North Korea Claims US Has Declared War

  North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho says the United States has declared war on his country. Ri made the statement to reporters in New York City on Monday. He added that his country would take counter-actions, including shooting down American warplanes. Ri directly linked the threat to one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s late-night Twitter messages over the weekend. In a tweet late Saturday, Trump wrote, “Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!” Ri had made a speech to the U.N. General Assembly earlier on Saturday. In a show of force, the U.S. sent several B1 bombers and fighter planes on a mission Saturday along the North and South Korean borders. A Pentagon spokesman said, "This mission is a demonstration of U.S. resolve and a clear message that the President has many military options to defeat any threat.” Ri said on Monday, “Given the fact that this comes from someone who is currently holding the seat of United States presidency, this is clearly a declaration of war." Ri told reporters that "we [North Korea] will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down the United States strategic bombers, even when they are not yet inside the airspace border of our country.” U.S. responses White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Monday, “We’ve not declared war on North Korea. She added that the suggestion was “absurd.” At the Pentagon, spokesman Army Colonel Robert Manning told reporters, "If North Korea does not stop their provocative actions, we (the military) will make sure that we provide options to the president to deal with North Korea. We have the right to fly, sail and operate where legally permissible around the globe.” I’m Jonathan Evans.   Margaret Besheer reported this story for VOA. Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English.  Ashley Thompson was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   mission - n. a flight by an aircraft to perform a specific task resolve - n. a strong determination to do something countermeasure - n. an action intended to stop something absurd - adj. silly, foolish or unreasonable provocative - adj. causing discussion, argument

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Let's Teach English Unit 4: Reading Skills

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 presents  Summary In this lesson, we see the class working on a reading task. The homework for this class was for students to bring in pictures with examples of technology. They talk about them to prepare for the reading. Next, the teacher shows students how to make a graphic organizer to help them check their understanding of the reading. The teacher uses one student's late arrival as an opportunity for other students to summarize the story using their graphic organizers. Graphic organizers are especially useful  when a story or article discusses complex ideas or processes. Teacher Preparation Video Transcript This episode shows a model of teaching reading skills. 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 4 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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Trump Extends New Travel Restrictions to Eight Countries

  Travelers to the United States from eight countries face new restrictions under a document that President Donald Trump signed on Sunday. The new restrictions are to take effect on October 18. They will affect citizens from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Chad, North Korea and Venezuela.  The Trump administration described the new measures in a statement on Sunday. It said these countries have refused to share information about terrorism and other issues with the United States. The new measures do not apply to Sudan. Iraq also does not face entry restrictions, although travelers may face greater “screening security.” Those two countries had been included in earlier versions of Trump’s travel bans. Countries added to travel restrictions list Chad, North Korea and Venezuela are new additions to the travel ban. The presidential proclamation states that, “North Korea does not cooperate with the United States government in any respect and fails to satisfy all information-sharing requirements.” Venezuela was included for failing to cooperate in showing if travelers present “national security or public-safety threats.” U.S. officials also said Venezuela does not willingly receive Venezuelans deported from the U.S. The Trump administration called Chad a “valuable and important” partner in fighting terrorism. But it noted that the country had not shared terrorism-related and other public safety information. The statement says the restrictions are conditional and that the countries can take actions to ease the measures. Human rights groups react Human rights groups largely disapproved of the new ban. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a Muslim civil rights group based in Washington D.C. In a statement, the group denounced the policy, saying it was, in the group’s words, part of the administration’s “ugly white supremacist agenda.” The London-based rights group Amnesty International also criticized the new restrictions. It said families had been torn apart since the last travel ban. It also said the ban unfairly targeted “whole nations of people” because of “the crimes of a few.” The group said the action did not keep anyone safe. In the proclamation, the president said: “The restrictions announced are tough and tailored, and they send a message to foreign governments that they must work with us to enhance security.” Trump released an executive order in March that placed travel restrictions on six Muslim-majority countries. However, that order was immediately disputed and suspended in U.S. courts. Critics said the ban unfairly targeted Muslims. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court permitted parts of the order to go into effect. The earlier order placed entry restrictions on citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Citizens of those countries were required to have a “credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.” Two of the three new countries placed on the travel ban list -- North Korea and Venezuela -- are not Muslim-majority. Chad is estimated to be majority Muslim. However, it has large populations of other religious groups, as well. I’m Mario Ritter   Smita Nordwall reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional materials. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   screening –n. the act of examining people to see if they can do something proclamation –n. a statement by a public official calling for some action deport –v.  to cause a person who is not a citizen to leave a country  conditional –adj. describes something that will happen only if something else happens tailor –v. to make something fit a certain situation, person, group or country enhance –v. to improve or increase bona fide –adj. in good faith entity –n. something that exists separately, such as a business, organization, government or political groups   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Let's Teach English Unit 4: Reading Skills

