One Method for Controlling Emotions, Stress

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Fear, anger, hate and sadness: These are four emotions that can affect how we think and how we act. When we are under pressure -- mental or physical -- our emotions are even more difficult to control. But what if there was a quick and easy plan for dealing with your emotions every time you faced a stressful situation? Well, there may be such a plan. And it involves a grammatical term: third person singular. Teachers use this term when talking about verbs and the form they take with the third person pronouns “he,” “she” or “it.” Now, an American researcher thinks he may have found a way to help control stress: talk to yourself in the third-person. Jason Moser is a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist. He serves as an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University. Moser says that talking to yourself in the third-person seems to put a kind of psychological distance between you and your emotions. He thinks this distance is all some people need to control how they react to stress.   “’Jason’ doesn’t just refer to myself. ‘Jason’ is the name of lots of other Jasons I’ve met before, and it has many other references. Whereas, ‘I’ and ‘me’ can only refer to the self, Jason can refer to others. And I think that distance from the self towards others gives people different perspectives. It allows them to manage stress better.” Talking to yourself in the third-person is like giving yourself advice. Moser uses himself in an example. He does not like flying, but he must fly often for his work. So, when he is feeling nervous or afraid during a flight, he talks to himself -- only silently. “And what I find myself doing, if I use third-person self-talk, is that I then start kind of giving myself advice. I start saying, ‘Well, you know, Jason knows air travel is very safe. And Jason’s been on thousands of flights before with no issue.’ And so this little bit of psychological distance you gain by using your own name – it’s almost as if you’re giving advice to somebody else even though it really does end up being you you're giving advice to.” Moser admits that talking out loud to yourself could look and sound strange to other people. So, he suggests using your brain and having that discussion inside your head. Thinking through that dialogue enables you to use this strategy anytime, anywhere. This strategy is easy and quick Moser’s research came from his desire as a mental health expert to help patients. Moser felt helpless when his patients were unable to use strategies he would suggest to them. He wanted to find a method that people could easily use to control their emotions. “I’m looking for easy and quick strategies people can use to manage negative emotions. In doing therapy with my clients one of the things that’s really frustrating is that many times it’s hard to get clients to adopt strategies you want them to adopt. And in large part because  they’re difficult. And they’re not exactly easy or intuitive in the moment.” Moser says that simply telling people suffering from depression to think differently is not enough. Brain imaging tests show that it takes great effort for these people to change their way of thinking. “And when you ask people who are anxious or depressed, for instance, to do that -- you see that it’s really difficult for them to do that. Their brain activity show you that it’s effortful for them. And so, I’m always looking for something that’s easier and quicker for people to do in the moment.” The two studies Moser performed two experiments with other researchers at Michigan State University and psychologists at the University of Michigan. He says they used two kinds of stimuli and looked at brain activity in the participants using two different imaging techniques. “Yeah, so, our main goal with these two studies was to show that third-person self-talk can be an effortless form of emotion regulation.” In the first study, Moser and his team showed the test subjects troubling pictures. They asked them to think about the pictures, using either first-person pronouns or third-person self-talk. Then the researchers examined the brain activity of both groups using an electroencephalogram or EEG. This is a test that recognizes electrical activity in a person’s brain. In the second study, researchers asked the subjects to think of difficult memories, again using both first-person pronouns or third-person self-talk. But this time, they looked at the brain activity with a different kind of technology, fMRI. Moser says that in both studies, the subjects who used third-person self-talk had a big reduction of emotional response in brain wave activity. The two tests also showed that these participants did not experience higher activity in other parts of the brain. Moser says this shows that the strategy needs no additional effort and happens without any thought or effort. “They had reduced emotional experiences but no extra effort or extra processing somewhere else in the brain. It seemed to be automatic and effortless.” Moser says he and his team used both imaging tests to give a more complete picture of how the brain reacts to third-person self-talk. EEG measures electrical activity during a short period of time. And fMRI measures blood flow over a longer period. The researchers decided to use two different stimuli in the separate studies for the same reason. One study looked at the strategy used on immediate reactions to a troubling picture. The other study explored the effect of third-person self-talk on bad memories. “In the EEG, we showed them pictures and wanted to see, 'Can they use third-person self-talk in the moment?' Whereas in the fMRI scanner we wanted to see, "Can we get the same sort of effect using memories about the past?' ” Moser says this provides a strong case that third-person self-talk is an effective way to control emotions in any situation. He says the most exciting thing he learned from this research is that third-person self-talk is effortless. The brain imaging shows it does not require any added effort, planning or thinking. And people can use it when dealing with immediate stress or when dealing with painful memories that have long since passed.  “This is not hard to do. People can do this and they can do it quickly within the first second of seeing an emotional picture. And they can do it reflecting back on painful experiences. And that it’s really easy and quick to do. And that was really, I think, the kinda main point that we wanted to make with these studies.” Who shouldn’t use this technique? Moser warns that this strategy may not be good for everyone. People with a severe mental disorder and who already have too much distance from their feelings should probably not use third-person self-talk. But he believes most other people can use the technique when dealing with stress, depression, anxiety or anger. Critics Moser admits that the strategy does have its share of critics in the world of psychology. He notes that some may call third-person self-talk silly. However, he adds that this strategy for controlling stress and emotion is not new, but the research is. With the information he and his colleagues have collected, third-person self-talk may be used by more people and in more situations. And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. ​______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   grammatical – adj. of or relating to grammar : grammar – n. the set of rules that explain how words are used in a language clinical psychologist – n. a psychologist who works with patients neuroscientist – n. one who studies the nerves and especially of how nerves affect learning and behavior refer – v. refer to (something) : to have a direct connection or relationship to (something) : reference – n. negative – adj. harmful or bad : not wanted strategy – n. a plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time adopt – v. to begin to use or have (a different manner, method, etc.) intuitive – adj. readily learned or understood anxious – adj. afraid or nervous especially about what may happen : feeling anxiety stimuli – n. something that causes a change or a reaction : an  influence that acts usually from outside the body to partly change bodily activity (as by exciting a receptor or sense organ) regulation – n. the act of regulating something : regulate – v. to set or adjust the amount, degree, or rate of (something) electroencephalogram – n. medical the tracing of brain waves made by an electroencephalograph : electroencephalograph – n. medical : an apparatus for detecting and recording brain waves silly – adj. having or showing a lack of thought, understanding, or good judgment : foolish or stupid : not serious, meaningful, or important 

