Dealing with Back-to-School Stress

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. It is back-to-school time in the United States, which for many is bittersweet. The bitter part is for saying goodbye to carefree, unscheduled summer days. The sweet part is saying hello to a new school year and school friends. This exciting time is filled with smells of new books, paper and pencils. Children might dress in a new set of clothes and wear new shoes. And of course there are the first-day-of-school pictures that parents share with family and friends.  However, going back to school can also be a stressful time for children and families. Everyone must make the transition from easy summer life to routines, schedules and homework. Families might also stress about spending extra money for a new school year. Parents often need to pay school fees or to buy new school clothes, sports equipment, musical instruments and school supplies. When parents are stressed, children feel the tension. What stresses out children in the U.S.? Back-to-school stress is different for different ages. Younger children may feel scared to leave their families. Making new friends and dealing with bullying can also cause stress for students. Older students may stress about their appearance, grades and getting into college. With teenagers in the United States, stress is a serious and growing problem. A 2013 survey by the American Psychological Association found that teens in the U.S. are now as stressed as adults. A high percentage of the teens surveyed say they are stressed about: school (83%) getting into a good college or deciding what to do after high school (69%) and financial concerns for their family (65%) Two years ago, Danielle Lanteri began going to high school. It is a private Catholic school that she attends on a scholarship. She said the demands of the scholarship keep her very busy…and stressed. “What stresses me out most at this point in my life will have to be the amount of work that I get from my teachers and the expectation that I am supposed to, that I have. With my scholarship for high school, I’m expected to be on a sport, participate in clubs, get an above 100 average in all my classes. And I feel that it’s a little impossible. Very few people end up keeping this scholarship because it’s just too hard to do everything.” Helping stressed out children However, parents, teachers and children can all help to make the transition back to school easier. Lori Bambina has been a teacher for over 20 years. She currently teaches first grade in Brooklyn, New York at Public School 229. Her students are 5- and 6-years-old. Routines and knowing what to expect, or predictability, help to reduce stress in children, says Ms. Bambina. So, she focuses on the class routine during the start of the new school year. “Well, for the students, I have my classroom set up with a very clear system. So, I will introduce the system. Then I will revisit the system because at this young age they enjoy structure and predictability. And that routine is very comforting and will not cause them stress if they know exactly where things are located and what type of behavior is expected of them. So, that really reduces the stress and the anxiety because they have their own comfort level now.” Whether you are in first grade or 10th grade, knowing the teachers and what they expect is a good way to reduce stress.   ​The "unknown" can be stressful At her new high school, Danielle did not know her teachers. She did not know the best way to build relationships with them. Also, the teachers did not know her learning style. All of these unknowns caused Danielle a lot of stress. “It was the not knowing the teachers. They didn’t know me; so they don't know how I work. That stressed me out. I didn’t know what type of relationship I should have with my teacher. And to cut down the stress, I will email my teachers if I have a problem and try to, like, get to know them better.” Knowing what a teacher wants in the classroom is a good way to cut down on stress. But there are things you can do in the home, too. Mary Anne Aidala began teaching in the New York school system in 1962. She retired 39 years later, in 2001. She is an award-winning teacher and is also the mother of Lori Bambina, the teacher we heard from earlier. Ms. Aidala advises parents to focus on the basics – get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, and turn off electronics before bedtime. “Well, the first thing they (parents) have to do is to get them (children) on a schedule of sleep habits. And they should also make sure they have a good breakfast to keep their brains alert. And maybe before they go to sleep every night they should start to read them a story or do something educational; so, they can start to reactivate their brains into using them.” The American Psychological Association makes the same suggestions on its website. They add that getting organized is also very important – for parents, children and teachers. For example, parents should keep their wallets and car keys in the same place. This way they do not have to look for them during a busy morning. And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Alice Bryant.   If you are a student, teacher or parent, how do you reduce your stress during back-to-school time? Let us know in the Comments Section. Anna Matteo wrote this report with additional material from the American Psychological Association. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding with this short quiz. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bittersweet – adj. combining sadness and happiness transition – v. to make a change from one state, place, or condition to another; n. a change from one state or condition to another stress - v. to feel very worried or anxious about something stress - n. s state of mental worry caused by problems in your life routine – n. a regular way of doing things in a particular order bullying - n. abuse of someone by stronger, more powerful individuals  

