Too Much Tourism?

  Cities – particularly in Europe – are increasingly taking steps against tourists. Venice, Italy, for example, is planning to bar some large passenger ships. Barcelona, Spain, has placed restrictions on apartment rentals. The problem these cities say they are dealing with is "overtourism" -- too many tourists visiting at once. Debate over tourism Jonathan Keates is the chairman of the Venice In Peril Fund, an aid and activist group. He said too many people are crowding the walkways and canals of Venice, interfering in what he calls a “still living city.” Taleb Rifai is the secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). He spoke recently to tourism ministers at London's World Travel Market. He said the rise of slogans, such as "tourists go home" and "tourists are terrorists," was "a wake-up call." Anger about tourism could continue to grow as more people travel every year. The UNWTO estimates tourists will take 1.8 billion trips by 2030, up from 1.2 billion in 2016. Low-cost airline tickets are helping fuel the growth in tourism numbers, along with increasing travel from China. Yet many places depend on tourism for jobs and wealth. Around 10 percent of the world's gross domestic product, or GDP, comes from tourism. Taleb Rifai said that growth is not "the enemy." But, he said tourism must be made "sustainable and responsible" to help local communities. What are countries and cities doing to limit tourism? Ecuador permits only 100,000 visitors to the Galapagos Islands each year. The Croatian city of Dubrovnik is considering permitting only 4,000 visitors daily. Visitors have flooded the Adriatic Sea town since it was used as a setting for the television series “Game of Thrones.” Other cities are urging tourists to visit less famous parts of town. Prague, for example, has an "off the beaten track" tourist program. London is promoting neighborhoods such as Greenwich and Richmond. Barcelona has cracked down on unofficial housing rentals and established a tourism council that includes residents, businesses, and unions. Is there a solution? Gloria Guevara is the president and CEO of the London-based World Travel & Tourism Council. “There is no one solution for all. Every destination is different,” she said. Tim Fairhurst leads planning and policy at the European Tourism Association. He said businesses do not want to put their customers in places where they are treated as unwelcome. He said simple measures can make a difference, such as changing opening hours or increasing parking space. “There are lots of ways in which we use our cities inefficiently,” he said, “We could do better.” I'm John Russell.   Pan Pylas wrote this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tourist – n.  a person who travels to a place for pleasure rental – n. chiefly US : something that can be rented slogan – n.  a word or phrase that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to attract attention off the beaten track – expression in or to a place that is not close to the places where people usually go promote – v. to help (something) happen, develop, or increase destination – n.  a place to which a person is going or something is being sent inefficiently – adv. not capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy: not efficient  

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Everyday Grammar: Expletives

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Review of Level 2 Lessons 6 - 10

Bloopers Sometimes we make mistakes when we are filming Let's Learn English. This week's video shows you that everyone makes mistakes. But when Anna and friends make mistakes, they laugh about them! We hope you will enjoy watching them, too.   Review of Lessons 6 -- 10 Lesson 6: Will It Float? Grammar focus: Prepositions of place Topics: Sharing Information​ Learning Strategy: Access Information Sources Lesson 7: Tip Your Tour Guide Grammar focus: Prepositions Topics: Describing a place; Asking for & giving recommendations Learning Strategy: Use Background Knowledge Lesson 8: The Best Barbecue Grammar focus:  Passive Voice Topics: Asking for and Giving Reasons​; U.S. Culture & Cuisine​ Learning Strategy: Ask Questions Lesson 9: Pets Are Family, Too! Topics: Expressing opinions; Expressing agreement and disagreement Grammar focus:  Modals: Could Have, May Have, Must Have Topics: Tag Questions​; Pets; State Fairs​ Learning Strategy: Cooperate Lesson 10: Visit to Peru Grammar focus:  Wish & Hope Clauses Topics: Describing traditions & life events; Expressing Hopes & Wishes; Musical Traditions Learning Strategy: Use Sounds   Listening Quiz See how well you understand the latest lessons by taking a listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.   Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For Teachers Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions.       Comments Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of the Let's Learn English course.

