France Elects a Pro-European Union President

Observers are saying Emmanuel Macron’s election as president of France is a victory for Europe. The election was not close. Macron received 66 percent of the vote compared to Marine Le Pen’s 34 percent. The president of the European Commission congratulated Macron on Twitter. “Happy that the French have chosen a European future,” he tweeted. A spokesman for Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel called the result a “victory for a strong and united Europe”. Le Pen, the National Front candidate, had said during the campaign that she would withdraw France from the European Union. She also opposed open immigration policies and called for tough measures against terrorism and crime. The final, run-off election took place two weeks after 11 candidates competed in the first round of the presidential election. For the first time, none of France’s traditional parties were represented in the final vote. Socialist President Francois Hollande chose not to seek another term in office. Macron served in Hollande’s Socialist administration. But he started his own movement called En Marche! last year. Ben Haddad, a French analyst with the Hudson Institute in Washington D.C., says the 39-year-old president-elect represents a number of firsts for France. “This is the youngest French president ever who was virtually unknown three years ago, created his own movement from scratch just a year ago, and is winning in (a) landslide with an optimistic, reform-oriented, pro-European, liberal message.” Haddad told VOA that the election showed that the two main political parties in France did not find public support in this election. He said French voters are expecting something new. Macron has called for reforms to France’s economy including its job market to deal with the country’s high unemployment. He also called for reform of the EU. However, he will need to build support in the French legislature where his movement currently has no representation. Macron has no experience as an elected official. France stays pro-Europe Macron, however, has strongly supported the EU. European officials considered the French election very important because of Britain’s vote to leave the EU in June 2016. France is a founding member of the European Union and is the second largest country remaining in it after Germany. If France left the EU, it might signal the end of the huge multinational organization. The vote brought to an end one of France’s most divisive presidential campaigns. Marine Le Pen quickly conceded the election on Sunday. But, she promised to continue efforts to get voters to fight globalization and an open immigration policy. She promised to oppose the new president’s policies in the upcoming elections for the legislature in June. Le Pen led the National Front, a conservative party started by her father. In Sunday’s vote, she received a little more than one third of the votes cast. However, she received a much higher percentage than her father Jean-Marie Le Pen who ran for president in 2002. Marine Le Pen ousted her father from the National Front because of his extreme views. During the campaign she stepped down as party leader in an effort to increase her appeal. Fewer voters took part in the election than expected, possibly because of anger over the combative campaign and traditional politics. French officials said 4 million people submitted blank votes. Although Macron has won a big victory, he still faces critics both inside and outside the country. Britain’s Nigel Farage led the campaign to leave the EU in his country. He said Macron’s victory will guarantee that Le Pen will win in the next election in 2022. He said the French are not ready to leave the EU, but one day they will. I’m Mario Ritter.   Jamie Dettmer reported this story for VOA News with additional material from Victor Beattie. Mario Ritter adapted it with additional materials from AP. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   run-off election –n. a second election between the top vote-getters after an election in which no candidate received a majority virtually –adv. very nearly, almost completely from scratch –idiom from nothing landslide –n. overwhelming, blank –adj. without writing We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Lesson 4: What Is It?

