News Words: Catastrophic

When something is described as catastrophic, it will not be a good thing. Learn what it means in this week's News Words.

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June 15, 2017

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

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Love of Life by Jack London, Part Four

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June 14, 2017

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

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Apple Announces New Tech

  Last week was WWDC, Apple's annual conference about what is in the future from the company. Apple announced new devices and free software updates designed to make iPhones, iPads and Mac computers more useful. These updates include features that could make life easier, safer and more fun. iOS 11 iOS is the new operating system for iPhones and iPads. It will be available in the fall. Apple’s new “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature may make driving safer. When you turn on this feature in Settings, your phone will know when you are driving. You will not get notifications when this setting is turned on. If you try to use your phone, you will get a reminder that you are driving. People who call or send you a text message while you are driving will get a notice that you will respond once you stop driving. They will be able to try to contact you again so they can reach you in an emergency. Apple is giving people who make apps new tools to create augmented reality and virtual reality apps. Apple showed a Star Wars game that can be played using virtual reality. ​ Learn more at Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality – What’s the Difference? A new file system will be available in iOS 11 to make it easier to find documents, photos, videos and other files. With this new system, you will be able to find files from your iPhone, iPad, Mac computer and files from other services such as Dropbox and Box. iOS 11 will also add person-to-person payments in Apple Pay. Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, gets a new job as a translator. You will be able to ask Siri how to say something in one of five languages. At first, Siri will only be able to translate from English to Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. More languages will be added later. Apple’s Control Center will have a new look with more controls on one page. Press a section to perform jobs such as changing the volume of music or the brightness of your screen. The Notes app will get a scanner that lets you take a photo of a document. Notes will then crop the document and let you sign it, then send it off using the Mail or Messages apps. Messages will sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac computers so that when you delete a message in iMessage, it will be deleted on all of your devices. Apple Maps Apple Maps will include more information about the inside of shopping centers and airports. The app will let you know which lane you should be in to prepare for a turn while driving. Maps in iOS 11 will show you the legal speed limit for the road you are on. Apple Music Apple Music will get more social. You may able to see what music your friends are listening to and you can share what songs you are listening to in Apple Music. Siri will also learn what kind of songs you like. When you ask it to "play some music" it will play your favorite songs and suggest new ones. iTunes App Store The iTunes App Store gets a new look and better organization. Game apps will be separate from other apps in the store. The updated store will rate apps within each section so you can see which apps and games are most popular. There will also be a Today feature so you can discover the latest apps released that day. MacOS High Sierra Apple will be updating its MacOS operating system for Mac computers in the fall to High Sierra. The new file system in iOS 11 will be coming to MacOS High Sierra so you can manage files on your Mac computer and your iPhone/iPad, and keep them in sync. The Safari browser will be updated to make it the fastest Internet browser. It also will let you turn off autoplay for videos on websites. You will be able to use Siri on your Mac to play your music. The Notes app will be updated so you can save your most important notes to the top of your list of notes. You will also be able to add tables and charts to notes. iPad Pro Apple is introducing a new size iPad. The iPad Pro will now come in a 26.67 centimeter size instead of the 24.64 centimeter size iPad Pro. Apple says the new model is 30 percent faster than the older model. The screen is almost 20 percent larger than the earlier iPad Pro, which makes room for a full-sized keyboard on the