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America's Presidents - Gerald Ford

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US Universities Working Together to Help Poor Students

  Michigan State University has long worked with and competed against other colleges and universities in the United States. Michigan State, a public research university, often works on joint research projects with other schools. It also belongs to the college sports conference called ‘the Big Ten,’ which actually has 14 member institutions. Yet in the world of higher education, competition can seem more common than schools working together. That is the opinion of Kristen Renn, a professor of higher education at Michigan State. She says that all of the over 4,000 colleges and universities across the country have different goals to meet. Unlike governments in some countries, the U.S. federal government does not completely organize higher education. Renn notes that some states even have trouble organizing the public schools they are supposed to operate. Every college and university competes for students, as well as the best teachers and money for research programs. But one thing almost every institution has in common, Renn says, is the difficulty they face in serving low-income and first generation students. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that low-income college students are less likely to complete their study programs than other students. In 2015, the center reported that just about 16 percent of the poorest students were able to graduate college. By comparison, about 60 percent of the wealthiest students graduated. Renn says it was only natural that the leaders of Michigan State and ten other universities discussed this issue when they met in 2014. The 11 schools are spread across the United States and serve different populations and needs. But their leaders all saw improving graduation rates for all students as the biggest problem facing U.S. higher education. So the group created an organization for sharing information related to this problem. It is called the University Innovation Alliance, or UIA. Its main goal is to get 68,000 more students at the member institutions to graduate by 2025, with at least half of those students being low-income. The 11 schools now say their number of graduates has increased by over 7,200 in just three years. This includes an almost 25 percent increase in the number of low-income graduates. How were they able to make this happen? Renn says it began with each university looking at its own situation and finding out what it had been doing right and what it had been doing wrong. For example, before joining the UIA, academic advising at Michigan State mostly involved reacting to problems students faced after the problems had already arisen. Then school officials heard about a computer program that fellow UIA member Georgia State University was using. This computer program follows decisions students make about their classes and the progress they are making in their studies. It then sends academic advisors messages whenever a student shows signs they are making mistakes or facing difficulties. That way the advisors can try to help students before the problems become too serious. Michigan State began using the computer program. Renn says it has meant a world of difference. “If I’m an academic adviser in chemistry and one of my students drops calculus in the middle of a semester, in previous, advising it was very difficult to identify those students,” she told VOA. “But currently, that student dropping a class would send an alert to the adviser, who then can contact the student and say ‘Why did you drop the class? Did you know this is required? Can we talk about what’s going on?’” Michigan State has not only received useful information from its partners. It has also shared helpful information of its own, says Renn. Her university began looking at how it communicated with students. The administration discovered that it was sending so many emails to students that they often overlooked ones with important information. So the school decided to greatly reduce the number of its messages to students, giving more attention to the important ones. The University of Kansas began doing the same, says DeAngela Burns-Wallace. She is the university’s Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. She says Kansas shared information about its work-study programs with the other UIA members. Her school had been offering paid research jobs to undergraduate students so they could support themselves financially and develop an early interest in research. Burns-Wallace notes that several other schools have begun to do the same. She says it is the free flow of information back and forth between institutions that makes the UIA program so successful.  “I have colleagues that are in financial aid or student affairs or research who can pick up the phone and have a colleague at 11 other institutions give immediate feedback on a project or … understand how the others have done it and maybe identify other opportunities,” she told VOA. Bridget Burns is the executive director for the UIA. She says efforts like this have never been as successful because of the way American higher education is designed. For one thing, change does not come quickly to colleges and universities, especially large, public ones. This is not necessarily a bad thing, she argues. After all, it is important for institutions to direct much of their time and energy toward other responsibilities. But, Burns notes, schools do need to change how they estimate the value of their efforts. Colleges and universities use a lot of different measurements when competing with one another. Yet these often pay more attention to the number of college applicants they deny, instead of noting how many they help, she says. “There are rankings that measure all kinds of things,” she told VOA. “But how well you do for low income students has not historically been … highlighted. We know that progress is possible, that we can do better. But we need to actually create … rewards to highlight this kind of behavior.” Burns hopes sharing the successes of the UIA schools will help other colleges and universities think more about their similarities. This includes the problems many of them face. In the future, Burns does not just want other schools to join her organization just to belong to it. She wants them to learn from the UIA, create their own partnerships, and come up with even more improvements for all college students. I’m ­Pete Musto. And I’m Alice Bryant.   Pete Musto reported this for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. How common is it for different universities in your country to work together? What have been the results of those partnerships? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   institution(s) – n. an established organization income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, or business graduate – v. to earn a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education semester – n. one of two usually 18-week periods that make up an academic year at a school or college alert – n. something, such as a message or loud sound, that tells people there is some danger or problem colleague(s) – n. a person who works with you feedback – n. helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance or product applicant(s) – n. someone who formally asks for something, such as a job or admission to a college highlight(ed) – v. to make or try to make people notice or be aware of someone or something

