Everyday Grammar: Adjectival Infinitives + Thing, Stuff, A Lot

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College Admissions: Identifying Helpful Resources

  It is never too late to ask for help. This advice can be useful for anyone in their day-to-day life. It can also be important for someone hoping to get a college education one day. Seeking admission to a college or university can be a complex process. There are so many things to consider. Some of the decisions you make can affect the rest of your life. In the United States, most college applicants are high school students. Many are 17 or 18 years old. One might ask how anyone at that age could know exactly the kind of field they want to work in for the rest of their lives? Do they even want to work in the field they plan on studying? So how do young people begin to make the first big step when applying for college? Charlie Leizear of Occidental College says his first suggestion to students is to look for help anywhere they can find it. Leizear is the director of first-year admission at Occidental, a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California. Leizear says there is a lot of information available to students about how to both choose a college and apply for admission. For one thing, he tells students to think about using their personal connections. If friends or family members have attended a college, they can be great people to ask about their experiences, he notes. Also, most high schools in the United States and many other countries employ guidance counselors for this exact purpose. A big part of the job of a counselor is asking students what they want to do after high school. They ask these questions to help students decide if college is right for them, as well as identify what a student might want to study. Then counselors often help students find schools that might meet their needs and help them prepare application materials. But Leizear admits that in many countries, higher education is not a possibility for most people. So some students may not know anyone who can answer their questions about college. This is especially true if the person is hoping to continue their education overseas. Also, high schools in many countries may not have guidance counselors. So where do students at these schools turn for help? One resource Leizear suggests is Education USA, a program supported by the U.S. Department of State. This program has offices in more than 170 countries. Education USA has offices in U.S. embassies around the world. Other offices are connected with local non-profit organizations, or even at universities. Education USA offers non-U.S. citizens advice and information about American colleges and universities. For example, most schools require students to take some form of standardized test. This test shows a student’s level of academic performance. Also, in the case of international students, it shows their English ability level. Education USA explains to students in foreign countries how and where they can take standardized tests. The program also helps international students apply for visas so they can live, study and possibly work in the United States. And, perhaps most importantly, Education USA helps students find ways to pay for their education. Leizear says paying for higher education can be the biggest barrier to college students, both in the United States and overseas. The College Board is a non-profit organization working to expand access to higher education. It reported that the cost of attending four-year colleges reached record high levels in the 2016 to 2017 school year. Most U.S. colleges and universities offer students some form of financial assistance. But Leizear notes that during the economic recession of 2008, many schools faced financial difficulties. American stock shares and other investments shrank in value, so families had less money available set aside for education. Most of the aid schools had to offer went to Americans, not international students. Many schools began requiring international students to pay the full price as a way of balancing the cost of supporting domestic students, Leizear notes. And some schools increased the number of students from wealthier nations they admitted since these families could bear that cost. However, Leizear adds, as the economy recovered, colleges and universities began to change their financial aid policies. He says some schools continue to spend a lot on research or athletics programs. Yet many schools, like small liberal arts colleges, for example, see international students as valuable because of their skills and the activities they are involved in. And these schools have begun to offer such students large amounts of aid to become more appealing. “It has taken some time for a lot of colleges and universities to look at international students beyond as just the bottom line, to look at international students as actually contributors to [their] communities,” Leizear told VOA on Skype. He says the Internet is a great resource for identifying such schools. He suggests looking for lists of colleges and universities with financial aid for international students. For example, every year two independent college counselors, Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy, publish one such list that is freely available. Finally, once a student has chosen the school he or she wants to attend, Leizear says there is still one more resource available. That is other international students. If an applicant calls a university’s international student office, it will often connect the applicant with a current student from their part of the world. “Current students are often more than [happy] to tell [future students] about their application process and can be great resources without charging fees,” Leizear said. “And I think that’s where a lot of students find great value, … in getting the real story.” Leizear warns college applicants against using services that ask for money and offer guaranteed acceptance into top schools as a resource. Often these services cannot actually follow through on their promises. I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Pete Musto reported this for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What other helpful resources do you know of for finding and applying to colleges, either in your country or the United States? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   admission – n. the act or process of accepting someone as a student at a school applicant(s) – n. someone who formally asks for something, such as a job or admission to a college liberal arts – n. areas of study, such as history, language, and literature, that are intended to give you general knowledge rather than to develop specific skills needed for a profession guidance counselor(s) – n. a person who gives help and advice to students about educational and personal decisions resource – n. a place or thing that provides something useful standardized test – n. any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a consistent manner academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education access – n. a way of being able to use or get something financial – adj. relating to money bottom line – idm. a company, school or organization's profits or losses contributor(s) – n. someone who gives something, such as money, goods, or time, to help a person, group, cause, or organization

