How to Pronounce the Sound /r/

Follow John Russell to learn how to pronounce the /r/ sound.

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LIVE: The 90th Academy Awards

23:45 UTC: The 2018 Academy Awards ceremony is about to begin. The event in Hollywood, California, is the biggest night in the American film industry. The National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards Oscars to the year's best movies and movie makers.  Refresh the page for the latest #Oscars90 news.  While we wait for the action to begin, you can about this year's nominated films here.   Do you have a favorite film from the past year? Do you have predictions for this year's Oscars? Let us know in the comments section!

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Can Wood Be Stronger Than Steel?

Researchers say they have created a new super-material in the laboratory. They say it is stronger, lighter and costs less than steel.   But the new material is not a product of high technology or a metallic substance. It is wood. Researchers Liangbing Hu and Teng Li are with the University of Maryland in the United States. By using a few chemicals, heat and pressure, they have made wood three times denser and 10 times stronger. Hu says that means it can compete with some of the world’s strongest materials. "We're interested in replacing steel and carbon fibers with strong wood structures," he said. Strong, but not costly The process does not require any special raw, unprocessed material. Hu said that means the cost of the product will be relatively low. He added, "We can start with very cheap wood, and we can also start with very fancy, expensive wood. But in the end, ultimately we get very similar performance." The researchers are calling their product "super wood." It is made by partially removing a natural polymer called lignin. Hu explained that “lignin is like a binder to hold all the components together in natural wood. In our process, we found out to be able to densify the wood completely, we have to remove some of these binders." Strong chemicals are put on the wood. The chemicals remove about half of its lignin. Then, after being left in extreme heat and pressurized for a day, the treated wood is ready. The researchers say the wood is strong enough to build automobiles, airplanes, wind turbines and more. A report on their findings was published in the journal Nature. The researchers say super-strength wood would have less of an effect on the environment than the steel or other metals it could replace. However, their process is not pollution-free. It uses some of the same chemicals involved in making paper. Researcher Teng Li says he and Hu are finding many new ways to use wood, including creating batteries and see-through wood and paper. “Wood has been existing on Earth more than a million years. And human beings have been using wood for furniture, construction for more than 10 thousand years. And the more we worked on this material, we realized, we have never fully exhausted the potential of this amazing material." Other scientists are finding new uses for wood as well. Researchers in Sweden have reported making wood-based super-strong fibers for clothing and other materials. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Steve Baragona reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   component – n. a piece or part of something polymer – n. a chemical substance that is made of small molecules that are ordered in a simple repeating structure wind turbine – n. a large machine that is used to produce electricity dense – adj. having parts that are close together; thick fiber – n. a thin piece of natural or man-made material raw – adj. not cooked or prepared; unprocessed cheap – adj. low-cost; not pricey expensive – adj. costly binder – n. a cover for holding pieces of paper together

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A Crisis in Pain Drugs Leads to Greater Use of Acupuncture