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US Congress Rejecting Cuts in Foreign Aid, Diplomacy

  United States congressional committees have rejected proposals to sharply cut spending for U.S. diplomatic and foreign assistance programs. In his first budget, President Donald Trump called for a reduction of nearly one third in the State Department’s budget. The State Department directs U.S. diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts across the world. On September 7, a Senate committee voted to continue most State Department spending at current levels. A House committee earlier also rejected many of the proposed cuts. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, chairs the Senate subcommittee that oversees State Department spending. Graham said that America faces major problems, such as the conflict over North Korea’s nuclear weapons, disputes with Russia and China, and threats from Islamic State militants. “Now is not the time for retreat, now is the time to double down on diplomacy and development,” Graham said. By double down, he means to increase efforts rather than cut spending. Heather Nauert is the official spokesperson for the State Department and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. She defended the spending cuts proposed by the Trump administration. “Just because a budget reflects a smaller number on the part of the administration does not mean that diplomacy is not important. This administration values that. We all value that. The 75,000 people who work here each and every day here and around the world value that, and we keep pushing forward with it.” Tillerson is expected to announce a reorganization plan for the State Department on September 15. It is expected to suggest ways the department could carry out diplomatic and other responsibilities at a lower cost. One idea Tillerson may be considering is to move the processing of passports, visas and other travel documents from the State Department to the Department of Homeland Security. A study found the change would save money and improve security, the Reuters news agency reported. The study was done for a company that is advising Tillerson on the State Department reorganization plan. Last month, Tillerson told senators that he plans to eliminate some special envoys that work on foreign policy issues for the government, Foreign Policy Magazine reported. Special envoys work on international issues considered important by government officials. Among the positions proposed for cancellation are those working for the rights of disabled persons and promoting peace in Africa. Some of the work done by envoys will be given to other State Department offices, Tillerson said. He added that other envoys are no longer needed because their work was already completed. Money to deal with militants The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would provide $500 million to hold, repopulate and establish government services in areas freed from Islamic State rule in Iraq and Syria. The bill would also provide $3.1 billion to support refugees affected by conflict and “other natural and man-made disasters,” with another $3.1 billion for international disaster assistance. About $19 million would be provided to help women and girls at risk from extremism in majority Muslim nations and other countries. The bill would also provide $8 million for programs “to promote human rights” in North Korea and another $15 million to support “democracy and rule of law” in Venezuela. Both House and Senate spending bills provide no money for the Green Climate Fund. The Senate committee’s spending report notes that President Trump did not request any money for the program. Trump has withdrawn the United States from the 2016 Paris climate agreement. Under the deal, 165 nations agreed to work together to stop rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere. Earlier this month, Congress approved a “continuing funding resolution,” which provides money for most federal spending through December 31. Final congressional votes on funding for the State Department and other agencies for the remaining nine months of the 2018 fiscal year will come later. I'm Bruce Alpert. Cindy Saine reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert 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 share your views on our Facebook Page. __________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   retreat - v. the act or process of moving away pushing - v. to move forward recommendation - n. a suggestion about what should be done eliminate - v. to get rid of a position promote - v. to advance a cause or outcome fiscal year - n. a 12-month period used by a government, business, or organization to calculate how much money is being raised and spent  

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UN Official: Rohingya in Myanmar Facing 'Ethnic Cleansing'