In this unit, the class class works on a reading task. Then, the teacher shows students how to make a graphic organizer to help them check their understanding of the reading. See the whole unit at http://ift.tt/2fvlqqx

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Herbert Hoover: Blamed

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Herbert Hoover. He took office in 1929. Hoover was president for the early years of what Americans call the Great Depression. During those years, the United States economy slid into a severe recession. Many banks and businesses failed. At times, nearly one in four people in the U.S. workforce were unemployed. Millions of people lost their homes and savings. Hoover did not cause the depression. The conditions had been in place before he took office. But many Americans blamed Hoover for their suffering. They believed he permitted the economic crisis to continue – and even deepen – during his time in office. Early life Herbert Hoover was born in a small house in the state of Iowa. His parents were Quakers. Their religion valued simplicity, hard work, equality among people, and peaceful resolution of conflict. Hoover and his brother and sister were influenced by these beliefs, even after their parents died. By the time young Herbert Hoover was nine, he was an orphan. He moved to the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest, and lived with an uncle. Hoover did not thrive in that situation. Reports say that he usually kept to himself. And he did not do particularly well in school. Yet one official from Stanford University liked what he saw in the young man – hard work and a desire to learn new things. At the time, Stanford University was just getting established. It admitted Hoover into its first class. Hoover had to work hard at Stanford, both in class and to earn money to pay tuition. But the experience brought many benefits. Hoover studied geology, and went on to work as a mining engineer. The job led to positions in Australia, China and other parts of the world. He became an internationally-known expert on mining. He also wrote a leading textbook on mining. These experiences, along with good business investments, led to great wealth for Hoover. At Stanford, he also met the woman who would become his wife. Her name was Lou Henry. She was the first woman from Stanford to complete a study program with a degree in geology. The Hoovers went on to have two sons. Humanitarian work During World War I, the Hoovers’ lives changed dramatically. The family was living in London when the war began. U.S. government officials asked Hoover to organize an evacuation effort for American tourists who were in Europe. In only a few weeks, Hoover’s committee succeeded. Later, he helped get food and supplies to people in Belgium. As a result, Hoover earned a public image as a smart, skilled humanitarian. When the United States entered World War I, President Woodrow Wilson asked Hoover to lead the government’s Food Administration. In that position, Hoover led an effort to change Americans’ behavior in order to support the war effort. He asked them to limit the kinds of food  they ate and goods they bought. The effort was, for the most part, successful. Americans called their moves to limit their consumption “to Hooverize.” Hoover went on to organize programs to aid other countries, including Russia. He also helped parts of the U.S. recover after terrible flooding. And, as secretary of commerce, he pushed businesses, researchers, and government officials to work together. Hoover aimed to reduce “boom and bust” cycles and keep the U.S. economy healthy.  In all his efforts, Hoover urged Americans to choose to participate. He did not believe in using government requirements to force cooperation. Instead, he supported “individualism” – the idea that Americans must protect the qualities of creativity, equal opportunity, and service to others. Hoover’s beliefs were popular with many Americans at the time – and with many Americans today. In the election of 1928, Hoover easily won the presidency. He promised to continue leading the country down the path of prosperity. Presidency When Hoover took office in 1929, he said, “I have no fears for the future of our country. It is bright with hope.” That was in March. In October, the U.S. stock market crashed. Thousands of investors lost their savings. The event was part of a sharp downturn in the economies of the United States and of many other countries.   At first, Hoover believed the downturn would pass. But as time went on, the situation grew worse. Businesses could not expand their workforce. Farmers could not afford to harvest their crops. Everyday people had too little money to pay for housing costs and, in some cases, food. And then banks across the country began to fail.   President Hoover worked hard to fix the problems. He tried many approaches: creating government agencies, urging private and public groups to cooperate, and working to balance the federal budget. But Hoover did not want to use federal money to provide direct aid to Americans. He worried that such actions would make people dependent on the government, and reduce people’s individual power and morale. Nor did he want to use the federal government to try to control the economy. Government intervention, he said, would lead to socialism, and eventually destroy the country’s founding beliefs. Instead, Hoover tried to support states and businesses indirectly and urged people to find ways to help one another. Yet many lawmakers and members of the public rejected Hoover’s measures as insufficient, and even cruel. Some used his name differently than they had before he took office. Now, they called the dirty shelters where hungry and homeless people lived “Hoovervilles.” And they called men’s empty pockets “Hoover flags.” Although Hoover tried to persuade Americans that he was protecting their interests in the long run, voters refused to elect him for a second term. Instead, they overwhelming chose a president who promised an activist federal government and a hopeful “new deal” for Americans. Legacy After they left the White House, the Hoovers retired to their home in Palo Alto, California. Lou Henry Hoover died in 1944. But  Hoover lived 20 more years, many of them working for the public good. He helped international relief efforts, advised the U.S. government, and led committees to reform the presidency. Hoover also commented on later presidents and their policy decisions. He was especially critical of government programs set up to provide aid and intervention in Americans’ lives. Until his death from cancer at the age of 90, Hoover remained committed to his beliefs. He spoke for limiting the power of the federal government and for supporting freedom of opportunity for individuals. But in the eyes of many Americans, Hoover is linked to the failure of the federal government to lessen the Great Depression. 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   orphan - n. a child whose parents are dead thrive - v. to grow or develop successfully : to flourish or succeed benefit - n. a good or helpful result or effect consumption - n. the use of something boom and bust - n. a rapid increase in growth or economic success, followed by sudden economic losses opportunity - n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done prosperity - n. the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money morale - n. the feelings of enthusiasm and loyalty that a person or group has about a task or job insufficient - adj. not having or providing enough of what is needed : not sufficient