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Seeing an Eclipse Is Good! Being Eclipsed Is Not

  Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. On this program we explore the origin and usage of common expressions in American English. We always give examples or dialogues using the expressions. Sometimes we even use the words in a short story. All of these can, hopefully, teach you how to best use the expressions. For today's word we turn our eyes toward the sky! There is one natural event that many people want to experience during their lifetime -- an eclipse! Whether solar or lunar, partial or total, these astronomical events bring the movement of our solar system a little more to life. Solar, as we know, means “relating to the sun." So a solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth. A dark circle either completely or partly covers the sun as a result. Lunar means “related to the moon." So, a lunar eclipse is when the moon looks as if it is completely or partially covered with a dark circle. That happens when the moon passes behind the sun, in its shadow. Some ancient cultures considered an eclipse a sign that the world was ending. Other cultures viewed it as a battle between different animals in the sky as they try to eat up the moon or sun. Another cultural belief was that an eclipse was a time for deep thought and thinking about the past. The word eclipse comes from a Greek word meaning "to leave," "to abandon," "to forsake a usual place" or fail to appear." Ancient Greeks thought of an eclipse as a time when the sun abandoned the earth. In simple terms, an eclipse happens when a planet or satellite blocks the light of the sun. So, it is not surprising that we also use "eclipse" in the same way when talking about other things besides the sun, the moon and the earth. In conversation, when one thing eclipses another it makes it less important or popular. For example, television eclipsed radio in the 1950s as the most popular form of home entertainment. When one person eclipses another, they do something better. For example, a younger child might hate it when her older sister's school and sports success eclipses her own. The older sister outshines the younger one. This usage of eclipse is not only used when talking about people. Things can also eclipse other things, as in this sentence: The popularity of the company’s new product quickly eclipsed all its earlier products. Many synonyms of eclipse deal with light and casting shadows, like in the example of the older sister outshining the younger. If a person or a thing outshines another, the light they give off is so bright that no one notices anything else. You could also say the older daughter cast a shadow on her younger sister. Or you could say the younger sister was living in the shadow of her older sister. Now, let's hear how we use eclipse this way in everyday conversation. Let's listen as two people talk as they wait in line to audition for a Broadway musical. Are you ready for your singing audition today? As ready as I’ll ever be. The song I’m singing is my favorite and I know it really well. I'm sure you'll do great. By the way, I'm Corrine. Corrine Mayfield. I'm Steve Stravinski. Stravinski? Wait. Are you any relation to Doug Stravinski?! Yeah. He's my older brother. Get out! His performance in Les Miserables was amazing. Critics are still talking about it! Wow! Doug Stravinski. What is he working on these days? An album. His fourth album. That is just awesome! It will probably be another number one seller! So, what's it like being his brother? Great. Just great. It must be tough living in the shadow of Doug Stravinski! I don't think about it ... you know, until someone brings it up. Oh, I'm so sorry. But it's just that ... well, he's so amazing and famous. He casts a really big shadow! Yes. Look, do you mind if we don't talk? I really need to prepare for my audition. Of course. Of course. It's so typical, isn't it -- an older brother or sister eclipsing a younger one. They get to try everything first and do it longer. So, they're usually better -- usually the shining star in the family! Hm-hmm. Listen to me! I'm doing it again, aren't I? I am sure at this audition you are going to outshine everything your brother Doug has done on stage. Yep. Thanks. Next person! Hello I'm next. Name? Steve Stravinski. Stravinski? Wait, are you related to Doug Stravinski?! THE Doug Stravinski?! Oh man, he's amazing! I saw him in this show ... And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories! Do you use the word "eclipse" like this in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section. I'm Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. The song at the end is Bonnie Tyler singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart." ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   astronomical – adj. of or relating to astronomy shadow – n. a dark shape that appears on a surface when someone or something moves between the surface and a source of light abandon – v. to leave and never return to (something) forsake – v. to give up or leave (someone or something) entirely conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people : the act of talking in an informal way entertainment – n. amusement or pleasure that comes from watching a performer, playing a game, etc. synonym – n. a word that has the same meaning as another word in the same language casting – v. to send (something) out or forward : The fire casts [=gives off] a warm glow. The tree cast a long shadow on the lawn. audition – n. a short performance to show the talents of someone (such as an actor or a musician) who is being considered for a role in a play, a position in an orchestra, etc. — often + for get out - informal exclamation : used to express disbelief. tough – adj. difficult to accomplish, resolve, endure, or deal with typical – adj. normal for a person, thing, or group : average or usual shining star – n. the best