  The United Nations’ human rights chief has joined a growing group of international voices condemning the government in Myanmar. The group blames the government for the wave of violence that has forced thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. The United Nations official, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, spoke on Monday to a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. He said his office has received many reports and satellite images of the violence. He said they provide evidence of Myanmar security forces and militias carrying out extrajudicial killings and burning entire Rohingya villages. Zeid also noted reports of Myanmar troops placing landmines along the border with Bangladesh. "Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed," he told the council, "but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing." On Sunday, Amnesty International accused Myanmar of placing landmines along the roads that Rohingya refugees use to enter Bangladesh. The group reported two landmine explosions on Sunday. One explosion reportedly blew off a young man's leg while he was guarding cattle near the border. Zeid made his report a day after Rohingya fighters called for a month-long cease-fire. The fighters said they want humanitarian aid to be able to reach all victims of the conflict. The rebels are calling themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. They launched an attack on several police positions and an army base late last month. The attacks and resulting fighting led to the displacement of more than 300,000 people. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, sent a message to Myanmar last Friday. It said the U.S. government supports the fight against violence in Rakhine state. But the statement added that humanitarian aid must reach those in need. Fleeing violence Myanmar is a Buddhist-majority nation. The Rohingya are one of the country’s many ethnic minorities. The government considers the Rohingya to be economic migrants from Bangladesh. It has never given them citizenship. Yet most Rohingya can prove their families have lived for generations in the country, also called Burma. The latest violence and a military campaign killed at least 400 people. It also led to the latest mass movement of Rohingya villagers to Bangladesh. Vivian Tan is the U.N. Refugee Agency Asia Director in Bangladesh. She told VOA Burmese that aid workers believe there are about 164,000 new arrivals in Bangladesh. The United Nations reported that about 146,000 people have crossed the border into Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazaar district since August 25. Officials with the World Food Program said they have provided tens of thousands of people with food. The U.N. agency added that it needs $11.3 million to support the new arrivals, as well as the refugees already living in camps. Criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi is the de facto leader of Myanmar and the winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. But critics have condemned her reaction to the violence. Many observers say Aung San Suu Kyi has tried to dismiss reports of the Burmese military's violent treatment of Rohingya civilians. She says there has been a lot of misinformation about the Rohingya crisis and violence in Rakhine following the attacks on security forces. Aung San Suu Kyi used the word “terrorists” to describe the Rohingya fighters. And she said “fake information” was used to support their interests. A number of other Nobel Prize winners have made statements asking her to personally intervene and end the violence. They include the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai. Every year, the U.S. Department of State lists all the crises that it considers the most important human rights issues around the world. In 2016, it listed abuses against and restrictions on members of the Rohingya population as one of the leading human rights problems in Myanmar. I’m Caty Weaver. And I'm Ashley Thompson.   Joshua Fatzick and Richard Green reported this for VOA News. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. How should Aung San Suu Kyi respond to the violence against the Rohingya? Are there any ethnic minorities that the government treats poorly in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   extrajudicial – adj. not legally authorized access – n. a way of being able to use or get something assess - v. to make a judgment about (something)​ textbook – adj. very typical cattle – n. cows, bulls, or steers that are kept on a farm or ranch for meat or milk migrant(s) – n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work district – n. an area or section of a country, city, or town de facto – adj. used to describe something that exists but that is not officially accepted or recognized fake – adj. not true or real

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Irma Weakens After Hard Hits on Caribbean, Florida

