Mobile Phones Improve Farming in Pakistan

  Mobile phones and satellites are becoming valuable farming tools in Pakistan. A new program there uses satellite information to estimate how much water a field needs. The satellite then sends this information by text message to farmers' mobile phones. The program’s aim is to prevent the farmers from overwatering crops. A 2013 report from the Asian Development Bank says Pakistan has some of the most severe water problems in the world. The country’s water availability is similar to Syria’s, where a lack of rainfall has intensified civil war. Pakistan is only able to store water that can last up to 30 days. That is far below the recommended storage amount of 1,000 days. Several issues have led to Pakistan’s water crisis. They include climate changes, a growing population, local water mismanagement and a greater demand on farmers. Many fear the water crisis could weaken relations between Pakistan and India. The two countries share the Indus River. Turning off the water Many older Pakistani farmers received agricultural training several years ago, when water was more readily available. They know the risks that come with underwatering crops. But using too much water can reduce crop harvests. The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources found that rice farmers were using more than three times as much water as they needed. The council asked the Sustainability, Satellites, Water, and Environment research group, at the University of Washington, to get involved. The council wanted the research group to use science to help inform irrigation choices. Pakistan's program started with 700 farmers in the spring of 2016. By January, 10,000 farmers were receiving text messages with a water amount advisory. For example, one message read: "Dear farmer friend, we would like to inform you that the irrigation need for your banana crop was 2 inches during the past week." The messages come from a fully-automated system. It uses publicly available satellite information. It also uses models to compute how much water each farmer needs to irrigate. A national effort The council plans to expand the program for use across the country, and expects millions of farmers to participate. But first the system must be reviewed. The researchers want to know how easy it is for farmers to use, and how many follow the irrigation advisories. They also want to know how accurate it is and whether it saves farmers money. They are collecting responses from farmers over the phone. Faisal Hossain is with the University of Washington. He says he has not seen a report on the results yet. However, the group heard from one farmer in the program who said he was able to get about 700 kilograms more wheat than his neighbor. The farmer said he believes the irrigation advisories made this possible. Expanding the program may be difficult. The council may need to work harder to persuade farmers to trust the technology. Those working on smaller farms may not feel comfortable depending on mobile phone technology. Mobile phones are already very common in Pakistan, however. And last year the Punjab government announced that it would give out 5 million smartphones to farmers. I'm Alice Bryant.   Ben Thompson wrote this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   groundwater – n. water that is underground irrigation – n. the supplying of water by using artificial means, such as pipes automated – adj. run or operated by using machines or computers instead of people download – v. to move or copy a file, program, or other information from one computer or device to another computer or device accurate – adj. without mistakes or errors

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Meet the First American to Get a Gender Neutral ‘X’ License

Washington DC was the first city in the United States to issue gender neutral driver’s licenses and identification (ID) documents. The new policy went into effect June 27. It allows people to choose “X” as their gender if they do not identify as either male or female. Previously, Washington DC residents seeking a driver’s license or identification card had to choose “M” for male of “F” for female. This has also been the requirement in other American states. Earlier this month, Oregon became the first state to approve the “X” choice for people seeking a driver’s license or ID. Oregon’s new policy took effect July 3. Many countries allow people to choose a neutral gender on official documents, including passports. These include Australia, Germany, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and New Zealand. The U.S. government does not issue passports for people who identify as neither male nor female.  The new policies in Washington DC and Oregon allow people to report gender identification themselves. They no longer have to have a doctor or social worker confirm their choice. The first person in America to receive a gender neutral driver’s license was Washington DC resident Nic Sakurai. “I was really excited to get a government identification that legitimized who I am, that made me feel included and that my government sees me.” Sakurai does not identify as either male or female and chooses to use the pronoun they/them. Unlike some countries, the United States does not have a national ID, so the driver’s license is required for many uses. Sakurai said while some people might be confused when they see the “X,” it can be a good way to educate about the issue. “For me, it's the knowledge that I have the backing of my local government that they understand that there are more than two genders or sexes. And by displaying the document, I can use that to initiate a conversation.” One organization working closely with Washington DC officials on the change was the National Center for Transgender Equality. The group called the policy change a “tremendous first step” in recognizing a growing part of the population. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the new policy is in keeping with Washington DC’s commitment to improve rights for all members of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning of their sexuality) community. “The safety and well-being of all Washingtonians is my top priority,” she said in a statement. LGBTQ groups have said that allowing the “X” option on official documents will help reduce discrimination and raise awareness of gender identity issues.  In 2015, the National Center for Transgender Equality did a survey involving more than 27,000 transgender Americans. About 68 percent of those surveyed said none of the official ID documents they had included the name and gender they desired. Some said they experienced some form of discrimination when showing an ID that did not match the gender they presented. About 32 percent said they faced verbal harassment, assault or were denied service or asked to leave. Sakurai responded to criticism by some that gender neutral policies are an attempt to invent new genders that never existed before.   “These kinds of experiences are not new. And of course in many countries and cultures there's a long history of thousands of years of recognizing the existence of more than two genders - maybe it's three or four or five - or not having as strict of a gender system or way of thinking about gender.” Sakurai sees the gender “X” policy as a great step forward, but not something that will stop all problems related to discrimination. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn reported 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 visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gender – n. the state of being male or female license – n. official document giving permission to do something designate – v. choose someone or something for a particular purpose legitimize – v. make something legal or acceptable confused – adj. not able to understand or think clearly initiate – v. make something begin transgender – adj. of or relating to people who feel their true nature does not match their sex at birth harassment – n. to annoy, bother or attack someone assault – v. the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically strict – adj. not allowing rules to be broken  

