US Ambassador: North Korea Is Begging for War

  The United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley says North Korea is “begging for war” as the U.N. Security Council meets on Monday to discuss North Korea’s latest nuclear test. “Enough is enough. War is never something the United States wants. We don’t want it now. But our country’s patience is not unlimited,” Haley said. South Korea's defense ministry said Monday it had found signs North Korea was preparing to test another ballistic missile. The ministry also announced plans to temporarily send four more launchers for the THAAD missile defense system. Hours before the security council meeting, South Korea’s military fired missiles into the Sea of Japan. It was an exercise meant to look like an attack on North Korea’s nuclear test site. North Korea nuclear test Over the weekend, North Korea said it tested a hydrogen bomb small enough to be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile. The North claimed the test was a “perfect success.” A U.S. intelligence official said the nuclear device detonated by North Korea on Sunday was 10 times more powerful than its fifth nuclear test a year ago. “We're highly confident this was a test of an advanced nuclear device and what we've seen so far is not inconsistent with North Korea's claims,” the intelligence official said. US warns of 'massive military response'  U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, repeated the warnings of President Donald Trump on Sunday. He said that North Korea can expect a “massive military response” if it threatens the United States, the U.S. territory of Guam or America's allies. White House officials said the president has a range of retaliatory measures available to the U.S., including nuclear weapons. Experts reacting to Secretary Mattis’s comments are hoping for diplomatic discussions instead of more tough military talk. Frank Aum is a visiting scholar at the U.S.-Korea Institute. He said the United States needs to “get away from a military-centric approach to the North Korea problem set and reinvigorate diplomacy.” The president, leaving a church service near the White House earlier Sunday, said only, “We'll see” when a reporter asked if he was planning to order an attack on North Korea. Trump might consider trade option On Twitter, Trump said he is considering stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea, raising questions about what this could mean for U.S.-China commercial ties and the two countries' $650 billion in annual trade. Any U.S. call for an economic boycott of countries doing business with North Korea would focus on China because Beijing is North Korea's major ally and its trading partner. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he would prepare a new package of North Korea economic sanctions along these lines for consideration. “We will work with our allies. We will work with China,” Mnuchin told a television interviewer Sunday. “But people need to cut off North Korea economically. This is unacceptable behavior.” I’m Pete Musto.   Dorothy Gundy adapted this story for Learning English based on VOA and AP news reports. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   patience – n. the ability to wait for a long time without becoming annoyed or upset ballistic missile – n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes detonate(d) – v. to cause something, such as a bomb, to explode confident – adj. to strongly believe that something will happen or that something is true inconsistent – adj. not always acting or behaving in the same way retaliatory – adj. something bad that is done to someone who has hurt you or treated you badly scholar – n. a person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it reinvigorate – v. to return life and energy to someone or something church – n. a building that is used for Christian religious services sanction(s) – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country or by not allowing economic aid for that country

