America's Presidents - Lyndon B. Johnson

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Laboratory in Netherlands to Help Find Missing People Worldwide

  Millions of people worldwide have been reported missing. Many of them went missing as a result of armed conflicts, such as the war in Syria, or in other places of violence. Large numbers of people disappear after natural disasters. A new laboratory equipped with the latest technology seeks to help the families and friends of the missing. In late October, the International Commission on Missing Persons, or ICMP in The Hague opened a laboratory to help identify missing individuals. The lab is the latest effort for an organization that was established after the Srebrenica massacre. More than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were killed after Bosnian Serb forces captured the town of Srebrenica in 1995. It is the only incident in the Bosnian conflict to be defined by two United Nations courts as genocide. Since its creation, the International Commission on Missing Persons has identified 20,000 human remains and provided evidence in 30 criminal trials. It now helps to identify people who have been reporting missing during conflicts, natural disasters, or migration. The group recently helped Ingrid Gudmundsson confirm that her pregnant daughter and her one-year-old granddaughter were killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. They went missing after the huge wave struck the coast of Thailand, where they were staying. Gudmundsson said it was important to know for sure what happened to them. "You know, when you don't know where they are, when they are just missing, you - in your head – you always have some kind of hope even if your intellect tells you that it's impossible." Scientists working at the laboratory say the new technology can identify people with a very small amount of DNA from a piece of bone. DNA carries genetic information in the cells of people, animals and plants. Rene Huel is a scientist at the lab. "What we do is cross-compare against the family samples in these massive databases. So we do this large-scale kinship comparison." Human Rights activists hope the laboratory will help bring to justice to those guilty of war crimes. Muhamad Abulhusun is a refugee and rights Activist. "Any future settlement, it has to bring justice and it has to clear the destiny of the missing people because the families of those missing people are the stake holders in any future settlement." The commission's director general, Kathryne Bomberger, noted that the group is also active in helping victims of abuse and violence. I'm John Russell.   Zlatica Hoke reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   migration – n. the act or processing from place to place tsunami – n. a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land  sample – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from database – n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer kinship – n. the state of being related to the people in your family

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College Admissions: Learning from the Process

  For most college students, the main goal of higher education is earning a degree that will lead to a successful and satisfying career. The years spent working on a program of study can be fun and include life-changing experiences. And many college classes provide students with interesting information that they may not have even thought about before. Still, the most important thing for most students is what those years of hard work and studying can bring them once they graduate. But Jennifer Simons argues that there are many valuable things people can learn before they even attend their first college class. Simons is the director of undergraduate admissions and recruitment at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Simons says the college application process can teach young people a lot about supporting themselves and making connections with others. In the United States, the process starts in the final two years of high school, when students are about 16 or 17 years old. This is the time when young people are forced to consider what happens after they leave high school. They face questions like, ‘Where do you want to go to college?’ and ‘What will you study?’ There are so many choices available to students that these questions can seem very difficult to answer, Simons says. So she suggests that young people try to get a better understanding of themselves before making any decisions. Simons says that young people should start keeping a journal, or written record, of their ideas well before they start thinking about college. They should ask themselves questions, like ‘Who am I?’, ‘What do I want out of life?’, and ‘What are my strengths and weaknesses?’ Students should then try to write down answers to these and other questions once a day, or even weekly. Also, Simons adds, they should try to take note of meaningful events that teach them something about the world or themselves. The answers to these general questions, she says, will likely give students a better understanding of how to answer more specific questions. They will have a better idea about where they might want to spend four years of their lives while working toward a college degree, for example. It can also give young people ideas of what to talk about in writing samples that most college applications require. In addition, she says, students who know their own strengths will better understand how to ask people they know to write letters of recommendation for them. Simons says the more young people know about themselves, they more likely they are to make decisions that will make them happy. This includes more than just decisions about college. "If you understand who you are," she told VOA, "you are less likely to fall prey to somebody else’s vision for what you should be or where you should go." Something else students can take from the application process, Simons notes, relates to how busy the process makes them. High schoolers already have their studies, personal relationships and possibly jobs to worry about. The application process requires them to find schools that interest them, find out how to request admission and prepare application materials. Simons argues that balancing responsibilities is one of the most important skills anyone can learn. She said, "I think that you really are laying the groundwork for becoming an adult by learning how to prioritize your time." However, Simons admits that learning time management can be very difficult for young people. So learning to ask for help when you need it is another equally important lesson. School counselors, older students, and friends and family members who have attended college can all be important resources. But with asking for help also comes thanking people once you have received it, Simons says. A simple thing young people can learn to do is sending a letter or an email thanking those who helped them get into their school of choice. Relationship-building like this is important outside the college application process. Simons suggests that students should make such efforts with teachers, classmates and anyone they meet. This can help them in the future as they look for jobs or continue their education. One final lesson students can take from the application process is accepting that their control of the situation is limited, Simons says. She points out that every college and university in the United States receives hundreds, if not thousands of applications every year. Competition is fierce, so not everyone is going to get into their first or even second choice of school.  "There are many places where you could be happy," she said. "I think that is human to … feel like, ‘Oh, this is the perfect fit.’ And that happens in relationships, too. But, there’s more than one place where you could be satisfied … and that’s a good thing to know, that nothing is the only option." Simons says that accepting defeat and learning how to move past it is probably the most important lesson of all. I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Pete Musto reported this for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. If you are a current or former college student, what did you learn from the process of applying to your school? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university graduate – v. to earn a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university application – n. a formal and usually written request for something (such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan specific – adj. special or particular recommendation – n. the act of saying that someone or something is good and deserves to be chosen fall prey to – idm. to be harmed or affected in a bad way by (someone or something vision – n. something that you imagine prioritize – v. to organize things so that the most important thing is done or dealt with first time management – n. the act or process of deciding how to best use one’s time counselor(s) – n. a person who provides advice as a job