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US Researchers Study Issue Tied to Long-Term Space Flight

  Research subjects who have lived with limited human contact since January recently completed an experiment. The six, four men and two women, lived near the top of a volcano on the Pacific island of Hawaii. They agreed to stay in a small, restricted area as part of a study to learn about the mental and emotional effects of a long term space mission. The six people lived and acted much like astronauts would on an eight-month long visit to the planet Mars. The American space agency NASA provided money for the experiment. Information gathered in the study will help NASA choose individuals and groups with the right qualities for a trip to Mars. Life as an astronaut can be stressful Individuals who are able to deal with long-term space travel need to have special qualities or traits. They need to be able to deal well with isolation, pressure and danger for up to three years on a trip that would take them far from Earth. The six research subjects were isolated from other people on a large flat plain near the top of Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano. The area is about 2,400 meters above sea level and has thin, dry air. During the experiment, the subjects wore space suits like those worn by astronauts and traveled in teams whenever leaving their living structure. Researchers called the dome-shaped living space a habitat. It is about the size of a small house. The kinds of foods available to the research subjects were limited. They ate mostly freeze-dried or canned food during the experiment. All communications between the “crew members” and outsiders were given a 20-minute delay, increasing the sense of isolation. Twenty-minutes is the time it takes a radio signal to travel from Mars to Earth. Study is part of the effort to take humans to Mars The mission was the fifth in a series of six NASA-financed studies at the University of Hawaii habitat. It is called the Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, or HI-SEAS. Laura Lark was the team’s information technology specialist. She thinks a manned flight to Mars is a reasonable goal for NASA. Lark described the project in a video message recorded in the dome. “There are certainly human factors to be figured out, that’s part of what HI-SEAS is for,” she said. “But I think that overcoming those challenges is just a matter of effort. We are absolutely capable of it.” In the experiment, researchers used games to study human behavior. The crew members played games designed to measure their ability to work together. Games also helped measure their ability to deal with pressure or stress. The crew members also kept documentation of how they were feeling. In addition to activities, members of the team wore sensors that measured voice levels and how near they were to others in the living space. Kim Binsted, a professor at the University of Hawaii, was one the lead investigators in the study. She said the sensors could record if people were avoiding one another or if they were close to each other in an argument. “We’ve learned, for one thing, that conflict, even in the best of teams, is going to arise,” Binsted said. “So what’s really important is to have a crew that, both as individuals and a group, is really resilient, is able to look at that conflict and come back from it.” Another part of the study was to test ways to help the crew members coped with stress. When they felt helpless, they could use what the researchers called virtual reality devices. These could show the team members images of a seaside getaway or something else. Other countries have performed studies on the effects of long-term space flight. The researchers in Hawaii, however, say their project provides an environment most like Mars. The area on Mauna Loa is covered with hard, red volcanic rock.  The crew-members were required to carry out studies of the rocky surface, make maps and care for their habitat. The living space had a laboratory, cooking area and bedrooms with little room for anything else. After the experiment was finished, food was the first thing on the mind of the six astronauts. They gladly ate a feast of tropical fruit. I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted an Associated Press story for VOA Learning English. His report includes material from the experiment’s website. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   traits – n. qualities that make a person different from another isolation – n. the condition of being alone or separated from others dome – n. a structure or part of one shaped more or less like a half sphere challenges – n. things that are difficult to do resilient – adj. able to return to health or normality after something bad cope – v. to deal with problems and to try to find solutions to them We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Saying 'Sorry' Might Not Help Person You’re Rejecting