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September 3, 2017

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

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Woodrow Wilson: Idealist

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Woodrow Wilson. He served two terms, from 1913 to 1921, and led the United States through the first World War. Wilson might have seemed an unlikely war president. He was a university professor before he entered politics. And, when the conflict began in Europe in 1914, Wilson strongly rejected the idea of the U.S. getting involved. He even campaigned for his second term on the slogan “He kept us out of the war.” But Wilson’s idealism eventually made him believe the U.S. must enter the conflict. He famously said, “The world must be safe for democracy.” He spent the last months of his presidency fighting to create a league of nations that would prevent future wars. Wilson did not succeed in that effort. But the effects of his presidency are still seen today in both the domestic and foreign affairs of the United States. Early life Woodrow Wilson was born in the state of Virginia in 1856 and grew up in the South. Wilson’s father was a Protestant Christian minister who supported the views of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Wilson’s mother had been born in England but raised in the United States. She was reportedly warm and loving, especially to her husband and four children. Wilson’s early life was marked by poor health and a passion for learning. His education included tutoring by Confederate soldiers, classes with his father, a year at Davidson College, a bachelor’s degree from the school now called Princeton, one year of law school, and a doctoral degree in history and political science from the University of Johns Hopkins. He remains, so far, the only president with a Ph.D. Wilson’s academic interests were in government, and how it could be most effective. Even as a young man, he supported the idea of a strong executive, either a prime minister or a president. He wrote a number of books, including a biography of George Washington, and a history of the United States. He also taught popular classes at several colleges, including Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania, Wesleyan in Connecticut, and Princeton in New Jersey. In time, Wilson became the president of Princeton. He made major reforms to the school until some faculty and alumni resisted his efforts. Wilson had always been interested in political power. The Democratic Party in New Jersey became interested in Wilson when they were looking for a candidate with an honest public image. In truth, party officials believed he would be a weak leader whom they could influence. Wilson surprised them by winning the seat as New Jersey governor easily, and then rejecting their efforts to control him. He went on to pass major reform legislation in New Jersey that reduced corruption and protected the rights of workers. His actions drew the attention of Democratic Party leaders seeking a candidate for president in 1912. Presidency: first term Voters did not overwhelmingly choose Wilson in 1912. Although he did well in the Electoral College, he earned only a little more than 40 percent of the popular vote. Other votes were mostly divided between two former presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft. Yet Wilson quickly asserted authority over Congress and pushed through a number of laws aimed at dramatic reform. Historian Kendrick Clements at the University of South Carolina says Wilson had a strongly progressive vision. He was interested in “expanding economic opportunity for people at the bottom of society and eliminating special privileges enjoyed by the richest and most powerful members of society.” One of Wilson’s most important acts was to create a new federal agency called the Federal Reserve Board. It still regulates American banks, credit, and money supply. He also created the Federal Trade Commission to ensure fair business practices, and the Department of Labor to protect workers’ rights. And he supported laws to reduce working hours for railroad employees, bar child labor, and offer government loans to farmers. But even during Wilson’s busy lawmaking, the threat of world war demanded his attention. Wilson had declared that the U.S. would remain neutral in the growing conflict between the Allied and Central Powers. One of his reasons was that people in the U.S. were immigrants from the countries that were at war. Wilson did not want the conflict to divide Americans. However, he permitted international trade, including with Britain and France. As a result, many believed the U.S. was favoring those countries. In 1915, a German submarine sank a British ship called the Lusitania and killed more than 100 Americans on board. Wilson protested several times to Germany about the sinking. He warned that the U.S. would not accept another such aggression. But two years later, Germany attacked U.S. commercial ships. It also invited Mexico to enter into an alliance against the United States. At the beginning of Wilson’s second term in office, he asked Congress to declare war on Germany. ​Presidency: second term The U.S. entered World War I on the side of the Allied Powers. The additional support came at an important time. American soldiers were able to help resist German troops in France. In time, Germany asked for an armistice – an agreement to stop fighting. Following the war, Wilson had a grand vision for how to gain lasting peace in Europe. In a speech known as “Fourteen Points,” he proposed that the countries that had won the war not punish Germany. Wilson also wanted European colonies to rule themselves, and other areas be given immediate independence. Most importantly, Wilson suggested a League of Nations that would guarantee the member countries’ independence and safety. But few world leaders agreed with his plan completely. Even in the U.S., many Republican lawmakers in Congress resisted Wilson’s idea for a League of Nations. Some strongly objected to any treaty that would limit the country’s independence. Others did not want the country to be involved in world issues at all.So Wilson began a trip across the U.S. to raise public support for the League of Nations. He traveled more than 15,000 kilometers in 22 days and gave 29 speeches. Wilson’s doctors warned him that the trip was hard on his health. But Wilson was firm about pressuring Senate Republicans to adopt the agreement. Finally, he collapsed from exhaustion. Shortly after, he suffered a major stroke. Although he recovered somewhat, he remained partly paralyzed. He rarely appeared in public again.Instead, Wilson communicated to Congress through his wife. When Republicans changed the treaty to deal with their concerns, Wilson told his supporters to reject it. In the end, the U.S. never did join the League of Nations. When a new president, Warren Harding, was sworn-in in 1921, Edith and Woodrow Wilson retired to a house in Washington, D.C. Three years later, the former president died quietly there, finally at peace. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   assert — v. to demand that other people accept or respect (something) opportunity — n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done eliminate — v. to remove; to get rid of  privilege - n. a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others regulate - v. to make rules or laws that control (something) commercial - adj. related to or used in the buying and selling of goods and services armistice - n. an agreement to stop fighting a war exhaustion - n. the state of being extremely tired paralyzed - adj. unable to move or feel all or part of the body  