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Breastfeeding Center Helps Ugandan Lawmakers with Work, Motherhood

The World Health Organization (WHO) says breastfeeding is very important for the health of babies. WHO officials say mother’s milk should be the only food given to babies during the first six months of life. They advise that breastfeeding should continue in children up to two years of age. But that can be difficult for working mothers around the world. In Uganda, parliament is supporting the act of breastfeeding by providing a free day care center for female lawmakers and the women who work for them. Uganda’s parliament has more than 150 women legislators. Many of them are at the age when they can give birth. Because of this, parliament members, including male legislators, have taken steps to help female members deal with their full-time job and motherhood.  Legislator Taaka Agnes Wejuli sends her four-month-old son to the parliamentary day care center. “When I am coming very early, I don’t even have to bathe my baby. I just get him out of sleep, put him in his car seat, lock the vehicle and we run up to here…I attend committee meetings. I attend (the) plenary in the afternoon, so I am always there, all the time.” The Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, opened the parliamentary center almost two years ago. The center has a room with cooking equipment, areas for babies to sleep and play, and a room for breastfeeding mothers. This room, Kadaga says, has helped female lawmakers stay active in parliament and solved many problems for them. “In the past, one would either have to leave parliament and go back home, depending on where she lives, that would take time,” said Kadaga. “Either she would have to do part of the work, or abandon the work altogether and come back tomorrow because the traffic alone, if you are traveling back and forth between the city and your home, it takes time.” Two women supervise the center, which is open to both parliamentarians and the women who work for them. Sheeba Namara takes her three-month-old baby to the center. She says it is good to know her child is so near. “Just the comfort of being at work yet at the same time knowing that your child is safe and you can walk in anytime, is really the best service that could ever do.” The World Health Organization rates countries on policies that support breastfeeding in its Global Breastfeeding Scorecard. It says Uganda is among 23 countries where more than 60 percent of babies are fed only their mother’s milk during the first six months. Ugandan health officials say there are still many things that can be done to help mothers. These include enacting policies aimed at supporting breastfeeding and babies’ health. Officials also say policies to let women more easily balance work and family responsibilities are also needed. I’m  Anne Ball.   Halima Athumani reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bathe – v.  to wash (someone) in a container filled with water : to give a bath to (someone)​ plenary – adj. describing a full meeting of all members of a group abandon – v. to leave suddenly or without notice afternoon – n. the middle part of the day​ back and forth – adv. between two places or people​ comfort – n. a state or feeling of being less worried, upset, frightened, etc., during a time of trouble or emotional pain​ We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Reporter’s Arrest Increases Concerns about Bangladeshi Law