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Rutherford B. Hayes: Middle-of-the-Road

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Rutherford B. Hayes. He took office in 1877 and was president during the end of what Americans call Reconstruction – the period following the Civil War. Hayes had a public image as an honest, dignified man. And even though he had ideas that were radical at the time, he supported moderate policies and measured change. One exception was alcoholic drinks. Hayes banned wine and liquor from the White House. Early Life Before Rutherford Hayes was born, his father died. Not too long after that, his older brother died, too. As a result, Hayes grew up mostly with just his mother and his older sister. Later, an uncle helped raise him, as well. As a boy, Rutherford Hayes was called “Rud.” He grew up on a farm in Ohio and spent his early years playing with his sister, who taught him to love books. Hayes was an excellent student, and in time he attended Kenyon College and Harvard Law School. Hayes started his career as a lawyer in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. He did not go into a field that made much money. Instead, he defended people who were poor or in difficult situations. He also courted the woman he would marry. Lucy Webb – like Hayes’ mother and sister – strongly influenced the way Hayes thought. ​ ​Hayes’ own views at the time were moderate. He drank alcohol, but not much. He opposed slavery, but he was not an anti-slavery activist. His new wife, however, was strongly against alcohol and slavery. She was part of social movements at the time to ban alcoholic drinks entirely in the United States. And she encouraged Hayes to defend not only the poor in his law business, but also runaway slaves. Together, Rutherford and Lucy Hayes formed an equal marriage committed to helping others. They were known for being friendly, informal and welcoming. They also went on to have eight children, five of whom survived to adulthood. Lucy Webb Hayes said her husband was “always calm” as a father, and took time even when he was president to care for his children. Election of 1876 Because Hayes had such a positive public image, it is ironic that the contest that elected him president was one of the most hostile in U.S. history. The full story is complex. But the general story is that Hayes was the Republican candidate, and Samuel Tilden was the Democratic candidate. Tilden won more popular votes across the country. But in the U.S. system, the majority of voters do not choose the president. Instead, a few electors in each state cast votes. In a way, then, the states choose the president. And in the election of 1876, three Southern states gave conflicting reports. It was not clear whether Tilden or Hayes had won South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana. Even though the election was held in November, the debate over the winner lasted until the following March – days before the new president was to be sworn in. One of the most serious accusations was that Democrats in the South had prevented many black men from voting. If those men had been able to vote, they almost certainly would have voted for Hayes. In the end, a special commission in Congress gave the votes in all three disputed states to Rutherford Hayes. His opponents pointed out that the majority of people on the commission were Republicans. As a result, they said, the new president had earned his position only because of party politics. They called him “Rutherfraud” and “His Fraudulancy.” But, in the end, Hayes was widely considered an independent president who operated outside of party loyalties. Presidency One of Hayes’ first acts as president was probably his most important: He withdrew federal troops from Southern states. The troops had been trying to protect the civil and political rights of African-Americans . But white Democrats disliked the federal government’s involvement in their affairs. Also, the troops were not very effective. So Hayes said that if Southern officials promised to obey the country’s laws protecting all people equally, he would end the federal government’s occupation of their states. The officials agreed, and the period known as Reconstruction officially ended. But, as the years went on, the rights of black Americans were increasingly violated. As a result, part of Hayes’ legacy is one of betrayal. His policy permitted systemic violence and racism to continue for decades. Another of Hayes’ important acts was to reform the country’s civil service. For the most part, members of Congress offered their political allies government jobs with good pay. But Hayes sought to change the rules. He wanted to give government jobs to the most able workers. While his goal was a good one, his action shocked and angered many members of Congress. The Democrats especially sought to weaken Hayes’ position by removing the president’s ability to veto their bills. Hayes fought back – and won. By the second half of his term, Hayes had restored some of Americans’ trust in government that had been lost under the two presidents before him, Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant. He had helped ease the tensions between the North and South. He had stabilized the economy. He had increased the power of the presidency in a mostly positive way. And he had prepared the way for major civil service reform. But Hayes is not remembered as an especially great president. He is often placed toward the middle – not one of the best, and not one of the worst. Some historians suggest that Hayes would be better remembered if he had stayed a second term and supervised some of the gains begun in his first years. But, Hayes had promised that he would serve only one term as president. So, true to his word, Hayes did not seek re-election. Final years Hayes had always believed that the best way to solve the country’s problems was to improve the education system. So, in his retirement, Hayes became president of two social welfare organizations. One aimed to provide a Christian education to blacks in the South. One of the people helped by that organization was the well-known writer and activist W.E.B. DuBois. Hayes also led a group aimed at reforming the country’s prison system. When he was 70 years old, Hayes fell ill. Although he had a big heart for children and for helping people, he died of heart failure. Afterwards, one of his sons began a new tradition in honor of his father. He established the first presidential library. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dignified - adj. serious and somewhat formal court - v. to act in a way that shows that you want or intend to get married encourage - v.  to make someone more determined, hopeful, or confident committed - v. willing to give time and energy to something informal - adj. having a friendly and relaxed quality positive - adj. good or useful ironic - adj. strange or funny because a situation is different from what you expected contest - n. a struggle or effort to win or get something decade - n.  a period of 10 years stabilize - v.  to stop getting worse  