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It's the Season to Squirrel Something Away!

  Now, it's time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. In many parts of the United States, temperatures are falling. This change of season, from summer to autumn, gives Americans many things to watch. Many people travel to areas of the U.S. that are famous for autumn leaves that change into brilliant shades of red, gold and orange. Something else to watch is the antics of squirrels! Squirrels provide some of the most interesting and entertaining behavior in the natural world. Now, I use the word "antics," meaning silly or funny games, because that’s what it looks like. But I am not being fair to squirrels. They are actually doing something most important -- gathering and storing food for the winter months. The fact that squirrels are doing an important activity, however, makes them no less entertaining to watch. The animals hurry across the ground, digging holes to find food or to find where they buried food. They chase each other around trees. They jump from one tree limb to another, higher and higher up in the tree, looking for nuts and seeds. Sometimes, squirrels drop this food to the ground below, and sometimes they hit people passing by. As I said earlier, this behavior is very entertaining to watch! These woodland creatures do not stay still for very long. And they are good at collecting things. So, it is not surprising that American English has a couple of expressions with the word “squirrel.” First, there is the adjective squirrelly. Now, "squirrelly" has several definitions. The most common one describes someone who is unusually active and unable to sit still -- much like a squirrel. Another word with the same meaning is restless. When talking about word choice, "restless" may be more common in everyday speech, but "squirrelly" is much more fun! Let's hear it used in an example. "At the end of a school year, students may get a little squirrelly (restless) sitting in a classroom. It's best to let them run around outside during the day." In this example, you can almost imagine a classroom of children suddenly turning into a group of squirrels running around and unable to sit in their seats! So, the word you use depends on the feeling you want to create in your sentence.   "Squirrelly" can also describe someone who is acting very strange or crazy -- again, like a squirrel. A word that means close to that is eccentric.  This meaning of squirrelly may come from the fact that the main food in a squirrel’s diet is nuts. In American English, "nuts" is a slang expression for crazy. "At the party, she behaved squirrelly (eccentric) the whole night -- walking quickly between rooms, hiding in corners and interrupting conversations with high-pitched laughter. She gave everyone a very odd impression."  Finally, the adjective "squirrelly" can describe someone or something that seems to be dishonest. A more commonly used word that means the same thing is shady. Let's hear an example. "That business deal sounds squirrelly (shady) to me. If something sounds too good to be true -- it probably is." So, that is the adjective. We also have a very useful expression from the world of squirrels -- to squirrel something away. Okay, so we know that squirrels collect nuts, seeds and other things to eat. Then they hide them away to survive winter weather, when food is hard to find. People can do the same thing. When we squirrel something away, we put something in a safe or secret place so that we can use it in the future. When we collect or save things in an unusual, or even unhealthy way, you could use the word hoard. Here's another example. "She has squirreled away (hoarded) magazines for years. There are stacks and stacks in her attic. I'm not sure what she is saving them for but she won't get rid of them!" The things people squirrel away usually aren't nuts and seeds. We most often squirrel away money for the future. "When he retired he was able to live quite comfortably. He squirreled away over $400,000 in the bank!" But we can squirrel away anything that is important to us and that we want to use later. "She squirreled away her favorite color of wool yarn as if they weren't going to make it any more. She has more than 30 rolls of it in her closet!" And that's Words and Their Stories for today. But we'll be back next week. It's my custom to squirrel away story ideas for this program. So we'll have a new one then! I'm Anna Matteo.   Are there squirrels where you live? If yes, have they inspired any expressions in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section or simply practice with these squirrelly expressions! The day the squirrel went berserk, In the First Self-Righteous Church in that sleepy little town of Pascagoula. It was a fight for survival, that broke out in revival. They were jumpin pews and shouting Hallelujah! Anna Matteo wrote this story. George Grow was the editor. The song at the end is Ray Stevens singing "Mississippi Squirrel Revival." ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   brilliant – adj. very bright antic – n. an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action -- usually plural childish antics scurry – v. to move in or as if in a brisk pace silly – adj. exhibiting or indicative of a lack of common sense or sound judgment shady – adj. seeming to be dishonest hoard – v. a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away synonym – n. one of two or more words or expressions of the same language that have the same or nearly the same meaning in some or all senses berserk – adj.  to become very excited