  Abdul Latif Morol's problems started after he wrote on social media about a dead goat. Morol, a Bangladeshi journalist, had reported on a donation from a government official. The official had given a number of farm animals to a rural community southwest of Dhaka, the country’s capital. One of the animals, a goat, had quickly died. “Goat given by the state minister in the morning died in the evening,” Morol wrote. A pro-government newspaper correspondent accused the journalist of insulting the official under Section 57 of Bangladesh's Information and Communications Technology Act. Arrested two weeks ago, and later released on condition that he return for a hearing, Morol's case made news because of its strange nature. His case puts light on the use of the law against Bangladeshi journalists and the shrinking space for media freedom in the country. Journalists arrested under "Section 57" law The Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star reports that at least 25 journalists have been accused of violating Section 57 since March 1. Violators can face a sentence of up to 14 years in prison. Last month, the Editors' Council called for the law to be overturned. Zafar Sobhan is with The Dhaka Tribune newspaper. He noted that "Section 57 of the ICT Act is a serious problem." However, he explained, even if the government cancelled the law, other measures could be used against the news media. The goat story was "especially silly," Sobhan said. But he added, "it points to a fundamental problem: that no one knows what is within bounds and what is not." Iftekhar Zaman, the head of Transparency International Bangladesh, said the law went against constitutional guarantees and international calls for freedom of expression. Zaman noted that history has many examples of "how such controls of fundamental freedoms turn out to be counterproductive in the long run for the proponents of such." Rights agencies criticize Bangladesh Amnesty International documented the difficult environment for journalists three months ago in a report. The group noted incidents of harassment of reporters. The restrictions are taking place at a time of rising Islamic fundamentalism. At least six writers and activists have been killed in Bangladesh since 2013.  In addition, rights groups point to reports of secret detentions and forced disappearances, some of them involving opposition members and activists. Last month, Human Rights Watch said there were 48 reported disappearances in the first five months of 2017. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has generally dismissed criticism related to rights abuses and media restrictions. Last October, the prime minister reportedly said, "there is enough freedom for journalism in Bangladesh right now." Last month, she defended Section 57 and warned against its misuse, saying it was not meant to be used against journalists. The Daily Star reported her statements. But considered together, the problems facing Bangladesh suggest a shrinking democratic space. "Media freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, there's a link to the state of democracy," said Badiul Majumdar, the Secretary of Citizens for Good Governance. Sobhan, the Dhaka Tribune editor-in-chief, noted that his newspaper is critical of extremism, "but we have to be cautious." He said that some criticism of the government and law enforcement is acceptable, but "there are definitely lines one cannot cross." "At the same time," he added, "one can't simply take the safe route, as then we would be doing our readers a disservice, and who would read such a newspaper, anyway?" I'm John Russell.   Joe Freeman reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   journalist – n. a reporter or other member of the news media fundamental – adj. forming or relating to the most important part of something silly – adj. showing a lack of understanding; not serious or meaningful counterproductive – adj. not helpful : making the thing you want to happen less likely to happen harassment – n. the act of annoying or bothering (someone) in a constant or repeated way  

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UN Officials: Libyan Unrest Harming Children

  The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says more than 500,000 children in Libya are in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance. The UN agency notes that migrant children passing through Libya are especially at risk of abuse. Competing governments have sought to control the North African country since the fall of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in October of 2011. There is no sign the fighting, displacement of people and economic problems will end anytime soon. Libya is a stopping point for African migrants on their way to Europe. Many go there in hopes of finding a boat to take them across the Mediterranean Sea. But UN officials say the crisis in Libya has affected a large number of children. Geert Cappelaere is UNICEF’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. “In Libya, we estimate today a third of the population is under the age of 18,” he said. “Two million children do live in Libya of which a quarter — 500,000 — are estimated by UNICEF to be facing dire humanitarian need.” Cappelelaere says conditions in Libya have affected children in many ways. “The access to schools has been hampered. But (this) also, definitely, has affected the quality of the education children are having,” he says. “We have important numbers of children usually in conflict situations that have been suffering of a type of social consequences of the conflict. Children that have been separated from their families.” UNICEF says 315,000 children in Libya need help getting an education. In addition, the group says 200,000 need access to safe drinking water. Adding to the difficulties are tens of thousands of migrants from countries south of the Sahara desert. They are fleeing conflict, drought and poor economic conditions. Many have crossed the desert with the goal of reaching Europe. However, crossing the Mediterranean usually involves working with smugglers, who often put too many people into small, weak boats. The International Organization for Migration reports that about 117,000 migrants have arrived in Europe this year. However, the group also notes that more than 2,400 have died trying to get there. Cappelaere says migrant children face many dangers. “We see an important number of these children arriving in Libya separated from their families,” says Cappelaere. “Being unaccompanied. We know that several hundred of these children have ended up and are ending in detention facilities.” The aid group Oxfam is made up of many charitable organizations. On August 9, Oxfam released a report about the problems facing migrants leaving Libya. The report presents migrant stories of killings, rape, torture and detention in Libya. In one example, a Senegalese teenager was reported to have said he was kept in a room that was full of dead bodies. Cappelaere says the children of migrants often face abuse. “Children are, of course, very much exposed to violence and exploitation by those who are trying to make big money out of the migration crisis. So, children who are affected by migration are indeed particularly vulnerable,” he said. However, the UNICEF official says there have been some successes in Libya. About 1.4 million children have been vaccinated against polio by UNICEF and its partners, including some Libyan national groups. Cappelaere praises the health workers in Libya, especially those who continue working after their medical centers have been attacked. UNICEF plans to have all its international staff working full-time in Libya by October. The crisis had forced many workers to leave or operate out of Tunisia. Cappelaere says the increase in workers would permit UNICEF to assist 1.5 million children. But, he notes, the agency needs additional money to carry on its work. He says UNICEF has asked for $15 million for Libya this year, but remains about six million dollars away from that goal. I’m Mario Ritter.   Joe De Capua reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   migrant – n. people who move from place to place, usually for economic reasons dire – adj. causing fear or worry hamper – v. to interfere with, to slow down access – n. permission or ability to enter or use something consequences – n. results of some action smuggler – n. someone who takes things or people from one country to another secretly or illegally unaccompanied – adj. not with anyone else, alone facilities – n. building or equipment used for a specific purpose vulnerable -adj. easily hurt emotionally or physically staff – n. the workers responsible for the operations of an agency or business We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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August 18, 2017