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Science Shows Early Spread of Cats in the World

Researchers say cats may have started spending time with humans about 10,000 years ago. French scientists studied the DNA of 209 ancient cats from Europe, Africa and Asia. They included some ancient Egyptian cat mummies. DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. Its carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning and reproduction of all living things. The researchers were able to follow how ancient cats moved along the eastern Mediterranean Sea from Egypt through Turkey and what is Iraq today. Eva-Maria Geigl is with the Jacques Monod Institute in Paris. She says wild cats showed up for food. "It were (was) the first farmers that invented agriculture, and this means they accumulated grains, probably more and more, larger and larger amounts of grains, and these grains of course attracted rodents and the rodents attracted wild cats." Those wild cats may have moved in fast for the rats, but human- cat relations did not develop quickly. "So it was a commensal (two-way) relationship that started to get established, but it took certainly several thousands of years until the cat really became, came into a domestic context." A previous study had found that 9,500 years ago a cat was buried next to a human on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The island has no native population of felines, or cats. Researchers say that means the cat was brought there by boat, and suggests it had a special relationship to the person. So as humans sailed farther away from home, cats went along for the ride.  In ancient Egypt some of them were treated like royalty. They were buried with Pharaohs, or Egyptian kings. Mona Khalil is with the Egyptian Society of Mercy to Animals: "Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats in large and Egyptian cats specifically was very appreciated to the level of being worshipped and mummified just like what they did with the Pharaohs themselves for everything that had value for them." Cats made their way into paintings in Egypt about 3,500 years ago. Often painters placed them under chairs. Geigl says that shows that by that time, “the cat makes its way to the household.” Now move quickly ahead in time to the 1800s – to the time when people began breeding cats. That gives us all the different kinds we have today. But it has been hard for scientists to follow the process of domestication for cats. That is because fossil skeletons, the bones of cats, do not show whether the cat was wild or domesticated. The new study looked at the spread of specific cat DNA over long distances through time. It shows that people had taken cats with them as they traveled and explored the world. Results were released by the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Carlos Driscoll is with the Wildlife Institute of India. He says the study is the first large sampling of cat DNA going back so far in time. Researcher Geigl says they also found evidence that cats had been taken to Bulgaria by boat with the first farmers who colonized Europe. That evidence also appeared more than 5,000 years ago in Romania and 3,000 years ago in Greece. A second, different, genetic signature first seen in Egypt also reached Europe between the first and fifth centuries. It was found in a sample from a Viking trading port in northern Europe, as well as an eighth-century sample from Iran. The researchers said the cats were probably sent across the Mediterranean because they were useful in controlling rodents and other unwanted creatures on ships. The new research also shows that Persians, Siamese and Calicos have had a long and successful relationship with people, even if these cats act like they don't care. I’m Anne Ball.     Kevin Enochs reported this story for VOA News. Anne Ball adapted the story for Learning English with additional information from the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Now, test your undertstanding with this short quiz. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story mummy – n. a body prepared for burial in the manner of the ancient Egyptians wild – adj. (about animals) living in nature without human help or control rat – n. a small animal with a pointed nose and long thin tail commensal – adj. a relationship where two or more organisms are helped by living near each other domestic – adj. (about animals) living with people, where they accept the care of humans household – n. people in a family or group that live together in one home breed – v. to produce young animals by sexual reproduction