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Why We Take ‘Selfies’

  Why do people take “selfies?” Researchers at Syracuse University in New York tried to answer that question. They came up with some surprising answers. People who post selfies and use editing software to make themselves look better show behavior connected to narcissism, the Syracuse researchers said. Narcissists are people who think very highly of themselves, especially how they look. Ji Won Kim, a doctoral student at the university’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, worked on the study. She said because social media can be superficial, it is a good place for people to “work towards satisfying their own vanity.” By superficial, she means social media is mostly used by people to share unimportant information about their lives -- not deeply personal issues. There are other reasons, besides narcissism, that people post selfies. People who post group selfies show a need for popularity and a need to belong to a group, the Syracuse University research found. Other findings from the study include: There are no major differences on how often men and women post selfies and how often they use editing software. But men who post selfies showed more of a need to be seen as popular than women who posted selfies. The Newhouse School’s Associate Professor Makana Chock worked on the study. She said selfies should not be seen as completely negative. She said some people feel “peer pressure” to post selfies. And some follow the popular belief that if there is no picture of an event or experience, it did not really happen. Chock said posting selfies on social media is not all that different from what people have done for many years. On trips and special events, our parents and grandparents used cameras instead of phones to take photos. Before social media, people would bring back photos to show friends and family. You had no choice but to look at them. If you are a nice person, you commented about how nice everyone in the photos looked, especially children and the person showing the photos. That was the old way of “clicking” like. On social media, it is a different experience. People can decide not to look at photos of their friends and family -- even if they click “like” or even “love” under the Facebook selfie. Using social media to post photos is pretty new. Facebook did not start until 2004. Instagram started in 2010. It was not until 2013 that the Oxford English language dictionary added the term “selfies.” It defined selfie as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself.” Here is how the Syracuse researchers did their study. They questioned 260 people, aged 18 to 65, and almost evenly divided between men and women. To determine narcissism, people were asked if they agreed with personality traits connected to narcissism. For example, people were asked if they agreed with statements such as, “I like to be the center of attention” and “I like having authority over people.” To determine if those in the study had a need to be seen as popular, people were asked if they agreed with these statements: “It’s important that people think I’m popular” and “I often do things just to be popular with people at school.” 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. Do you take “selfies.” What kind of photos do you show on social media? ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   selfie - n. a picture that you take of yourself especially by using the camera on your smartphone post - v. to add a message or phone to an online site editing software - n. computer equipment to help you change a person’s appearance in photos vanity - n. the quality of people who have too much pride in their own appearance, abilities, achievements peer pressure - n. a feeling that you must do the same things as other people of your age and social group in order to be liked or respected by them trait - n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another authority - n. the power to give orders or make decisions  

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Could Carbon Farming Help Slow Rising Temperatures?