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Expressions From a Thanksgiving Meal

  Now, it’s time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. In the United States, it is almost time for something else. In a few days, smells of roasting turkey, buttery mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie will fill homes from coast to coast. With schools closed, many children will settle down in front of a television to watch a big parade in New York City. They see people dressed like superheroes and storybook characters pass before their eyes as the parade moves down the street. Later in the day, many adults will watch one or more football games on television. It is all part of the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Now, for some people, spending Thanksgiving with extended family is not possible. In the U.S., members of the same family often live very far apart. Others have family members they don’t want to spend the holiday with. This is where the custom of Friendsgiving comes from. “Friendsgiving” is a fairly new term for spending Thanksgiving with friends and not family. A big part of the holiday is the food! The turkey is the star of most Thanksgiving meals. The cook in the home wakes up early to prepare the food. After adding seasoning to the turkey, it is heated in an oven for several hours. Just because this large bird is the star, that doesn’t save the word “turkey” from having some bad meanings. For example, in American English, a “turkey” is something that fails or a person who is not all that intelligent. When a film loses money, we can call it a turkey. And if we meet someone who is foolish, we can call them many names – one of which is “turkey.” Now, a turkey is big; so, there are always leftovers. People often cook too much, so there is always food left over for the next day and the next … and the next. You may have heard the expression cold turkey. This might sound like a tasty meal that you eat from Thanksgiving leftovers. But it’s not. “Cold turkey” is when you immediately give something up, usually something that is not good for you. Some people can stop smoking cold turkey. They decide one day to stop and never smoke again. For many people, giving up smoking or drinking alcohol is not something they can do cold turkey. They must do it slowly over time. Let’s say you have a friend who smokes too much. You may have to talk turkey with them. When you are talking turkey, you’re not sharing recipes for your Thanksgiving leftovers. This expression means you talk to someone in a plain, clear and honest way, usually about something unpleasant.   Now, let’s talk turkey about … turkey itself.  Sometimes turkey can be dry and tasteless. A dry turkey is probably the number one food complaint at a Thanksgiving dinner. However, even if you overcook your turkey and it comes out dry, don’t worry. Just make sure to make a really good gravy to pour all over it. Gravy is made from the juices of cooked meat. Mashed potatoes and gravy are usually a favorite at the dinner table. In the U.S., we also use the word “gravy” to suggest something valuable or more than what you expected. For example, let’s say your office gives you a really big end-of-year bonus. You can say the money that you received in addition to your wages was gravy. You didn’t expect it. It was like getting extra money! Turkey covered with gravy is usually the main course at Thanksgiving. But many people love the side dishes just as much, especially the ones made with potatoes! Whether baked, mashed or scalloped, it is important to have a potato side dish. But be careful not to bring a hot potato to the table! The term “hot potato” means an issue or question about which people feel very strongly. People may argue about divisive issues, also called “hot potatoes.” Other favorites at the Thanksgiving Day table are the vegetable side dishes, such as green bean casserole, roasted Brussel sprouts and creamed corn. Well, corn is a grain plant and not a vegetable. But did you know that the word “corn” can be an insult when talking about someone or something? “Corny” is a way to describe something so simple and old-fashioned that it is unpopular or even annoying. Americans often describe outdated ideas, old jokes and overly-emotional poems as corny. Let’s leave corn and