In the video, Mina and Jack join their father on a business trip and help catch a thief who stole bars of gold. The creators are hoping the show may someday run on children’s television networks. The Kellys themselves have nothing to do with the cartoon show. But they say they enjoy it. So far the video has about 200,000 views on YouTube. And many who have watched the episode wrote that they hope “The Adventures of Mina and Jack” becomes a full television series. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the New York Times. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   impeach – v. to charge (a public official) with a crime done while in office parody – n. a piece of writing, music, etc., that imitates the style of someone or something else in an amusing way stylish – adj. following the popular style inspire - v. to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create animated – adj. produced by the creation of a series of drawings, pictures, etc., that are shown quickly one after another : produced through the process of animation cartoon – n. a film or television show made by photographing a series of drawings : an animated film or television show trench coat – n. a usually long raincoat with deep pockets and a belt  

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Your Bones Are Alive! Learn How to Keep Them Strong

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. You may not realize it, but your bones are living tissue. And that tissue is always breaking down and re-growing. When the growth of new bone tissue does not keep up with the loss of old bone tissue you may develop a medical condition called osteoporosis. What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis literally means "porous bones." Normal bones have many tiny holes. With osteoporosis, the bones become so thin in places that even a simple stretch or a cough can result in a bone fracture. Some fractures, like hip fractures, can lead to death. The National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States says “some reports show that up to 50 percent of patients (in the U.S.) with hip fracture die within six months.” Who will get osteoporosis? About two hundred million people worldwide have osteoporosis. Health experts say that number will increase greatly as the world’s population gets older. After all, everyone's bones weaken with age. The International Osteoporosis Foundation says that one in three women over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporotic fracture. The organization says for men over 50, the probability is one in five. Usually people get osteoporosis as a result of hormonal changes, or from a lack of calcium or vitamin D. White and Asian people are at higher risk for the disease. Women are more likely to get it than men. Old people, small people and those with a family history of osteoporosis are also at higher risk for the disease. There are behaviors that can help prevent osteoporosis. Eating healthful foods, being physically active and avoiding tobacco and alcohol use are important. The importance of impact exercises However, one of the most important things that will protect you against osteoporosis when you are older is how much bone mass you get when you are young. The better your bone mass, the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis when you get older. According to several health websites, our bones are at their strongest between the ages of 20 to 30. Bones, like muscles, react to pressure. When bones experience increased impact or force, they grow new cells. So, it is important that children do high-impact activities like running, playing sports like basketball and volleyball and simple jumping. Jumping jacks and jumping rope are great exercises for a child’s bone growth. These impact exercises will help to build up bone mass needed later in life. Not all exercises help your bones As we said earlier, inactivity is bad for your bones. However, even people who exercise often can have low bone density. This can lead to osteoporosis. For example, meet bicyclist Dean Hargett. Every week, Hargett bikes more than 160 kilometers. This exercise is great for his heart, but it doesn't do much for his bones. Hargett was surprised when the doctors told him that he had low bone density. "It alarmed me. I don't want to have fragile bones. I want to be able to be strong and healthy throughout the rest of my life."   So, swimming and cycling might be great for your heart, but they do not do a lot for re-growing your bones. And even if you are very active and exercise often, that does not necessarily mean you have strong bones. Pam Hinton is a researcher in nutrition, exercise and bone health at the University of Missouri in the United States. Hinton studied how two kinds of exercises affected men’s bone health: resistance and jump-training. Resistance training is a form of exercise in which you work against force. The study took place over a 12-month period. The results showed that resistance exercises did more than just slow the rate of bone loss. "We actually saw an increase in bone mass with either type of exercise, so that was a very encouraging and exciting result." Bicyclist Dean Hargett is encouraged by the news. He now knows he has to do more than cycle to stay healthy. He also has a warning -- do not take bone strength for granted. In other words, do not make the mistake of thinking your bones are always going to be strong and healthy. "Don't take your bone strength for granted. They can wither just like any other part of your body." Exercises and food for healthy bones So, to help your bones stay healthy, the National Osteoporosis Foundation in the U.S. suggests doing weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises. Examples of high-impact weight-bearing exercises are: -     dancing -     hiking -     jogging/running -     jumping rope (other sites suggest simply jumping in place) -     stair climbing and -     tennis For muscle-strengthening exercises, they suggest: -     lifting weights -     using weight machines -     and lifting your own body weight.   And remember, what you put into your body matters too. Get enough calcium and vitamin D. New research shows that vitamin K may also be good for your bones. Good sources of K include dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach. Lower your salt use, too. Avoid soda and too much alcohol as well. Both can affect how your body uses calcium. And, if you smoke, quit. That’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.   Carol Pearson interviewed the people in this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo added additional reporting from a variety of health-related websites. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________ Words in This Story   literally – adv. in a completely accurate way a story that is basically true even if not literally true fracture – n. the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken; especially :  the breaking of hard tissue (as bone) impact – n. the act or force of one thing hitting another jumping jack – n. an exercise in which a standing person jumps to a position with the legs and arms spread out and then jumps back to the original position alarm – v. to strike with fear fragile – adj. easily broken or destroyed a fragile vase fragile bones encourage – v. to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope hormone – n. a natural substance that is produced in the body and that influences the way the body grows or develops wither – v. to become dry and sapless; especially :  to shrivel from or as if from loss of bodily moisture soda – n. US : a drink made of soda water, flavoring, and some type of sugar ________________________________________________________________ Now, test your understanding of this story with our short quiz.  