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North Korea Limits School Hours to Fight Drought

  North Korea’s government has reduced school hours so students can water crops affected by a drought. The drought is affecting the country’s farms, according to two unnamed sources. The sources also said the public is displeased with Kim Jong Un’s government. The public is frustrated that the government is spending money on missile tests instead of dealing with the drought. They told Radio Free Asia’s Korean Service that all students from high school and above are required to water crops for hours in the morning. Schools are starting later because of this. One of the sources is from the northern province of Yanggang. He said the drought is caused by one of the worst rain shortages in recent years. He also said the government’s efforts to water state-operated farms were not enough. Crops are being damaged by the drought. The source said the extra efforts to water crops began on May 10. He said there had been no rain for more than a month. He said, “We had a couple of showers in Yanggang but it was not enough to ease the drought.” The source said that parts of North Hamgyong, a province that borders Yanggang on the north, “didn’t have a single drop of rain” during the same period. He said that if there was no rain soon, “no farm produced crops can be expected.” He said that the people from the southern provinces of Hwanghae and Kangwon are not having the same problems. He said that, in the southern areas, there are reports of good rice harvests. But in his area there is serious damage to corn, soybeans and potatoes. A second source was from Chagang, a province that boarders Yanggang to the west. The second source told Radio Free Asia that farms in parts of his area were failing because of drought. He said corn stalks are completely dried out and the corn stems are almost not surviving on the collective farms. He said the drought was affecting the areas from Manpo, a city on the Yalu River near China, to Chongpo, a village about 16 kilometers northeast of the city of Kanggye. He said Chungang, a county 150 kilometers north of Manpo, was experiencing a more severe drought than Manpo. He said it is because corn is the county’s main crop. The first source said that corn was the most severely damaged crop. The source said, students were sent to an equal number of collective farms to help with irrigation. He said, “High school and college students have been mobilized for watering crops from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. each day, and their classes now begin from 11:00 a.m.” However, he added that the drought “cannot be fought with simple manpower.” He said using water containers to irrigate the crops is not effective. Instead, the source said, water pumps are needed to bring water from nearby rivers to farms. He said, for farms that are too far away, fire trucks should be used. He expressed anger that Kim Jung Un had fired a number of missiles while the people are physically suffering because they have to water crops. There have been at least five confirmed missile tests conducted by the government between May 13 and June 23. One source said, “The people are resentful of his actions and have expressed their frustrations by saying, ‘If there is money to fire missiles, it could have been used to combat more than ten droughts.’” I’m Mario Ritter. And I’m Olivia Liu   Sunghui Moon reported this story for RFA. Olivia Liu adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   drought – n. a severe lack of rain source – n. a person who offers information to the media frustrated – v. to be upset because of being unable to do something irrigation – n. the process of watering crops mobilized – v. to get a large number of people to do a task resentful – adj. to be angry at someone or something We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Dakar Fashion Week Brings Clothing Style ‘Back Where It Belongs’