turn to stuffing.To be stuffed means that you ate so much you can’t possibly eat any more. Traditional stuffing is a food made with bread, herbs, eggs, celery and onion. They are mixed together, put inside the bird and cooked. A roasted brown, stuffed turkey is a thing of beauty! Having a room full of stuffed guests is also nice. It means everyone had enough to eat – or, maybe too much! That was a look at a few words and expressions related to the Thanksgiving holiday. Now, let’s hear how they are used at the dinner table. Pardon me, could you pass the gravy, please? So, like I was saying, I told my supervisor that it was time to talk turkey. I told her exactly how I felt about the new worker. I predict that didn’t go over very well. Your boss doesn’t sound like a person who likes to talk to employees directly. She’s not. But it paid off. I got a great year-end bonus! And since I’ve already paid my bills for the year, the money is pure gravy! So, I think I’ll use it to take a trip. Good for you! But let’s not talk about work anymore. I have a great joke! What did the zero say to the eight? ... Nice belt! Ha! Get it? Nice belt. Belt. You told the same corny joke last year at Thanksgiving. I like simple, old-fashioned jokes! They’re a lot better than the dirty ones you hear these days. By the way, who cooked the turkey this year? It is really moist and tastes great. Thanks! I did. And don’t forget the gravy. I slow-cooked it for an hour and used fresh herbs to flavor it. Oh, that is so good. I haven’t had homemade gravy in years! So, did anyone hear what the President said about … No, no, no! Not at the table. I’d rather hear silly, corny jokes than talk about politics, thank you very much. I agree. There are too many hot potato issues these days. You never know what is going to make someone angry. So true. Hey, who would like a glass of wine? Not me. I gave up all alcohol last month. I quit cold turkey and haven’t had a drop since. Wow. That’s not easy. My friend stopped smoking cold turkey last year. He said it was difficult. But it was the only way he could quit. Would you like more stuffing? Yes, please! How can you still be hungry?! I’m stuffed. What can I say? I like stuffing and I only get it once a year … at Thanksgiving. Hey, it might sound corny, but why don’t we go around the table and tell one thing we’re thankful for. Yeah! I remember my grandmother would always ask the people invited to her Thanksgiving meal to do this. I’ll go first! I am most thankful for my good health this year. And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories! As we thanks during this time of the year, all of us here would like to thank all of you for spending time with us! I’m Anna Matteo. And I'm Jonathan Evans.   Grateful for what's understood, And all that is forgiven; We try so hard to be good, To lead a life worth living. Father, mother, daughter, son, Neighbor, friend, and friendless; All together everyone Let grateful days be endless.   What are you thankful for? Let us know in the Comments Section or simply practice using some of these expressions from the Thanksgiving table! Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. The song at the end is Mary Chapin Carpenter singing "The Thanksgiving Song." _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   roast – v. to cook by exposing to dry heat (as in an oven or before a fire) or by surrounding with hot embers, sand, or stones mash – v. to make (something, such as a type of food) into a soft mass by beating it or crushing it parade – n. a public celebration of a special day or event that usually includes many people and groups moving down a street by marching or riding in cars or on special vehicles (called floats) < the annual Thanksgiving Day parade > dress – v. to prepare (food) for cooking or eating oven – n. a piece of cooking equipment that is used for baking or roasting food leftovers – n. food that has not been finished at a meal and that is often served at another meal complaint – n. a statement that you are unhappy or not satisfied with something scalloped – adj. baked in a sauce usually with bread crumbs on top old-fashioned – adj. of or relating to the past: such as : no longer used or accepted : replaced by something more recent annoying – adj. to cause (someone) to feel slightly angry