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May 1, 2017

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

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Lesson 1: Welcome!

Let's Learn English is a course for English learners. Certified American English teachers designed the course for beginners. There are 52 lessons. Every fifth lesson, there is a review of the previous lessons. Each week, there will be a new lesson with video showing the lives of young Americans. The lesson includes instruction in speaking, vocabulary and writing. There are also printable worksheets, assessments and lesson plans for individual learners and English teachers. We encourage you to follow the weekly lessons and share your progress with us through comments and email. Summary Anna moves to Washington, DC. She meets Pete at her new apartment.  Speaking Watch the video and record yourself. Listen to yourself. Then listen to the video again. Pronunciation In careful speech, we say words with a small break. In everyday speech, the sounds come together with little or no break. Watch the video to learn about how the sounds change. Practice the example. Conversation  Pete: Hi! Are you Anna? Anna: Yes! Hi there! Are you Pete? Pete: I am Pete Anna: Nice to meet you Anna: Let's try that again. I'm Anna Pete: I'm Pete. "Anna" Is that A-N-A? Anna: No. A-N-N-A Pete: Well, Anna with two "n's" ... Welcome to ... 1400 Irving Street! Anna: My new apartment! Yes!   Writing Introduce yourself in the Comments section. Download the worksheet to learn the alphabet and numbers. For a fun way to learn the alphabet, watch the alphabet video below.  Learning Strategy Each week we teach a new learning strategy. The first one is Set a Goal. ​ When we set a goal, we decide what we want to do or learn. You are studying English with VOA Learning English. What do you want to learn? Here is an example: Pat works at a coffee shop. She wants to greet her customers in English. She sets a goal: "In three months, I will feel confident in greeting customers in English." Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. Setting a goal is an important learning strategy because it gives you a strong reason to keep studying.  What is your goal for learning English this year? Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section. See the Lesson Plan for more details. Listening Quiz Check how well you understand the lesson with this quiz. Play the video and choose the correct answer. New Words apartment - n. a usually rented room or set of rooms that is part of a building and is used as a place to live. She lives in an apartment. meet - v.  to see and speak to someone for the first time. Pete meets Anna on the street. new - adj. not known before; recently bought or rented. Anna has a new friend. nice - adj. good and enjoyable . It is nice to see you. street  - n. a road in a city, town, or village. Anna lives on Irving Street. try - v. to make an effort to do something. Please try to say it again. welcome - interjection. used as a friendly greeting to someone who has arrived at a place. Welcome to America! _______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For more practice, each lesson has an activity sheet. In this lesson, you can use it to learn to say the letters and numbers.   For Teachers   ​Download a lesson plan for this lesson here. Let us know your thoughts about this lesson in our Comments section or send us an email. Grammar focus: BE + name in introductions;  BE + location Topics: Meeting people; Personal information;  Learning the Alphabet (Activity sheet);  Learning the Numbers 1-20 (video) Speaking & Pronunciation focus: Meeting people; Pronouncing linked sounds