screen. iOS 11 adding new features for this new iPad, such as drag-and-drop for files, links and photos. This new model has a 10-hour battery life, the same as the earlier model, in spite of its increased screen size. The Pencil, Apple’s iPad Pro stylus, will be able to do new things on the iPad Pro in iOS 11, such as opening Notes when you tap the screen with the Pencil. TvOS The Apple TV will be getting Amazon Video so Prime members can watch their favorites shows on it, such as Mozart in the Jungle, Transparent, and Man in the High Castle. Apple Watch WatchOS, the operating system for Apple Watch, will be updated to version 4 in the fall. This software will have new faces, including a Siri face that will show information according to the time of day. In the morning the Siri face may show your calendar appointments, weather and traffic to work. In the evening it may show the time of the sunset, stock prices and an alarm you have set for the next day. iOS 4 adds a flashlight. The Apple Watch will also become a more accurate fitness tracker with the 4.0 update. With the update, Apple Watches will be able to connect to fitness equipment at the gym to sync workout information for better accuracy. The Watch and gym equipment will share information such as heart rate, speed and distance. Learn more at Study: Fitness Trackers Accurate for Heart Rate, Not Calories Workouts can also be more fun. You can set music to start playing when you begin your workout. You may also get rewards when you meet your fitness goals. WatchOS 4.0 will be released in the fall. HomePod Apple introduced a new smart speaker called HomePod. This competitor to Amazon Echo and Google Home will please privacy fans. No information will be sent to Apple until HomePod hears "Hey, Siri." The HomePod is about 7 inches tall, as tall as an iPhone. ​ Some people on Twitter loved HomePod: ​ While others thought it looked like a certain hat: HomePod will sync with Apple Music. You can play Apple Music directly from the HomePod without connecting your phone. Ask Siri to play your favorite playlist or songs from an artist you like. Siri will be able to hear you even if the music is playing loudly in the room. The HomePod will be available in December for the US, UK and Australia and in more countries next year. I’m John Russell. And I’m Caty Weaver.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Catherine Kelly Weaver was the editor. Which of Apple's announcements were the most interesting to you? What else would want to see from Apple? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   operating system - n. the main program in a computer that controls the way the computer works and makes it possible for other programs to function reminder - n. something that causes you to remember or to think about something respond - v. to say or write something as an answer to a question or request emergency - n. an unexpected and usually dangerous situation that calls for immediate action augmented reality - n. an enhanced version of reality created by the use of technology to add digital information on an image of something virtual reality - n. the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment file system - n. the way in which files are named and where they are placed for storage and retrieval voice assistant - n. an application program that can understand natural language and complete electronic tasks for the user section - n. one of the parts that form something volume - n. the amount of sound that is produced by a television, radio, stereo, etc. scanner - n. a device that reads or copies information or images into a computer sync - v. update computers so the data is the same on both delete- v. to remove (something, such as words, pictures, or computer files) from a document, recording, computer, etc. lane - n. a part of road that is marked by painted lines and that is for a single line of vehicles browser - n. a computer program that is used to find and look at information on the Internet autoplay- v. a feature that lets a video play automatically when a website is open. table - n. a collection of information that is arranged in rows and columns chart - n. information in the form of a table, diagram, etc. drag-and-drop- v. a feature that allows the user to select an object on a computer screen and move it to a different place on the screen. stylus - n. a small tool that is used to write or touch buttons on a computer fitness tracker - n. a wearable device or a computer application that records a person’s daily physical activity, together with other data relating to their fitness or health, such as the number of calories burned, heart rate, etc. workout - n. a period of physical exercise that you do in order to improve your fitness, ability, or performance