Summary Anna is new to Washington, DC. She meets her friends to go out for coffee. Anna has many things in her bag. Speaking Pronunciation Often English speakers do not say the word "and" carefully. Watch the video to learn about this reduced form in American English. Conversation        Anna: Pete, hi! Hi, we are here! Pete: Hi, Anna! Hi, Marsha! Anna: Hi! Pete: How are you two? Marsha: I am great! Anna: You know, Pete, I am new to D.C. The city is big. Pete: Yeah. But you learn a little more every day. How's the new apartment? Anna: The new apartment is great! Let's get coffee! Marsha: Anna, do you have a pen? Anna: Yes. I have a pen in my bag. Anna: I have a … Pete: It is not a pen. It is a book. It is a big book. Anna: Yes. Yes it is, Pete. I know I have a pen, though… Anna: I have a .... Marsha: It is not a pen, Anna ... a toy? Anna: I have a .... Pete: And it is a pillow! Anna: Pete, Marsha, I know I have a pen.  Marsha: Anna, it is a map.  Pete: Why do you have a map of the world? Anna: Pete, Marsha. Now I know I have a pen. Pete: And now you have a lamp. Marsha: Anna. Anna: I have a pen! Let’s get coffee! Writing Download the worksheet. Practice writing the names of common objects. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. This lesson's learning strategy is focus. Use this learning strategy when you need to get information from listening or reading. Decide what you need to learn and pay close attention when you listen or read.  Here is an example of how to use focus: In the video, Anna has some strange things in her bag. Watch the video for this lesson and focus on the name of each thing she takes out of her bag. After you watch the video, try to say or write all the things in Anna's bag. If you cannot say five things, play the video again. Write a comment in the Comments section about how using this strategy worked for you. At the end of the video, can you write or say all the things in Anna's bag? Focus is an important learning strategy because it helps you learn new information more quickly. See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for more details on using this strategy. Listening Quiz See how well you understand the lesson by taking this quiz. Each question has a video. Play the video and choose the correct answer. _______________________________________________________________ New Words bag - n. a soft container used to hold money and other small things big - adj. large in size book - n. a set of printed sheets of paper that are held together inside a cover or a long written work coffee - n. a dark brown drink made from ground coffee beans and boiled water lamp - n. a device that produces light little - adj. small in size  map - n. a picture or chart that shows the rivers, mountains, streets, etc., in a particular area pen - n. a writing instrument that uses ink pillow - n. a bag filled with soft material that is used as a cushion usually for the head of a person who is lying down  toy - n. something a child plays with world - n. the earth and all the people and things on it   Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. For Teachers   ​See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar Focus: BE + Noun; Be + Adjective + Noun; BE + Not + Noun; HAVE + Noun Topics:  Greetings; Names of common objects; Negation _______________________________________________________________   Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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France Elects Macron, Rejects Le Pen

Voters in France have elected pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron as the country’s new president, rejecting the anti-EU, anti-immigrant policies of nationalist Marine Le Pen. Macron won 66 percent of the votes compared to 34 percent for Le Pen.