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Blockchain to Fight Corruption in Southeast Asia

  What if you could wave your phone over a piece of fish at a store and immediately see a record of its path through the supply chain? This may soon be possible. Current experiments are testing technology that can show how the fish was caught, when it was shipped and how it was processed at a factory. This technology, called Blockchain, is being tested for its potential to bring light to secretive industries in Southeast Asia. Same technology, new uses Blockchain was first developed to confirm dealings in bitcoin, a digital money. In that case, the technology creates a public financial record. In Southeast Asia important records, including those of identity information and property ownership, are often not carefully kept. Erin Murphy is the founder and leader of Inle Advisory Group, a business advisory company working in Myanmar and other countries with developing markets. She said Blockchain technology helps make business operations in such countries safer and easier. "Ideally, we would want to see adoption of Blockchain at an official level all across the region. But perhaps not surprisingly, the governments that are leading Blockchain adoption are those that are already low-corruption," she told VOA. In some countries like Singapore, Murphy said Blockchain is being used to improve customer service processes. However in other countries, like the Philippines, Blockchain helps citizens safely send money home from foreign countries. Murphy said the technology will help development, lower poverty, and increase foreign investment. ​Observing the flow Right now, there are many programs in Southeast Asia experimenting with Blockchain technology. In June, the United Nations presented a Blockchain-based system built in partnership with the technology company Microsoft and professional services company Accenture.  The system gives stateless refugees a permanent identity record based on biometric data. The technology is also being explored in connection with efforts to improve voting system security. A Blockchain based app developed to observe the supply chain of fish from Indonesia is now being used with other industries, including clothing. Results from a pilot project can be found on the internet. Viewers can observe the movement of a piece of clothing from an alpaca farm in Dulverton, Britain, through every step of production to its final stop at a shop in London. Alisa DiCaprio is the head of research at R3, a banking software company that uses technology similar to Blockchain. She said getting the technology and being able to use it are separate issues. Most countries have engineers who can rightly code the technology, she said.  However, they do not always understand how to make it work for businesses and industries. DiCaprio predicts it will take about five years before we actually see Blockchain used widely. She said she believes the most important effects of the technology will be seen on a macro-economic level.  Division in the community However, the Blockchain community is divided on how the technology should be used. Some see Blockchain as a tool that can interfere with a global financial system they believe is corrupt. "There is a serious opportunity for us here to remove money out of government," said a Southeast Asia based bitcoin trader. He said billions of people who are unable to use an official banking system will be able to move money with just a phone. Another group wants to see Blockchain technology used by states, such as Canada, Singapore, China and Germany.  All of these countries are exploring or experimenting with digital money using Blockchain. Michael Hsieh is with the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He suggested that Blockchain creates a threat for governments only if they ignore the technology. Countries that use it to establish safe and honest systems for money exchange will appeal to business and investment interests, he said. I’m Phil Dierking.   This story was originally written for VOANews by David Boyle. Phil Dierking adapted the story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you think digital money services like bitcoin and Blockchain are safe?  Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   code - v.  to change information into a set of letters, numbers, or symbols that can be read by a computer​. customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business​. potential - n. a chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future. biometric data - n. computer information including samples, models, fingerprints, similarity scores and all verification of a person excluding the individual's name and demographics.​ macro - adj. large supply chain - n. the sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity.​ transaction - n. an occurrence in which goods, services, or money are passed from one person, account, etc., to another​.

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'Experience' Tourism Brings New Travelers to Africa

