Summary Anna is afraid of bees. Her friend Kaveh tells her to talk with Caroline, a beekeeper and bee educator. Will Anna fight her fear and learn to love bees? Conversation (blue text shows conditional sentences) Anna: Wow. Did you know that bees are dying? Kaveh: That is bad news. If all the bees died, there would be no food. Bees are very important. (buzz sound) Anna: Yes, they are. Speaking of bees, one of our little friends is here now. Kaveh: You know, Anna, if you ignore it, it will fly away. But if you swat it, it might sting you. Anna: I’ll ignore it. I can ignore it. See, I’m ignoring it. (she is swatting at the bee) Kaveh: Anna, are you afraid of bees? Anna: What makes you say that? Kaveh: Anna, you should call my friend, Caroline. She is a beekeeper and a bee educator. If you talk to her, she’ll probably help you get over your fear of bees. Anna: I am not afraid of bees. Kaveh: Here’s her card. Anna: Ahhh! Prof. Bot: In this lesson, you can learn about conditionals. They have "if" and "will" or "would." There are two kinds of conditional sentences in this lesson. Type 1 conditionals have a real event, and a result that probably will happen. Chances are good. Here is the pattern: If +present tense verb ... will + future tense verb. Kaveh uses this when he says: "If you ignore it, it will fly away." Type 2 conditionals have a possible event and a result that may or may not happen. We don't know. Here is the pattern: If + past tense verb ...would + infinitive verb. Kaveh uses this pattern when he says, "If all the bees died, there would be no food." Look for the "if" in a sentence to find more conditionals in today's lesson. I'll color them, too! Anna: I think I'm at the wrong address. This does not look like a place where bees are kept. (knocks on door) Anna: Oh, sorry to bother you. I’m looking for beekeeper Caroline. I’m here to take her “Learn to Love Bees!” class. Caroline: You’re in the right place! I’m Caroline! Anna: Oh, nice to meet you! Um, Caroline, I thought this class used real bees and real hives. Caroline: It does! If you look in my backyard, you will see my bees! I’m a home beekeeper! Anna: What? You live with bees? That is really amazing! And at the same time really scary. Caroline: It’s not scary. If you come, I’ll show you. Anna: Caroline, how many bees are in that hive? Caroline: About thirty thousand (30,000) in each. Anna: What? That's amazing! But, aren’t you afraid that they are gonna come out and kill you? Caroline: No, not at all, Anna. Even my children help me. Tell me, why are you afraid of bees? Anna: I don't know. Well, when I was a little girl my mom ran out of honey. And I really wanted honey for my pancakes. So, I climbed high into a tree and hit a beehive with a stick … several times. Then I reached inside with my bare hands to pull the honey out. That’s when I got stung … a lot. Anna: Caroline, if you hit a beehive with a stick and reach inside, you might get stung. Caroline: No, Anna. If you do those things, you will get stung. Anna: Yes. I did. Caroline: And you know that it was your fault you got stung, don’t you? Anna: Yes. I did. Caroline: Bees know your feelings. And if you stay calm, the bees will be calm. If you're nervous, the bees will be nervous. And if bees are nervous, they may sting. So, please be calm. Anna: I will be calm. I am calm. Okay, I'm ready. I'm ready Caroline: Great. Let’s get our equipment on. Anna: Wait! Wait! I’m not ready! I'm nervous! Give me a minute to be calm. Prof. Bot: Are you ready for one more conditional sentence? If you are not afraid, you will join us next time to learn more about bees! New Words attack - v. to try to hurt, injure, or destroy (something or someone) backyard - n. an area of grass behind someone's house bare - adj. not covered by clothing, shoes or a hat bee - n. a black and yellow flying insect that can sting and that is often kept in hives for the honey that it produces beekeeper - n. a person who raises bees calm - adj. not angry, upset, or excited fault - n. responsibility for a problem, mistake, or bad situation hive - n. a nest for bees honey - n. a thick, sweet substance made by bees ignore - v. to refuse to show that you hear or see (something or someone) local - adj. relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town probably - adv. very likely or almost certainly run out of (something) - phrasal verb to use up the available supply of (something) sting - v. of an insect, plant, or animal - to hurt (someone) by piercing the skin with a sharp, pointed part that usually contains poison swat - v. to hit (someone or something) with a quick motion Learning Strategy The learning strategy for this lesson is Sequence. That means to look for the order of events in what you are learning. For example, we use a sequence when we write about a process, like how to make a pizza: "first, you mix the dough, next, you make the sauce..." In this lesson, Anna thinks about the sequence of her experience with a beehive as a child. First, she hit the hive with a stick. Next, the bees came out and stung her. They were angry. Thinking about that sequence will make Anna more careful about hitting a beehive with a stick in the future! Caroline agrees: "If you do those things, you will get stung." How about you? How do you sequence when you are learning English? Do you start with easier patterns and move on to the harder ones? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Listening Quiz See how well you understand this lesson by taking a listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer. Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For Teachers Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Conditional: Present Real (If _____ Will); Present Unreal (If _____ Would) Topics: Asking for Information; Indicating Uncertainty; Asking for and Giving Reasons; Making Deductions Learning Strategy: Sequence Comments Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