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

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Why Some Americans Are Still Fighting the Civil War

  General Robert E. Lee, who led the Confederate Army during the United States Civil War, died in 1870. But in some ways, he lives today. Americans are having a heated debate about whether to remove statues of Lee and other Confederate heroes from public places. In comments to the press on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that by removing them, “You’re changing history. You’re changing culture.” Trump did not explain what he meant by “culture.” But a recent poll of Americans found that 54% of Americans overall see Confederate statues as symbols of Southern pride. The poll also found that about a quarter of Americans see the statues as a symbol of something else: racism. Unlike any other country in the world… The U.S. has at least 700 statues honoring the Confederacy across the country. They recall the U.S. Civil War of the 1860s. In that conflict, 11 Southern slave-holding states withdrew from the Union. They formed their own government, called the Confederacy. The Confederacy protected the rights of states to make their own laws, including those permitting slavery. At the time, 90 percent of black people in the U.S. were enslaved. After four years of bitter fighting, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered and effectively ended the Civil War. The Confederate states re-joined the Union. And, about three years later, the country approved an amendment to the Constitution that legally ended slavery across the country. Minisha Sinha is a historian at the University of Connecticut. She says Americans’ monuments to the Confederacy are unusual for several reasons. First, Sinha says, “unlike any other country in the world, the U.S. actually has statues commemorating people from the South who committed treason against the U.S. government.”    Second, she says, the Confederacy was based on the belief of white people’s superiority over black people. For example, the vice president of the Confederacy, Andrew Stephens, wrote, "Our new government is founded upon … the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.” As a result, says Sinha, Confederate heroes are not innocuous markers of American history. “In fact, these figures represent a short-lived nation that was in rebellion against the United States, and that really stood for slavery and white supremacy.”   The Confederacy in the 20th century But in the decades following the Civil War, some Americans’ perceptions of the Confederacy changed. In 1915, a woman writes why she has joined an organization called the Daughters of the Confederacy. The writer describes a Southern culture, or way of life, characterized by bravery, honor, glory, and lady-like behavior. She says she is honoring her ancestor’s struggle in the Civil War. She writes, “I do not consider the cause which he held so dear to be lost or forgotten. Rather, I am extremely proud of the fact that he was a part of it and was numbered among some of the greatest and bravest men which any such cause ever produced.” Historian James Oliver Horton was a professor at George Washington University. He says historians in the later 20th century find overwhelming evidence that slavery really was a central cause of the Civil War. In his essay The Civil War Remembered, Horton writes, “When southern whites in the 19th century spoke of the ‘southern way of life,’ they referred to a way of life founded on white supremacy and supported by the institution of slavery.”​ Most Confederate monuments were not built after the Civil War Modern historians find additional evidence that public statues of Confederate forces are more complicated than they might appear. Notably, most Confederate monuments were not built immediately after the Civil War. The majorities were built at the turn of the 20th century and in the 1950s, when some white Americans were protesting strongly against increasing the civil rights of black Americans. Historian April Holm at the University of Mississippi writes, “Most are not ‘Confederate-era’ monuments, as I have seen them called.  These are primarily Jim Crow-era monuments. “Jim Crow” refers to laws and sanctions aimed at ethnic discrimination, especially against African-Americans. As an era, it lasted from the late 1800s to the mid-1950s. This dispute is not new The dispute over whether to remove Confederate monuments from public places has flared up many times in Americans’ public conversation. In 2015, lawmakers in South Carolina – which had been the first state to withdraw from the Union in 1860 – voted to remove the Confederate battle flag from its Capitol grounds. The decision followed the shooting of nine African-American people in a South Carolina church by a young white man. The shooter said he was motivated by his anger at African-Americans. Polls this week suggest very few Americans who want to preserve Confederate memorials support extreme racist views. One woman who rallied last weekend to keep the statue of Robert E. Lee in a public park told the New York Times that she and her friends were simply “gun-loving defenders of free speech … who had no interest in standing with Nazis or white supremacists.” What might be more important in America's different perceptions of the Confederate monuments is political affiliation.  Democrats are about evenly divided on keeping or removing the statues. But a majority of Republicans – the party to which President Donald Trump belongs – are strongly in favor of keeping the statues in place.  Interestingly, one opponent of memorials to the Confederacy is Robert E. Lee himself. Several years after the Civil War, he warned against raising monuments to the Confederacy. He wrote, "I think it wiser not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife.” I'm Caty Weaver.   Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   negro - n. old fashioned term to describe a black American. It is no longer used in modern American English. innocuous - adj. not likely to offend perception - n. the way you think about or understand something flare up - v. to happen suddenly and unexpectedly