  Earth’s atmosphere is in trouble. Scientists have linked rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere to carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. When people burn coal or other fossil fuels, it releases carbon dioxide and other gasses into the air, causing the planet to heat up. Most scientists warn that conditions will get worse unless something is done soon.  Among those trying to find a solution is a volunteer group of scientists and farmers in the United States. The group, called the Marin Carbon Project, says it has found a proven way to slow the rise in temperatures — and possibly reverse it. John Wick and his wife own the Nicasio Native Grass Ranch in Marin County, California. He helped to set up the Marin Carbon Project. Wick says the project could help save the world from climate change. He notes that when you stand in the sunshine on a nice day, it is hard to know the Earth is in trouble. "But when scientists measure it and see the effect of it, and watch the ocean die-off and everything happening, this is scary as hell. And, then, we have evidence that there might be something that could stop that. And, then, we had measurement of something that holds promise to actually reverse it." What is that something he is talking about? Carbon farming. It uses processed compost to cool the Earth. The compost comes from cut grass, dead plants or other organic material, which have been shown to improve the soil. Jeff Creque, an ecologist, developed a theory that processed compost can help control rising temperatures. He says what we need to do is increase the amount of carbon that agriculture captures. "Agriculture is the art of moving carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the vegetation to the soil and, then, back again. If we can increase the rate of carbon capture and decrease the rate of carbon loss, we can actually begin to bend that Keeling curve of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the other direction, which is what we need to achieve."    Here is how Creque and Wick tested their idea. In December of 2008, they worked in a test area on Wick’s ranch that had lost carbon from the soil. They covered the land with one and a quarter centimeters of processed compost. This area was next to another test area without compost. Farm animals lived on both plots of land. The two men wanted to see if the compost-treated land would pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and take in carbon during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which a green plant turns water and carbon dioxide into food when the plant is in the presence of light. Creque says putting down compost just once on the farmland provided far better results than what they had expected. He says if you use this method across four million hectares of crop land, large amounts of carbon dioxide would be taken from the atmosphere. The gas would end up back in the soil and be kept there. Creque explains that having the carbon dioxide in the ground would help the soil, working “to produce crops and to hold onto water.” “So, the water implications of this, particularly for a state like California - but really across the American West and much of the arid regions of the world - increasing soil organic matter  what little bit of rain we do get - allows us to hang on to that and make better use of it." Rancher John Wick is happy with the results of the Marin Carbon Project’s experiments. He believes carbon farming could make a big difference, if the method was used by many people around the world. "The implications of this globally are that we can actually cool planet earth, should increase production of food and fiber, fuel and flora in a way that actually enhances the resources. So the more you do, the more you can do. It's the most exciting thing ever." But other people are not so sure about that. Tom Hedt works for the U.S. government’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). He agrees that compost helps capture carbon in the soil and takes some carbon dioxide out of the air. But it is just one of many land management practices that NRCS advises to help both the soil and the air. Others include crop cover, less tilling -- or turning over the soil in between crop planting -- and planting trees and smaller plants. Hedt says every plot of land is different. And he says more research needs to be done to know the effectiveness of carbon farming and whether the Marin Carbon Project's findings would be true in larger areas. "It's an emerging issue. There are some people that are very excited about it. Yeah, there's dangers of taking a few plots and just doing the math. Multiplication is pretty easy, but the site-by-site prescriptions are much more complicated than that." He says the findings show enough promise that last year, four-year long field trials were started on a number of range and grasslands throughout California. The 14 trials will run to test the use of compost for carbon farming on different kinds of lands. I’m Anne Ball. Jan Sluizer reported this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding with this short quiz. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   reverse – v. to change (something) to an opposite state or condition scary as hell – phrase. very frightening (hell is the place where the devil lives, according to some religions ecologist – n. a scientist who deals with relationships between groups of living things and their environments Keeling Curve – n. a graph that shows the ongoing change in concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere since the 1950s. implication – n. what shows something or someone with close connections or involvement with something arid – adj. have very little rain or water, very dry flora – n. all the plants that live in a particular area, time, period, or environment enhance – v. to increase or improve

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American Women Debate Safety of Nuclear Power