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James K. Polk: Dark Horse

VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. James Knox Polk moved into the White House as the 11th president of the United States in 1845. Few had predicted that Polk would become president. Even he was surprised. Polk had come to his party’s presidential nominating convention nearly a year earlier with low expectations. But the top politicians, including former president Martin Van Buren, failed to win a majority of votes. Convention delegates tried again and again to agree on a candidate. Eventually, Polk was nominated. A small number of delegates supported him. Then the delegates voted again. This time, Polk received all 266 votes. He became the first dark horse candidate in U.S. history to be nominated by a major party. In other words, he was someone no one thought would win. But he did. Early life Polk was born in the southeastern state of North Carolina. When he was a child, his family moved west, to Tennessee. At the time, Tennessee had few white settlers. Some considered it the wilderness. Polk’s family did well there. His father became wealthy, buying land and enslaved people. His mother Jane, who followed strict, Christian religious teachings, gave her 10 children a good education. James was the oldest. He went to college, then studied law. When he was 25, he married an intelligent and wealthy young woman named Sarah Childress. The two never had children. But they worked together to launch Polk’s political career.   In time, Polk was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives, then the national House of Representatives. There, he developed a close relationship with President Andrew Jackson. Since Jackson was called “Old Hickory,” Polk became known as “Young Hickory.”  When Polk left Congress and returned to Tennessee to become governor, he supported Jackson’s banking reforms. But soon the U.S. economy collapsed. Tennessee voters failed to re-elect Polk as governor – not once, but twice. So Polk returned to his plantations and waited for a chance to re-enter national politics. In 1844, Polk traveled to the city of Baltimore to attend the Democratic Party’s national convention. He thought he could perhaps win the nomination for vice president. Instead, he became the Democrats’ candidate for president. Several months later, he narrowly defeated the opposing party’s candidate in the national election. Why Polk won Historian Robert Merry wrote a book about Polk’s presidency. Merry says one reason Polk won the election was the issue of Texas. Polk wanted to make Texas a state. He thought the United States could take possession of the area peacefully. The other leading candidates did not. Merry says the other candidates were right – the United States eventually went to war with Mexico. But Polk spoke for the American people. In the 1840s, many Americans liked the idea of expanding the country. They believed in “manifest destiny” -- the idea that God wanted America to expand west, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, and take control of the continent. As a result, many voters supported Polk and his promise to add Texas to the United States. Polk took another unusual position in the 1844 election. He said if he won the presidency, he would serve only one term -- that is, four years. (Several previous presidents had served two terms.) Polk told voters presidents might abuse their power if they held office too long. One term, he said, would be enough for him. But Robert Merry says there was more to Polk’s one-term promise. It was a political bet. Polk thought if he said he would serve as president for only one term, other party leaders might help him win. Then, those politicians could try again to win the presidency in four years, instead of waiting eight. He was probably right. If Polk had not made the campaign promise, Merry says, Young Hickory would not have won. Presidency During the first days of his administration, James K. Polk famously listed the four things he planned to do as president. He wanted to reduce taxes on imports. He wished to establish an independent treasury. He hoped to settle the dispute with Britain over the Oregon border. And he wanted to get California for the United States. Less than four years later, Polk had realized each item on his list. He is remembered for greatly expanding the size of the United States. He successfully negotiated with Britain for U.S. control over territory in the west up to the 49th parallel. The agreement gave the U.S. the current states of Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. Below those states lay California. An American government minister once described California as the richest, the most beautiful, and the healthiest country in the world. The official said the port of San Francisco was big enough to hold all the navies of the world. He said someday San Francisco would control the trade of all the Pacific Ocean. There was only one problem, from the point of view of the U.S. government. California was part of Mexico. At first, U.S. officials attempted to buy California from Mexico. But Mexican officials refused even to talk about selling California to the United States. Shortly after the U.S. Congress approved statehood for Texas in early 1845, Mexico broke relations with the U.S. all together. The following year, Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and clashed with American soldiers. In answer, President Polk asked Congress to declare war. He did not think the conflict would last long. He believed the U.S. declaration would quickly force Mexico to sell him the territory he wanted. Polk was wrong. Historian Robert Merry says the war with Mexico lasted longer, was more expensive, and cost more lives than he expected. But in the 1848 treaty that ended the war, Polk got the land he had wanted. Mexico recognized the independence of Texas, and it sold the areas that are now all or part of the states of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado and, yes, California. Legacy President Polk kept his promise to serve only one term. After four years, he retired from the presidency, traveled for a few weeks, and then returned to Tennessee to settle in a new home. Only three months after he left the White House, Polk died. He left behind a much larger country, but a divided one. The issue was again slavery. Southerners argued that they had the right to take enslaved people into California and other former Mexican lands. Northerners opposed any further spread of slavery. The question was this: did Congress have the power to control – or even ban – slavery in the new territories? I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.   See how well you understand this story by talking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer. ​ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   convention - n. a large meeting of people who come to a place for usually several days to talk about their shared work strict - adj. carefully obeying the rules or principles of a religion or a particular way of life plantation - n. a large area of land especially in a hot part of the world where crops (such as cotton) are grown manifest destiny - n. a future event that is sure to happen; a destiny that can be clearly seen and that cannot be changed bet - n. a choice made by thinking about what will probably happen parallel - n. any one of the imaginary circles on the surface of the Earth that are parallel to the equator and that are shown as lines on maps expensive - adj. costing a lot of money ill - adj. not well or healthy  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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How to Keep Clothes From Smelling Bad