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Sunday, December 3, 2017
Lesson 12: Meet My Family
Summary Anna is feeling homesick. Marsha helps her by listening to her talk about her family. Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words. Learn to ask a friend to talk about a problem. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about your family. Pronunciation In this video, you learn about how Americans pronounce the word "aunt" in different parts of the country. Conversation Anna: Hello! Washington, D.C. has many beautiful parks. In fact, this park reminds me of my home very far away. Marsha: Anna, here's your coffee. Anna: Thanks, Marsha. Marsha: What's wrong? Anna: I'm thinking about my family. I'm feeling homesick. Marsha: Do you want to talk about it? Anna: Sure! I have some photos. Marsha: Yes. Yes, you do! Anna: Photos really help. Anna: This is my mother and this is my father. They are rodeo clowns. Marsha: What do rodeo clowns do? Anna: They make jokes at a rodeo. They make people laugh. Marsha: That-That';s very different. Marsha: Who is that woman in the picture? Anna: That is my Aunt Lavender. She is my mom's sister. She loves gardening and makes spoons. Marsha: She makes spoons? Anna: Of course. Marsha: That, too, is very different. Anna: Oh! This is my Uncle John. He is my father's brother. Marsha: What does Uncle John do? Anna: He's a chicken farmer. And makes guitars. He's awesome, and I'm his favorite niece. Marsha: Who are they? Anna: They are my cousins. They are my Uncle John's daughter and son. Marsha: What do they do? Anna: They raise sheep and make sweaters. Marsha: Yeah, that's not a surprise. Marsha: Thanks for showing me your family photos. Your family is very different. Anna: I do feel better. Thanks for listening. I have many more photos! Marsha: Yeah. Yeah, you do. Anna: Washington, DC is my new home. But I like remembering my old home, too. Anna's Family Tree This is a family tree. Anna tells Marsha about her parents. Her mother and father are rodeo clowns. Her father's parents are from Italy. These grandparents speak Italian. Anna's mother's parents live in California. These grandparents have a farm and raise horses. Anna's mother's sister is Aunt Lavender. She loves gardening. Anna's father has a brother. His name is John. Uncle John makes guitars. Uncle John has a daughter and a son. They are Anna's cousins. They raise sheep. Anna's brother has two children. They are Anna's niece and nephew. Writing Are you from a big family or a small family? Write to us to tell us about two people in your family. What do they do? What do they make? Send us an email or write about them in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Find Patterns. Learning is easier when you can find and apply patterns. Here is an example. Carlos is learning the names of family members in English. He sees a pattern. Some words change when you talk about the next generation. "Father" changes to "grandfather." When someone is related by marriage, the word "in-law" is used. "Sister" changes to "sister-in-law." Carlos thinks he can use this pattern to help remember the new words in English. How do you find and use patterns in studying English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Listening Quiz See how well you learned the lesson by taking this listening quiz. Play the short video and choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ New Words clown - n. someone who often does funny things to make people laugh different - adj. not ordinary or common; unusual feel - v. used to describe or ask about someone's physical or mental state garden – v. to work in a garden; to take care of the plants in a garden guitar - n. a musical instrument that is held against the front of your body and that has usually six strings which are played with your fingers or with a pick homesick - adj. sad because you are away from your family and home joke - n. something said or done to cause laughter laugh - v. to show that you are happy or that you think something is funny by smiling and making a sound from your throat make - v. to build, create, or produce (something) by work or effort park - n. piece of public land in or near a city that is kept free of houses and other buildings and can be used for pleasure and exercise photo (photograph) - n. a picture made by a camera raise - v. to keep and take care of (animals or crops) remind - v. to cause (someone) to remember something rodeo - n. an event in which people compete at riding horses and bulls, catching animals with ropes, etc. sheep - n. an animal with a thick woolly coat that is often raised for meat or for its wool and skin spoon - n. an eating or cooking tool that has a small shallow bowl attached to a handle sweater - n. a warm usually knitted piece of clothing for the upper part of your body Family Relationships aunt - n. the sister of your father or mother or the wife of your uncle brother - n. a boy or man who has one or both of the same parents as you cousin - n. a child of your uncle or aunt daughter - n. a female child family - n. a group of people who are related to each other father - n. a male parent mother - n. a female parent nephew - n. the son of your brother or sister niece - n. a daughter of your brother or sister sister - n. a girl or woman who has one or both of the same parents as you son - n. a male child uncle - n. the brother of your father or mother or the husband of your aunt ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice talking about family members. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Auxiliary do and the verb make Topics: Family members; family relationships Learning Strategy: Find and Apply Patterns Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Ask about a problem; varied ways to pronounce "aunt" ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
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Saturday, December 2, 2017
US, Canadian Universities Aim to Make Student Jobs More Meaningful
Steve Tracy was not looking for a job at the Community College of Baltimore County when he started taking classes there in August. But the 25 year-old from Catonsville, Maryland did find a job, almost by accident. One day while walking to class, Tracy saw an advertisement for a student group that looked interesting. So he went to the school’s Office of Student Life to learn more about it. Someone working there told him that the group was no longer active. But after a pleasant exchange, the worker ended up offering Tracy a part-time job in her office, and Tracy accepted. He now helps student groups plan events. He provides them with the materials and any other assistance they might need. Tracy says having the extra money from this job is helpful. Also, he works with several other students in what he calls a fun environment. And he loves seeing an event come together successfully. But most important of all, Tracy says, is how the job makes him feel connected to the college. “I’m on campus a lot more, so I definitely feel like I’m a bigger part of the community,” he told VOA. “I get to help out other students and people that have problems ... I’ve made a lot of connections that way.” Feeling more connected to one’s school may not be the only good thing that comes from working while studying. In 2008, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that working students performed better in their classes than those who did not. On average, grades of students who worked up to 20 hours per week were higher than those without jobs. All these students were in their first year at a four-year college or university in the United States. However, it is not just having a job that can help students. What they do in their jobs not only can help them in their studies, but also in their lives after school. For example, Tracy says he has learned through his campus job how to use computer programs that he did not understand before. He says he will most likely need those computer skills in his future career. That is why some colleges and universities are doing more to provide work experiences for students that do more than just give them financial aid. Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina is one such example. Clemson is a public research university. The school is far from any major city. This means there are few places for Clemson students to find meaningful employment elsewhere. So in 2011, the administration asked Neil Burton, head of the school’s Center for Career and Professional Development, to make some changes. The university wanted Burton to develop a program that was not just a way of creating more jobs, he says. Clemson wanted its students to have special positions that would teach them valuable skills related to their interests or field of study. It also wanted the students to be working in professional environments, ones that would provide useful experience in their job searches after college. Burton says Clemson wanted to employ 500 students in these positions by 2020. And so the University Professional Internship and Co-op program, or UPIC, was born. The program works like this: any Clemson professor or employee in need of professional help can prepare a proposal. This could be a biology professor looking for a research assistant, or an administrator who needs help raising donations for the school, Burton says. It can also be any outside organization that works with Clemson, such as a company that is designing new buildings for the campus. Burton and his team decide if the position satisfies the requirements of the program, and then list the job on Clemson’s website. Students ask to be considered for the job and go through an interview process. If they are accepted, students are permitted to work in that position for one semester. They also