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Plastic Eating Worms May Cut Pollution

Researchers may have found an unusual way to reduce plastic pollution, one bite at a time. It turns out that the common wax worm can eat plastic. Also known as the   Galleria mellonella, these worms may help reduce the waste caused by plastic bags. Each year, one trillion plastic bags are used around the world. They are made from polyethylene -- one of the strongest kinds of plastic. The wax worm is the larvae, or young form, of an insect called the greater wax moth. These kinds of worms are also called caterpillars. Federica Bertocchini is with the Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria in Spain. She says researchers found that the larvae of the Galleria mellonella are able to biodegrade the plastic bags. To “biodegrade” means to break down by natural processes or bacteria. Accidental discovery They discovered this by accident, Bertocchini explains. She says the plastic bags holding the wax worms “became riddled with holes.” In other words, the bags had holes all over them when the worms were inside. Bertocchini, a beekeeper, says she made the chance discovery after removing the worms from beehives, where they live. She put the worms in a plastic shopping bag, which became full of holes. Bertocchini worked with other researchers from the Spanish National Research Council and Britain’s University of Cambridge’s Department of Biochemistry. She carried out timed experiments on the worms. She says the worms can “do damage to a plastic bag in less than an hour.” When 100 worms were placed in a normal British plastic shopping bag, the holes began to appear in just 40 minutes. After 12 hours, researchers saw “an obvious reduction in plastic mass.” They say a single enzyme produced by the worm is responsible for the chemical process that breaks down the plastic. They also found that the worms turned the polyethylene into a different organic compound called ethylene glycol. It is used in making polyester fibers as well as antifreeze for vehicles. It is not clear if the worms produce enough for commercial use. Plastic is not the worm's natural food Plastic is not the natural food for the wax worm. But the researchers say that since they lay their eggs in beehives, the larvae feed on beeswax. “Wax is a polymer, a sort of ‘natural plastic,’ that has a chemical structure that is not dissimilar to polyethylene,” Bertocchini says. Researchers say they still need to better understand how wax is digested, or processed, in the worm. Finding that out could lead to a solution for dealing with plastic waste. Bertocchini says they are planning to use this research to find a way to get rid of plastic waste. She says they are “working towards a solution to save our oceans, rivers and all the environment” from the problems of plastic waste. But, she adds, we should not throw polyethylene into the environment, “just because we now know how to biodegrade it.” The study was published in the journal Current Biology. I’m Anne Ball. And I'm Bruce Alpert.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English with material from VOA News and the Associated Press. 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. _____________________________________________________________ See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   biodegrade – v. to break down by natural processes or bacteria. riddle – v. to make many holes in with something obvious – adj. easy to notice or see organic – adj. of, relating to, or obtained from living things polymer – n. a chemical compound that is made of small molecules that are arranged in a simple repeating structure to form a larger molecule