When people exercise, their bodies sweat and their clothes get wet. And that means their clothes, like their bodies, can smell. This is especially true if they are wearing synthetic clothes—ones made of material not found in nature. These materials, like polyester, are designed to be lightweight, to move sweat away from a person’s body, and to dry quickly. But these clothes can keep that bad smell a body makes when it sweats. What causes the smell? Bacteria. For years, manufacturers have been making exercise and travel clothes with different kinds of anti-odor technology. Some add chemicals or put small holes in the garments to allow the sweat and smell to escape. Others use threads or small pieces of silver in the fabric. The goal is to make clothes that one can wear longer without having to wash them. That might not sound very pleasant. But it helps people who are carrying all their supplies for camping in the wilderness. Carl Botterud is such a person. For ten years, the California lawyer and his son have been camping in the High Sierra Mountains for a week at a time. Packing light, he did not want to take six pairs of underwear. “I was looking and found underwear that promoted its properties as comfortable, quick drying and doesn’t smell so you can wear it for multiple days while you’re out packing. So that sounded terrific. I bought a couple pair and they worked exactly as advertised.” Now he wears them every day at home too. “Now, when I’m at home I don’t wear them three days in a row, but they’re very comfortable when I exercise, going for hikes or long walks or going to the gym.” Silver kills bacteria and the smell Paul Westerhoff is a professor of Environmental Engineering at Arizona State University. He researched the effectiveness of silver in clothes to kill bacteria and how it impacts the environment. The study was published in Environmental Science & Technology last year. Researchers use zebrafish embryos to test whether a drug is toxic for humans. In the study, Westerhoff found the fish embryos were not harmed when exposed to silver in wastewater. He says silver is “quite toxic,” or harmful, to bacteria-- but not for humans. It is also used in bandages and food packaging. In clothing, silver releases ions that kill the bacteria, and the smell. Silver is used two ways in clothing. One uses a long thread of silver to cover a large area of the material. The other coats all the fibers with very small pieces of silver, called nanoparticles. They cannot be seen with your eye. Some of the silver gets washed away with the washing machine water. Researchers wanted to know if that makes the cloth less effective. So they washed the garments, many times. “Even after six and up to 20 washings you still kill over 99 percent of the bacteria, in most cases.” Westerhoff says the nanoparticle silver looks like a “better” choice. Much less silver is needed for each piece. That costs less, and there is less silver released into the wastewater. Impact of silver in the environment He is concerned about the impact of silver on the environment, but he says there is a process to take care of it.  “(But) we’ve done studies to show that most of this silver will go to a wastewater treatment plant where it gets removed with the bacteria/ and it’s pretty regulated in terms of where they go.” Now Westerhoff says he wants to find out if people really would wash their clothes less if they do not smell. Less washing helps the environment because less hot water is used, there is less wastewater and less energy is used to dry the material. Washing synthetic clothes less often would also mean less microfibers escaping with the wash water. Recent studies show that very small pieces of these synthetic fabrics come off every time they are washed. These microfibers are plastic, and are finding their way to rivers, oceans, into fish and even table salt in China. Both manufacturers and environmentalists are working to find solutions to this problem. Going back to wool Some people are going back to wearing more wool, a natural fabric, for outdoor activities. In the U.S., companies are making garments with merino wool—it is softer, lightweight and does not itch—or hurt your skin. Emma Walker is a writer and outdoor athlete. She says wool is “really comfortable” and does not smell. “I can wear a wool base layer next to my skin for days at a time without ever taking it off when I’m in the back country and it doesn’t itch.” And she says except for on the hottest summer days, she can still stay cool in wool. Rita Kourlis Samuelson works at the American Wool Council. Because bacteria are not attracted to wool, she says, it does not smell when you do. “You can wear wool and not wash it. I mean we have even had people wear a wool shirt for a hundred days, claiming that they’re odor free.” While they may favor one kind of fabric over the other, many athletes wear both wool and synthetics, depending on where they are, and what they are doing. I’m Anne Ball.       Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. See how well you understand the story by taking this reading quiz. ​ ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sweat – v. to produce a clear liquid from your skin when you are hot or nervous odor – n. a bad smell garment – n. a piece of clothing underwear – n. clothing that is worn next to your skin and under other clothing packing – v. when you take supplies in to camp in the wilderness terrific – adj. extremely good ion – n. an atom or group of atoms that has a positive or negative electric charge from losing or gaining one or more electrons nanoparticle – n. a microscopic particle regulate – v. to set or adjust the amount, degree, or rate of (something)  wool – n. the soft, thick hair of sheep and some other animals repellent – n. a substance that is used to keep something out or away