are required to take a class that informs them of what to expect in the position before they start. Finally, at the end of the term, students are tested on what they have learned from the experience. Students can apply for positions through UPIC as many times as they want. UPIC has been a success from the very start, Burton says. By 2013, the program helped about 125 Clemson students find part-time employment. Word of the program’s success spread across South Carolina. So the state government said it wanted to help. It promised to provide the school with $1 million every year to support the program. By 2014, Clemson had 626 students working through UPIC. And Burton believes the program could help over 1,000 students by 2018. Burton adds that this is not just a success for the school. He notes that students who take part in the program are 20 percent more likely to have a full-time job offer once they complete their studies. This can be even more important for students who have little money of their own. “A lot of those students, especially if they’re first generation, are not going to have the same kind of professional network that a student coming from a middle class family … might have,” Burton told VOA. “And this is a way to help those students … so that … they’ve got some people here on campus who can provide … guidance.” This kind of program is not only popular in the United States. Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada has taken similar measures. Caroline Konrad is the director of the Career Center at Ryerson, which is also a pubic research university. She says her school already employs about 1,000 students ever year. But three years ago, she notes, Ryerson wanted to provide its students with more of an educational experience through those positions. So, Konrad says, her office began holding meetings with students and their employers to learn how it could make improvements. With the information gained from those meetings, the office developed a system to identify learning goals for students in any campus position. These goals relate to skills -- like communication and teamwork -- that students could use in their careers, Konrad says. But they also include respecting people and treating others equally in the workplace. Konrad argues this is especially important as Ryerson prepares students to shape the world around them. “We view our students as the future leaders … of a society which we all want to live in,” she told VOA. “And fundamental to that is the professional environments which we are all creating. And so, when we talk about … equity on company boards, that really starts all the way down … when individuals are building their careers.” In 2016, Ryerson developed a system for measuring how well campus jobs help students reach its goals for valued learning. For example, Konrad notes, if a student’s job is designing advertising, the employer should ensure the student includes not just one race or sex in the ads. After all, Konrad says, every day spent in college should help prepare students for what comes after, not just classwork. 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. How common is it in your country for students to work at the universities where they study? What is the work-study experience like there? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, or school grade(s) – n. a number or letter that indicates how a student performed in a class or on a test financial – adj. relating to money professional – adj. relating to a job that requires special education, training, or skill interview – n. a formal meeting with someone who is being considered for a job or other position semester – n. one of two usually 18-week periods that make up an academic year at a school or college apply – v. to ask formally for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan, usually in writing network – n. a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other society – n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values fundamental – adj. forming or relating to the most important part of something equity – n. fairness or justice in the way people are treated board(s) – n. a group of people who manage or direct a company or organization
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From Monkeys to Potatoes
Welcome to Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. On today’s program we will talk about several very common expressions. Even though these expressions use simple language, English learners may find them difficult to understand. In fact, native English speaking children often have trouble, too. Speaking of children -- what child doesn’t like to jump around and act silly sometimes? Monkeys are also known for acting silly. So, when kids act up, parents or teachers may tell them to stop monkeying around. To monkey around means to do things that are not useful or serious, or to simply waste time. Now, in the United States, children do not usually have monkeys as pets, but they do often have dogs. And dogs make most children feel happy. But for some reason – a reason that word experts do not know – we use “dog” in a phrase that means to feel unwell. If you are as sick as a dog you are really, really sick and will most likely