  Kristin Zaitz believes that her nuclear power plant is safe. Zaitz is an engineering manager at Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California's only working nuclear power center. She believes it is so safe that she worked there during both of her pregnancies. She has also gone diving in waters off the California coast to inspect the plant. Zaitz wears jewelry with a small piece of uranium inside, something that often leads to questions about nuclear power. In a few years, Diablo Canyon will suspend operations, like many nuclear plants around the country. A combination of lower natural gas prices and efforts to cut energy waste has reduced the need for nuclear power in recent years. There have also been concerns about public safety. Worldwide, nuclear plants have been in operation for less than 60 years. Yet, there have been major environmental disasters connected to three nuclear plants: Fukushima Dai-ichi in Japan; Chernobyl in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union); and Three Mile Island in the United States. In addition to the possibility of power plant accidents, critics of nuclear note that its waste can remain dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years. Nuclear is 'cleaner' than coal and gas But supporters of nuclear, like Kristin Zaitz, say it is clean, safe and good for the environment. And, they argue that, when a nuclear plant closes, not enough wind and solar power is available to replace it. They are unhappy that power companies often move to coal and natural gas, which produce environmentally harmful emissions. Together, Zaitz and her coworker Heather Matteson, a reactor operator, started a non-profit group called Mothers for Nuclear. The group hopes to prove to Americans that nuclear power is better for the environment than some alternative energy sources.   Matteson says, when she took the job at Diablo Canyon, she was afraid of nuclear. “And it took me six to seven years to really feel like, okay this is something good for the environment. I don't want other people to take six years making that decision, and we don't have that long.” Like Zaitz, Matteson also wears uranium jewelry in hopes of speaking with others about nuclear energy. “Nuclear is fun,” she said. She said her jewelry produces less radiation than a banana. Women seen as powerful voices Nuclear industry experts say that women in the industry can be powerful voices for nuclear. They say these women can help influence other women about the value of nuclear energy. At the recent U.S. Women in Nuclear conference in San Francisco, women working in the industry talked about how to demonstrate the value of nuclear power. Heather Matteson says she and others think women may be the right people to do this. “As mothers, I think we also have an important role to play in letting the public know that we support nuclear for the future and for our children." Their message is that nuclear energy is cleaner than coal or gas because it does not release heat-trapping gases into Earth’s atmosphere. And, that message is aimed at women. Industry experts say that women who support nuclear are seen as more believable than men. But critics of nuclear energy say it doesn't matter who is expressing support for it. Kendra Klein is a scientist with Friends of the Earth, an environmental group. “Using mothers' voices to argue for a technology that is fundamentally dangerous and that has been demonstrated by disasters like Fukushima to be not safe for the communities that surround nuclear power plants or even cities that are hundreds of miles away is disingenuous.” Still, some younger women are looking to careers in the nuclear industry. Lenka Kollar works for NuScale, an Oregon business that designs and markets small nuclear reactors. “I went into this wanting to do something good for the world, wanting to bring power to people. There are still over a billion people in the world that don't have access to electricity.” While the future of nuclear power in the United States may be unclear, the women here say they have a positive story to tell. I'm Alice Bryant.   Michelle Quinn wrote this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   power plant – n. a building or group of buildings in which electricity for a large area is produced uranium – n. a radioactive element that is used to make nuclear energy and nuclear weapons solar – adj. of or relating to the sun emission – n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as gas) alternative energy – n. any electrical power produced by energy sources other than coal and gas fundamentally – adv. at the simplest level reactor – n. a large device at nuclear power plants to produce nuclear-based energy

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Thailand Offers Class to Women Who Marry Foreigners

  Thailand's government is offering a free class to Thai women who marry foreigners. The class teaches about the possible difficulties of such marriages. It also teaches how to avoid becoming a victim of scams or human trafficking when moving overseas. Thailand's social development ministry said that some women believe marriage to a foreigner is a way to improve their economic situation. The government has little recent information about such marriages. A 2004 government study showed that more than 15,000 women from northeastern Isan had married foreigners. That is one of the poorest areas in Thailand. Each month, these women sent a total of 122 million baht to their families. Patcharee Arayakul is the director of the ministry’s division of gender equality. “Our course will teach women how to conduct themselves, about the laws of their destination country, and how to prepare before going," Patcharee said. The class covers, "legal rights, how to seek help through the relevant Thai authorities, as well as exploring issues of culture shock," said Dusadee Ayuwat, a professor who helped design it. The practical advice was very useful, said one woman who attended the class. "I was more interested in the legal aspects rather than the culture shock," she said. The woman did not want to give her name. Ploynisa Duangdararungrueng is married to a German national. She says she thinks the education could be useful for some Thai women. "Thai women, especially those from the northeast region, are soft-spoken and submissive," she said. "They must learn to respect themselves and their culture." Her husband, Ralf Wacker, said the class could help prepare women for life in the West. "For a lot of women, life in the West is like a fairy tale, but in reality it can feel extremely isolating moving to a small town," he said. Wacker urged Thailand's government to offer a similar course for the foreign husbands. "If the Western man does not understand the family dynamics," he said, "this can cause a lot of problems." I'm John Russell.   Suphanida Thakral and Amy Lefevre reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   course – n. a series of classes about a particular subject in a school scam – n.  a dishonest way to make money by deceiving people human trafficking – n. the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation destination – n. a place to which a person is going or something is being sen relevant – adj. relating to a subject in an appropriate way practical – adj.  appropriate or suited for actual use aspect – n. a part of something submissive – adj. willing to obey someone

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Everyday Grammar: Different Meanings of Have