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Chinese Investing in Silicon Valley Companies

  American Mark Pavlyukovskyy created a company that provides materials people can use to build their own computer. Last year, when he was searching for people to invest in his company, he wanted someone who knew the Chinese market. Pavlyukovskyy did not have to travel to Beijing or Shanghai to find people knowledgeable about China. Silicon Valley in California is home to many Chinese with money to invest in small or start-up businesses.  Pavlyukovskyy was born in Ukraine. He now works in San Francisco. Last year nine people or groups invested $2.1 million in his company. One of the investors was a Chinese business based in Silicon Valley. Pavlyukovskyy said he was not just searching for investment money, but for people with “expertise and knowledge of the education market in China.” His company, called Piper, sells parts for a computer that children can build. Each computer kit sells for $299. The company has sold its kits to schools in Hong Kong. More than 150,000 kits have been shipped around the world. For the past 10 years, people and groups in Silicon Valley have invested in China as the country opened its markets and companies worked to expand there. But now Chinese companies are beginning to look outside China for places to invest. Chinese investors have already had an effect on the American real estate, energy and transportation sectors. But they have only recently begun investing in technology companies. Chinese investors looking for American creativity Now, Chinese groups and individuals are investing in Silicon Valley companies. It may take longer for these deals to be profitable than in real estate, but there is a greater chance to make a lot of money. David Cao was a computer programmer in Singapore before he launched an investment company in 2014. He says “this is the very beginning.” Chris Evdemon says many Chinese are investing in American companies because they believe more innovation is coming from the United States. In 2014, Evdemon launched Sinovation, the American part of Chuangxin, a leading Chinese investor in start-up companies. He has now invested in 38 new companies that deal with such things as robotics and education technology.  Chinese investors are interested in companies specializing in technology to improve digital entertainment. They also would like to invest in robotics, artificial intelligence and technologies related to the financial, health and education markets.  The U.S. Department of Defense is worried that technology that could increase America’s security may instead go to China. The department recently released a report about its concerns. The report questioned whether China and Chinese investors in Silicon Valley were gaining use of important technologies through their investments. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Michelle Quinn reported this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her 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   kit – n. a set of parts that are put together to build something real estate – adj. property consisting of buildings and land sector – n. an area of an economy; a part of an economy that includes certain kinds of jobs innovate – v. to do something in a new way; to have new ideas about how something can be done digital – adj. using or characterized by computer technology