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Terrorists Again Using Vehicles to Carry Out Attacks

Once again, terrorists have used vehicles to carry out deadly attacks – this time in Spain. At least 14 people were killed in two attacks in different areas. More than 100 others were injured. On Thursday, a van struck a crowd on a busy street in the Spanish city of Barcelona. The attack took place on Las Ramblas, a road leading from the center of the city to the coast. The area, which has many stores and restaurants, was filled with people enjoying a summer day. Police said the driver of the vehicle fled on foot.   The second attack happened early Friday about 130 kilometers south of Barcelona in the seaside town of Cambrils. Attackers drove a passenger car into a crowd, killing one person and injuring at least five others. Police said they killed five attackers after the incident in Cambrils. Spanish officials said it appeared the attackers had explosives tied to their bodies, but the bombs turned out to be fake. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the latest violence. Officials said at least four suspects – three Moroccans and a Spaniard – were arrested. One of the arrests was made in Alcanar, a town south of Barcelona. Police said one person was killed in an explosion at a home there on Wednesday. The area is being studied for possible links to the other attacks. Police reportedly believe people at the home may have been “preparing an explosive device.” Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the latest attacks showed that the fight against terrorists is a “global battle.” He noted that, in his opinion, terrorism is Europe's biggest problem. The killings in Spain followed several deadly attacks in Europe in recent years, several of which also involved vehicles. In June, three attackers drove a van into people walking on the London Bridge. The attackers then stabbed people in nearby bars. A total of eight people were killed and more than 40 others injured. Another attack in London took place in March near Britain’s parliament. In that incident, a car struck people walking on Westminster Bridge. Five people were killed and over 20 others injured. One of the dead was a policeman, who had been stabbed. In April, attackers used a truck to kill five people in Stockholm, Sweden. In December 2016, another truck drove into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 12. Five months earlier, an attacker drove a large truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice. Eighty-six people were killed.   A vehicle also was used last weekend to attack protesters in the American city of Charlottesville, Virginia. A man described by a former teacher as a supporter of the American Nazi Party drove his car into the crowd. One woman was killed in the attack. Two Virginia state policemen responding to the violence died in a helicopter crash. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on stories from the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fake – adj. not real, false bar – n. place where people go to socialize and drink  

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'From the Cabby's Seat,' by O. Henry