  Hurricane Irma has weakened to a tropical storm after causing widespread damage on Caribbean islands and the U.S. state of Florida.   Irma’s winds eased to about 100 kilometers per hour Monday as the storm continued to move on a northwest path, away from Florida. The ocean storm had been the strongest kind of hurricane – a Category 5 – as it moved through the Caribbean area last week. The storm’s wind speeds were measured near 300 kilometers per hour at one time. Weather officials warn that Irma is expected to keep producing high winds and heavy rain, although it has weakened. Officials in Florida were getting their first look at storm damage in some areas Monday. Irma first hit the islands called the Florida Keys early Sunday, when the storm was at its greatest strength. Later Sunday, the storm struck Tampa and St. Petersburg, the two largest cities around Tampa Bay on Florida’s western coast. A storm surge near those cities caused high ocean waves to flood streets and homes.   Severe flooding was reported in many other cities and towns along Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coastline. Flooding also was reported in Jacksonville on Florida’s eastern Atlantic coast. The storm damaged power lines and some building cranes. About 6.5 million homes and businesses remained without power across Florida, and officials said it could be weeks before power is restored in all places. An estimated 220,000 people were staying in shelters. Florida Governor Rick Scott said on Twitter he was joining members of the U.S. Coast Guard to view damage from Irma in the Florida Keys. No deaths in Florida were immediately linked to the storm. Before hitting Florida, Irma left at least 34 people dead in several island nations. Ten of those deaths were in Cuba, where severe flooding was reported in several neighborhoods in central Havana. State media reported about 1 million people were evacuated from high-risk flood areas. In the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said 95 percent of buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged. The small French island of St. Barthelemy and the French-Dutch island divided between St. Martin and St. Maarten also were badly damaged. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos also suffered damage. ​Officials in the Caribbean area are working to help residents reporting shortages of food, water and medicine. In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, more than one million people were left without power after the storm. The U.S. military deployed Navy ships and aircraft and hundreds of Marines to help with recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Mario Ritter 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   storm surge – n. rising of the sea level as a result of weather activity during a storm crane – n. big machine with a long arm used during construction evacuate – v. to remove people from a dangerous area  

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Americans Remember September 11, 2001

  This is What’s Trending Today. On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists connected to al-Qaida hijacked four passenger airplanes. They flew two of them into the World Trade Center, known as the “Twin Towers,” in New York City and another into the Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Just a few minutes later, passengers on the fourth airplane took control from hijackers and crashed their airplane into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The plane was thought to be heading for Washington. The attacks killed more than 3,000 people. On Monday morning, President Donald Trump led a moment of silence at the White House and spoke at a memorial service at the Pentagon.   At the memorial service, Trump said “the terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit…But America cannot be weakened.” Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Shanksville in the state of Pennsylvania to attend a service there. During the day, Twitter users wrote about September 11 using the hashtags #NeverForget and #September11. “World Trade Center” was also a trending topic. Some people wrote about their own experiences that day. Others posted photos and videos of the memorials and memorial services. A New York City police officer rang a bell where the Twin Towers once stood at 10:28 a.m. That is the time when one of the towers fell 16 years ago.     At the same time, sunlight brightened an atrium at the new World Trade Center. The building is designed to let a strip of light in at 10:28 a.m. each September 11. The feature is known as “The Oculus.”      At the memorial, family members of the victims read their names out loud.   Sara Clarke is a journalist in Washington, D.C. She posted a photo of the memorial in Shanksville. She was in Pennsylvania on September 11 last year.     Recent U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton all used Twitter to recognize the anniversary of the attacks. Bush called for remembering “lives stolen,” Clinton called the rescue workers who helped save many lives that day “heroic” and Obama wrote: “No act of terror will ever change who we are.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by VOANews.com and the Associated Press. Mario Ritter was the editor. How do you remember September 11, 2001? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   incite – v. to cause (an angry, harmful, or violent action or feeling) atrium – n. an open area inside a tall building that has windows to let light in from above feature – n. an interesting or important part, quality, ability, etc.

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September 11, 2017

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

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Let's Teach English Unit 2: Listening Skills and Cooperative Learning

Welcome to Let's Teach English. This series offers free online training for English language educators worldwide. Voice of America and the University of Oregon are partners on this project. In this lesson, the teacher helps students develop their listening skills through a cooperative learning activity. Summary In this lesson, the teacher prepares students to listen to a recording and respond. She uses the learning strategy focus. By asking a question before playing the recording, she helps students to listen for a purpose. Then, she organizes a cooperative learning activity using cards that describe roles. The students work together to create and practice a conversation about food. The purpose of cooperative learning is for each student to play a different, but equally meaningful, role in achieving one overall goal. Giving students cooperative roles also helps ensure that everyone does an equal part in group work.  Teacher Preparation Video Transcript This episode shows a model of teaching listening skills and using cooperative learning methods. Click on the image below to download a pdf of the transcript. Women Teaching Women English Text Click on the image below to download a pdf of the student text and teacher manual. At the end of the ten-unit course, the whole book will be available for download. Women Teaching Women English Listening These audio files go with Unit 2 of Women Teaching Women English. Click on the "Direct Link" button to the right of the player to download them. Conversation Reading   What Do You Think? Let us know what you think about this course. Email us or write your comment in the comments section below. Poll