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Could You 'Beat the Freeze?'

  This is What’s Trending Today… American Nigel Talton is a fast runner. He can run 100 meters in just over 10 seconds. And he can travel a distance of 200 meters in a little more than 21 seconds. Talton was a good runner in college. The 26-year-old thought if he ran just a little faster, he might have a chance at being chosen for the United States Olympic team. While he was not chosen for the Olympic team last summer, he is getting a lot of attention this summer. Talton lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he works for Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves. He is a member of the Braves’ grounds crew, which means he helps keep the field in good condition for the games. The work involves cutting grass and painting lines on the field. But Talton’s running helped him get another job at the team’s games. He puts on in a light green suit and places blue goggles over his eyes. He looks kind of like a movie superhero. And his job is to run. Fast. Talton is known as The Freeze. At some of the Braves’ games, he runs in an event called “Beat The Freeze.” The event is advertising for a local gas station that sells a frozen drink called a freeze. A baseball fan at the game is chosen to race against The Freeze from left field to right field. The chosen fan gets a big head start. In one recent game, a young man was about one third of the way across the field when Talton started running. When the fan neared the finish line, he started celebrating. He thought he was going to win. But Talton was catching up. With about five steps to go, the man looked over his shoulder and saw The Freeze. The fan was shocked, and fell down. He did not “Beat The Freeze.” A baseball fan posted video of that race on Twitter last Friday.    Since then, the video has received almost 200,000 likes and retweets. Sports broadcaster ESPN, The Washington Post and USA Today have written stories about Nigel Talton and the race. Any fan that beats The Freeze gets a prize worth $100. One fan did win, but that was because of a mix-up. Talton did not get the signal to start running. There are 20 more "Beat the Freeze" races left this season.   Talton told The Washington Post that after the baseball season ends, his goal is to earn a place on Team USA for the 2018 indoor track and field world championships in England. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from The Washington Post, USA Today and ESPN. George Grow was the editor. Do you think you could beat The Freeze? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   suit – n. clothing worn for a special purpose goggles – n. special eyeglasses designed to protect the eyes fan – n. a member of the crowd at a sporting event or musical performance head start – v. permitting one or more competitors to start in a race before other people

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Honored Social Activist and Blogger Charged in Vietnam

  A Vietnamese blogger, honored by the United States for her activism, has been officially charged by the government of Vietnam. Me Nam, or Mother Mushroom, faces three charges related to "conducting propaganda” against the government, VOA Vietnamese reported. Her given name is Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh. She has been detained since October 2016 and faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty. The law used against her has drawn international criticism for giving the government power to limit free expression. Several lawyers have offered to represent Quynh in court. Mother Mushroom was honored with America’s International Women of Courage Award in March. The U.S. State Department award recognizes the “courage and leadership” of women around the world. She was not able to attend an award ceremony in Washington led by first lady Melania Trump. A State Department spokeswoman praised Quynh for “exposing corruption, raising awareness about environmental protection and reporting on human rights violations in Vietnam.” Vietnam's foreign ministry criticized U.S. officials for giving the award to someone being investigated for violating Vietnamese law. Quynh also received the 2015 Civil Rights Defender of the Year award for speaking out freely against injustices and human rights abuses in Vietnam. Quynh began blogging as Mother Mushroom in 2006. She is also a founding member of the Vietnamese Bloggers Network. It is one of the few independent blogging groups in a nation where the ruling Communist Party tightly controls the media and writers. Among her recent campaigns, she blogged about the government's handling of a chemical spill at Formosa, a Taiwanese-owned steel plant in central Vietnam. The spill killed 80 tons of fish, embarrassing the Vietnamese government as images of dead fish along beautiful beaches were published worldwide. Thousands of protesters demonstrated at the plant and in cities throughout Vietnam. The April 2016 incident is widely seen as having raised environmental awareness and activism in Vietnam. The movement led the steel company to accept full responsibility for the fish kill. It also pledged to pay $500 million in damages for dumping toxic wastewater into the South China Sea. I’m Jonathan Evans.   An Hai reported this story for VOA Vietnamese. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   conduct – v. to carry out courage – n. ability to do something difficult or dangerous expose – adj. cause to be known, especially something secret or dishonest awareness – n. the state of knowing about something embarrassing – adj. make someone look foolish toxic – adj. containing something poisonous  

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Study: Opposition to Islamic State Rising in Indonesia