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Spain Seeks Charges Against Catalan Leaders

  Spanish prosecutors say they will seek rebellion charges against the leaders of Catalonia’s ousted government. The move follows Catalonia’s declaration of independence from Spain last week. Spain considers Catalonia’s moves to create an independent state a violation of the country's constitution. Chief prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza said Catalan leaders would also be charged with inciting people to rebel and misuse of public money. He accused the leaders of causing “an institutional crisis” by leading efforts to separate Catalonia from Spain. Maza did not name the individuals facing charges. But they reportedly include Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, as well as members of his cabinet and legislative leaders in Catalonia. A Spanish government official told the Associated Press that Puigdemont had traveled to Brussels, Belgium. Over the weekend, a Belgian official said it would not be “unrealistic” for Puigdemont to request asylum in the country. Catalonia’s parliament declared independence from Spain Friday. Hours later, Spain’s Senate voted to give the Spanish government the authority to take over direct rule of the northeastern area.   Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy then ordered the dismissal of Catalonia’s government and removed senior Catalan police officials. He also called for new elections to be held December 21. Despite the charges sought against Catalonia’s leaders, the region’s major secessionist parties said Monday they planned to take part in the elections. Political observers said this decision signaled unspoken acceptance by pro-independence parties of Spain’s latest moves toward direct rule. On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of anti-independence demonstrators took to the streets of Barcelona to voice their opposition to Catalonia’s declaration. On Monday, most employees in Catalonia showed up for work, ignoring calls by some pro-independence groups for civil disobedience protests. Catalonia – a wealthy region with its own language and culture - has long sought independence from Spain. Catalan leaders held an independence referendum on October 1. They said the results gave them clear authority to declare independence. Spain’s government and Constitutional Court declared the referendum illegal. 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. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   authority – n. official power to give orders or make decisions referendum – n. election in which people in an area vote for or against an issue of public concern  

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Women Land in Japan after 6 Months Lost at Sea

This is What’s Trending today. Two women landed in Japan Monday after their rescue from a damaged sailboat floating aimlessly in the Pacific Ocean. Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava and their two dogs had been lost at sea for almost six months. The Navy ship USS Ashland rescued them about 1,450 kilometers southeast of Japan. Appel and Fuiava left Honolulu on May 3 sailing Appel’s 15-meter boat, the Sea Nymph. They had planned for an 18-day trip to Tahiti. However, storms flooded the engine, destroyed the boat’s starter and severely damaged the mast. The women could not use the sails effectively, as a result. They tried to return to Hawaii. In June, they got within 1,345 kilometers of Oahu, Appel said. “We knew we weren’t going to make it,” she said. “So that’s when we started making distress calls. We were hoping that one of our friends who likes to go deep sea fishing and taking people out might have gone past the 400-mile mark and might have cruised near where we would be.” The women said they floated aimlessly and sent unanswered distress calls for 98 straight days. The women said they ran out of food for the dogs, Zeus and Valentine, and began sharing their own with the animals. They were thousands of miles in the wrong direction when a Taiwanese fishing boat found them. Appel said she paddled on a surfboard to the Taiwanese boat and made an emergency call. The USS Ashland happened to be in the area at the time to avoid a storm. The ship’s commanding officer Steven Wasson said the Ashland traveled 160 kilometers and found the women the next day. Appel told reporters on Friday that they were beginning to feel hopeless when they saw the U.S. Navy ship coming toward them. “When I saw the gray ship on the horizon, I was just shaking,” she said. “I was ready to cry, I was so happy. I knew we were going to live.” The U.S. Navy decided the Sea Nymph needed too many repairs to make it sea worthy. So, the sailboat was left at sea. The women still hope it will be found and they can repair it. If not, Appel said they wanted to build an “unsinkable and unbreakable boat” and set out for Tahiti again. “We still never got to see the 20,000 islands, so I think that would be the most fantastic trip for May of next spring,” she said. And that’s What’s Trending today. I’m Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dock – n. to bring a ship or boat into a dock​ mast – n. a long pole that supports the sails of a boat or ship ​ distress – n. of a boat, airplane, etc.: a state of danger or desperate need​ horizon – n.  the line where the earth or sea seems to meet the sky​ fantastic – adj. extremely good​   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Kurdish President Offers to Step Down

  Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani has announced that he will step down as president on November 1. Barzani made the announcement on television Sunday. The autonomous Kurdish Regional Government has faced strong criticism after it held an independence referendum last month. A number of Barzani’s supporters forced themselves into the parliament building as lawmakers met to approve the president’s request. They attacked lawmakers and reporters while a crowd outside parliament waved Kurdish flags. Barzani said he wants the position of the president to be dissolved and its duties spread between the Kurdish area prime minister, parliament and the judiciary. During his speech, Barzani said the Iraqi central government has used the Kurdish vote in September as “an excuse” to retake territory. Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and coalition forces had controlled the territory in northern Iraq for years after they pushed out Islamic State, or IS, militants. IS fighters had overrun large areas of northern Iraq in 2014. Reactions to Barzani’s decision Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is calling for calm and respect for the law after Barzani’s announcement. Abadi said he was following developments in the Kurdish area closely. He said the central government in Baghdad wants to establish safe conditions in every province and protect the interests of every citizen. The United States called Barzani’s decision “an act of statesmanship during a difficult period.” In a statement on Monday, the State Department praised Barzani as “a historic figure and courageous leader of his people, most recently in our common fight to destroy ISIS.” James Jeffery is with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former diplomat. He told VOA that Barzani’s move could ease concerns of the Baghdad government and of Turkey, Iran and other countries opposed to Kurdish independence. “If he steps down then that will open the door to the step of annulling the referendum vote because that is the demand of both the Abadi government and all of the neighbors.” Independence vote led to clashes with Iraqi forces The referendum in September resulted in 92 percent of Kurds voting for independence from Iraq. Barzani said the vote was meant to provide a way to find a peaceful solution to the governing of the Kurdish area. He said any separation from the central government in Baghdad would be put off for years. Kurdish leaders had offered to suspend the referendum results and to start talks with the central government but Abadi rejected the offer. He has said he would accept only a cancellation of the referendum and respect for the country’s constitution. As a result of the vote, Iraqi central government forces took control of the city of Kirkuk and surrounding areas from Kurdish forces. The two sides are currently negotiating control of border posts including areas where an important oil pipeline crosses into Turkey. Masoud Barzani has been president of the Kurdish Regional Government since 2005. However, his second term ended in 2013. It was extended because of fighting with the Islamic State militant group, but parliament had not acted on a further extension in recent years. I’m Mario Ritter.   Chris Hannas, Esha Sarai and Victor Beattie reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional materials from Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   referendum –n. a vote by the general public on one or a few important issues statesmanship –n. the act of showing wise, diplomatic leadership in a government figure –n.  a person We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Pollution Is the World’s Number One Killer

  A new study has identified pollution as the world’s No. 1 killer. Study organizers say pollution is responsible for more premature deaths than war, terrorism, natural disasters, smoking and disease. By premature death, the researchers mean dying before the average age of death within a population group. Many of these deaths can be prevented. A report on the study was published in the medical journal Lancet. The researchers looked at pollution levels, both inside enclosed buildings and in the world around us. They estimated that pollution killed about 9 million people in 2015. That would represent one of every six deaths worldwide. Karti Sandilya helped to prepare the report. He said “Pollution threatens fundamental human rights, such as the right to life, health, well-being, safe work as well as protections of children and the most vulnerable.” The report said the large majority of pollution-related deaths take place in developing countries. The researchers say leaders in those countries are more concerned about building their economies and public services than environmental controls. Some of the most affected countries are Bangladesh, China, Haiti, India, Pakistan, North Korea and South Sudan. But Richard Fuller, another writer of the report, said pollution is tied to slow economic development in both rich and poor nations. He said “There is this myth that finance ministers still live by, that you have to let industry pollute or else you won’t develop. What people don’t realize ... people who are sick or dead cannot contribute to the economy. They need to be looked after.” The report said that 9 million premature deaths a year is only a conservative estimate. It says the actual number is likely to be much higher. A separate study by the World Bank said reducing pollution must be a top goal. It says that solving this problem would lead to solutions to other crises, including malnutrition and rising temperatures on Earth’s surface. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Kenneth Schwartz reported this story for VOANews.com. Jonathan Evans adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   malnutrition – n. the unhealthy condition that results from not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food : poor nutrition myth – n. an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true contribute – v. to supply or provide; to have a share in something premature – adj. happening or arriving before the usual or expected time