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Can Facebook’s Deal with Vietnam Help it Get into China?

  Facebook has agreed to work with Vietnam’s government to block certain social media content the country says violates its laws. The deal came during a recent visit to Hanoi by Facebook’s Head of Global Policy Management, Monika Bickert. Facebook agreed to directly coordinate with Vietnamese officials to limit illegal or offensive material, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications. The company also promised to remove fake accounts and false information posted about senior government officials, the ministry said. According to Vietnamese officials, some accounts break laws against crimes such as violence and child abuse. Others are illegal because they violate the privacy of people and organizations. A ministry announcement quoted Bickert as saying Facebook was committed to working with Vietnam to jointly “build a healthy and safe online environment.” Vietnam has a history of restricting public comments that are critical of the government. In the past, Vietnamese police have arrested people for posting anti-government writings online. A Facebook representative told Reuters news agency the company has a clear process for governments to report illegal material. Requests to remove content are reviewed to make sure local laws and Facebook’s terms of service are followed. Facebook puts out public reports twice a year on government requests it receives. Some of the requests involve government investigations or criminal cases. Others seek to remove content that violates local laws. In its latest report covering a six-month period through June 2016, Facebook reported there were no Vietnamese government requests for content restrictions. Industry experts estimate Vietnam already has more than 35 million Facebook users. That number is expected to reach 45 million – nearly half the county’s current population - by 2021. Facebook’s agreement with Vietnam strengthens its position in one of Asia’s fastest growing economies. Will this deal help Facebook get in China? The company has also expressed interest in doing business in China – the world’s largest internet market with more than 721 million users. But getting approval will be difficult because China greatly restricts internet material. Just last week, Beijing announced new, stronger rules for online news content. ​ Rogier Creemers is an expert in Chinese policy and law at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He says Facebook’s deal with Vietnam could help its future efforts to enter China. “Certainly from the Facebook side, I think there will be a fair bit of effort to present this Vietnam deal as a potential precursor for a deal with China. The question is how the Chinese side will respond to that.” Creemers says China sees the internet as potentially a very dangerous place that needs to be policed. He said even the last U.S. presidential election showed some of the problems the internet and social media can cause. “The American election ironically just confirms that belief that social media can be a hotbed of fake news, uncontrollable information circulation beyond the bounds of what can be acceptable to a state.” Nigel Cory is a trade policy expert at the Washington-based Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. He says the Chinese government has successfully worked with social media services already operating in China. But Facebook may find it difficult to balance its business operations with many new rules it would need to obey. “The bigger question is establishing enough trust on both sides and enough understanding for Facebook of exactly what the parameters are that they would be able to operate in. And where the lines are drawn, how they're drawn, and how Facebook works with the local authorities.” Cory said other U.S. technology companies – including Google and Twitter – have also struggled to do business in countries that restrict speech and information. “The challenge Facebook is facing in Vietnam is similar to the challenge it and other U.S. tech companies are facing around the world, when responding to the concerns of local governments about material they host online. And it's a challenging one.” Google was operating in China but pulled out in 2010 after disagreements with Beijing over restrictions on content. In recent years, the search engine has reportedly held talks with China about returning to the market. Rogier Creemers said even if Facebook does get approval, he’s not sure how effective it will be competing against China’s existing social media services. “Is anybody waiting for Facebook access in China? There’s a couple of really good social network services out there. And Facebook would start from a position of considerable disadvantage. So even if it were allowed in China, there's no guarantee that it would be successful.” I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn reported on this story for VOA Learning English, with additional material coming from Reuters news agency and other sources. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think governments should have the right to restrict content on social media platforms such as Facebook? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   offensive – adj. very unpleasant, likely to make people angry or upset fake – adj. false, not true account - n. a company’s record of products or services used precursor – n. something that comes before something else and can influence an outcome later ironically – adv. something different from what is expected circulation – n. movement of information or things parameter – n. a limit that controls the way something is done disadvantage – n. something that makes a situation more difficult or less likely to succeed  