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Let's Teach English Unit 2: Listening Skills

In this lesson, the teacher prepares students to listen to a recording and respond. She uses the learning strategy focus. Then, she organizes a cooperative learning activity. See the whole unit at: http://ift.tt/2gWpalb

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Warren Harding: Damaged

VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Warren Harding. He was the 29th president of the United States. Harding was very different from the 28th president, Woodrow Wilson. Wilson supported change; Harding promised “a return to normalcy.” Wilson took steps to protect American workers; Harding often worked to protect business owners. Wilson was slow in supporting voting rights for women, and in accepting African-American people as equal to whites. Harding supported women’s suffrage and civil rights for African-Americans. Yet both men were popular during their years in office. Today, however, historians usually think of Wilson as one of America’s best presidents. But Harding is remembered as one of the worst.  Early life Warren Harding was the eighth president from the state of Ohio. His parents were both doctors. Harding spoke about having a happy childhood, growing up on a farm with his brothers and sisters. Some of his favorite early activities were performing in a band. Later, Harding – along with two friends – bought a newspaper. The paper became successful for several reasons. Harding was kind to his employees and shared the company’s profits with them. He also tried not to publish stories that criticized politics or politicians from any party. Finally, he married a woman who had an excellent head for business. Florence Kling Harding led the newspaper’s circulation department. She also helped to direct her husband’s political career. In time, Warren Harding became a state senator, a lieutenant governor of Ohio, and then a member of the U.S. Senate. He especially liked being a senator – and many of the other lawmakers liked him. One reason is because Harding rarely took a controversial position on any issue. Instead, he accepted most of the ideas of the Republican Party. He was also good-looking and had an excellent speaking voice. These qualities helped earn him the Republican presidential nomination in 1920. A few months later, he easily won the national election. Presidency President Harding took office shortly after World War I ended. He promised to make Americans feel calm again, and also improve the nation’s prosperity. Two of Harding’s goals were to support business and to limit immigration. He succeeded on both issues. His administration reduced taxes for big businesses and wealthy people. It also increased tariffs -- taxes on foreign imports. And the Harding administration put in place new rules on immigration. The rules made it easier for immigrants from northern Europe to enter the country, but harder for immigrants from Russia, eastern and central Europe.  Harding also took steps to improve the effectiveness of the federal government. But his administration is remembered mostly for its problems. At the beginning of his term, Harding reportedly told friends that the job of being president was too much for him. He appeared to want to do well, and he worked hard. But he turned over most of the responsibility to his friends in the cabinet. A few were very able. But some were dishonest. They abused their positions to gain wealth for themselves and their families. One of the most famous examples of corruption during Harding’s administration is known as the Teapot Dome Scandal. The name “Teapot Dome” comes from a rock in the state of Wyoming. The rock looked like a teapot. Scientists correctly believed that oil could be found in the ground underneath it. At the time, the U.S. navy depended on oil to fuel its ships. So, the federal government claimed the land in case the navy needed to use the oil in an emergency. But a cabinet official who was a friend of Harding took control of the land. He gave a private company permission to search for oil on it in exchange for a large amount of money. Some lawmakers became suspicious. So they opened an investigation. In time, lawyers proved the act of corruption. Harding’s friend was the first person to be found guilty of a crime while serving as a cabinet official. But President Harding did not live to see his friend go to jail. The investigation was just beginning when Harding took a trip to the West Coast to campaign for his policies. Some say that Harding was also trying to escape the problems in his administration. He reportedly told one reporter that worrying about what his friends were doing kept him awake at nights. During the trip, Harding showed signs of not being in good health. Doctors thought he could have food poisoning or pneumonia. He was taken to a hotel in San Francisco, California. For a day, he appeared to be feeling better. He was sitting up in bed. And then suddenly, his body shook and collapsed. He died instantly. Reports at the time differed on the cause of Harding’s death. Some even said that his wife poisoned the president to protect him from being punished for the wrongdoing in his administration. But most historians think that he had long suffered from heart failure, and was struck by a heart attack. He was 57. Legacy Millions of Americans mourned over Warren Harding’s death. They stood beside railroad tracks as his body traveled from California back to Washington, DC. The following year, Florence Harding also died. She and her husband are buried together under a grand memorial in their hometown in Ohio. But in the years after his death, Harding’s public image worsened. More corruption scandals in his administration came to light. And some historians have criticized him for not having a clear idea about how he wanted to lead the country. In 1927, a woman published a book saying she had a long, but secret relationship with Harding, both before and during his presidency. She also said he was the father of her daughter. Genetic testing has confirmed her claim. More than 30 years after her book was published, a lawyer discovered love letters from Harding to a different woman. They confirmed that he had a long romantic affair with the wife of one of his friends. Harding had also been married at the time.   These reports, as well as the corruption during his administration, damaged Harding’s public image. But he also seemed to know that he would not be remembered as one of the best occupants of the White House. Instead, he tried to be likable and modest. He called himself “a man of limited talents” who was “not fit for the office” of president. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Listening Quiz   See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   band - n. a usually small group of musicians who play popular music together circulation - n. the average number of copies of a newspaper that are sold over a particular period prosperity - n. the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money instantly - adv. without delay; immediately grand - adj.  impressive because of size or importance talents - n. special abilities that allow someone to do something well