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Unit 8: Visual Literacy

​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.    Summary This lesson teaches students to work with a timeline graphic to show events in time order. They base the timeline on the hopes and dreams they remember from different periods of their lives.  Creating timelines helps students develop visual literacy for academic charts and graphics. Then, they play a game called ‘Wheel of Futures.’ This lets students try out different future plans and possibilities and explain why or why not they may want to do these things.  The game format makes learning fun  and helps students  think about their plans from a new perspective. It may also help reduce stress or anxiety around talking about possible future options.   Teacher Preparation Video Transcript This episode shows a model of teaching using a timeline and talking about plans for the future. 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.​ This file contains the teacher manual and the graphics shown in the video for the timeline and the wheel of futures. ​Women Teaching Women English Listening These audio files go with Unit 8 of Women Teaching Women English. Click on the "Direct Link" button to the right of the player to download them. Conversation: Prize Winner   Reading: Girls Ride to School on Bicycles   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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'It Was a Dark and Stormy Night'

  During the Halloween season, one popular activity is to visit a haunted house. As a child, some of my earliest and most frightening memories happened in a haunted house at Halloween. So, let me take you inside a real haunted house. This short story also gives you vocabulary and idioms for describing something scary. We begin as many scary stories have: It is a dark and stormy night. You walk alone down a desolate street. The rain has been falling steadily all night and is only getting worse. You are soaked to the bone and need to get out of the rain. Then you see a house. “Thank heavens!” you say out loud. But at second glance, your relief is chilled by the look of the place. It's dark. Only a lone street lamp casts a dim, yellow light on the sad features of the house. It looks as if no one has lived here for many years. The windows are broken. An old, ripped curtain blows from a third-story window. Now, you remember where you are.This house is from your childhood. Neighborhood kids talked of ghosts, from a family long dead, walking through the house at night.   The front yard is tangled with overgrown weeds and vines. A pathway lined with broken stones leads to an old house. You follow it. As you walk down the sidewalk, tree branches seem to lean into your path. They grab at your hair and clothes. Spider webs stretched across the branches get caught in your eyes and mouth. As you wipe them away, you hear something behind you. What is it?! You turn around. Nothing. It was probably just a cat, you tell yourself. Although, you don’t believe it. Just as you step onto the sagging front porch, the door creaks open. Suddenly, two bony hands push you inside. The door slams shut! From the shadows, things start to come toward you! You can't see anything, but you can hear them coming closer. You run, but running only takes you farther into the nightmare. Your heart beats wildly. Hoping to hide, you open a door, but a skeleton falls into your face. Screaming, you fight with the bones as they entangle your arms and legs! Finally, you break free and run for your life down a hallway. For a moment, you think you're safe. Then a deathly white hand reaches out from under a table, grabbing at your ankles! You run faster, this time up a flight of stairs. But a half-human, half-bat creature hangs from the ceiling. It flies toward your neck with blood dripping from its razor-sharp teeth. As you try to escape, you trip down some stairs and fall into a cold, dark basement. From a small window you look outside and see a crazed man holding an axe. He's looking right at you, laughing. Fear takes over your whole body, as you run out of the house only to find ... ... a bowl of candy. If you're lucky, maybe a plate of cupcakes, too. You dig your hands into the candy bowl and fill your pockets with sweets. You deserve it. You made it out alive! That is exactly how I remember the first haunted house my parents took me to. To this day, the thought of it still sends shivers down my spine. And I still love being scared out of my wits! I’m Anna Matteo   Do you remember a time when you were scared out of your wits? Practice using the words and expressions you heard in this story by describing it in the Comments Section. Anna Matteo wrote and produced this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   haunt – v. to visit or inhabit as a ghost desolate – adj. lacking the people, plants, animals, etc., that make people feel welcome in a place soaked to the bone – idiomatic expression : to be extremely or completely wet, especially through the clothing glance – n. a quick look chill – v. to become cold weed – n. a plant that tends to grow where not wanted and to prevent the growth of more desirable plants usually by taking up space vine – n. a plant whose stem requires support and which climbs by tendrils or twining or creeps along the ground dim – adj. not bright or clear creak – v. to make a long, high sound : to make a sound like the sound made by an old door when it opens or closes shadow – n. a dark shape that appears on a surface when someone or something moves between the surface and a source of light nightmare – n. a frightening dream that usually awakens the sleeper : something (such as an experience, situation, or object) having the monstrous character of a nightmare or producing a feeling of anxiety or terror skeleton – n. the structure of bones that supports the body of a person or animal scream – n. a sudden sharp loud cry : v. to voice a sudden sharp loud cry entangle – v. to wrap or twist together run for your life – idiomatic expression : to run very fast because you are in danger razor-sharp – adj. very sharp sends shivers down my spine – idiomatic expression : to cause an intense feeling of fear, nervousness, exhilaration, or excitement in someone scared out of my wits – idiomatic expression : suggests one is frightened enough to lose one's mind