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Zachary Taylor: Brief

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Zachary Taylor, the 12th president. He took office in 1849.   Taylor had some things in common with earlier presidents. Like six others before him, he was born in Virginia. Like George Washington and Andrew Jackson, Taylor was a war hero. And, like William Henry Harrison, he died in office.  But Taylor brought at least one special trait to the presidency. Although he was officially elected as a member of the Whig party, Taylor considered himself an independent. Early life When Zachary Taylor was a baby, his family left Virginia. They moved west, to a tobacco plantation in Kentucky. There, the Taylors were financially successful. By the time Zachary was a young man, his family owned a number of enslaved people and over 4,000 hectares of land.  Taylor took possession of some of his family’s land. He also had cotton plantations in the southern states of Mississippi and Louisiana. He, too, depended on enslaved people to do most of the work. But Taylor was unlike many wealthy farmers in the South. He had always wanted to be a soldier. When Taylor was 24 years old, he became an officer in the U.S. Army.   Shortly after, he married Margaret Smith. In time, they had five daughters and one son. But Taylor directed most of his attention to his military career. For about 20 years, he tried to keep peace between Native American tribes and white Americans. Sometimes the job meant leading attacks against Native Americans. At times, it meant defending their lands from white settlers. In either case, his public standing as a good soldier grew. His troops called him “Old Rough and Ready” because he was willing to fight – and suffer – alongside them. Then, in the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, Taylor became really famous. He led U.S. troops to victory in several major battles, including ones at Monterrey and Buena Vista. In a well-known story, the powerful Mexican general Santa Anna surrounded Taylor and his small number of troops. Santa Anna sent a message demanding that they surrender. Taylor reportedly said: “Tell him to go to hell.” The two sides clashed the next morning. Santa Anna had about three times the men that Taylor had. Yet, by late that day, Taylor’s soldiers had defeated Santa Anna’s.   Taylor’s success as a general helped the United States win the war against Mexico. In the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico agreed to give up claims to or sell to the U.S. more than 1.3 million kilometers of its lands, including what are now the states of Texas and California. But the new lands almost immediately caused problems. Campaign of 1848 At the time of the next U.S. presidential election, public opinion in the country was severely divided. The issue was whether to permit slavery in the new lands won at the end of the war with Mexico. In general, Northerners opposed expanding slavery.    In general, Southerners supported it. To appeal to both these groups, the major parties at the time looked to Taylor to be their candidate for president. The Democrats and the Whigs reasoned that Taylor was already well-known and well-liked. Historian Michael Holt said in 1848, Taylor was “the most popular man in America.”   But Taylor was not really political. He called himself an independent. He shared some beliefs with both major parties at the time. But mostly he wanted to keep the nation together. In the end, he agreed to be the candidate of the Whig Party. During the campaign, he did not take a stand on any of the major issues. His fame as a military general carried him into the White House. Presidency The truth was that Taylor did have an opinion on slavery: He did not want to expand it, especially in areas that did not support cotton or sugar farms. So, once in office, he proposed a change to the rules about how new territories would become states. The change would let white, American, male settlers in California and New Mexico decide whether they wanted slavery. Then, those areas could enter the Union immediately as states. Taylor aimed to quiet the debate about slavery. But his idea angered almost everybody. Some U.S. lawmakers believed the president had cut them out of the decision. Northerners said Taylor’s proposal did not go far enough: It did not solve some of the other issues related to slavery. And Southerners realized that settlers in California and New Mexico would almost surely reject slavery, and give free states a majority in Congress. In one dramatic incident, some South Carolina officials called a meeting to discuss withdrawing from the Union. In answer, Taylor threatened to hang them. But before Taylor or his idea could get too far, the president became sick. The story is that he attended outdoor celebrations to mark the nation’s birthday, July 4. Then he went for a walk. The weather was very hot. To cool off, Taylor ate uncooked fruit and drank iced milk. That night he told others about pain in his stomach. Five days later, he was dead. His doctor wrote that Taylor died of cholera morbus -- a general term for severe digestive problems. A few people thought he might have been poisoned. The suspicion remained until 1991, when medical officials examined Taylor’s remains. They confirmed that he died of natural causes. A more recent study offers more details. Jane McHugh and Philip A. Mackowiak say that Taylor was a victim of the same problem that killed presidents William Henry Harrison and James Polk: dirty water in the White House. Legacy Taylor’s death, while unfortunate, did not cause a political crisis. John Tyler had already established the rule that, if a president dies in office, the vice president becomes president. But Taylor’s death did likely change the direction of history. His replacement, Millard Fillmore, did not try to hold the Union together by force. Instead, he joined with politicians who wanted to compromise on the issue. The compromise legislation delayed but did not really settle the debate. In time, the division between North and South led to the American Civil War. And members of Taylor’s own family became linked to the states that withdrew from the Union. One of his daughters had married Jefferson Davis, who became the president of the Confederacy. 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 taking a listening quiz. Play each short video and then choose the best answer. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   trait - n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another plantation - n.  a large area of land especially in a hot part of the world where crops (such as cotton) are grown hell -  n. the place where the devil lives and where evil people go after they die according to some religions; "go to hell" is an informal, impolite expression used to show that you are very angry with someone dramatic - adj.  greatly affecting people's emotions We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Severe Weather Could Worsen in Sahel