  We present the short story "From the Cabby's Seat," by O. Henry. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.   The cabby has his own special place from which he looks at life. His view of people is simpler, perhaps, than the view of a man who does any other kind of work. From the high seat of his cab, he looks down upon everybody. People are not important to him unless they wish to go somewhere. Then they are only something to be carried from one place to another. You may be a president or you may be no one, but to a cabby you are only a fare — only someone who rides in his cab for a price. You get into his cab, he shakes you a while, and he puts you down. Then the time for payment has arrived. If you pay him the lawful amount and no more, you can easily see what he thinks of you. He thinks you’re less than nothing. If you discover suddenly that you have no money with you, you will wish you were dead. It is probably true that the cabby’s view of life is formed by the shape of his cab. He sits up there on his seat, high as a god. The seat is small; no one shares it with him. While you are in his cab, your future is in his hands. You are helpless. The cab shakes you. You can’t get out until he stops his horse. If you want to speak to him, you must talk through a little hole in the back of the cab. In a cab you no longer feel like a person. You may be someone very important. But in a cab you’re no more than something in a box, being carried from one place to another. One night there were sounds of pleasure and joy in the big house beside McGary’s Family Restaurant. The sounds seemed to come from the rooms of the Walsh family. A crowd of interested neighbors stood outside the door. Again and again a waiter came bringing food or drink from the restaurant. The neighbors stood aside every time to let him pass. Then they would move near the door again. And all the time they were talking about what was happening inside. Anyone who listened would have learned quickly and easily that Norah Walsh was being married. After some time had gone by, the happy people started coming out the door. They mixed at once with the neighbors who were standing there. Joyful cries and laughing voices rose in the night air. All this noise was born of the drinks from McGary’s Restaurant. At the edge of the street stood Jerry O’Donovan’s cab. No cleaner or more shining cab could be found. And Jerry’s horse! I tell you he was fat with good food. Among the moving crowd Jerry’s high hat could now and then be seen. His nose, too, could be seen; it was thick and red, for it had been beaten by fares who wanted to fight. And also now and then, his fine green coat appeared. It was easy to see that Jerry had had more than enough to drink. Everyone had noticed it. Out of the crowd on the street or perhaps from among the people walking past the house, came a young woman. She stopped beside the cab. Jerry saw her there. A fare! He made a sudden move, and three or four people near him fell down. He himself — No! He caught himself in time and did not fall. Quickly he went up to his seat. When he was there, he was safe. All of McGary’s drink could not throw him down from there. “Step in, lady,” said Jerry. The young woman stepped into the cab. The door closed. The crowd in the street jumped away. The horse started and the fine cab rolled down the street. The horse went fast at first, but after a little time he went more slowly. Then Jerry called down through the hole in the back of the cab. He tried to make his voice soft; he wished to please. “Where will you be going to?” “Any place you wish,” was the answer. The voice was happy. It sounded like music. “She’s riding for pleasure,” thought Jerry. And then he said: “Take a trip in the park, lady. It will be cool and fine.” “Just as you wish,” answered the fare, pleasantly. The cab turned toward Fifth Avenue, then went north on that perfect street. Jerry was moved up and down in his seat, and from one side to the other. McGary’s drinks moved at the same time, and seemed to rise inside his head. He began to sing. Inside the cab the fare sat up straight on the seat. She looked to the right and to the left at the lights and the houses. It was dark inside the cab, and her eyes were shining like stars. When they came to Fifty-Ninth Street, Jerry was half asleep. But his horse went through the park gate. The horse knew where they were. The horse pulled the cab into the park every night. And the fare sat there, as if in a happy dream. She could smell the clean fresh smell of green leaves and flowers. And the wise animal pulling the cab moved as usual. He was at home here. Jerry too tried to do as he did every night. His voice was thick, but he asked the questions that cabbies always ask in the park. “You want to stop at the Casino Restaurant, lady? Have something to eat? Listen to the music? Everyone stops.” “I think that would be nice,” said the fare. They made a sudden stop at the door of the restaurant. The cab door opened. The fare stepped out. At once she seemed caught by the wonderful music. The lights and the colors were bright, almost blinding. Someone put a piece of paper into her hand. On it was a number — 34. She looked around and saw her cab. It was 20 yards away, taking its place in a line with other waiting cabs. She was led inside, and soon she was seated at a table. She realized that she was expected to buy something. She had a little money. She counted it and found enough to buy something cold and fresh to drink. There she sat, drinking slowly and looking at every- thing around her. Life here had new color, a new shape. It did not seem real. It was like a beautiful dream. At 50 tables sat people who looked to her like kings and queens. She thought their clothes and jewels were wonderfully rich. And now and then one of these people would look at her. They saw a small woman in a simple dress. They saw a plain face. But on that face they saw an expression of love of life, and the queens wished that they could look the same. While she sat there, two hours passed. The kings and queens began to leave. Their cabs rolled away. The music ended. The waiters took everything off tables near hers. She was sitting there almost alone. Jerry’s fare stood up and held out the numbered piece of paper. “Is someone going to give me something for this?” she asked. A waiter told her that it was for her cab. He said that she should go to the door and give it to the man there. This man took it and called the number. Only three cabs stood in line now. The driver of one of them went and found Jerry asleep inside his cab. Jerry spoke a few words in anger, and then went up to his seat. He turned the horse and the cab rolled to the door and stopped. His fare entered. The cab turned again, and went through the cool darkness of the park, following the street that would lead most quickly to the gate. At the gate, Jerry began suddenly to think. He was still half asleep, but there was a doubt in his mind. There were one or two things he had to ask about. He stopped his horse, and his voice came down through the hole in the back of the cab. “I want to see four dollars before we go any farther. Have you got the money?” “Four dollars!” laughed the fare, softly. “No. I’ve only got a few cents with me.” Jerry made the horse run. The animal’s feet were very loud on the street. But above the noise of the horse’s feet, Jerry’s voice could be heard. He was full of anger. He shouted at the stars in the sky. He shouted at other cabs as they passed. His words were so bad that another driver, hearing them, could not believe his ears. But Jerry knew what he could do about this fare without money. He knew where he was going. At the building with the green lights beside the door he pulled his horse to a stop. He opened the cab door and he jumped to the ground. “Come on, you,” he said, and his voice was hard. His fare came out with the dreaming smile still on her plain face. Jerry took her by the arm and led her inside. He was going to tell the cops what had happened. They would do something about it. A gray-haired cop looked across the table. He and the cabby were no strangers. Jerry began, in his loud, hard voice, “I’ve got a fare here that—” Jerry stopped. He put his hand, reddened by the weather, to his face. The drink from McGary’s Restaurant no longer clouded his mind so darkly. “A fare, sir,” he continued, with a wide smile, “that I want you to meet. It’s my wife that I married at old man Walsh’s this evening. And a wild time we had, it’s true. Shake hands with him, Norah, and we’ll go home.” Before stepping into the cab again, Norah took a long deep breath. “I’ve had a very nice time, Jerry,” said she said.   Download activities to help you understand this story here. Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Have you ever treated someone you care about badly without knowing you were behaving badly? How often do newly married people make mistakes? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cabby – n. a person who drives a cab view – n. cab – n. a vehicle that carries passengers to a place for an amount of money that is based on the distance traveled fare – n. a passenger who pays to travel on a bus, train, boat, or airplane or in a cab park – n. a piece of public land in or near a city that is kept free of houses and other buildings and can be used for pleasure and exercise cent(s) – n. a unit of money that is equal to a smaller part of the basic unit of money in many countries  cop(s) -  n. a person whose job is to enforce laws, investigate crimes, and make arrests