  A new study shows public opposition to the Islamic State (IS) group is growing in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country. The survey also found that a large majority of Indonesians hold negative opinions of the group. Saiful Mujani Research & Consulting, a Jakarta-based business, reported the findings. Its researchers spoke with 1,350 adults from across Indonesia between May 14 and May 20. Nearly 90 percent of those who had heard of the Islamic State (IS) group consider it a threat to the country. The researchers found that 92.9 percent of those questioned want IS banned. Ten percent of those who had heard of the group do not see it as a threat to Indonesia, and many have never heard of it. Two years ago, a Pew Research Center survey found that 79 percent of Indonesians had negative opinions of IS, while only 4 percent supported the group. For that survey, Pew spoke with people in 11 countries with large Muslim populations, including several in the Middle East and Africa. The Islamic State group has shown signs of expanding in Indonesia, which is home to 258 million people. But observers say the group does not have a future there. “This is very encouraging,” said Thamrin Tomagola, a sociologist at the University of Indonesia. “The survey makes us hopeful because the number of people who oppose ISIS is pretty big.” But he added that the government and the public must watch the Islamic State closely because it and other militant groups could weaken Muslim organizations in the country. In the southern Philippines, conflict between the military and IS-supported militants worries some observers. They fear that Islamist terrorism may be gaining strength in Southeast Asia. Countries there have made progress since the early 2000s in the fight against al-Qaida-supported groups, such as Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines and Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia. Greg Fealy is an associate professor at the Australian National University who studies terrorism in Indonesia. He said the IS terror threat in Indonesia has been rising since the middle of 2014. Azyumardi Azra is an expert on Islam and former president of the State Islamic University in Jakarta. He said that, unlike the Wahabi or Salafi movements, Indonesia’s inclusive form of Islam and multicultural society are too strong to be defeated by the ideologies of Islamist militants. “Islam Indonesia is an Islam inherent in the culture, and Indonesian culture is basically a tolerant culture,” Azra said. “Even if IS pushes itself on Indonesia, the people of Indonesia, according to history, will rebel.” Indonesian officials note that IS has repeatedly threatened to attack the country. The group claimed responsibility for attacks in central Jakarta in January that killed eight people, including the four attackers. The Islamic State has been seeking to increase its membership in Indonesia. The country’s terrorism agency reported that as many as 384 people had joined by January 2017. It says most of them have traveled to Syria or Iraq. Government reports last year suggested that as many as 169 to 300 Indonesians who fought for IS have returned home. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   VOA’s Noor Zaheed and Fathiya Wardah reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their 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   negative – adj. harmful or bad; not wanted encourage – v. to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen ISIS – n. shortened form of The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. multicultural – adj. relating to or including many different cultures inherent – adj. belonging to the basic nature of someone or something tolerant – adj. willing to accept feelings, habits or beliefs that are different from your own  

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Ivanka Trump Urged to Criticize China’s Detention of Labor Activists