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Finding Solutions for World Water Shortage

  Living things cannot survive without water. Yet more than 700 million people worldwide have trouble getting clean, safe water. That number comes from the Water Project, a non-profit group. It estimates that one in nine people do not have access to safe and clean drinking water. Governments, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and charities sent representatives to Stockholm, Sweden earlier this month for World Water Week activities. The subject for this year’s water week campaign was “water and waste, reduce and reuse.” The United States Geological Survey defines wastewater as used water. It is the water that comes out of pipes from peoples’ homes — from their bathrooms, washing machines and dishwashers. It can contain substances such as human waste, food pieces, oils, and chemicals. Businesses and industries also use water that must be cleaned.  Wastewater can also have harmful substances that wash off roads, areas where motor vehicles are kept, and tops of buildings when it rains. Todd Gartner of the World Resources Institute spoke with VOA from Stockholm by Skype. He says only a small amount of wastewater is being reused for other purposes. "Something like, I think it’s only four or five percent of wastewater is being recycled for any useful purpose. And over 90 percent of wastewater is just raw water. Right, you obviously have some nutrients and some metals you have to filter out, but the technology is increasingly becoming available to treat and reuse that wastewater." Gartner says the simple step — reusing water — could make a big difference. He notes that recycling is already happening in some places. ​"Even for potable water, there is a lot of places where they are treating the water to drinkable standards. And if you think about that as an option, it dramatically reduces our need to think of using fresh water each time." Treating wastewater is good for human beings because it provides fresh water for us. But it also helps the environment by keeping waste out of rivers and oceans. "Eighty percent of wastewater around the world is not treated at all.  Which means that it is running into oceans and bays.” Another problem is that people are using more clean water than our planet has. Sarah Feakins, a professor at the University of Southern California, spoke with VOA by Skype. She says agriculture is reducing the amount of water in the ground. "It is well known that the water table level is dropping because of all the water being used for agriculture, so that means we can not keep doing what we are doing for a very long time. We actually have to change what we are doing." Todd Gartner believes there are two kinds of solutions. One is low technology, like reforestation, or planting trees, and fixing pipes that leak. More high-tech solutions include better watering methods for agriculture, and factories to remove salt from salt water. On average, the world uses about 10 billion tons of water a day. And while 75 percent of our planet is covered with water, only about two percent is fresh water — that comes from rivers, lakes, ice and snow. The rest, 98 percent of the water, is in seas and oceans. It is too salty to drink. This is where desalination businesses come in. The International Desalination Association, an industry group, says there are more than 19,000 desalination plants worldwide. They process more than 92 million tons of water every day. But they require a lot of energy. Currently, desalination operations are found mostly in coastal nations with large energy supplies. Examples are found in the Middle East. Researchers are working to create a less costly technology. They are studying a process called membrane desalination. It moves water through special membranes that keep the larger salt molecules from passing through. Nikolay Voutchkov is president of Water Globe Consultants. He says other technologies, such as using membranes with enzymes and nanoparticles, may cut the cost of using desalination for large amounts of water. He spoke to VOA by Skype. “This type of structure, if we could imagine that we could generate that structure that looks like a honeycomb, we would increase production about 20 times to what we have today.” Scientists say finding a less costly desalination process would mean less pressure on natural sources of clean water. And Todd Gartner says everyone should have access to clean water. "Water is a human right and we want to make sure that everyone has access to clean, pure plentiful water, right now, we are not allocating it in a way that suggests it is a human right and everyone deserves their equal share." But for now, the world still faces each day with not having enough water for everyone.    I’m Anne Ball.   Kevin Enochs and George Putic reported on this subject for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted their reports for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ____________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding with this short quiz. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   charity – n. the act of giving money, food, or other kinds of help to people recycle – v.  to make something new from something that has been used filter – v.  to pass something like a liquid through a filter to remove something unwanted option – n. the opportunity to choose something or to choose between two or more things desalination – v. to remove salt from something like water plant – n. a building or factory where something is made membrane – n. a thin sheet or layer enzyme – n. a chemical substance in animals and plants that helps to cause natural processes nanoparticle – n. a microscopic particle whose size is measured in nanometers honeycomb – n. a group of wax cells with six sides that are built by honeybees in their hive and that contain young bees or honey allocate – v. to divide and give out something for a special reason or to particular people, companies, etc.