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Bonnie Tyler to Sing ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ During Eclipse

This is What’s Trending Today. Bonnie Tyler had a hit song in 1983. It is called “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Thirty-four years ago, the song reached the number one position on popular music charts in both the United States and her native Britain. Bonnie Tyler made a number of records in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was perhaps the most successful period in her recording career. Her songs include “It’s a Heartache” and “Holding Out for a Hero,” which was used in “Footloose,” a popular movie from 1984. Tyler is now 66 years old. She is still performing, mostly in Europe. Her song “Believe in Me” was the United Kingdom’s entry in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. A lot of people have been thinking about Tyler lately. That is because of her song “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and the total solar eclipse on Monday, August 21. A solar eclipse takes place when the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking the sunlight during the day. Royal Caribbean International has announced that Bonnie Tyler will perform her song aboard one of its cruise ships on Monday. The ship leaves from Miami, Florida for a seven-day trip on Sunday, August 20. It will sail to an area of the Atlantic Ocean where passengers will have a chance to experience the period when the moon passes directly in front of the sun. There is a narrow path where people will be able to experience what is known as “totality.” That is when the moon is perfectly framed by the sun. On August 21, the United States will be the best place on Earth to experience the total eclipse. The U.S. space agency NASA is predicting that “totality” will occur in a number of states, including Oregon, Nebraska, Illinois, Kentucky and South Carolina. Another good place to be is in the Atlantic Ocean, to the east of Miami. That is where the passenger ship plans to be. In June, Royal Caribbean announced the trip, noting a “major headliner.” And that person turned out to be Bonnie Tyler. She will be joined by Joe Jonas’ band DNCE. Jonas formerly was part of the group known as the “The Jonas Brothers.” DNCE’s most famous song came out in 2015. It is called “Cake by the Ocean.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you remember Bonnie Tyler's song from the 1980s? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   eclipse – n. an occasion when the sun looks like it is completely or partially covered with a dark circle because the moon is between the sun and the Earth chart – n. a list that shows which music recordings have sold the most during a recent period of time frame – v. to be around the edge of something headliner – n. the main performer in a show cruise – adj. of or related to traveling on a ship or boat for pleasure

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