  The Sahel area in Africa has some of the most explosive storms anywhere in the world. Scientists often blame the severe weather for causing flooding and the spread of disease. A new report examines the effect of climate change on the area. It says slowly rising surface temperatures have caused the number of extreme storms there to triple in the past 35 years. The Sahel includes parts of 10 countries in western and north-central Africa. It extends from Senegal to Sudan. The United Nations says the Sahel has people living in poverty and rising population growth. It also faces food crises, armed conflicts and violence. U.N. officials are warning that about 30 million people in the Sahel will not have enough to eat this year. Scientists say climate is making things even worse by affecting weather. In one major Sahelian storm in 2009, more than 260 millimeters of rain fell in just a few hours. About 150,000 people in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, were forced to flee their homes. Christopher Taylor is one of the writers of the new report. He is a weather expert at the Britain-based Center for Ecology and Hydrology. Taylor led an international team of researchers who examined the link between Sahelian storms and rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere. He says large storms moving across Africa use humidity in the atmosphere for fuel. “The Sahara Desert has been warming up very rapidly in response to greenhouse gas emissions from around the world and that’s changed the difference in temperature across Africa. And these differences in temperature affect the wind fields, the wind patterns and, in turn, that affects the efficiency with which these storms can produce rainfall. And so, the warming of the Sahara has made these storms much more intense.” Taylor says the number of extreme storms has increased 200 percent in recent years. “In the early 1980s, we might have seen one of these every five days. But now we would see two in every three days. It’s a really strong change that we’re seeing.” Douglas Parker is a professor of meteorology at the University of Leeds. He helped write the study. “These storms go very high in the atmosphere. And again that’s what's really special about West Africa. They go up to 16 or 17 kilometers. The deeper they go, the more intense they are and usually the more rainfall they bring.” Parker adds that the storms are strong and cover a large area. “…they very often have a line of very heavy rain. And they sweep across with a line that is, you know, maybe several hundred kilometers from north to south. If these are approaching, then they cover a wide swath and they affect a lot of people.” Parker says while the number of extreme storms has tripled, the number of average storms has not. But he says even these average storms are powerful. The rain is needed because it provides water to grow crops. But Christopher Taylor says too much water can be just as harmful as too little. “The rain that’s falling is coming much more intensely. So, that can erode the soils. And also much of the rain runs off. So it doesn’t percolate into the soil, so the crops can’t make use of it. So, that kind of process is gradually making the rainfall less useful, if you like, for agricultural production.” Taylor says the study will be used to help people in Ouagadougou deal with climate change as the city quickly grows. New living areas are needed along with roads, water storage areas and other infrastructure. Experts says farmers must plant crops that can deal with the strong storms. Parker says this is important, because climate change will continue and will make storms in the Sahel even more extreme.  I’m Jonathan Evans.   VOA’s Joe DeCapua reported on this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his 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   triple – v. to make three times as great; to increase by 200 percent humidity – n. an amount of wetness, especially in the air rapidly – adj. quickly greenhouse gas emissions – n. carbon dioxide and other gases that scientists have linked to rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere efficiency – n. the amount of level of effectiveness meteorology – n. a science that deals with the atmosphere and weather conditions swath – n. a long, wide area or space erode – v. to eat away or break down run off – v. to wash away percolate – v. to become lively

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How Color Affects Humans Perception of Others