  Fashion Week is a clothing industry event held in several major cities around the world that brings attention to clothing design and products. The cities hold their events at different times of the year. During those weeks, designers and other members of the fashion industry come together in places like Paris, Tokyo and New York. The events give creative people in those cities a chance to share their culture and new clothing styles with the world. Last week, Senegal’s capital, Dakar, held its Fashion Week. One of the biggest events was free to the public although it showed costly fashion products. The show is called the “Street Show.” It happens every year in an ordinary neighborhood of the city. Senegalese designer Adama Paris started the Dakar Fashion Week and created the Street Show. She told VOA it is her favorite show of the week because she gets to take fashion back to the streets where, she said, it belongs. The Dakar Fashion week has been happening for 15 years. Most of its shows are in large, costly hotels, and they often charge people a lot of money to attend. But the Street Show is open to the public. This year it was in a neighborhood called Niary Tally. Activity surrounded the outdoor area where the show took place. Across the street, public buses picked up and dropped off passengers. All around, clothing sellers sold their products. A man named Moussa Diouf placed his collection of shoes for sale on a wall next to the stage. A woman named Nicole Coly sold bright cloth from her small store on the street corner. Adama Paris said she loves that the Street Show can show young people in neighborhoods like Niary Tally what they might be able to do in the future. “For the years coming, I want this show to become more popular because it’s important to inspire the young people and come to this street with high fashion,” she said. More than 30 designers from nine countries attended Dakar Fashion Week. Eleven of them came to show their work at the Street Show. A few meters from where the designers and models prepared for the show, local tailor Al Hassane Diallo watched closely. The 25 year-old said he hoped to learn a lot from the event. “I see what is new. I see something that I didn’t know about before,” Diallo said. Two young women watching from down the street said they love Adama Paris for what she does. One of the two, Marie Beye, added, “[Paris] could have chosen a nice hotel [for this fashion show], but she loves her country.” As music played and the show started, children gathered close to the stage and cheered the different clothing designs. The people watching danced along to a French song called “Dressed Like Never Before,” while the models walked by in gold-colored clothing. Another designer showed unusual clothing that used a wax cloth common in West African clothing. It is most popular among young people in areas like Niary Tally. This year, 100 models took part in the street parade. That was more than in any previous year. “I don’t want to … just do a cheap or little show,” said Paris. She said she planned the Niary Tally fashion event to be just like any of the more costly ones. “I just want to do just actually what we’re doing in fancy places.” After the street parade, the fashion stages move to a costly hotel. But for one night, a neighborhood like Niary Tally has a chance to shine. I’m Pete Musto.   Ricci Shryock reported this story for VOA News. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Is there a Fashion Week in your country? What kinds of events happen during that week? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fashion – n. the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles outdoor – adj. done, used, or located outside a building inspire – v. to make someone want to do something model(s) – n. someone who is paid to wear clothing or jewelry in photographs and fashion shows so that people will see and want to buy what is being worn tailor – n. a person who makes men's clothes that are measured to fit a particular person wax – n. a hard substance that becomes soft when it is heated and that is used to make various products cheap – adj. of low quality fancy – adj. very expensive and fashionable

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Everyday Grammar: Native Speaker Mistakes

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Bringing an International Community to Roger Williams University