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US Service Industry Workers Training to Stop Sexual Harassment

  Accusations of sexual wrongdoing by film producer Harvey Weinstein and other famous people are having an effect on American businesses. What is being called the “Weinstein Effect” has men in powerful positions facing similar accusations. It is also increasing understanding about the difference between friendly exchanges and criminal acts. American Tyler Phillips has worked in the service industry since he was 15 years old. He now makes coffee and other drinks for a living. Phillips has witnessed the power imbalance in places where he worked. He says he has seen wealthy customers making unkind comments or taking unwanted actions toward younger, low-wage workers. "Sexism, racism -- is endemic to this industry," he says. But Phillips also admits that he, like many others in the service industry, has no guidance from his employers on how to intervene in these situations. So he joined several other people after work for a class on sexual harassment at The Potter's House. The 57-year-old store has made a name for itself in Washington, D.C. area. Locals like to go to The Potter’s House because, unlike many coffee shops, it offers safe spaces for discussion and creative expression. Its business model is almost unheard of in the industry. It is a non-profit business, asking customers to "pay what you can" for a cup of coffee. Discrimination training in demand Melissa Yeo and another volunteer set up the training from a group called Collective Action for Safe Spaces. It started eight years ago with a goal of ending sexual harassment and abuse in the DC area. The demand for the classes increased last month after Harvey Weinstein and other influential men were accused of sexual harassment. Yeo notes that many people are unwilling to step in and stop harassment. For them, she says, it is "often not knowing if it will work, not knowing exactly what to do, or thinking it’s none of their business." On a recent day, the coffee workers attending the class were from all over the DC area. They shared personal stories, which prove how common the problem. Some explained what they did to stop the abuse. They started by saying their first name and what gender they identify with. Sam's story "My name is Sam," said one man, as he began telling what he witnessed. He says a customer made a co-worker so uneasy with comments about her body that she left the area. Sam spoke to the man and asked that he stop “from making comments on the appearance of people who work in this space.” Instead of stopping, the customer argued that he was raised in the 1950's. "That's no excuse," said the leader of the class. The exercise continued until all the workers shared their experiences.  The group decided how severe the discrimination was and rated it with markings on the wall in the front of the room. Then Yeo added four more actions, including “Misgendering” and “Following.” Each of the four was written on a piece of paper, and added to the wall. The two-hour class ended with students role-playing. Each person took on the behavior of someone else as part of a training exercise. Future coffee classes Mike Balderrama, one of the students, is the acting general manager of The Potter's House. He says the subject of intervening and stopping discrimination is "very near and dear to our heart." Balderrama said the next training program for coffee shop employees is expected to deal with mental health and first aid. So The Potter's House will once again create the place for exploration of those issues. I’m Lucija Millonig.   Carolyn Presutti reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   endemic – adj. existing or growing in a place or area; common in a subject or field harassment – n. oppression or repression customer – n. someone who purchases a product or service gender – n. the behavior or qualities usually related to one sex excuse – n. a reason or explanation We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Daytime Wounds Heal Faster

A new study suggests that the timing of a wound affects the speed at which it heals. Wounds suffered during the day heal around 60 percent faster than those sustained at night. The study showed how the body’s circadian rhythm controlled the healing of wounds. The circadian rhythm is like a clock or timer. It tells our bodies when to wake up, eat and sleep in a cycle -- a series of activities that repeat themselves day after day. Each cycle lasts about 24 hours. In the study, researchers found that skin cells moved faster to repair wounds sustained during the day. Their findings were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The researchers examined cells, mice, and burn injury databases.  Specifically, their investigation found the following information: Night-time burns - burns suffered between 8 o’clock at night and 8 o’clock the next morning - were 95 percent healed after an average of 28 days. But after an average of 17 days, daytime burns - burns sustained between 8 o’clock in the morning and 8 at night – were 95 percent healed. In other words, nighttime injuries took an average of 11 days longer to heal. Circadian Clocks The scientists say that circadian clocks play an important part in healing. Circadian clocks control many cells in the body and affect many biological processes, including sleeping. John O'Neill was a co-leader of the study. "This is the first time that the circadian clock within individual cells has been shown to determine how effectively they respond to injuries," he said. O’Neill added "We consistently see about a two-fold difference in wound healing speed between the body clock's day and night. It may be that our bodies have evolved to heal fastest during the day when injuries are more likely to occur." Implications Wounds are very costly to treat. Worldwide, billions of dollars are spent every year on wound-treatment services. In Britain's National Health Services, for example, such services cost around $6.56 billion per year. Experts says the high costs result, in part, from a lack of drugs that speed up the closure of wounds. The findings, if confirmed by other studies, could have important implications for surgical operations and wound-healing medicines. John Blaikley works at Britain's University of Manchester. He said the new study’s findings could help scientists develop better drugs. The findings, he added, could also help doctors understand the best time of day to do a surgery or give medicine. I'm John Russell.   Kate Kelland reported on this story for the Reuters news agency. John Russell adapted her report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sustain – v. to deal with or experience (something bad or unpleasant) database – n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer journal – n. magazine o’clock – adj. used for showing position of an hour hand on a clock or timer respond – v. to do something as a reaction to something that has happened or been done​ evolve – v. to change or develop slowly often into a better, more complex, or more advanced state : to develop by a process of evolution​ occur – v. to happen​ two-fold – adj. twice as much or as many implication – n. a possible future effect or result — usually plural surgical – adj. of or relating to the process of performing a medical operation​

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English in a Minute: Play Up

This phrasal verb sounds like it means something fun..!