  Did you ever have to say “no” to somebody? Such as a classmate who asks to go to lunch with you, or a roommate who asks if you would like to continue living together in the future? New research suggests that, at least socially, a rejection should not include an apology. In other words, saying you are sorry does not make the person being rejected feel any better. In fact, it might make the rejected person feel worse. That is surprising. Many people consider it to be good manners to say they are sorry when they turn down a request. Gili Freedman is doing postdoctoral research at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. She just published her study on rejection in Frontiers in Psychology. For her research, she asked over 1,000 people to respond to different examples of social rejection. Freedman -- and other researchers -- did the research while she was completing her doctoral studies at the University of Texas at Austin. In one example, the researchers asked people for their reaction after a person named Taylor asked to join a co-worker who went out to lunch every Friday. In another case, they asked for people’s reactions when Taylor asked a roommate whether they could continue to live with each other in the future. The participants did not know whether Taylor was a man or a woman. In both cases, and in other social experiments, Taylor was told "no." But in some cases, the person rejecting Taylor offered an apology, such as “I’m sorry.” In other cases, the people doing the rejecting did not say they were sorry. People were asked how they would feel if they were being turned down, just as Taylor was. Most said they would be more hurt by a rejection with an apology, than a rejection without an apology. Freedman said the reason is that apologies make people feel like they need to say that the rejection was okay -- even when they felt like it was not okay. Rejection without an apology lets them express their feelings of disappointment, hurt or anger more easily. “It seems like apologies actually increase hurt feelings, rather than decreasing them, which is often our goal when we want to let someone down easy.” Freedman also said that an apology often makes the person doing the rejecting feel better -- even as it makes the person being rejected feel worse. Her research deals only with social interactions. A business situation might be very different. If a manager rejects a job candidate or a boss must tell an employee that he or she is being let go from a job, Freedman said, reactions to apologies may be different. "You can imagine, there are a lot of differences between me rejecting a friend for a coffee date, versus me firing someone. There is a different power dynamic. There are different consequences. So, we would have to do further research to see how apologies stack up in a business rejection.” One famous line from the novel “Love Story” says "Love means never having to say you're sorry.” “Love Story” became a movie in 1970. Both the book and film were written by Erich Segal. The movie is a tragic love story between Jenny and Oliver, played by Ali MacGraw‎ and ‎Ryan O'Neal. Freedman was asked whether Love Story’s writer got it right with those famous words. She said that she is a little too young to remember the 1970 movie. But she did say, “I think in this case -- in a social rejection at least, saying you’re sorry might have some unintended consequences.” I'm Bruce Alpert. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. When you turn someone down, do you offer an apology? Do you say you’re sorry? Or do you just say “no?” ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   manners - n. a way in which people act usually when dealing with other people obligate - v. to make a person do something because it is the right thing to do okay - n. used to ask for or express agreement, approval disappointment - n. the state of being made sad because of an action or decision actually - adv. used to refer to what is true or real boss - n. the person in charge at a job dynamic - n. the way that two or more people behave with each other because of a particular situation stack up - v. compare to something else

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Lesson 4: Run Away With the Circus!