Editor’s Note: This story is part of a continuing series about international student life at colleges and universities across the United States. Please join us over the next several weeks as we bring you stories about international students and the American higher education system as a whole.   There were many things Miranda Rojas had never done in her life. Born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica, the 19-year-old had never been to neighboring countries in South America, let alone North America. She had never met a Muslim person. She had never even used public transportation. All of that would change once Rojas completed high school and came to study at a university in the U.S. in 2016. Rojas says when she was younger her parents were a little strict. But when it came to higher education, her parents wanted her to have as much freedom and independence as possible. They encouraged her to study at a university outside of Costa Rica, she says. Both of her parents were international students. Her mother earned a master’s degree at Marymount University in the U.S. state of Virginia. Her father earned an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and earned his master’s from the University of Pennsylvania. They wanted Rojas and her sister to see what the world outside their country might offer them, she says. But it was her father who pushed her to follow their path. "He loved his experience, and he learned a lot. He says it changed him. So he wanted that for us too. And they always, like, encouraged us to apply to universities, to take the SAT, take the TOEFL, go look at universities." At first, Rojas wanted to attend a large school for her undergraduate studies. She says she believed only a big school would have international students and American students of different races and backgrounds. So her first choice was Syracuse University in New York, a school of almost 22,000 students. But her high school guidance counselor asked Rojas to consider the more personal experience a smaller college or university might provide. In the end, she listened to this advice and chose to study psychology at Roger Williams University. Formed in 1956, Roger Williams is a private liberal arts school in Bristol, Rhode Island. The university has about 4,800 students. And the campus sits on the coast of Mt. Hope Bay, about an hour southeast of the city of Providence. In fact, beautiful water surrounds the town of Bristol on three sides. Rojas was a little worried about how white the student population at Roger Williams was when she first arrived. The U.S Department of Education’s College Scorecard states that about 73 percent of the students there are white. And Rojas thought that as a foreigner and a Latina, people would treat her like an outsider. However, Rojas quickly found friends among the international students she met through the Intercultural Center at Roger Williams. The Intercultural Center is an office at the school that helps international students with their academic and social lives. It offers study help and hosts special events. It is also a place for international students to relax with each other and their friends. Rojas says that through the Intercultural Center, she has made friends from all over the world. This includes people from countries whose people she never thought she would meet, like Rwanda and Saudi Arabia. And while she first thought her race or nationality would separate her from American students, she could not have been more wrong, Rojas says. She says that Americans are much less open to meeting strangers than people are in Costa Rica. Yet once her classmates started to learn she is an international student, they all were happy to meet her and had many questions about her life back home. However, for Qiming Li the main difficulty as an international student was not just making friends with Americans. He says he also struggled with being treated equally. Li is from Guangzhou, China. He came to the U.S. in 2009 to finish his last two years of high school at the private Darrow School in New York. Even though he had been living in the U.S. for three years, Li says his English still was not as strong as it could have been when he started at Roger Williams in 2012. Li says the students treated him differently because of this. Once, while working on a group project, the other members of his group tried to do his share of the work for him, he says. He believes they did so because they did not believe he understood his responsibilities. Li did not let this anger him. He simply told his group members that he was actually able to do the work himself. And ever since, he has seen the challenges of living in a foreign country and studying in a different language as a way of proving himself. In fact, Li completed his undergraduate degree in history in spring 2016. He then chose to start a master’s degree program in historical preservation at Roger Williams the following fall. Like Rojas, Li also says he owes a lot to the support he received from the Intercultural Center. He says the students and staff he has met through the center never judge him. And while he has faced some difficulties dealing with American students, he still has learned a lot from them. "If I did not came here … I think my views on a lot of things would be different. In this school you have students from everywhere, people from U.K., from South Africa. And you have people from the southern part, the west coast of the U.S. You kind of get an opinion of how everyone feels about different things." I’m Dorothy Gundy And I'm Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Richard Hindman and Lucija Milonig produced the video. We want to hear from you. How do you deal with being in a situation where everyone is totally different from you? What ways do universities in your country support international students? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   strict – adj. demanding that people obey rules or behave in a certain way encourage(d) – v. to make someone more likely to do something master’s degree – n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after one or two years of additional study following a bachelor's or 4-year undergraduate degree undergraduate degree – n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after four years of study apply – v. to ask formally for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan, usually in writing background(s) – n. the experiences, knowledge, and education in a person's past guidance counselor – n. a person whose job is to give help and advice to students about educational and personal decisions campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, or school academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education nationality – n. the fact or status of being a member or citizen of a particular nation challenge(s) – n. a difficult task or problem

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Five Countries Where People Have Confidence in Trump