  Labor rights activists say the case of three activists in China helps to direct attention on the country’s labor abuses and lack of enforcement of labor laws. Chinese officials detained the three for trying to investigate a factory that manufactures Ivanka Trump-brand shoes. Rights activists said Ivanka Trump could help change the labor culture in China if she speaks up about the case. Trump is the daughter of American President Donald Trump. She is also his assistant. The Ivanka Trump brand has yet to comment on the arrests. But the company confirms that shoes for the brand were made at the factory. The company said its last order was placed in March 2017. Rights activists are pressuring the Chinese government to give labor activists and investigators more power to uncover labor rights violations. The government has refused to release the three activists. It accuses them of using “illegal monitoring devices” and “interfering in the company’s normal operation and production activities.” The activists work for China Labor Watch, or CLW. The non-profit group has carried out similar investigations at Chinese factories for years. It said the government’s reaction to the investigation at the factory making Ivanka Trump shoes is the strongest in its 17-year existence. Li Qiang is the founder and head of CLW. He said he has pictures and videos that show Trump’s shoes have been made in factories owned by the Huajian Group for the past four years. He says labor abuses were reportedly uncovered at those factories. “We can prove that her products were manufactured in the factories and that many workers have been underpaid or forced to work overtime as well as a slew of labor abuses,” Li told VOA. The detained CLW rights activists are Hua Haifeng, Li Zhao and Su Heng. They worked in the Huajian factories between March and May, before their detention by Chinese police. In Li's words, “The brand has repeatedly boasted in overseas markets that their products comply with [strict] regulations.” “But now its advertising looks false." So, Li said, "[Trump] has to speak up [against the arrest of investigators] and shoulder some responsibility for the [Chinese] manufacturer’s violations of labor rights.” Li noted that labor costs are responsible for only one percent of the price of Ivanka Trump’s branded shoes, which sell for more than $100 in U.S. stores. Li said he has sent evidence to Trump and the U.S. State Department. He also said he expects her to call for the release of his investigators and to pressure the factories where her shoes are made to improve working conditions. Last week, the State Department called for the release of the activists and for China to give them a fair trial. The State Department also noted the work of labor activists in helping American companies understand conditions in Chinese factories. One industry expert told VOA that suppliers of costly goods can easily lose orders if they fail to meet requirements set by American companies. But the expert said that violations of workers' rights can be easily found in small- and medium-sized Chinese suppliers. The source added that the companies are dealing with strong competitors and must keep costs low. Keegan Elmer is a researcher at the Hong Kong-based China Labor Bulletin. He says labor violations happen throughout China. “It’s not just global brands. And it’s not just little tiny sweatshops. It’s really quite pervasive and it’s something that’s the nature of work in China these days,” Elmer said. He said the group’s Strike Map http://ift.tt/1cnic0t shows that there are thousands of worker strikes every year in China. The strikes are not limited to smaller businesses, Elmer noted. He said labor activists risk being jailed even if they have obeyed the law and followed the rules required to report labor violations. Elmer said industries and the Chinese government need to create a process that lets workers report abuses and help improve working conditions in China.   I’m Caty Weaver.   Joyce Huang 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   brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time device – n. an object, machine or piece of equipment that has been made for some special purpose overtime – n. time spent working at your job that is in addition to your normal working hours slew – n. (informal) a large number of people or things boast – v. to express too much pride in yourself or in something you have, have done or are connected to in some way shoulder – v. to deal with or accept (something) as your responsibility or duty sweatshop – n. a place where people work long hours for low pay in poor conditions pervasive – adj. existing in every part of something; spreading to all parts of something

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Gunman Injures US Congressman, Others on Baseball Field

A gunman fired shots at United States lawmakers Wednesday morning as they prepared for a baseball game. The shooting took place just south of Washington, DC, in Alexandria, Virginia. The lawmakers all belong to the Republican Party. There were injuries in the attack. Police said five people were taken to hospitals for treatment. Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise was shot in the hip, according to other lawmakers. Scalise is part of the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives. Congressman Mo Brooks of Alabama said he was working out with about 20-25 other members of Congress when he heard shots. Brooks told CNN television that he saw the gunman for only a second. He said the man fired at least 50 shots from a fence behind the third-base position of a baseball field. “I see a rifle, and I see a little bit of a body and then I hear another bam and I realize there’s still an active shooter. At the same time I hear Steve Scalise over at second base scream — he was shot,” Brooks said on CNN. The gunman was taken down by shots from security officers, one of whom continued firing after being injured, Brooks said. Police said the suspect is being treated for injuries. Brooks said he knew that if he could see the gunman’s face, “the shooter could see me.” He also said that Scalise was shot in the hip, and slowly moved into the baseball field’s outfield to get away from the shooter. “There is not a whole lot you can do,” Brooks told CNN. “It was emotional to know the position he was in.” Scalise’s office said doctors operated on the congressman at a Washington hospital. It said he is in stable condition. “Prior to entering surgery, (Scalise) was in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone,” his office said. The Trump administration released a statement from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol Police, first responders, and all others affected.” Later, Trump tweeted about Scalise’s injury. “Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.”   The Republican lawmakers were preparing for a baseball game Thursday against congressional Democrats. The two sides use the game to raise money for charity. I’m Jill Robbins.    Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on information from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and other sources. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   according – adv. as stated by or in work out – v. to exercise rifle - n. a gun that has a long barrel and that is held against your shoulder when you shoot it stable – adj. firmly established; not changing staff – n. the people responsible for the operations of an organization or business responder – n. a member of an emergency rescue crew charity – n. a goodwill gift for public purposes  