  Travel industry leaders say African tourism is moving away from traditional safaris and group tours and closer to the idea of "experiences." Internet-based home-sharing service Airbnb is just one of several businesses competing for the African tourism market. Chris Lehane is head of global policy at Airbnb. He says the service has grown in the past year. It sold two million bookings in Africa this year. Lehane says the new area of growth is travel experiences. In Nairobi, Kenya, for example, people can pay $65 to make a short film with a local director.  South Africa's Western Cape area is popular with tourists. For about $100, someone going there can take a guided bicycle tour, go to a wine-tasting event, or attend a class in jewelry-making.  Lehane says this suggests what is to come. "Fifty-six percent of travelers are millennials. They're looking for real, authentic experiences."  World traveler Cherae Robinson had that same hunger for true-to-life travel experiences. In 2014, at age 30, she launched a travel website called Tastemakers Africa. Her website offers many experiences for tourists. There are $3,000 ‘all-in’ tour programs, with a number of experiences included. And, there are shorter experiences that last a few hours and cost an average of $77. "People don't want cookie cutter.... Nobody wants to be crammed into a tour bus. People are looking for authenticity in their lives in general." Lehane has high hopes for African tourism. For example, in the past two years, Mexico City has grown quickly as a popular stop for travelers after not being one for years. "And, by the way, after not being one for some of the same questions that people will raise about places in Africa. But it exploded because of the art scene, food scene, history…" He adds that visitors can easily walk around at least 10 African cities with a nice mix of artwork, good food and history. He says such attractions will likely make them huge travel destinations. Robinson says her favorite city is Accra, Ghana's lively capital. "We see Accra as the perfect marriage of, sort of, what we think of a sort of traditional West African culture with very modern vibes attached to it," she said. "And so, from art to entertainment to music to fashion, it all can be found in Accra." In many ways, Accra is the center of these things, she says. Lehane and Robinson say their goal is to provide travel that will not grow outdated and that supports local people. They want to avoid "poverty tourism" – travelers visiting poor neighborhoods --as this rarely helps communities.  Lehane says Airbnb is investing $1 million to build tourism projects in poorer neighborhoods, beginning in Cape Town, South Africa. The local communities will lead the projects. Tastemakers Africa tour hosts are already all local people. Heather Mason is a travel writer and photographer who lives in South Africa. She says while tourists cannot avoid the economic inequity in parts of Africa, they can treat these places with respect.  "I think every place, in every city, can be a tourist attraction and it should not matter whether the people living there are rich or poor." Mason says there is value in the decisions tour operates make. "I think you can definitely get that wrong really easily. If there's people are on tours through townships or what people might call a slum, and you do not have local guides, and you don't brief participants in the tour how to be respectful, then you can run into problems." Mason's heart, she says, is in Johannesburg – South Africa's large economic center. Some tourists avoid the city, however, because they think crime will be a problem. But Mason says go a little deeper and you will find wonderful choices for things to see, do, taste and hear. And these things are an example of the colorful experiences that are life and the new face of travel in Africa.    I'm Alice Bryant.   Anita Powell reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   booking – n. an arrangement to have something, such as a reservation, held for your use at a later time millennial – n. a person who was born in the 1980s or 1990s cookie cutter – adj. lacking individuality cram – v. to push or force someone or something into a space that is tight or crowded vibe – n. a feeling that a person or place gives you slum – n. an area of a city where poor people live and the buildings are in bad condition  

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English in a Minute: Bend Over Backwards

Bending over backwards is physically difficult. But what does this idiom mean?