  Color could be considered a visual language. It can influence thinking and affect how humans act. Red can lead to anger, green can help create calm. Color can cause happy feelings, as well as sad. Some colors even cause a feeling of hunger! So how does color contribute to a person’s sense of identity and human social interaction? Student designers at The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, Maryland explored those questions recently at an annual fashion show. This year’s show was called ‘Hueman,’ spelled H-U-E-M-A-N. The name combines hue, another word for color with man as in human. Briana Arrington was one of the show’s organizers. “The name for the show reflects the way that we connect and it speaks to color playing a big part in our civil existence,” she said. More than 20 designers created the ready-to-wear clothing exhibit. Designer Grayson Gross calls her clothing line ‘Queens.’ She used bold colors for each model to create sharply individual silhouettes. “My line is called Queens. It’s about empowering queer people by putting them in clothes that are regal and royal looking like I put one of my models in gold because I thought it really emphasize their skin tone and the way they see themselves.” Gross said she wanted each model’s “magic to come off.” The second-year MICA student says she used only “queer” models and identifies herself that way, as well. She said she is “gender-fluid.” She says her fashion designs celebrate queer people all over the world.  “I really wanted to do something that talked about identity as it relates to my community and color is a really strong communicator about the person who's wearing those colors, it says something about you know how soft or bold or interesting they are.”         Student designer Calvin Chang’s fashions centered  on his support for gender equality. Born in Taiwan, Chang was taught that responsibility belongs to men. He created his line Power and Elegance to show that women are powerful. “This line is about breaking the stereotype of what women’s power suit should be.” Chang used different materials, prints and patterns in his fashion to show just how powerful women’s clothing can be. He uses exciting colors. He says people can express emotion through color. “I use like strong red, dark green. I use really bright yellow, I use really cold blue. Like I explore different colors that’s on the model that I know, I understand their mood…it actually all represents my model’s personality.” ‘Tension Underneath’ is a futuristic line designed by third year students Chelsea Lozano and Gina Fulton. The designers used sporty patterns, flowy fabric and even armor. They say their clothes are designed for underrepresented groups of people. “What we focus on our line is how people around this world can generally (have) aggressive things happen throughout their life and how they have to adapt to that, you know, and still exist in this society and progress through these problems.” Gina Fulton says the armor represents a mix of self-defense, color and versatility to protect the wearer’s emotions in oppressive environments. Each piece expresses a different emotion. “With our first design, it was more of a protective or defensive approach to it which is why we have the armor that kind of shield itself. And later on, we focus more on like the involvement of human technology and our interconnected growth which is why the final design was more of like clear, had more earthy colors to it. Had a lot of like green and blues hues because we want to signify kind of like the free-flowing form of nature and how man is also a part of nature and we use technology in a lot of these different ways.” Other MICA students used unusual objects in their designs. Colorful traffic equipment, foam, plastic and computers helped create many pieces at the HUEMAN show. I’m Marsha James. And I’m Dan Friedell.   Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   contribute – v. to give (something, such as money, goods, or time) to help a person, group, cause, or organization fashion – n. the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles line bold – adj. very noticeable or easily seen silhouette – n. a dark shape in front of a light background regal – adj. relating to, or suitable for a king or queen royal – adj. suitable for a king or queen: elaborate or impressive queer – n. homesexual person gender-fluid stereotype – n. an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic patterns - n. a repeated decorative design mood – n. the way someone feels armor – n. special clothing that people wear to protect their bodies from weapons versatility – adj. having many different uses We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Britain Hopes to Build Post-Brexit ‘Empire 2.0’

Britain wants to improve trade relations with African nations after it leaves the European Union. Some people have called the planned project ‘Empire 2.0’ because many African countries are former British colonies. However, some experts believe Britain’s attempt to build on past links with those African nations could meet resistance. They say exporters face years of uncertainty over future trading relations with Britain. British officials say leaving the EU will permit Britain to "go global" and freely trade with the rest of the world.  Britain claims the EU has prevented many of its trading goals. Kwasi Kwarteng is a British lawmaker whose family is from a country that once was a British colony.  He says that many people in former colonies have both good and bad memories of British rule. "My own family is from West Africa, Ghana, which is a Commonwealth country and was a former colony. And people have very mixed memories of the Empire. So to try and relive that past, I think, is a completely ridiculous and forlorn exercise." Britain’s history on the African continent includes many conflicts. One example was the Mau Mau uprising, a rebellion that took place in Kenya in the 1950s. But Kwarteng believes the old links established during British rule will aid new trade deals. "There's a vast world out there, nearly 80 percent of global GDP, which is outside the EU. And a lot of GDP is taken up by Commonwealth countries." Critics, however, note that almost half of British exports go to the European Union. Less than 10 percent of British exports go to Africa. To increase trade, Britain wants quick trade deals with developing countries. But Matt Grady with the fair trade organization Traidcraft says African nations should negotiate carefully with Britain, or the UK (United Kingdom). He says that "African countries have indicated that their priorities are regional integration and cooperation. So now is not really the time for the UK to be trying to negotiate deals with African countries that will undermine those priorities.” Grady adds that “decisions are being made now for two years down the line on uncertain conditions." This week, the head of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States called for a delay in talks. Patrick Gomes said that a free trade deal with Britain should be delayed until at least six years after Britain's exit from the EU. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Henry Ridgwell reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   forlorn – adj. not having much chance of success : nearly hopeless vast – adj. very great in size, amount, or extent indicated – v. to show or suggest that (something) is needed priorities – n. the things that someone cares about and thinks are important integration – n. to make a person or group part of a larger group or organization