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John Kennedy: Young

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was also known as Jack Kennedy, or by the letters JFK. When he took office in 1961, Kennedy was 43 years old. He was the youngest elected president in United States’ history. Kennedy was also the first Catholic to be elected U.S. president. Kennedy’s youth and religion raised questions in the minds of some Americans that Kennedy could lead the country. They wondered if he would always follow the policies of the Roman Catholic Church. But Kennedy became well-known as a statesman, and popular with people around the world. He was  intelligent, funny and good-looking. For many, Kennedy was a sign of new energy and hope. The public was shocked, then, when the president’s term was violently cut short. Early life John F. Kennedy was born in 1917 near Boston, Massachusetts. He was the second of nine children. Both his parents were Catholic, with ancestors from Ireland. Many years ago, Irish Catholics often faced discrimination in the United States. But the Kennedy family was also politically powerful and wealthy. As a result, young Jack Kennedy grew up in big, beautiful houses and received a top quality education. His family did not suffer during the Great Depression, as many Americans had. Instead, the Kennedy children swam, sailed boats and played sports. Jack also enjoyed reading books and following the news. His older brother Joe wanted to enter politics, but Jack said he might become a teacher or writer. When he was a college student at Harvard, Jack wrote a long paper about Britain in the years leading up to World War II. A version of it was published in 1940 as a book.  The war changed Jack’s thinking about his future plans. During World War II, both Jack and his older brother joined the U.S. Navy. In the Pacific, Jack became a hero. He won medals for leading some of his troops to safety after a Japanese warship struck a boat they were on. But Joe was killed. In 1944, his airplane exploded over Europe. When the war ended, Jack’s father urged him to follow his brother’s dream of succeeding in politics. Jack agreed, and he set his sights on becoming the country’s first Catholic president. Presidency Kennedy was nominated as the Democratic Party’s candidate, and he was elected in 1960. He easily defeated Vice President Richard Nixon, the Republican candidate, in the Electoral College. But Kennedy won only narrowly in the popular vote.     Though he was young, Kennedy brought experience to the job. In addition to being a naval officer, Kennedy had been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives as well as a senator from Massachusetts. He also published a Pulitzer Prize-winning book called “Profiles in Courage.” And he had become a husband and father. He married a wealthy, well-educated woman who had been working as a newspaper photographer. Her name was Jacqueline Bouvier, but she was sometimes called Jackie. She became pregnant five times, but only two of her children would survive: a daughter named Caroline, and a son, John F. Kennedy, Junior. The family of four moved into the White House in January 1961. On the day he was sworn-in, Kennedy gave a speech that many people still remember today. It celebrated the “new generation of Americans,” and promised to “pay any price” for liberty. Supporters of the new president loved his energy and sense of hope. In his most famous line, Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” Many young people remembered that line when they volunteered for a program Kennedy created in 1961: the Peace Corps. Other Americans remembered the line when they watched two Apollo 11 astronauts walk on the moon in 1969. Kennedy strongly supported the country’s space program. He promised that Americans would land on the moon by the end of the 1960s, and they did. Kennedy also supported efforts to improve civil rights across the U.S., although his administration moved slowly. Calls to end legalized racism were growing stronger during Kennedy’s time in office, particularly because of the leadership of Martin Luther King, Junior. In June of 1963, King spoke to hundreds of thousands of people at a civil rights protest called the March on Washington. He told the crowd that he dreamed “my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” The March on Washington, among other events, showed the power of the civil rights movement. In late 1963, President Kennedy sent a civil rights bill to Congress and spoke to Americans about the injustice that remained in the country. The Peace Corps, the Space Race, and civil rights are all part of Kennedy’s legacy. Kennedy is also remembered for several troubling international events. In one, known as the Bay of Pigs, Americans supported Cuban refugees in an effort to oust the government of Fidel Castro. Not only did the refugees fail, but Kennedy’s government was found to be lying about their support of the effort. And Kennedy faced off with the leader of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev. In 1962, American leaders learned that the Soviets had hidden nuclear weapons in Cuba. The missiles would be able to reach the U.S. mainland easily. Kennedy ordered a blockade of Cuba. People around the world held their breath as they waited to see if the U.S. and the Soviet Union would launch a nuclear war. They did not. After several very tense weeks, Kennedy and Khrushchev reached an agreement that ended the crisis.   Kennedy went on to reach an agreement with the Soviet Union and Britain to limit nuclear weapons testing. He said the agreement was one of the presidential acts of which he was most satisfied. Historians still debate Kennedy’s actions, and what else might have happened during his presidency. They wonder especially what he would have done about the increasing conflict in Vietnam. But Kennedy did not live to finish his first term. Death By November 22, 1963, Kennedy had been president for just under three years. The next election was still a year away, but it was time to start campaigning again. So the president and his wife went to Dallas, Texas to connect with voters. They were riding in a car with other official vehicles that drove slowly through the center of the city. Jack, Jackie, and the Texas governor and his wife sat in a convertible – an automobile without protection over the seats. The president was waving at the crowd. Suddenly, several gunshots were fired. The president was struck twice. The governor was also hit and injured. Kennedy was hurried to a hospital, but doctors were unable to help him. News reporters announced his death to a stunned public. Hours later, Jackie Kennedy appeared next to the former vice president – now president – Lyndon Johnson. She still wore the clothes with her husband’s blood on them. The events remain intense in the minds of many Americans who were alive at the time. The images remain easily recognizable parts of American history. The pictures of Kennedy’s family at his funeral are especially memorable. In one, three-year-old John holds up his arm and salutes his father’s casket. Attention quickly turned to the gunman. It was reportedly a 24-year-old man named Lee Harvey Oswald. Shortly after the president and the governor were shot, Oswald shot a policeman who questioned him. Oswald was eventually detained. Officials planned to bring him to court for the death of the president and the policeman. But on the way from the police station to the jail, a local night-club owner shot and killed Oswald. As a result, the case never came to trial. Many Americans believe the reason for the attack has yet to be clarified. Legacy Historians have a mixed reaction to Kennedy’s years as a president, although their opinions are generally positive. His image with the public suffered some years after his death because of reports that he had romantic relationships with women other than Jackie throughout his marriage. In time, the public also learned about Kennedy’s health problems. He suffered from severe back pain and Addison’s disease. He often used strong medicine to help control the conditions. The health problems are at odds with Kennedy’s image of health and love of sports. Yet even with these new details, Kennedy is still one of the country’s best-remembered leaders. He was a charismatic man whose career influenced many other Americans to enter public service. Americans also remember his stylish, cultured wife. Jackie Kennedy compared the Kennedy years at the White House to Camelot, the legendary court of King Arthur. Their remains, along with those of two of their children, are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington. They are honored there with an eternal flame – one designed so the fire will never go out. 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 video, then choose the best answer. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   content - n.  the things that are in something legacy - n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past casket - n. coffin nightclub - n. a place that is open at night, has music, dancing, or a show, and usually serves alcoholic drinks and food positive - adj. showing or expressing support, approval, or agreement at odds - n. not agreeing with each other : in a state of disagreement charismatic - adj. having great charm or appeal : filled with charisma eternal - adj. having no beginning and no end in time : lasting forever flame - n. the hot, glowing gas that can be seen when a fire is burning  