Summary Anna and Pete start their new show. They do not agree about the circus. Are the performers artists or athletes? Do they perform or compete? Find out in the first "He Said - She Said" show. Conversation Anna: Hello, I’m Anna … Pete: … and I’m Pete. Welcome to “He Said, Anna: … She Said”! Pete: Because there are always two sides …   Anna: to every story! Anna: Today’s show is about Circus Arts! Pete: Circus? That’s not an art form. Anna: Yes, it is. Pete: No, it isn't. Anna: Yes, it is. Pete: No, it isn't. Anna: Yes, it is! Pete: No, it isn't. Anna: Yes, it is! Pete: No, it isn't. Anna: Yes, it is! Professor Bot: Oh dear. Anna and Pete do not agree about Circus Arts. But that's okay. Today’s lesson is about agreeing and disagreeing. Let’s listen to how Anna and Pete disagree or agree. Let’s hope these two can agree on something. Anna: Today, let’s run away with the circus! Recently, I went to a circus festival. There was a huge circus tent. And many different circus performers. It was a celebration of circus arts! Pete: That looks fun, Anna. But I don’t think circus performers are artists. I think they’re athletes with interesting skills … and costumes. Anna: Hmm, that is a very interesting point of view, Pete. And I completely disagree. Pete: Anna, Michelangelo was an artist. Rembrandt was an artist. People who swing from ropes are not artists. I know it’s not easy to swing from a bar and catch someone by the hands. You have to be very athletic to do that. Anna: That’s a good point, Pete. They are athletic. But they are called trapeze artists. Trapeze … ARTISTS. Pete: I hear what you’re saying, Anna. I do. But where is the art? Look at these guys. They’re jugglers. Anna: Yes, they are skilled in the art of juggling. Pete: They have a special skill. But are they artists? Anna: Yes! Pete: No! Pete: They're just throwing things back and forth. Anna: Kind of like you and me, Pete. We’re going back and forth on this issue. Pete: I don’t think we’ll ever agree on this one. Anna: No, but we can agree that these young people are amazing. Pete: Okay, yeah. We can agree on that. But, still, they are very athletic – flipping and throwing each other around. Anna: Yes, I agree with you on that point. Professor. Bot: They did it! They agreed!! Anna says she agrees that the performers are athletic. "That’s a good point, Pete. They are athletic. I agree with you on that point. " Now look for other ways they agree. Pete: Anna? Anna!! Anna: Sorry! Sorry! But he’s an artist too. He is telling a story with his sticks and his costume. Pete: What story? What costume? Anna: I see your point, Pete. I really do. But circus performers do more than physical tricks. Look! Look at these amazing performers! Pete: I will admit -- I like their costumes. Anna: You know, Pete. Let’s let the performers speak for themselves. Anna: Kate and Piper tell stories while hanging upside down on a ring! Pete:  Was it hard to interview them upside down? Anna:  I interviewed them right side up, Pete. Kate says circus performing may be athletic but it’s not competitive. With most sports, you compete. Kate: It’s an art form because like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun. Pete: Okay, Kate made a really good point. In athletics, there is a lot of competition. But still … Anna: Here’s Piper, Pete. Please pay attention, Pete. Pete: But, I - Anna: Shh. Piper: Well, when you’re up in the air doing circus you have to perform. And so, we learn to embody characters, and to move fluidly and gracefully … in artistic ways. Anna: And that …is why they are artists! Pete: You’re right, Anna. Oh, you’re right. It’s just so beautiful.  Anna: I know. I know, Pete. Professor Bot: Good job you two! I'm so glad that Anna and Pete finally agree! Pete said, " You’re right, Anna."  I agree, too. Circus arts are beautiful. Remember the website!   New Words admit - v. to say usually in an unwilling way that you accept or do not deny the truth or existence of (something) athlete - n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength athletic - adj. strong and muscular back and forth - adv. toward the back and then toward the front or backward and forward bar - n. a straight piece of metal or wood that is used as a tool circus - n. a traveling show that is often performed in a tent and that typically includes trained animals, clowns, and acrobats competitive - adj. of or relating to a situation in which people or groups are trying to win a contest or be more successful than others embody - v. to be a symbol or example of (something) form - n. a type or kind of something graceful - adj. moving in a smooth and attractive way hang - v. to hold one's body in the air Michelangelo - n. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. Along with Leonardo da Vinci, he is often called a "Renaissance man" which means that he had great talent in many areas. Rembrandt - n. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was a famous Dutch painter and artist. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history, and the most important in Dutch history. right side up - adv. with the top of something, or the head of a person, facing upward ring - n. something that is shaped like a circle rope - n. a strong, thick string that is made by twisting many thin strings or fibers together run away with - phrasal verb. to secretly leave a place with a person or a group side - n. one of two or more opinions, positions, etc., that disagree with each other trapeze - n. a short bar that is hung high above the ground by two ropes and that is held by circus performers who perform athletic tricks on it twirl - v. to turn or spin around and around   Learning Strategy The learning strategy for this lesson is Apply a rule. When you use English, you often apply rules you have learned. If you are not sure about how to say something in English, you can look for a rule that will help you. In this lesson, Anna and Pete are talking about circus performers. Are they artists or athletes? Anna thinks of this rule: 'athletes compete in sports.' The performer Kate says circus performing may be athletic but it’s not competitive. Anna helps Pete to understand that circus performers are artists because, as Piper says, they move "in artistic ways." How about you? How do you apply rules while you are speaking English? Can you think of an example of a rule that you applied recently? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email.    Listening Quiz See how well you understand this lesson by taking a listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer. ​ 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. Topics: Expressing opinions; Expressing agreement and disagreement Learning Strategy: Apply a rule 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. ​