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The Harvey Weinstein Effect

The downfall of movie producer Harvey Weinstein has been quick and decisive. The increasing spread of the so-called “Harvey Effect” has been quick, as well. It started in Hollywood, when the first accusations of sexual abuse against Weinstein appeared in media reports. It soon spread to other industries, with the help of the hashtag #metoo. Women, and some men, publicly reported stories of sexual abuse by powerful people. The accused have included famous moviemakers, actors, news media leaders, writers and American presidents. Most recently, it spread to the British government. Prime Minister Theresa May this week called for changes in the way Parliament deals with reports of sexual harassment or worse. Her statement was in answer to reports that some British lawmakers had sexually harassed their employees or other people. And on Wednesday, Michael Fallon resigned as Britain’s defense secretary, following reports of inappropriate sexual behavior. Weinstein Weinstein was among the most powerful moviemakers in Hollywood. His popular, and Academy Award-winning films over the last 30 years, include "Shakespeare in Love," "Pulp Fiction," and "Good Will Hunting.” He ran Miramax Films and later the Weinstein Company with his brother, Bob Weinstein. On October 5, the New York Times newspaper wrote about Weinstein’s reported history of harassing and assaulting women. Several women, including actress Ashley Judd, told the Times that Weinstein used his industry influence to try to gain sexual favors. The accusations dated back more than 30 years. The women said they believed refusing Weinstein and reporting the actions would have hurt their careers in Hollywood. Judd said in the Times report, “Women have been talking about Harvey amongst ourselves for a long time, and it’s simply beyond time to have the conversation publicly.” Now, one month later, more than 50 women have accused Weinstein. Thirteen say he raped them. Weinstein has been dismissed from the company he created. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expelled him. The Producers Guild of America, a labor union, did the same. And many actors have sharply criticized him, even those whose careers he helped launch. The New York Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department and London’s Metropolitan Police are all reportedly investigating him. Anita Hill Public accusations of sexual harassment or assault do not always lead to decisive action. In October of 1991, an American lawyer named Anita Hill testified that her former boss, Clarence Thomas, had sexually harassed her. Hill appeared at a Senate confirmation hearing for Thomas, who was a nominee to serve on the United States Supreme Court. ​ Hill told the senators the incidents had taken place 10 years earlier in her employment at two government agencies. Thomas denied the accusations. He and his supporters said the accusations were politically motivated to block him from the Supreme Court. The Senate debated the nomination and confirmed it. Clarence Thomas remains a Supreme Court Justice today. However, the event changed how the country defined and discussed sexual harassment. Hill told the Associated Press on October 14 that she is impressed by the attention being paid to sexual harassment following the Weinstein story. Yet, she said, progress on the issue had been slow. “This case may be bigger than some in the past, but I think we’re kidding ourselves if we think that everything is going to change overnight from one episode, even as big as this one,” Hill said. #MeToo As the number of Weinstein accusations grew, American actress Alyssa Milano asked her followers on social media for help. She wrote on Twitter on October 15, “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘Me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” Her aim was to show that sexual abuse is common. As of October 24, Twitter had recorded more than 1.7 million #MeToo tweets from more than 80 countries. The hashtag brought strength in numbers, and helped embolden people to share their stories of assault publicly. The “Harvey Effect” More and more women, and some men, continue to accuse well-known and powerful people. The accusers include Isa Hackett, a producer for the Amazon show Man in the High Castle. She told The Hollywood Reporter trade magazine that Amazon Studios leader, Roy Price, repeatedly asked her for sex in July of 2015. The story was published October 12. A few days later, Price resigned from his job. This week, NBC News dismissed Mark Halperin, a top reporter on American politics after several women accused him of sexual wrongdoing. ​ In a CNN report last week, one woman said Halperin told her she would never work in media or politics after she refused to kiss him. And, earlier this week, American actor Anthony Rapp publicly accused Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey of sexual abuse. Rapp said when he was 14 years old Spacey attempted to have sex with him. The accusation was published on the news site BuzzFeed. Spacey posted a statement on Twitter a few hours later. He said he did not remember the incident and was horrified to hear of it. He said “if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology….”  Spacey currently stars in the popular Netflix series House of Cards. Netflix announced Tuesday that it has suspended production of the show’s final season. It also said it is “deeply troubled” by the reports. Others have since come forward with sexual harassment accusations against Spacey.  Also this week, two women accused actor Dustin Hoffman of sexual harassment. The first, Anna Graham Hunter, described in The Hollywood Reporter several incidents she said took place in 1985, when she was a 17-year-old production assistant. Hoffman said in a statement he is sorry that, in his words, “anything I might have done [that] could have put her in an uncomfortable situation…It is not reflective of who I am.” Hours later, another woman, writer/producer Wendy Riss Gatsiounis said Hoffman harassed her in 1991. She said she had been invited to meet with him and a producer to discuss making a play she had written. She said Hoffman made sexual comments and tried to get her to go to a hotel with him. She said when she refused the producer told her they had no interest in her play. American presidents Five women recently accused former U.S. President George H. W. Bush of sexual assault. American television actress Heather Lind was the first accuser. Using the hashtag #MeToo, Lind wrote on Instagram that Bush touched her inappropriately while she was taking a photo with him. After a second woman came forward with similar accusations, the former president’s office explained that because Bush is in a wheelchair, his arms fall near the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures.” It added that the 95-year old former president has often “patted women’s rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner. Other American presidents, including Bill Clinton and current office holder Donald Trump, have also faced accusations of sexual wrongdoing. British Parliament What started in Hollywood may now be playing out in British politics, as well. A political website called Guido Fawkes reported Monday that assistants to Britain’s Conservative Party politicians had created a list of 36 lawmakers accused of inappropriate sexual behavior. Conservative Party leader Andrea Leadsom said that Parliament has “zero tolerance” for inappropriate behavior among lawmakers. She added that changes would be made to how people can report cases of sexual harassment at Parliament. And International Trade Minister Mark Garnier admitted to asking his assistant to buy sex objects for him in 2010. The story from the former employee was reported in the British newspaper The Mail on Sunday. British Prime Minister Teresa May has called for an investigation into whether Garnier broke the ministerial code of conduct. On Wednesday, following a series of accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior, Defense Secretary Michael Fallon sent his letter of resignation to May. May wrote of the growing issue this week. “I do not believe that this situation can be tolerated any longer. It is simply not fair on staff, many of whom are young and in their first job,” she wrote. I’m Caty Weaver.   And I’m Ashley Thompson.   Ashley Thompson wrote this story based on several reports by the Associated Press and Reuters. Caty Weaver was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   harass - v. to annoy or bother (someone) in a constant or repeated way assault  - v. to violently attack (someone or something) conversation - n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people boss - n.  the person whose job is to tell other workers what to do kid oneself - v. to fail to admit the truth to yourself : to deceive yourself episode - n.  an event or a short period of time that is important or unusual embolden - v.   to make (someone) more confident suspend - v.  to stop (something) for a usually short period of time inappropriately - adv. done in a way that is not right or suited for some purpose or situation rear  - n.  the part of your body that you sit on intend - v.   to have (something) in your mind as a purpose or goal tolerance - n. the ability to accept, experience, or survive something harmful or unpleasant conduct -  - n. the way that a person behaves in a particular place or situation  