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US Agency: Climate Change Costs Americans Billions of Dollars

An agency of the United States government says the effects of climate change cost American taxpayers billions of dollars each year. The U.S. Government Accountability Office, or GAO, investigates how the federal government spends tax money. In a new report, the GAO tries to estimate the amount of federal money spent on disasters related to climate change. The agency considered the possible economic effects of slowly rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere and risks to the government. It used information about possible weather conditions based on climate models. A study from the National Research Council notes how large numerical models have become an important tool for climate scientists. Computer programs turn information about the physical world, such as chemical and biological processes, into mathematical operations. The new GAO report looked at the financial costs of extreme weather events and wildfires in the United States. The report says these have cost the government more than $350 billion over the past 10 years. The costs are estimates for federal disaster assistance programs. They include the cost of flood and crop insurance payments. This money helps businesses, homeowners and farmers pay for damages caused by a natural disaster. The GAO warns that costs from storms, floods, wildfires and droughts are likely to rise in the years to come. The costs noted in the report do not include the cost of three major hurricanes and wildfires this year. They are based on earlier numbers from the federal Office of Management and Budget. Latest spending for hurricane-related aid Last week, the U.S. Senate approved $36.5 billion in disaster aid for the territory of Puerto Rico. The legislation also provides money for the federal flood insurance program. Congress approved $15.3 billion in disaster-related aid in September after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas and parts of the southeastern United States. That storm and two other hurricanes caused major flooding and wind damage in Texas, Florida and other states, and the island of Puerto Rico. The GAO report predicts that disaster-related costs will only grow in the future. It notes, “Climate change impacts are already costing the federal government money, and these costs will likely increase over time as the climate continues to change.” Computer models help make predictions Estimating the cost of disasters linked to climate change, however, is difficult. This is because severe weather happens all the time. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, keeps detailed information about Earth’s climate. It estimates that by the year 2100, the average temperature will be between 1.1 and 5.4 degrees Celsius higher than it is today. NOAA notes that sea levels are slowly rising. Scientists’ computer models predict a rise of between two tenths of a meter and two meters by the end of the century.  These estimates come from computer models. They are based on what scientists currently know about weather systems. The writers of the report admit there are many unanswered questions when creating climate models, and limited or incomplete information about areas that would be affected. They conclude that it is not possible to know the costs that can be directly attributed to climate change. The report gives widely varying cost estimates. Yet the researchers also write: “The impacts and costs of extreme events – such as floods, drought and other events – will increase in significance as what are considered rare events become more common and intense because of climate change.” The report provides examples of places thought to be at high-risk of damage from severe weather linked to climate change. They include increased damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the American Southeast and also the New York City area. Deaths from higher than average heat could be more common in places like Florida, Texas and New Mexico. And water supplies in California could be lower than average. The report noted that climate change may help some areas. It said warmer weather could help agriculture in some Northern states, and reduce deaths resulting from cold weather in places like Minnesota. Report calls for prioritizing risks What concerns the GAO the most, say researchers, is that the U.S. federal government has not effectively planned for costs that happen again and again. The report says the government needs to identify climate-related risks as “high-risk.” Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Maria Cantwell of Washington requested the report. Collins belongs to the Republican Party, like President Donald Trump, and Cantwell is a Democrat. With the report, the GAO made a suggestion. It said the office of the president and federal agencies should use information about climate change costs to identify risks. Once the risks are identified, it says a plan to identify and prioritize ways to reduce the risks should be developed. I’m Mario Ritter. The Associated Press reported this story. Mario Ritter adapted the report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   insurance – n. an agreement in which a person or company makes pays for some level of protection against financial losses resulting from a disaster, health problem or death drought – n. a severe lack of rain hurricane – n. an extremely large, powerful storm with strong winds conclude – v. to find that, to form an opinion attribute – v. to say that something exists because of some cause vary – v. to experience change; to differ from other members of a group prioritize – v. to place in order of importance We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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US Military Seeking Technology to Better Prepare for War