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November 17, 2017

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

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New Bible Museum Opens in Washington

Washington D.C. is a city full of museums. Visitors have a large choice of places to go to learn about United States history, culture and art. The latest one to open in Washington is the Museum of the Bible. The 40,000-square-meter building is located near the U.S. Capitol, the National Mall and several Smithsonian museums. Unlike most major museums in Washington, the $500 million Museum of the Bible was not financed by the government. An American businessman, Steve Green, mostly paid for it. He is the president of Hobby Lobby, a large business that sells arts and crafts. Green’s idea for the museum came after he privately collected more than 300 Bible-related artifacts. He wanted a way to share these items with the rest of the world in a permanent home. Green says the goal of the museum is to educate people, not preach to them. “There’s just a basic need for people to read the book,” he told reporters. “We just want to present the facts and let visitors decide.” Museum officials have said the institution is not intended to represent the views of any particular religious or political group. They noted that more than 100 scholars representing a variety of groups helped design all exhibits in the museum. However, some religious scholars have questioned whether the museum provides a balanced view of the Bible and religious history. Joel Baden is a professor at Yale Divinity School and co-author of the book Bible Nation. He told Reuters the museum leaves out some important history relating to other major world religions. “They are telling a story of the Bible that is a particularly American Protestant one.” He said little attention was given to Roman Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Mormons. There are also concerns about the museum’s true intentions because of several controversies involving Steve Green and Hobby Lobby. Green and his family have been very public in opposing birth control and supporting efforts to include Bible teachings in U.S. public schools.  In 2014, Hobby Lobby won a U.S. Supreme Court case giving the right to deny workers at family-owned companies health coverage for birth control. In July, Hobby Lobby also was ordered to pay a $3 million fine and return artifacts the company bought without knowing the items had been smuggled out of Iraq. The company admitted it should have taken greater care in doing business with its dealers. Museum officials said none of those items were meant to be put in the Museum of the Bible. John Fea is head of the history department at Messiah College, a private, Christian college in the state of Pennsylvania. He said he thinks it will be very difficult for the museum to remain neutral in proving information about the holy book. “It’s going to be very, very hard to present the Bible in that way," he said. "Because the Bible is always so sort of ensconced, and so connected to a particular religious tradition and their way of interpreting it.” Visitors enter the museum through a dramatic 12-meter-tall bronze entrance containing writing from the first book of the Bible, Genesis. One museum official said about the design, "when you walk in, you’re really walking into the Bible.” The writing on the doors came from an early version of the Gutenberg Bible. The Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed in Europe with movable type. Among the many Bibles shown at the museum is one called the Eliot Indian Bible. The museum says it was the first Bible printed in America in a Native American language. The Museum collection also includes several first editions of the King James Bible and early versions from Christian Reformation leader Martin Luther. Also shown are a large collection from the Dead Sea Scrolls, and what the museum describes as the “world's largest collection of Torah scrolls,” covering more than 700 years of history. In addition, visitors can explore an area on the Bible’s influence on cultures across the world, including education, literature and art. Included in this area are a Bible once owned by Elvis Presley and modern fashion designs inspired by biblical subjects. There is no cost to visit the museum, but donations are accepted. I’m Bryan Lynn. And I'm Caty Weaver.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Is the Museum of the Bible a place you want to visit? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   artifact – n. things made by people in the past innovative – adj. using new methods or ideas engage – v. to do something preach – v. speak or write about something in an approving way basic – adj. simple, not including anything extra exhibit – n. collection of objects placed in one place for people to see or inspect controversy – n. strong disagreement over something among a large group of people ensconced – adj. positioned safely or comfortably somewhere  

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