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Young Immigrant Workers Unlikely to Move Back to Southern Europe

Young people who left Southern European countries to find work in Europe’s North are unlikely to move back home anytime soon. Thousands of young people moved north after an economic crisis hit their countries a few years ago. Unemployment rates in countries such as Spain, Greece, and Italy remain high -- between 25 and 45 percent. Roberta D’amore left her home in Italy in 2010. After completing her university education, it took her months to find a full-time job. Yet the job paid her only 500 euros a month. It provided no health care or other work-related benefits, like employer donations to a retirement plan. D’amore now works for an employment agency in Luxembourg. She has no plans to move back to Italy anytime soon. “Every time I go back the situation is worse when it comes to work opportunities,” she said. “It makes me sad that my country is not able to offer the young generation to start a life. If the situation would improve I could at least think about opportunities and go back.” Many of the unemployed youth from southern Europe move to major economies like Britain and Germany. Others go to smaller countries like the Netherlands and Belgium. Portuguese software engineer Jorge Lima says he moved to England because of the language. “There was little work in Portugal in my field and the work projects I get to work on here are much more interesting," he said. "Also the salary is more than twice as much. Most of my friends from Portugal have moved away to find better jobs.” Forced movement? Only three percent of Europeans live in a European Union (EU) member state different from their country of birth. Studies suggest the main reason is language barriers. For years, the EU has tried to ease restrictions on movement, but many young people going north feel their mobility is forced. More than four-million European youth were unemployed in 2016. A program called the EU Youth Guarantee was established to help Europeans under the age of 25 with employment and education. Yet a new report says the program “falls short of the initial expectations raised.” The Court of Auditors reported the findings. Matthias Busse works as a researcher at the Center for European Policy Studies. He says the Youth Guarantee had a good effect. But he believes the total number of unemployed youth remains too large. The European Youth Forum works with the EU and policymakers in support of young people on issues such as employment. The forum represents 100 youth organizations. They like the idea of the Youth Guarantee. But they also believe that more financial aid and less government involvement is needed to make such programs successful. Seeking reform Allan Pall of the European Youth Forum says the current situation could lead to what he calls a lost generation if no reforms are made. “We see that young people are more likely to work in precarious jobs, unpaid, or zero-hour contracts or sometimes not even having contracts,” Pall said. “We are now seeing that countries like the United Kingdom and Greece have legitimized paying young people below the minimum wage, just because they are young.” One Spanish job seeker in Brussels spoke with VOA, but asked that his name not be identified in this report. He feels Belgian businesses are more likely to offer employment to the country’s citizens than foreigners. The college graduate says he faces several issues, such as how to negotiate in his new cultural environment and not being able to speak the local language.  He feels that even if he cannot find a job within his field, he will stay in Belgium. “This is something that I discussed with my family before coming here, there is a chance I don’t find anything,” he says. “But it’s more worth it to being a Belgian waiter with a better salary and better conditions than being one at home. And that is a very sad thing to say.” The Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium assisted hundreds of Spanish people looking for work in Belgium and surrounding countries in recent years. Almost all were under 35 years old and 85 percent of them have a university education. Ramon Lopez of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce says it will be difficult to get these young people to return home. “In Spain, there were many qualified people for few jobs so the wages were quite low,” Lopez said. “When the people from Spain come here (Belgium), they are just happy with having a fair salary.” He adds the loss of educated, skilled youth means that the government now has to use public money to interest them in returning home. I’m Lucija Millonig.   Marthe Van Der Wolf reported on this story for VOA News. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   benefit – n. something that produces good effects; financial help; a service provided by an employer in addition to wages opportunity – n. a good chance for progress or forward movement salary – n. a fixed payment for services; wages initial – adj. of or related to the beginning of something precarious – adj. depending on the will or decision of another contract – n. a business agreement minimum – adj. the least amount of something; the lowest number graduate – n. someone who has successfully completed a study program We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

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