  In military training, the body and the mind are often pushed to the limit. Sometimes, it could be deadly. “We are killing more Marines and soldiers in training than in combat,” noted Warren Cook of the United States Marine Corps. “Why does this happen?” Very often, he said, the reason is being very tired. Cook was among military officers and scientists who spoke at the University of Southern California’s Global Body Computing Conference. The meeting took place in Los Angeles. Cook and others discussed the effect of using technologies such as body sensors to help new soldiers understand the limits of their bodies so they can train safely. Charlene Mello is a scientist with the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. She said that the army is testing products, many of which are commercially-made. One example is Fitbit, a wearable device that measures one’s activity levels and physical exercise. Researchers are developing virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality projects with possible military uses. One mixed reality project involves drone aircraft. The drone is extremely small -- about the size of a human hand. It can follow and capture a person’s movements so they can be studied under a training simulation. These aircraft are being tested at the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies (USC ICT). Todd Richmond works at the institute. He believes that using videos of a soldier’s movements along with other biodata will change the way people train. He thinks all this information may even change the way people interact with the world. The institute, also known as USC ICT,  is also working on a virtual and augmented reality application, or computer program, called Monticello. Users of the app can interact with a virtual expert. Soldiers could send pictures of a dangerous area to a virtual expert, who could then guide them to a safer place, noted Adam Reilly, a research programmer. Another USC ICT project is called Bystander. It is a virtual reality program that helps people deal with situations to prevent sexual abuse and attacks. “The military is very interested in this area of research because they have programs already to try and stop sexual assaults,” said David Nelson. “It’s a big problem in the military.” Nelson is a project manager at USC’s Mixed Reality Lab and Creative Director of the Mixed Reality Studio. He said the experience of virtual reality – where a user can see something happening and try to stop it – is better than taking a computer class on sexual abuse. Officers and scientists at the conference agreed that technology can be used to keep military men and women mentally and physically healthy, which will make them better fighters. “If you train well, you will behave well in combat,” noted Jeffrey Hold of the U.S. Marine Corps. I'm Susan Shand.   Elizabeth Lee reported this story for VOANews.com. 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   sensor - n. a device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion and then reacts to it in a particular way commercially – adj. involved with or related to the buying and selling of goods and services virtual reality - n. an artificial world of images and sounds created by a computer that is affected by the actions of a person who is experiencing it augment - v. to add something to (something) in order to improve or complete it simulation - n. something that is made to look, feel, or behave like something else especially so that it can be studied or used to train people biodata - n. biographical information taken from questions about life and work experiences, as well as items involving opinions, values, beliefs, and attitudes

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Millions of Brazilians Fall Back into Poverty