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American Farmers Hoping for Economic Gains from NAFTA Talks

  In August, the United States began renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico. As a candidate for president, Donald Trump called for talks on reworking the 1994 agreement, known as NAFTA. One result of NAFTA was an increase in agricultural exports from the United States. So American farmers are worried that any changes to the trade deal could hurt them financially. Ken Beck is a farmer in the state of Illinois. He says it is not easy to grow crops now. “Risky at best. There is no money in this game anymore.” Beck says his farm has been losing money in each of the past four years. He says corn and soy prices have dropped, while costs for fertilizer and seed are rising. He believes that the U.S. government can help him and other farmers by increasing trade. His hopes for increased demand, and higher crop prices, ended when the Trump administration decided to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP agreement. That is why Beck is closely watching the U.S. efforts to renegotiate NAFTA. “For a corn producer, grain producer, NAFTA’s been extremely good.” The United States is one of the top suppliers of agricultural products to Mexico. The U.S. exported more than $2.5 billion in corn to its southern neighbor in 2016. But this year there has been a decrease in Mexican imports of U.S. corn and soybean. Beck says that is because Mexico is buying crops from other countries. “Mexico, for the first time in history, bought corn from Argentina. Was it cheaper? No. But they are sending a signal.” Other signs that worry Beck are coming from President Trump, including his threat to withdraw from NAFTA. Beck says this creates uncertainty for American farmers. Tamara Nelsen works for the Illinois Farm Bureau, a non-profit group working for the state’s farmers. “If you have a shock -- like pulling out of TPP or not keeping the agreement going on NAFTA, it makes the markets nervous and it lowers the farmers’ farm income." Nelsen says many farmers are worried. “We hope that some of the rhetoric, like anti-trade, anti-exports for agriculture, will turn around and we’ll actually have some achievements.” Farmer Ken Beck says he hopes only small changes will be made to NAFTA. And he says he hopes that whatever changes are made take place soon. “Decisions in the next few weeks are going to have to be made for next year already." I’m Phil Dierking.   VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reported this story from Prairie Center, Illinois. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   game – n. a physical or mental activity; a field of gainful activity cheaper – adj. costing less; not costing a lot of money uncertainty – n. the state of being unsure; something that is unknown rhetoric – n. the art of speaking or writing effectively achievement – n. a result gained by work or effort We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2wjiYWr
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