stay home from work or school. Besides, dogs, cats are also a favorite pet here in the States. This next phrase combines cats and secrets to make a very common expression. Let’s say you know a secret, a big secret. And let’s say you tell it to people. You have just let the cat out of the bag! This idiom means to reveal a secret or tell facts that were previously unknown. If you let the cat out of the bag, you spoil a surprise. So, if your friend is planning a big surprise birthday for another friend, don’t let the cat out of the bag by accidentally saying it in front of the birthday girl. Even though this is a very common idiom, the origin of “to let the cat out of the bag” is also unknown. However, the origin of our next expression is not hard to guess. If you are doing an outdoor activity -- such as hiking in the woods, or having a picnic in a park -- what are some things that may disturb your good time? Bad weather could. And so could bugs! Crawling pests like ants, and flying ones like mosquitoes, could make your experience uncomfortable or annoying. So, when we bug people we bother them so much that we affect their good time. This common expression is often said as a command: “Stop bugging me!” Now, let’s move on to clothing. Of course, you know what a hat it. But did you know that you can many at the same time? If you wear many hats you do many different things, even if you only have one job. For example, if you work at a small company, the owners may expect you to answer the phones, manage some paperwork, speak to clients, and design the web site. In today’s economy, some people say it is good to wear many hats when you are first starting your career. While wearing my researching hat here at Learning English, I have learned that many languages use food in their idioms and expressions. English is no exception. Some food expressions have good meanings, while others don’t. For example, being a couch potato is not a good thing. This means you sit on the couch all day and do nothing but watch television or play video games. People who are couch potatoes are thought to be lazy and boring. Life does not excite them. They would rather watch others live on a screen. Now, let’s say a friend of yours is a couch potato. You may wonder how he got to be that way. One day you visit this friend’s home and meet his mother and father. While you are there, you see the parents are also couch potatoes. You could say, well, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. This expression simply means that a child acts or looks a lot like the parents. Usually we use this expression when talking about bad things. But we can also use it to describe good traits that are passed down from a parent to a child. We use the next two expressions when we have problems. One deals with your heart, and the other with your bank account. Sometimes in life, we run into serious issues. They might require a conversation with someone about an uncomfortable or unpleasant topic. We call this kind of conversation a heart-to-heart. We use this expression as a noun or as an adjective, such as “heart-to-heart talk.” But perhaps having a heart-to-heart doesn’t help to solve a problem. Let’s say you are having trouble paying your rent; having a heart-to-heart with your landlord may gain you a couple of weeks, but soon you will have to pay your rent. The only thing to really help this problem is money. However, money can’t – and shouldn’t – help all problems. Also, it’s not a good idea to try to solve big problems with just money. But sometimes, people do just throw money at a problem and hope that it goes away. For example, people having trouble learning English may try to throw money at the problem. They may buy classes, time with teachers and the latest language software. But these things will get them only so far. To really get better, they must simply study and practice. And that’s all for this Words and Their Stories. If you liked any of these idioms, practice using it. You can do that in the Comments Section! I’m Anna Matteo. Anna Matteo wrote this for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Olivia Liu edited the accompanying video. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story silly – adj. not serious, meaningful, or important act up – v. to act in an unruly, abnormal, or annoying way reveal – v. to make (something) known previously – adv. existing or happening before the present time lazy – adj. not liking to work hard or to be active boring – adj. dull and uninteresting spoil – v. to have a bad effect on (something) : to damage or ruin (something) trait – n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another landlord – n. a person who owns a house, apartment, etc., and rents it to other people
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Study: Parasite May Be Killing US Soldiers Who Fought in Vietnam