Only one in five people in 37 nations are confident President Donald Trump will do the right thing when it comes to international issues. But the United States president enjoys strong support from people in five countries – the Philippines, Vietnam, Nigeria, Israel and Russia. The information comes from a recent poll of over 40,000 people living in 37 countries by the Pew Research Center of Washington D.C. In the Philippines, 69 percent of people said they are confident Trump would do the right thing when it comes to international issues. In Vietnam and Nigeria, the percentage is 58 percent. Former President Barack Obama had the confidence of even higher majorities in the three countries. Trump also has the confidence of a majority of people in Russia and Israel. In Russia, the percentage of people who believe Trump will do the right thing on international issues is 53 percent. That is up from 11 percent for Obama during his final years in office. In Israel, the percentage is 56 percent, up from 49 percent for Obama. The median percentage of people having confidence in Trump for all 37 nations surveyed is 22 percent, Pew reported. By median, Pew means there are equal percentages of people falling above or below the median percentage. Most support in Philippines It is in the Philippines that people gave Trump the highest confidence ratings. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Trump have enjoyed good relations. Both are known for strongly criticizing political opponents, even when doing so is controversial. In an April telephone discussion, Trump praised Duterte for doing an "unbelievable job on the drug problem," according to a Philippine government report of the discussion. Duterte is accused by international human rights groups of supporting a campaign of killing drug suspects in the Philippines. His government has denied the charges. But Reuters reported that almost 9,000 people were killed in the Philippines since Duterte took office on June 30, 2016. Many of them were small-time drug users and dealers, While a large majority of Filipinos has confidence in Trump’s ability on international issues, Pew said 68 percent disagreed with Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate change agreement. Vietnamese people show confidence in Trump People in Vietnam also show confidence in President Trump. Communist Vietnam has gone from being a Cold War enemy to an important ally to the U.S. in Southeast Asia. Both countries have shared concerns about China’s increased influence in the region. Vietnam and China have competing claims over the South China Sea,  but the disputes have grown worse in recent years. The U.S. has no territorial claims in the area. But the Trump administration has continued to send warships to protect freedom of navigation in the area. On May 31, Trump met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House. The two leaders announced new trade deals between the two countries. Vietnam's government also reported that Trump and Phuc agreed to increase defense ties and discussed the possibility of U.S. vessels, including aircraft carriers, visiting Vietnamese ports. Sale of U.S. planes to Nigeria Nigeria, like the Philippines, has also been known for strong, powerful leaders. Unlike previous presidents, Trump has rejected critics who charge Nigeria’s security forces with human rights violations. A few months ago, the Trump administration announced plans to sell high-tech airplanes to Nigeria for its campaign against Boko Haram Islamic extremists. I’m Bruce Alpert.   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   confident - adj. having a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something poll - n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something according - preposition, as stated, reported, or recorded by someone controversial - adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument high-tech - adj. relating to or using new electronic devices and technology drill - v. to make a hole in something with a drill to pull out resources such as oil and natural gas aircraft carrier - n. a ship big enough for airplanes to land and takeoff from its deck  

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What Is Your Body Language Really Saying?