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Fake News Becoming the Norm in Poland

  Poland, like many European countries, has been targeted by Russian propagandists with disinformation campaigns. Experts say the effort is aimed at the country's political discussion. They say many false accounts were opened on Polish Facebook, and other sites, in 2014 during a period of protests in neighboring Ukraine. Russian propagandists are focusing on inciting Polish nationalist, anti-Western and anti-Ukrainian feelings. They often work with political organizations already on the extremes of liberal or conservative thinking. At the same time Polish political marketing companies are also at work in the country. They are creating fake news, troll factories and harassment campaigns.  Their methods are similar to those used by Russian propagandists. In addition, Poland’s ruling party, PiS, or Law and Justice, is slowly taking measures to restrict press freedom.  Soon after its election, the PiS government took control of Poland’s public broadcaster. PiS is now focusing on foreign-owned media companies. The party also is seeking to supervise use of money given to non-governmental organizations.  The European Union has condemned that effort. This year, the independent U.S.-based researcher Freedom House    rated Poland’s media only “partly free.” The group produces an annual report on press freedom around the world.  The Freedom House report said the Polish government showed "intolerance toward independent or critical reporting,” as well as a high level of political interference in public media. It said Poland was also restricting expression about Polish history and identity.  Critics have also raised objections to the ruling party’s own successful social media campaigns. The critics say the party uses paid trolls on social media and news sites. They also accuse PiS of using automated social media accounts that can spread memes rapidly. Robert Gorwa is a team researcher with Oxford University’s Internet Institute. He says its studies “found PiS to have developed an "extraordinarily effective online resurgence.” Gorwa said the research showed higher levels of so-called bots, or automated accounts, on Polish Twitter than expected. He said the examination also found there were more than twice as many suspicious PiS or nationalist accounts than extreme liberal ones.  The nationalist accounts also posted more often than those of the opposing side. Gorwa said liberal or moderate accounts appeared to repost information from more established media organizations, politicians and journalists. The PiS and nationalist-linked fake accounts, he said, supported extreme points of view and spread “political disinformation” from untrustworthy sources. Gorwa said they also broadcast xenophobic content. Media activists in neighboring Ukraine say they have found similar propaganda activity in their country.  Tetiana Popova is a former Ukrainian deputy minister for information policy. She said "We are seeing targeted social media hate and harassment campaigns by Ukrainian troll factories. Now the troll farms are being used against anti-corruption journalists and activists." I’m Phil Dierking.   This story was originally written by Jamie Dettmer for VOANews.com.  Phil Dierking adapted the story for VOA Learning English from an Associated Press report. Caty Weaver was the editor. How well do you trust the news and media of your country? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bots - n. a software application that runs automated tasks (scripts) over the Internet.​ harass - n.  to annoy or bother (someone) in a constant or repeated way​ resurgence - n. a growth or increase that occurs after a period without growth or increase​ spectrum - n.  a complete range of different opinions, people, etc.​ troll - n. a person who tries to cause problems on an Internet message board by posting messages that cause other people to argue, become angry, etc.​ xenophobic - adj. someone who has a fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners​