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Lesson 1: Budget Cuts

Summary We meet Anna's co-workers at The Studio: Anna, Jonathan, Amelia, Kaveh, and Penelope. Rumors of budget cuts travel through the office. But who is going to get fired?   Conversation   Anna:  Hum. Oh! “Important meeting. Everyone must come.” Well, back to work! And my boss has called a meeting. I wonder what it’s about. Maybe we’re all getting raises! Ooo, there’s Jonathan! Maybe he knows. Professor Bot: Hi! I’m Professor Bot! This video is all about work. People talk about jobs and things that happen at work.Your assignment is to find as many work words as you can. Don’t worry, I’ll help. Anna:  So, Jonathan, what do you think today’s meeting is about? The email sounded important. Jonathan:   Well, I have heard people in the building talking about budget cuts. Anna:  Oh! Budget cuts? Wait, who has been talking about budget cuts? Jonathan:   Mark in Accounting. Anna:  Mark in Accounting? That’s one person. That’s not “people.” Jonathan:   I know, but Mark knows everything that goes on at The Studio. Anna:  That is true. But wait, look at us. We shouldn’t gossip. That’s how rumors start. We’ll just go to the meeting and see what happens. Jonathan:   You’re right. No more talk about budget cuts. Amelia:  Budget cuts? Oh no! Amelia:  I just heard Anna and Jonathan talking about budget cuts. Kaveh:   That must be what the meeting is about. When there are budget cuts, people lose their jobs. Amelia:  Not you. You’re a good reporter. Kaveh:   And it’s not you. You’ve done a great job as a videographer. Amelia:  I can’t go back to being a detective. Criminals scare me! Kaveh:   And I can’t go back to being a teacher! High school kids scare me! Professor Bot: Did you hear any work words? They talked about a lot of jobs. You can make the name of a job by adding an ending to a verb! Kaveh reports, so, he’s a reporter. Amelia used to detect, so she was a detective. If you teach, you’re a teacher. And a videographer….uh, I think you understand. Back to the story. Kaveh:   Penelope, have you heard the news? Today’s meeting is about budget cuts. Penelope:   That’s awful! What should I do? Kaveh:   Update your résumé. I've already updated mine. I'll see you at the meeting. Ms. Weaver:   Hello everyone! Quiet, please. Quiet, please! Ms. Weaver:   This meeting won’t take long. Then you can all leave. Ms. Weaver:   What is wrong with everyone? You look like I’m going to fire you. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Seriously, what is wrong with everyone? Anna:   Excuse me, Ms. Weaver? Ms. Weaver:   Yes, Anna. Anna:  Well, everyone has been worrying about, you know … We’ve been worrying that you are going to fire us! Ms. Weaver:   I’m not going to fire any of you! No! The reason for this meeting is to tell you what a good job you’ve been doing and give out new assignments. Budget cuts have been happening. But only one person has lost their job -- Mark in Accounting? Now, let’s talk about those new assignments. Professor Bot: Ms. Weaver’s team is doing a good job! How did you do? Did you find all of the work words? Here’s a list you can check.   boss meeting raises email budget cuts   Accounting gossip rumors lose reporter résumé videographer detective teacher update fire assignment Watch again if you did not find all the words. Go to the website to learn more!   New Words accounting - n. the skill, system, or job of keeping the financial records of a business or person assignment - n. a job or duty that is given to someone boss - n. the person whose job is to tell other workers what to do budget - n. an amount of money available for spending that is based on a plan for how it will be spent calm - adj. not angry, upset, excited, etc. criminal - n. a person who has committed a crime or who has been proved to be guilty of a crime by a court detective - n. a police officer whose job is to find information about crimes that have occurred and to catch criminals email - n. a system for sending messages from one computer to another computer fire - v. to dismiss (someone) from a job go on - phrasal verb. happen gossip - v. to talk about the personal lives of other people lose - v. to fail to keep or hold  résumé ​ - n. a short document describing your education, work history, etc., that you give an employer when you are applying for a job​ rumor - n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true scare - v. to cause (someone) to become afraid update - v. to change (something) by including the most recent information used to - v. used to say that something existed or repeatedly happened in the past but does not exist or happen now videographer - n. a person who records images or events using a video camera   Learning Strategy The learning strategy for this lesson is Make Inferences. That means making a guess based on what you know. In the video, you hear Amelia tell Kaveh: "I just heard Anna and Jonathan talking about budget cuts. Kaveh makes an inference when he says, "That must be what the meeting is about. When there are budget cuts, people lose their jobs." As you learn English, you can use this strategy to help when you do not understand every word you hear or read.  Making an inference means you guess, using what you do understand, about new words or expressions in English.   Listening Quiz Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For Teachers Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus:  Review: Present Perfect (has/have + past participle)  Present Perfect gives the idea of completion. New: Present Perfect Continuous (has/have + been + ing verb) Present Perfect Continuous sometimes focuses on something unfinished and how long something has been happening.  Topics: Agent Nouns, New occupations, Evaluating People's Activities Learning Strategy: Make Inferences   Comments Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.   Poll  

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Lesson 1: Welcome!