Now, the VOA Learning English program, Words and Their Stories. On this program we explore words and common expressions in American English. We communicate most commonly, of course, with our words. But we also speak with our bodies. We call it body language. Sometimes, though, we need to describe our body language with words. That is what today’s show is about – talking about body language. Two types of body language have made their way into text messaging and social media language.           The most common is LOL. If we are LOL-ing, we are laughing out loud. That is what l-o-l stands for. And it is easy to know when to use this. If a friend writes something to you that is extremely funny – or hilarious – you can reply with a “LOL.” In conversation, though, it sounds weird to say the letters “L-O-L.” Here’s another one you might see in a text message from a friend. So, when someone nods their head up and down, that means they are in agreement. And if they shake their heads back and forth, it means they are disagreeing. Well, sometimes it does. Sometimes shaking one’s head means something completely different. For example, I might say I could only shake my head at his arrogance. This means that I couldn’t believe that he had said or done something so arrogant. In a text, email or social media post, you can simply type SMH. But just as with LOL, it doesn’t sound right in spoken English. Here is an example of how to use the full phrase “shake my head” in a conversation. I can’t believe how your friend acted at the funeral! When the preacher began speaking, she laughed out loud. It was so disrespectful. How do you think I felt? I was standing with her! I could only shake my head and cringe inside. It was so embarrassing!  If your friend is always behaving badly, you may just have to throw your hands up. This body language expression means that you realize that you cannot do anything to make a situation better. For example, let’s say you are teaching a roomful of young children when suddenly a dog runs through the classroom! The children jump up and start laughing and chasing the dog. You can’t do anything to quiet them down. So, you just throw your hands up and let them have fun.   Shrugging your shoulders is when you raise and lower them. As body language, it shows that you don’t care about something. But it can also mean that you are uncertain or perhaps just bored. For example, let’s say I am babysitting a friend’s child. At dinnertime, I ask the child, “So, do you want pasta or rice for dinner?” He doesn’t say anything. He just shrugs his shoulders. So, I made my favorite – pasta with tomato sauce! Rolling your eyes is another way to show you don’t care. This body language says that you don’t care AT ALL about what someone is saying. Eye-rolling is even more disrespectful than shoulder-shrugging. So, teachers and parents often criticize children for eye-rolls by simply saying, “Don’t roll your eyes at me!” Staying with the eyes, we come to raising eyebrows. Usually when we raise our eyebrows, our faces look as if we are surprised or shocked by something. But raising your eyebrows can also show that you disapprove of something. There is a certain amount of judgement in eyebrow-raising. Let’s hear it used in a short dialogue. Did you hear about Jack? During the weekly meeting with staff, he wore a head-to-toe clown costume.   Oh, that’s nothing. He lost a bet with his son and had to wear it. Well, it raised some eyebrows around the office. People are saying he isn’t serious enough to be manager. Wearing a clown costume is nothing to raise your eyebrows at. People should really lighten up! Now, when some people are nervous, they bite their nails. It may not be a good habit, but it has given us a useful word. Something, such as a game or a movie, that causes you to feel nervous because the ending is not known until the final moment is called a nail-biter! When talking about a sporting event, the opposite of a nail-biter is a blow-out. A blow-out is a game where one team out scores the other by a lot! Did you watch the basketball game last night? I did! What a great game. I know. I haven’t seen a game that close in a long time. It was a real nail-biter! The score was tied until the last 10 minutes! It was a much better game than last week. That game was a blow out. One team scored 68 points in the first quarter while the other didn’t even score one. Boring. And that’s all for this Words and Their Stories. Even though this program is not a nail-biter, we hope you’re not rolling your eyes or shrugging your shoulders with boredom. And we certainly hope your eyebrows aren’t raised in disapproval. But we do hope you give us a thumbs up, which -- of course -- means “good job.” I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Does your language have expressions for body language? Let us know in the Comments Section. The song at the end is "Body Language" is by Queen. ______________________________________________________________ Words and Their Stories   hilarious – adj. very funny arrogance – n. an insulting way of thinking or behaving that comes from believing that you are better, smarter, or more important than other people : arrogant – adj. cringe – v. to feel disgust or embarrassment and often to show this feeling by a movement of your face or body boredom – v. the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest : bored – adj. filled with or characterized by boredom habit – n. a usual way of behaving : something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way

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Rio Mayor Plans to Reduce Samba School Funding

Carnival is one of the most popular celebrations in South America’s biggest country, Brazil. And nowhere is the six-day celebration bigger than in the city of Rio de Janeiro. People across the city fill the streets with singing and dancing in the days before the Catholic religious observance of Lent. The festival includes parades and contests between the city’s top samba schools, known as the Special Group. But the Rio Times newspaper reports that the mayor may reduce the amount of money given to the city’s top samba schools by one half for the 2018 festival. Rio mayor Marcelo Crivella says the money would be used for the city’s childcare centers. City officials say the samba schools of the Special Group received about $8 million for the Carnival parades in 2017. Now, officials want to reduce that amount to about $4 million for 2018. Crivella said that people living in the city must decide whether they would rather use their resources for, in his words, “a three-day party or 365 days a year.” Jorge Luiz Castanheira is the president of The Independent League of Samba Schools, or LIESA. He said that Crivella promised to invest more money in Carnival, not less, during his campaign for mayor. He added that Rio’s economy depends on Carnival for tourism. He argued that hotels, restaurants and other economic activities create hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the city. LIESA wrote a more detailed response to the mayor’s announcement on their website. Crivella became mayor of Rio de Janeiro in January. He is a member of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. That religious group does not approve of Carnival. The mayor was criticized for not giving the key to the city to King Momo during this year’s Carnival. King Momo is the traditional figure of Carnival whose appearance represents the beginning of the celebration. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Jonathan Evans wrote this story based on reports from The Rio Times Online and O Globo news sites. Mario Ritter was the editor. ___________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   festival –n. a special cultural event marked by celebrations and gatherings revenue – n. money that is collected for public use by a government through taxes tourism – n. the business of providing hotels, restaurants, entertainment, etc., for people who are traveling

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