Fifty years after serving in the United States military, hundreds of Americans have a reason to believe they may be dying from a silent killer. Test results show some of the men may have been infected by a parasite while fighting in Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ordered a small study of military veterans. The department wanted to investigate a possible link between a rare form of bile duct cancer and parasitic worms called liver fluke. The small organisms can enter the body when someone eats raw or uncooked fish. Many years can pass before signs of infection appear. By then, those who have been infected are often in severe pain, and have just a few months to live. Sung-Tae Hong, an expert on tropical medicine, carried out tests on 50 blood samples at Seoul National University in South Korea. He found that more than 20 percent showed possible infection with the parasitic worms. But he said more research must be done. Christopher Goodman is a spokesman for the Northport VA Medical Center in New York. He said the center collected the blood samples and sent them to the South Korean laboratory. He said everyone whose blood showed signs of possibly being infected was notified. Gerry Wiggins served in the U.S. military, and was based in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. He says some of his friends have died of bile duct disease. He was among those whose blood was found to be infected. “I was in a state of shock,” he said. “I didn’t think it would be me.” Wiggins, now age 69, lives in Port Jefferson Station, New York. He did not have any signs of the infection when he agreed to take part in the study. He hoped giving his blood to be studied would help save lives. After Wiggins was told his blood was possibly infected, he immediately had more tests. Doctors discovered he had two cysts on his bile duct. These cysts can sometimes develop into cancer. They have since been removed. He says he feels healthy. Liver fluke infect an estimated 25 million people worldwide. But they are rarely found in Americans. Many of the rivers of Vietnam were home to the parasites. People who are infected by them can be cured with simple medicines if the infection is found early. But if untreated the parasites can live in the body for many years, without causing health problems. But over time, swelling and inflammation of the bile duct can lead to cancer. Jaundice, dry itchy skin, weight loss and other signs appear only when the disease is in its final stages. The blood study began after the Associated Press (AP) reported on the problem last year. The AP found that the VA has treated about 700 veterans with the rare cancer over the past 15 years. But fewer than half of them had asked for financial assistance which veterans can receive if they are sick or disabled because of their military service. Experts say that is because many of them did not know there was a link between their condition and their time in Vietnam. Last year, the government published a warning on its website. It said that veterans who ate raw or uncooked freshwater fish while in Vietnam might be at risk. But it stopped short of urging veterans to get tested, saying there was currently no evidence they had higher rates of infection than the general population. Curt Cashour is a spokesman for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He says his agency is “taking this seriously. But until further research, a recommendation cannot be made either way.” I’m Dorothy Gundy. Margie Mason and Robin McDowell reported this story for the Associated Press. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for 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 parasite – n. an animal or plant that lives in or on another animal or plant and gets food or protection from it bile duct – n. passages in the body that carry bile, or waste, from the liver and gallbladder through the pancreas to the duodenum, which is a part of the small intestine sample – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from cyst – n. a growth filled with liquid that forms in or on your body swell – v. to become larger than normal inflammation – v. a condition in which a part of your body becomes red, swollen, and painful jaundiced – adj. having a disease that causes your skin to turn yellow; affected with jaundice itchy – adj. feeling or having an itch stage – n. a particular point or period in the growth or development of something
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No Online Sales for Chanel
France’s Chanel has no immediate plans for online sales of its handbags or specialty clothing for women, a company official says. Chanel is one of the last businesses in the fashion industry to turn to the internet for selling products. Many of its competitors are experimenting with websites to find buyers. Chanel already uses its website to sell eyeglasses and beauty products, as well as perfumes such as Chanel No 5. But the company has no plans to use the site to sell tweed suits for women or quilted leather handbags, with each costing more than $4,300. The president of fashion at Chanel, Bruno Pavlovsky, spoke about online sales at a conference last month in Paris. “If you give everything to everyone straight away, I think you lose that exclusivity,” he said. “I‘m not saying we won’t try it one day, but if we do it will be because we’ll really think there’s some added value.” At first, manufacturers of high-priced goods were slow to develop websites. Many worried that making their products too widely available would hurt demand. But many businesses are now active in online sales. LVMH (LVMH.PA), parent