  When Leticia Miranda had a job selling newspapers in Rio de Janeiro, she earned about $160 a month. That was just enough money to pay for a small apartment home in a poor neighborhood. Miranda lived there with her eight-year-old son. Today Brazil is facing its worst economic crisis in many years. Six months ago, Miranda lost her job. She and her son had no choice but to move to an unused building where several hundred people were already living. Everything she owns now fills a small room that has windows but no glass in them. People who live in the building wash themselves in large garbage cans filled with water. There is a bad smell coming from the growing mountains of uncollected garbage. Pigs search for food in the center of the building. Miranda says “I want to leave here, but there is nowhere to go. I’m applying for jobs and did two interviews. So far, nothing.” Between 2004 and 2014, tens of millions of Brazilians rose out of poverty. Brazil was noted as a successful example for other nations to follow. High prices for the country’s oil and other natural resources helped pay for social welfare programs that helped many poor people. But over the past two years, Brazil has fallen into the deepest recession in its history. The government has cut spending on social programs. Because of the recession, the country is no longer able to reduce the level of inequality that has existed since colonial times. Monica de Bolle follows the economic situation in Brazil for the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C. She notes that “many people who had risen out of poverty, and even those who had risen into the middle class, have fallen back.” The World Bank says that about 28.6 million Brazilians rose out of poverty between 2004 and 2014. But it estimates that from the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2017, 2.5 to 3.6 million Brazilians will have fallen back into poverty.  In July, the unemployment rate was almost 13 percent. At the end of 2004, it was 4 percent. De Bolle believes that estimate is low. She says it probably does not include the many formerly lower middle-class Brazilians who are again poor. Economists say high unemployment and reduced spending on social programs could worsen the country’s problems. Whenever any business announces it is expanding, many people offer to work for the company. When a university in Rio de Janeiro announced it had jobs this month for people with few skills, thousands waited in long lines to be considered for a position. The jobs pay just $400 a month. The policies of President Michel Temer are leading to cuts in social services. Among the programs affected is the Bolsa Familia -- the Family Allowance. It gives a small amount of money each month to people who earn very little. Experts say Bolsa Familia was the main reason so many Brazilians left poverty when the economy was strong. Emmanuel Skoufias is an economist at the World Bank. He helped write a report on Brazil’s “new poor.” He says social programs were responsible for almost 60 percent of the reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty between 2004 and 2014. But now, as job losses are causing an increase in the number of people who need assistance from the program, fewer Brazilians qualify for it. Forty-year-old Simone Batista says “every day is a struggle to survive.” She told the Associated Press (AP) that her Bolsa Familia payments were ended after her now one-year-old child was born. She wants to appeal the decision, but does not have enough money for a bus ride to the office where such appeals are made. Batista lives in Jardim Gramacho, an area in northern Rio de Janeiro. She and hundreds of other poor people find food by searching through garbage left in the area. An AP investigation found that the amount of Bolsa Familia payments dropped four percentage points between May 2016 and May of 2017. Part of that may be the result of a government campaign against suspected corruption. Temer’s administration said it had found “irregularities” in the records of 1.1 million people who were receiving payments. That is about eight percent of the 14 million people who take part in the program. The AP reported that some families who had been receiving payments were earning more than $150 a month. That is the most people are permitted to earn and stay in the program. Skoufias noted that the program was about one half of one percent of Brazil’s gross domestic product. He said the government should add money to the program, not cut it. But experts say Congress, which approved a spending limit, will likely not agree to an increase in the program’s budget. A year after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the city has so little money that it is not paying its workers, or is paying them in small amounts over time. The budget for garbage collection, community policing and other programs has been cut sharply. For many who live in Rio’s hundreds of favelas, or slums, an already difficult life is getting harder. Maria de Pena Souza is 59 years old. She lives with her son in a small house in a slum in western Rio. They want to move because their home is on a hill where landslides have killed people. But her son has not been able to find work since he completed his military service a few years ago. “I would leave if there was a way, but there isn’t,” she said. Brazil’s economic problems have led to an increase in support for former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He was president from 2003 to 2010, when the economy was strong. When da Silva left office, more than 80 percent of those asked said they approved of his presidency. But his popularity dropped sharply after he and his party were investigated for suspected corruption. The former president is appealing a guilty finding and an almost 10-year sentence for corruption. He has more support than any other likely candidate in public opinion studies for next year’s presidential election. During campaign speeches, da Silva promises that if he is elected, the economy would improve and the government would once again care for poor people. At a recent gathering in Rio, the former president used the name most Brazilians use when they talk about him. He said, “Lula is not just Lula. It’s an idea represented by millions of men and women. Prepare yourselves because the working class will return to govern this country.” I’m Jonathan Evans. I'm Anna Mateo. Associated Press writer Peter Prengaman reported this story from Rio de Janeiro. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the AP report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   garbage – n. often used to refer specifically to food waste that is being thrown out apply – v. to ask formally for something (such as a job, admission to a school, a loan, etc.) usually in writing interview – n. a formal meeting with someone who is being considered for a job or other position allowance – n. an amount of money that is given to someone regularly or for a specific purpose qualify – v. to have the right to do, have or be a part of something irregularity – n. something that is not usual or proper and that usually indicates dishonest behavior -- usually plural gross domestic product – n. the total value of the goods and services produced by the people of a nation during a year not including the value of income earned in foreign countries (abbreviation: GDP) slum – n. an area of a city where poor people live and the buildings are in bad condition  

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