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

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Schools Under Pressure to Protect Free Speech

  Colleges begin the new school year under pressure to protect free speech -- even when many students strongly disagree with the speakers’ messages. Many of the protests in the last school year tried to block conservative and white nationalist speakers. And some colleges that experienced violent protests have announced new efforts to encourage free speech. Colleges encourage support for free speech Fifteen leading scholars at three of the nation’s top universities -- Harvard University, Yale University and Princeton University -- wrote a letter this week with this advice for new college students: “Think for yourself.” The letter said that means students should honestly consider arguments, even from people with opinions they find objectionable. Kansas State University recently announced it will work hard to protect free speech. A statement from the school’s top officials said free speech is “one of our most cherished rights, protected by the United States Constitution.” At Claremont McKenna College in California and Middlebury College in Vermont, officials promise more speeches by people with different opinions. During the last school year, demonstrators at the schools blocked speeches by conservative speakers. The two schools punished some protesting students. Claremont McKenna went further than Middlebury by banning five students from campus for up to a year.   At the University of California Berkeley, new Chancellor Carol Christ called for a return to the school’s reputation as the home of the Free Speech Movement. Free speech must include speeches by people whose opinions “conflict with the values we hold as a community,” Christ said. Those values include acceptance of all people and diversity, she said. “If you choose to protest, do so peacefully,” she said in a recent message to Berkeley students and teachers. She said the school will not “tolerate violence.” Just days after Christ asked students and teachers to support free speech, there was another violent protest. It took place in a park near the Berkeley campus during a “free speech” event. Demonstrators, some with their faces covered in black cloth, attacked at least five people, including the leader of a politically conservative group, the Associated Press reported. Some of the attackers were from a group called Antifa, short for anti-fascists. Some Antifa members say that violence is acceptable to fight racism. It was not known if any of the Antifa members were Berkeley students. Protests against the left Conservatives and white nationalists are not the only groups whose free speech rights are being questioned. Mark Bray is a lecturer at Dartmouth College and considered an expert on Antifa. On NBC’s Meet the Press, he said Antifa supporters believe that Nazis and other Fascists cannot be stopped with free speech alone. Bray said the Nazis in Germany and other fascist leaders in Europe before and during World War II were only stopped by violence. Dartmouth’s President Philip Hanlon said Bray seemed to be saying that violence is acceptable. He said Dartmouth does not accept anything but “civil discourse” in discussing opinions and ideas. That led 120 Dartmouth teachers to defend Bray. At most colleges, an official whose expertise is reported on by national news reports is praised, the teachers said in a letter. Evergreen State College in the Western state of Washington is another college that experienced conflict during the last school year. It began when some students moved to change a yearly event that seeks to make the college community aware of racism. In previous years, African-American students and college employees would leave the college for a day to show the loss that takes place when they are not present. Last spring, the event was changed with white students and white employees asked to leave for a day. Brett Weinstein, a white biology professor, refused. Weinstein said that he and his wife, another Evergreen teacher, were called racists and threatened by some students. The school was also closed for several days after a threat of violence from an unidentified caller. The threat came after some conservative groups said liberals controlled the college and threatened those with different opinions. This year, the college says, it will hold a special program for new freshman. The school calls the program, “Conversing across Significant Differences." The goal is to help students learn how to peacefully deal with different opinions. But all is not well. Weinstein recently went to court to charge college officials with permitting his rights to be violated. Senator Chuck Grassley is a Republican from Iowa and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. At a recent hearing, he said, “Higher education rests on the free flow of ideas.” Grassley added that colleges must do more to “protect free speech.” I’m Jill Robbins. And 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. Are their conflicts where you go to school? How are they resolved? And do you think it’s important to at least listen to people with different opinions than your own? _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cherish - v. to remember or hold an idea or belief in a deeply felt way reputation - n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something diversity - n. the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas tolerate - v. accept fascist - n. a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government civil discourse - n. exchanging ideas without anger or threats converse - v. to have a discussion flow - n. movement  

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