company to Louis Vuitton, is working with a former official from Apple, the American technology company. The French company recently launched a site for several fashion brands. Website sales will make up some 10 percent of all money collected in the luxury goods market this year, according to Bain & Company. The company said it expects those businesses to earn 25 percent of their revenue through web sales. But Chanel’s limited online sales is not hurting the business, Pavlovsky noted. He said the company was reaching a growing number of younger buyers and had waiting lists for best-selling bags. The company was started by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in 1910. Two secretive billionaires, Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, now control the business. The Reuters news agency noted that Chanel does not often release financial results. Reports registered with the Amsterdam exchange show Chanel’s net profit fell nearly 35 percent in 2016. Sales dropped nine percent to $5.7 billion. Most major competitors have enjoyed an increase in sales in 2017. Chanel is no stranger to digital marketing. The company has used media like Instagram and Twitter to share images from its famous catwalk shows and collections by designer Karl Lagerfeld. But buyers want to try on the clothes, Pavlovsky said. He added that the business would look into providing “e-services” for buyers to reserve items or make store appointments online. “Every time I‘m in China I meet clients who come and say, ‘whatever you do don’t do e-commerce. The day you do it for us this won’t be exclusive anymore’,” Pavlovsky said. I’m Susan Shand. Sarah White reported this story for the Reuters news agency. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story online – adj. connected to or served by a computer or telecommunications system fashion – n. the business of creating and selling clothing perfume – n. a sweet-smelling substance quilt – n. a bed cover or cloth made from two pieces of material, and filled with cotton or wool exclusivity – n. special rights or services brand – n. a group of goods identified by name as the product We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
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Pollution, Overfishing Threaten Important Cambodian Lake
A rich fishery in Southeast Asia is at risk because of overfishing, pollution and hydroelectric dams. The Tonle Sap is a freshwater lake in the middle of Cambodia. The lake shrinks and expands by thousands of kilometers, depending on the season. The Tonle Sap is home to hundreds of kinds of fish. Fishing crews catch as much as 300,000 tons of fish in the lake every year. The fish are said to provide Cambodia with up to 60 percent of its protein needs. But things are changing. Luan Chanti fishes at the Tonle Sap. “In the past, we would catch lots of fish using our nets, but now there are so many people fishing here that we are not catching much anymore. That means we are making much less fish paste than before.” Luan Chanti adds that the water level is always low now, and the water smells bad. Too much fishing is reducing the number of fish, while fish spawning grounds are disappearing. In addition, dams are preventing the natural movement of some fish species. Some Cambodians fear the problems could get worse. Om Savath works for a coalition of non-governmental organizations known as the Fisheries Action Coalition Team. “There are plans to build more dams up stream in Laos. In Cambodia, we already have a dam. We are worried the electric dams will effect the fish migration and reproduction rates. The dams have also slowed down the rate of water flowing into the lake, and affect the water quality in the Mekong River.” The Tonle Sap is dying. In 2016, several environmental groups named it the world’s most threatened lake. There are fewer fish to feed Cambodians. At the same time, more people are depending on fishing to earn their living. Government agencies say they are doing what they can. Om Savath says non-governmental organizations also are helping. “We are continuing to work with the fishermen in the region to try to fix the problems. We have had many meetings with the parties. Just this morning, we filed out latest report with the Ministry of the Environment, and soon they will be discussing with us what we should do.” Some Cambodians fear that the lack of fish will cause a migration problem for the country in the future. They say thousands of people who earn money from the lake may move to the cities to look for work. I’m Susan Shand. Kevin Enochs reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted his 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 spawning - adj. of or related to production of eggs in the water migrate - v. to move from one area to another at different times of the year; to move from one place to another for purposes of employment
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Scientists Find No Evidence of Yeti