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Working to Save Lives When a Tsunami Strikes

  November 5 is United Nations Tsunami Awareness Day. Tsunami is a Japanese word for a long, destructive ocean wave caused by an undersea earthquake. The goal of the observance is to learn from disasters of the past and to prepare for the future. Two tsunamis in the last 15 years have changed the way people around the world think about these destructive events. On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9 earthquake near the coast of Indonesia caused tsunami waves that struck the coasts of four countries. An estimated 230,000 people died and costs were in the billions of dollars. One school girl from a Pacific island nation described a tsunami this way: “like a monster, it destroys everything.” The event forced officials to develop a better tsunami warning system. Bulgaria’s U.N. Ambassador Georgi Velikov Panayotov was on vacation with his wife in Thailand in 2004 and survived the tsunami. He warned there is nothing you can do to stop a tsunami. But he said, “What we can do is build early warning systems and, of course, educating the population about the devastating power of the tsunami wave.” After the event in Indonesia, many countries believed they were prepared if a tsunami struck. Devastation in northeastern Japan Then, on March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan. It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in that country.   More than 18,000 people died. The tsunami also caused serious damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power center on the island of Honshu. At the time, the nuclear center was Japan’s biggest. The human cost of the disaster was huge. The tsunami of 2011 also is one of the most costly disasters in history. Several nuclear reactors were severely damaged and leaked radiation. Clean up efforts continue to this day. Japan’s U.N. Ambassador Koro Bessho said, before the 2011 earthquake, “People thought that we were prepared for it.” But he said officials had expected an event that “hits every 100 years and the earthquake was of the size of possibly every 500 years or one thousand years.” Efforts look to early warning, preparation   The two events caused people in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas to study and improve preparedness for disasters. This led to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015 in Sendai, Japan. The agreement was a U.N. effort to raise awareness about disaster risks and to urge countries to assess how well they were prepared for them. Willem Rampangilei is head of the Disaster Management Agency in Indonesia. He said Indonesia passed a law on disaster management after the 2004 tsunami. It led in 2008 to the creation of his agency. “Our responsibilities include mitigation and preparedness, emergency response, as well as post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction,” he said. He adds that 150 million Indonesians are at risk from earthquakes, 60 million from floods and four million from tsunamis. After the 2004 waves, a Tsunami Warning System was put in place. It provides three regional watch centers in India, Indonesia, and Australia. There also are 26 national tsunami information centers throughout the area. As a result, Banda Aceh received warnings eight minutes after an earthquake in 2012. No deaths were reported. Preparedness has spread beyond Asia. There are now early warning systems in place for the Caribbean Sea, the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding areas. Educating young people early on This week, the U.N. Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, held an early warning exercise involving 15 countries in the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean. The group is studying local plans to deal with a tsunami emergency. In countries where there is a risk of a tsunami, officials are aiming to teach children from an early age so they know how to react.   Children are taught to shelter in place until an earthquake passes. Then, they are to go with classmates to higher ground away from coastal areas and possibly deadly sea waves. Japan is sharing its knowledge by assisting with evacuation exercises in schools in 18 countries. Next week, Japan is holding an event for high school students from 25 nations. It is aimed at teaching about tsunami risks and life-saving measures in such an event. Japan’s Tohoku University joined with Japanese companies to publish a report on the risks of tsunamis around the world. By studying historical records, researchers found big differences between tsunamis. They also found that the height of a wave had little to do with its destructive force. Improved building codes can save lives Countries that have been hit by tsunamis have learned that better building requirements can save lives and limit damage.   Chile is a country that has learned this first hand. In February 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the country also causing a powerful tsunami. About 525 people died. Four years later, another earthquake of 8.4 magnitude, struck. This time, 15 people were killed in the quake, but no one died in the following tsunami. Diplomat Jorge Iglesias Mori said measures to improve building standards had been carried out in the four years. “Building codes were strengthened,” he said. He added that the country put more resources into early warning systems, education, and exercises. He also said Chile worked with Japan in sharing knowledge and experience. I’m Mario Ritter. And I’m Alice Bryant.   Margaret Besheer reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   magnitude –n. a measure of the force of an earthquake devastating –adj. causing great damage awareness –n. the state of knowing about something assess –v. to study and make a judgment mitigation –n. making an effort to reduce the bad effects of something, like a flood or earthquake rehabilitation –n. a process of recovery, bringing someone or something back to its former state or health evacuation –n. the act of moving people out of a place because of some emergency We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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'Luck,' by Mark Twain