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African Art Museum Opens in Cape Town

  The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa officially opened its doors on Friday. The new museum itself is a work of art. It is a century old grain silo on the historic waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. British architect Thomas Heatherwick redesigned the building for the African continent’s largest collection of contemporary art. All the art works were made after the year 2000. The nine floor museum attempts to show that often ignored African contemporary art is worthy of attention. Museum officials hope to create excitement with its many exhibits. Some works are inventive, while others suggest a clash of ideas. Some seem to be playful, while others leave visitors wondering what they saw. Mark Coetzee works at the museum. He says it has several goals. One is to represent the people of Africa whose stories have often been told by other people, by outsiders. “Let’s create an institution where people from Africa, whether we were born here thousands of years ago or whether we immigrated yesterday, can contribute to the writing of our history,” he told VOA. “Let us also define how we want to be presented to the world.” Coetzee says contemporary art gives rise to many pressing issues in the modern world. He adds that modern art museums give people the tools to negotiate the times we are living in. Artists, he says, ask very difficult questions, such as ‘Why is there separation of wealth and power?’ and ‘How do we negotiate difference in society when we have different religious, or different genders, or different orientations?’ Coetzee says a museum is “a very safe space to discuss very difficult issues,” which affect people in the 21st century.” The new museum holds the private art collection of Jochen Zeitz, a German collector and former head of sportswear manufacturer Puma. On entering the museum, visitors see a large dragon with a 100 meter long tail. The creature is made of bicycle inner tubes. It is the work of South African artist Nicholas Hlobo. Visitors can also see the bright photographs of zebras, balloons and human-like figures in costumes. Those images are from South African artist Athi-Patra Ruga. Visitors can also see the nine screen video exhibit “Ten Thousand Waves” by British artist Isaac Julien. They can touch – and take home – prints of images by Angolan photographer Edson Chagas. They can walk through room after room of creatures made from cow skin by Nandipha Mntambo of Swaziland. When the museum offered 24,000 free passes for two hour visits during its opening weekend, they were all given away in just 9 minutes. In the last few years, African contemporary art has started to be respected. That is the opinion of Hannah O’Leary, head of modern and contemporary African art for Sotheby’s auction house. She admits that the market is new, and African artists often do not earn high prices. But Sotheby’s first auction of African art this year brought in $3.8 million. The event broke the record for the highest sales of African art at a single event. While South Africa has always had a strong tradition in the arts, O’Leary says, other countries are becoming more interested in making art and buying it. “From the results of our first sale, we have buyers from 29 different countries, on six different continents,” she told VOA from London. “We’re not talking about just selling South African art to South African buyers. We are taking the greatest art from across the continent and we know that that has the greatest appeal, so we are selling to collectors in Africa, but also in North America and Europe.” Mark Coetzee says visitors should not be concerned about the museum’s $38 million design, its millions of dollars of art, or its elegant appearance. Nor, he said, should they all pay $13 for a single, one day admission. Children enter for free, and citizens of African nations get free admission every Wednesday. I’m Susan Shand.   VOA’s Anita Powell reported this story from South Africa. Susan Shand adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. __________________________________________________________ Words in This Story museum – n. ​a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public​ silo – n. a tower that is used to store food (such as grain or grass) for farm animals architect – n. a person who designs buildings contemporary – adj. happening or beginning now or in recent times exhibit – n.  a collection of object that have been put in one place for people to see or inspect institution – n. an organization contribute – v. to supply or provide balloon – n. ​a thin usually rubber bag that becomes larger when it is filled with air or gas​ costume – n. ​the clothes that are worn by someone (such as an actor) who is trying to look like a different person or thing​ gender – n. the behavioral or cultural qualities normally linked to one sex auction – n. a public sale where things are gold to the person who offers to pay the most elegant – adj. high grade or quality  

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Text Messages Connect Farmers in Kenya

WeFarm was launched in Kenya in 2014; the service recently expanded to Uganda and Peru. Its operators hope to reach one million farmers in the next year.

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