For decades, a large creature called a Yeti has been talked about in Western popular culture. It has appeared in films, cartoons, video games and more. The yeti is large and hairy and walks on two feet. Some people claim they have seen a yeti in the Himalayan Mountains in Asia. It has a fearsome reputation. Consider a scene from the American cartoon show, Scooby Doo: -Apparently every restaurant that's ever opened here closed down immediately -- under suspicious circumstances. -Let me guess: Yeti-related circumstances? -You got it. New genetic research suggests that this huge beast may, in fact, exist in the Himalayas. But it’s probably just a bear. A team of scientists said this week that they had studied the DNA of nine samples from museums and private collections. All of the samples were said to have come from the yeti. They found that eight of the nine samples came from bears – Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears and Tibetan brown bears, to be exact. The one remaining sample came from a dog, the researchers found. Charlotte Lindqvist studies bear genetics at the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is one of the writers of the yeti report published recently in the scientific journal "Proceedings of the Royal Society B." She said the report’s findings “strongly suggest” that the legend of the yeti is connected closely to bears that live in the mountainous area. Lindqvist called the study the most detailed research to date of so-called yeti specimens. While the recent study did not identify a yeti, it did give scientists information about the area’s bear populations. The brown bears living high in the Tibetan Plateau and the western Himalayan Mountains appear to belong to two separate bear populations, researchers found. Despite living fairly close to each other, those two populations have been separated for thousands of years, Lindqvist said. I'm John Russell. Will Dunham reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story decade – n. a period of 10 years cartoon – n. a film or television show made by photographing a series of drawings : an animated film or television show reputation – n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something: the way in which people think of someone or something fecal – adj. solid waste that is released from the body specimen – n. a small amount or piece of something that can be tested or examined DNA – n. a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals — often used before another noun
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Friday, December 1, 2017
Jailed Uyghur Scholar Earns Freedom Award
A jailed Uyghur professor was honored Thursday at a ceremony in the Netherlands. Ilham Tohti was named the winner of Liberal International’s Prize for Freedom. Liberal International gives the award once each year to a person whom it says has worked to improve human rights and political freedoms. A rights group fighting for Tohti’s release from prison accepted the prize in his place. Tohti, an economics professor, has spoken repeatedly about what he considered religious and cultural persecution of the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic minority in China’s northwest. A Chinese court charged Tohti in September 2014 with promoting ethnic separatism. He was sentenced to life in prison after a two-day trial. Following his jailing, the United States, European Union and the United Nations called for his release. Liberal International, or LI, is a group of 100 liberal and progressive parties. It was formed in 1947. LI Human Rights Committee chair, Markus Loening, said at the ceremony that Tohti had fought for democracy and rule of law in China. “The Chinese government should feel ashamed,” Loening said. “It is not protecting the rights of its citizens but instead putting them behind bars as soon as they speak up for human rights.” Marie Holzman helped to set up the Ilham Tohti Initiative following his jailing. She said on Thursday that receiving the award in his place was, in her words, “confirmation that the Chinese government can no longer sustain the pretense that no one cares about Ilham Tohti.” Tohti’s daughter, Jewher Ilham, spoke by video to the gathering at Thursday’s ceremony. She described her father as a man “known for his moderate positions and his desire to see different ethnic groups living together peacefully.” Jewher lives in the American state of Indiana. In October 2016, Tohti received the Martin Ennals Award. The prize is a joint project of 10 rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The United Nations’ human rights chief attended the ceremony honoring Tohti. China protested the attendance, saying the UN chief had “confused right and wrong” and “blatantly supported terrorists” by going to the event. Radio Free Asia reported this story. VOA Learning English adapted the report with additional information from the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor. RFA and VOA are each part of the U.S. government-supported Broadcasting Board of Governors. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story persecution - n. unfair or cruel treatment, especially because of race or religious or political beliefs promote - v. to help (something) happen, develop, or increase initiative - n. a plan or program that is intended to solve a problem sustain- v. to show that (something) is true or correct blatantly - adv. very obviously and offensively
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