  Our story today is called "Luck."  It was written by Mark Twain. Here is Shep O’Neal with the story.   I was at a dinner in London given in honor of one of the most celebrated English military men of his time. I do not want to tell you his real name and titles. I will just call him Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby. I cannot describe my excitement when I saw this great and famous man. There he sat, the man himself, in person, all covered with medals. I could not take my eyes off him. He seemed to show the true mark of greatness. His fame had no effect on him. The hundreds of eyes watching him, the worship of so many people, did not seem to make any difference to him. Next to me sat a clergyman, who was an old friend of mine. He was not always a clergyman. During the first half of his life he was a teacher in the military school at Woolwich. There was a strange look in his eye as he leaned toward me and whispered – “Privately – he is a complete fool.” He meant, of course, the hero of our dinner. This came as a shock to me. I looked hard at my friend. I could not have been more surprised if he had said the same thing about Napoleon, or Socrates, or Solomon. But I was sure of two things about the clergyman. He always spoke the truth. And, his judgment of men was good. Therefore, I wanted to find out more about our hero as soon as I could. Some days later I got a chance to talk with the clergyman, and he told me more.  These are his exact words: About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when young Scoresby was given his first examination. I felt extremely sorry for him.  Everybody answered the questions well, intelligently, while he – why, dear me – he did not know anything, so to speak. He was a nice, pleasant young man. It was painful to see him stand there and give answers that were miracles of stupidity. I knew of course that when examined again he would fail and be thrown out. So, I said to myself, it would be a simple, harmless act to help him as much as I could. I took him aside and found he knew a little about Julius Caesar’s history. But, he did not know anything else. So, I went to work and tested him and worked him like a slave. I made him work, over and over again, on a few questions about Caesar, which I knew he would be asked. If you will believe me, he came through very well on the day of the examination.  He got high praise too, while others who knew a thousand times more than he were sharply criticized. By some strange, lucky accident, he was asked no questions but those I made him study. Such an accident does not happen more than once in a hundred years. Well, all through his studies, I stood by him, with the feeling a mother has for a disabled child. And he always saved himself by some miracle. I thought that what in the end would destroy him would be the mathematics examination.  I decided to make his end as painless as possible. So, I pushed facts into his stupid head for hours. Finally, I let him go to the examination to experience what I was sure would be his dismissal from school. Well, sir, try to imagine the result. I was shocked out of my mind. He took first prize! And he got the highest praise. I felt guilty day and night – what I was doing was not right. But I only wanted to make his dismissal a little less painful for him. I never dreamed it would lead to such strange, laughable results. I thought that sooner or later one thing was sure to happen: The first real test once he was through school would ruin him. Then, the Crimean War broke out. I felt that sad for him that there had to be a war.  Peace would have given this donkey a chance to escape from ever being found out as being so stupid. Nervously, I waited for the worst to happen. It did. He was appointed an officer.  A captain, of all things! Who could have dreamed that they would place such a responsibility on such weak shoulders as his. I said to myself that I was responsible to the country for this. I must go with him and protect the nation against him as far as I could. So, I joined up with him. And away we went to the field. And there – oh dear, it was terrible. Mistakes, fearful mistakes – why, he never did anything that was right – nothing but mistakes. But, you see, nobody knew the secret of how stupid he really was. Everybody misunderstood his actions. They saw his stupid mistakes as works of great intelligence. They did, honestly! His smallest mistakes made a man in his right mind cry, and shout and scream too – to himself, of course. And what kept me in a continual fear was the fact that every mistake he made increased his glory and fame. I kept saying to myself that when at last they find out about him, it will be like the sun falling out of the sky. He continued to climb up, over the dead bodies of his superiors. Then, in the hottest moment of one battle down went our colonel. My heart jumped into my mouth, for Scoresby was the next in line to take his place. Now, we are in for it, I said… The battle grew hotter. The English and their allies were steadily retreating all over the field. Our regiment occupied a position that was extremely important. One mistake now would bring total disaster. And what did Scoresby do this time – he just mistook his left hand for his right hand…that was all. An order came for him to fall back and support our right. Instead, he moved forward and went over the hill to the left. We were over the hill before this insane movement could be discovered and stopped. And what did we find? A large and unsuspected Russian army waiting! And what happened – were we all killed? That is exactly what would have happened in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred.  But no – those surprised Russians thought that no one regiment by itself would come around there at such a time.   It must be the whole British army, they thought. They turned tail, away they went over the hill and down into the field in wild disorder, and we after them. In no time, there was the greatest turn around you ever saw. The allies turned defeat into a sweeping and shining victory. The allied commander looked on, his head spinning with wonder, surprise and joy.  He sent right off for Scoresby, and put his arms around him and hugged him on the field in front of all the armies. Scoresby became famous that day as a great military leader – honored throughout the world. That honor will never disappear while history books last. He is just as nice and pleasant as ever, but he still does not know enough to come in out of the rain. He is the stupidest man in the universe. Until now, nobody knew it but Scoresby and myself. He has been followed, day by day, year by year, by a strange luck. He has been a shining soldier in all our wars for years.  He has filled his whole military life with mistakes. Every one of them brought him another honorary title. Look at his chest, flooded with British and foreign medals. Well, sir, every one of them is the record of some great stupidity or other. They are proof that the best thing that can happen to a man is to be born lucky. I say again, as I did at the dinner, Scoresby’s a complete fool. Download activities to help you understand this story here. Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Have you ever had a teacher help you in a special or unusual way? What was that experience like? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ   ​ _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ally– n. (pl. allies) a country that supports and helps another country in a war disabled – adj. having a physical or mental disability : unable to perform one or more natural activities (such as walking or seeing) because of illness, injury, etc. dismiss – v. to send away; to refuse to consider dismissal – n. the act of sending a person away (from a position at work or in a school) join up – (idiom) enlist in the military service superiors – n. a person of higher rank or status than another