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Shakespeare Play with Trump-Looking Julius Caesar Draws Criticism

  The Public Theater’s production of “Julius Caesar” in New York uses the words written by playwright William Shakespeare 400 years ago. The difference is the actor playing Julius Caesar looks a lot like President Donald Trump. And, as anyone familiar with Shakespeare’s play knows, Caesar is killed in Act 3 by senators who fear he had become too power hungry. Laura Sheaffer has attended Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare plays in New York City’s Central Park for years. But she objected to seeing a character looking like Trump covered with blood in the assassination scene. As he dies, the actor delivers one of Shakespeare’s most famous lines, “Et Tu, Brute” -- meant to show Caesar’s surprise that his good friend Brutus joined his killing. Sheaffer says, “I don’t love President Trump, but he’s the president. You can’t assassinate him on a stage.” Her comments on a radio program brought more criticism to the play. Two Public Theater sponsors, Delta Airlines and Bank of America, responded by cutting funds to support the Public Theater. “No matter what your political stance may be, the graphic staging of ‘Julius Caesar’ at this summer’s Free Shakespeare in the Park does not reflect Delta Air Lines’ values,” Delta says in a statement. The Public Theater, which began performing plays nearly 60 years ago, defends the production. It notes the play has led to “heated discussions.” But it says that is “exactly the goal” of public theater.   Charlotte Canning is a drama professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Canning says the criticism would be understandable if the play suggests violence is acceptable. “But what the play does is show how awful violence is,” she says. “And things don’t work out so well for those who carry out Caesar’s killing.” Act 5 ends with Brutus killing himself with his own sword. Canning also notes that a recent production of “Julius Caesar” in Minnesota included a Caesar character that looked like former President Barack Obama. But the play did not draw the same criticism as the New York production. Free speech is part of the U.S. Constitution Robert Thompson is a professor at Syracuse University and an expert on popular culture. He says the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of free speech means critics of the “Julius Caesar” production cannot shut it down. But the issues raised by the production are “complicated.” Thompson wonders if the same message about the corrupting influences of power could be made without making Julius Caesar look like Donald Trump. In the play, Caesar’s wife speaks with a Slavic accent, just like Trump’s wife, Melania. On the other hand, Thompson says Shakespeare’s plays are sometimes difficult for modern theater audiences to understand. And making Caesar look like Trump makes the connections to political power more apparent. This isn’t children’s theater Laurence Maslon is the deputy director of New York University’s graduate acting program. He says no one should be surprised that a play by New York’s Public Theater might be controversial. Maslon says that one of Public Theater’s first shows, the rock musical “Hair” in 1967, drew heavy criticism. At issue were scenes with performers with no clothing and a scene in which young people burned draft cards to protest the Vietnam War. “The Public Theater is not the Little Red Riding Hood Children’s Theater,” Maslon says. In other words, the theater produces plays on serious issues for adults and not children. According to New York Times Theater critic Jesse Green, only three words were changed from Shakespeare’s original script in the Public Theater production. The production added three words: “On Fifth Avenue” to Shakespeare’s line “If Caesar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.” That line goes back to Trump’s successful run for president, when he said: "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters." Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, tweeted his objections to the “Julius Caesar” production. “I wonder how much of this ‘art’ is funded by taxpayers? Serious question, when does ‘art’ become political speech & does that change things?   The National Endowment for the Arts, which Trump wants to eliminate under his budget proposal, says it did not fund the production. I'm Bryan Lynn.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do  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   familiar - adj. frequently seen, heard, or experienced assassinate - v. to kill someone, often a famous or important person, usually for political reasons stance - n. a person’s opinion on a matter graphic - adj. often referring to things shown in an unpleasant, shocking or violent way awful - adj. extremely bad or unpleasant complicated - adj. hard to understand, explain, or deal with apparent - adj. easy to see or understand stab - v. a wound made by a pointed weapon such as a knife eliminate - v. to remove all funding for something

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