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Everyday Grammar: Get

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Support for Public Universities Still Below Pre-Recession Levels

Public colleges and universities in the United States depend heavily on financial support from the states in which they are located. But a new report shows the level of support for these schools is still well below what it was ten years ago, before the great recession of 2008. The State Higher Education Executive Officers association, or SHEEO, released the report in April. It looked at the average amount of money per student each state in the U.S. gave to its public universities for the 2016 fiscal year. It also looked at the national overall average of state spending per student on public higher education. George Pernsteiner is the president of the SHEEO. He says the economic recession marked a difficult period for state funding of public universities. Only five American states, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming, are still spending as much or more on public higher education as they were in 2008. Overall, the national average of per student spending is still 17 percent below what it was since the recession. Historic support for higher education Pernsteiner says that state support of public higher education has long been an important part of American history. In 1862, the U.S. Congress passed the Land-Grant College Act. This gave federal lands to the states where they could build public universities to better educate their populations. Founding these schools meant the states were making an investment in their own future, he says. "The reason they do it is to improve their society and economy. An educated population is viewed as necessary for both civic engagement and for economic development and growth. ... So in founding them, they have taken some responsibility for their operation and their support." Some states have taken steps toward trying to get back to the pre-2008 levels of support for public colleges and universities. In fact, since 2012, the national average of state spending on public higher education began increasing. However, 2016 marked the first change in that trend. The national average of state spending for public institutions was $130 less per student in 2016 than it was in 2015. This marks the first decrease in four years. Why the decrease? Education spending in six large American states can greatly affect the national average. They are California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois. In 2016, the state of Illinois reduced its funding of public higher education by 80 percent. This decrease is so large that if the study had not included Illinois, the national average would have shown an increase. Larry Dietz is the president of Illinois State University, the oldest public university in the state. He says state funding normally covers 18 percent of the university’s budget. However, for the past two years, the state governor and the state legislature have been unable to agree on a state budget. This means public institutions in the state have only received the smallest amount of financial support possible. Dietz says his school has had to leave 120 non-teaching jobs unfilled because of the cuts. He notes that any state in the U.S. needs to consider what cuts like this mean for their local economies. Also, they should consider for how they are viewed nationally. "The overall question that elected officials really need to … answer is, ‘What do they want higher education … to look like in the future?’ When I was a student, I would say the entire system of education in Illinois was probably in the top five in the nation. I don’t know that we are anymore." Weighing other options Richard Ekman is the president of the Council of Independent Colleges, an organization that represents almost 700 private colleges in the U.S. He says states should allow students to use state scholarships at private colleges and universities. This would let more students make use of the opportunities in private schools that they might not otherwise be able to pay for. "State governments need to recognize if they have private colleges in their state with underutilized capacity, that the first thing they should do is to make sure that those institutions remain viable. If they do, chances are they will need to spend fewer tax dollars to keep higher education opportunities available for the residents of the state." Ekman notes that the first colleges and universities founded in the U.S. were private. Since most private colleges are in the north, he says, the states have built new colleges to serve the growing number of students in other parts of the country. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. How much do you think your government should pay to support public universities? What is the balance like between public and private universities in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   financial – adj. relating to money fiscal year – n. a 12-month period used by a government, business, or organization to count how much money is being earned or spent founding – v. to begin or create something that is meant to last for a long time society – n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values civic – adj. relating to citizenship or being a citizen engagement – n. the act or state of being involved with something institution(s) – n. an established organization scholarship(s) – n. an amount of money that is given by a school or organization to a student to help pay for the student's education underutilized – adj. not fully used capacity – n. the ability to do something viable – adj. capable of being done or used

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