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Social Media Companies Criticized over Russian Interference

  United States lawmakers questioned representatives of Facebook, Twitter and Google over Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. The U.S. congress is investigating how Russia used the companies’ internet services to spread disinformation during the election. Congress also asked how the companies planned to stop the misuse of their services in the future. Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina spoke to lawyers from the three companies at a hearing on Wednesday. He said media reports suggested that Russian-linked Facebook advertisements “directly influenced the election’s outcome.” The reports claim Russian government agents spent as much as $100,000 on Facebook advertisements. “You must do better to protect the American people and…all of your users from this kind of manipulation,” Burr said. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California argued that social media companies are responsible for the material placed on their websites. Fienstein expressed anger over the reports and suggested that lawmakers may take action. She said, “You’ve created these platforms, and now they are being misused. And you have to be the ones to do something about it – or we will.” Facebook, Instagram and Twitter identified some of the material that has been connected to Russian agents. Democratic Party members on the House Intelligence Committee showed examples of this material during the hearings. The advertisements, videos and tweets covered topics including race, immigration, Islam, and issues of sexual identity. Facebook, Twitter and Google have admitted that agents connected to Russia used false accounts on their sites throughout 2015 and 2016. They used the accounts and other methods to spread false advertisements and messages designed to make people angry. Facebook lawyer Colin Stretch told lawmakers last Wednesday that Russian-backed posts on his company’s site reached millions of Americans. Lawyers for all three companies stated that they take the problem seriously and are aggressively fighting it. Sean Edgett, a lawyer for Twitter, repeated a statement he made to the Senate Judiciary Committee one day earlier. He said the company has studied all the posts on its site from September 1 to November 15, 2016. Edgett said Twitter has suspended 2,752 accounts suspected of Russian links. Colin Stretch said that false advertisements “were a very small fraction of the overall content on Facebook. He said, however, that the company was taking measures to improve. “We’re hiring more ad reviewers, doubling or more our security engineering efforts, putting in place tighter content restrictions,” he said. Stretch added that buyers of political ads would have to provide documentation about themselves. The House Select Committee also met on the issue A few hours after meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee, the companies’ lawyers met with the House Select Committee on Intelligence to discuss the same issue. Republicans on that committee mainly discussed information from the websites showing when the Russian disinformation efforts began. The information showed that these efforts started before the Republican Party nominated Donald Trump as its presidential candidate. Senator James Risch of Idaho said, “This is a whole lot broader than simply the 2016 election. Google’s lawyer Kent Walker agreed. He said, “The large majority of the material we saw was socially divisive rather than electoral advocacy.” However, some Democrats disagreed. Representative Adam Schiff of California said Russian ads targeted stories about Hillary Clinton’s health and legal problems. Some Democrats also accused the technology businesses of being slow to recognize and combat the threat. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia said the big social media companies have a lot of information about Americans. “And the idea that you had no idea that any of this was happening strains my credibility,” he said. Both the House and Senate intelligence committees are holding yearlong investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Reports from both are expected at a future date. Members of both parties in the Senate have introduced legislation to deal with the problem. The bills would require internet-based services to confirm and make public the identities of those buying political advertising. U.S. broadcasters are already required to do that. I’m ­Jonathan Evans.   Joshua Fatzick, Michael Bowman and Katherine Gypson reported this for VOA News. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. How should governments hold internet-based services responsible for the material users post on their sites? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   disinformation – n. false information that is given to people in order to make them believe something or to hide the truth agent(s) – n. a person who tries to get secret information about another country, government manipulation – n. the act of controlling someone or something in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way social media – n. forms of electronic communication, such as Web sites, through which people create online communities to share information, ideas, and personal messages platform(s) – n. something that allows someone to tell a large number of people about an idea or product fraction – n. a part or amount of something content – n. the ideas, facts, or images that are in a book, article, speech, movie or website advocacy – n. the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal strain(s) – v. to cause problems or trouble for something credibility – n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real, or honest

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