  American veteran Jeff Harris was one of the first people to ask for acupuncture when veteran’s hospital in Providence, Rhode Island began to offer it. "I don't like taking pain medication. I don't like the way it makes me feel," he said. Harris also did not want to risk getting addicted to painkilling drugs. The use of acupuncture has increased among patients and doctors in America over the years. The effectiveness of the treatment remains disputed in western medicine.  However, some consider it better than powerful painkillers that are blamed for the crisis of opioid drug use in America. The  Veterans Affairs medical system has been offering acupuncture to treat pain for several years. Some insurance companies cover it. Now, some states have started to offer acupuncture to patients who have Medicaid, an insurance program for the poor. The states are mainly ones where many people have become sick or died from overdosing on opioid drugs. Ohio's Medicaid program added acupuncture after opioid experts asked state officials to find other ways to treat pain. "We have a really serious problem here," said Dr. Mary Applegate who is medical director for Ohio's Medicaid department. Applegate says that, if acupuncture is effective in easing pain and stopping opioid addiction, it must be made available. The opioid crisis is believed to have started with the misuse of painkilling drugs prescribed by doctors. Many people became addicted to opioid drugs after seeking help to relieve pain. Acupuncture could be a way to help keep some patients from using opioids in the first place. For a long time in the U.S., acupuncture was considered unstudied and unproven.  There has now been a lot of research on acupuncture use for different kinds of pain. However, results of the studies have been unclear. Federal researchers say there is evidence that acupuncture can help some patients deal with some forms of pain. But they have described the benefits of acupuncture as small and say more research is needed. Among doctors, there are questions about how much of any benefit is caused by a patient’s belief that a treatment will work. This is the so-called "placebo effect." "There may be a certain amount of placebo effect. Having said that, it is still quite effective as compared to no treatment," said Dr. Ankit Maheshwari. He is a pain medicine specialist at Case Western Reserve University. He believes acupuncture is effective for neck pain, migraines and a few other kinds of pain problems. Many doctors are undecided about acupuncture but are willing to let patients give it a try. Dr. Steven Novella is a neurologist at Yale University and editor of a website that is against non-traditional medicine. He does not think acupuncture works. Those who believe in acupuncture are using America’s opioid problems “to try to promote acupuncture as an alternative treatment," he said. "But promoting a treatment that doesn't work is not going to help.” Acupuncture has been practiced in China for thousands of years. Acupuncturists put thin metal needles into specific spots in the ears or other parts of the body. They say needles put in these spots restore the flow of energy — called "qi" — through the body. This heals the body and eases pain. In government studies, 1 in 67 U.S. adults say they get acupuncture every year, up from 1 in 91 in 2008. Most patients pay for acupuncture themselves. Only 25 percent of adults getting acupuncture had insurance that covered the cost. The largest American government insurance program, Medicare, does not pay for acupuncture. Tricare, the insurance program for active duty and retired military personnel and their families, does not pay for it either. But VA hospitals offer it for a small fee. Jeff Harris began acupuncture two years ago. The 50-year-old Marine Corp veteran said he hurt his back while training in the military in the 1980s. Today, he has pain down his legs and deadness of feeling in his feet. Acupuncture "helped settle” his pain," said Harris. Another veteran, Harry Garcia of Connecticut tried acupuncture for his back pain after years of using pain medications. Acupuncture “keeps pain down for up to 10 days,” said Garcia. About ten years ago, the military and Veterans Affairs began using several different ways to treat pain, including acupuncture and yoga. A recent study says now two-thirds of military hospitals and other treatment centers offer acupuncture. Emmeline Edwards of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal research agency, says the military is more open to try new methods “because the need is so great there.” Her agency is working with the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs to spend $81 million on research projects. The agency wants to study the effectiveness of many treatments for pain that do not use drugs. While research continues, the willingness of medical insurance companies to pay for acupuncture is growing. California, Massachusetts, Oregon and Rhode Island pay for acupuncture for pain through their Medicaid insurance programs. Massachusetts and Oregon also pay for acupuncture as a treatment for drug abuse although scientists question its effectiveness. I’m Dorothy Gundy. And I’m Susan Shand.   Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English based on an AP story. Mario Ritter was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   benefits –n. good results that come from some action or treatment prescribe –v. to officially permit someone to use a medicine or treatment as directed by a doctor, etc. acupuncture – n. a method of relieving pain or curing illness by placing needles into a person's skin at particular points on the body addicted – adj. unable to stop using a harmful substance opioid – n. a drug that has the same effect as opium insurance – n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, placebo – n. a pill or substance that is given to a patient like a drug but that has no physical effect on the patient migraine – n. a very bad headache neurologist – n. one who studies the nervous system and the diseases that affect it specific - adj. special or particular yoga –n. a system of exercises for mental and physical health  

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Myanmar, Conservationists Working Together to Save Elephants

  Elephants have had a rich history in Myanmar, the country also known as Burma. Throughout the country’s past, the animals have been used for everything, including transportation, agriculture and warfare. The white elephant was a symbol of power for the military that ruled the country for more than 50 years until it gave power to a civilian government in 2016. But the survival of elephants is under threat. There are about 2,000 wild elephants left in Myanmar today, plus about 5,000 that are captive. But conservationists warn that elephants are losing their natural places to live in. They say increased conflict with humans and the illegal sale of elephants and their parts could result in the extinction of the Asian Elephant in Myanmar. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation published the Myanmar Elephant Conservation Plan (MECAP). The plan was produced with several wildlife groups. It aims to guide policies on the survival of elephants in Myanmar for the next 100 years or more. Anthony Lynam is a senior advisor for the Wildlife Conservation Society. He told VOA by email that the Government of Myanmar decided to ask for a study of the threats to elephants. He added that the MECAP plan will need “bold action on the part of the government and supporting agencies for it to succeed.” MECAP includes a series of 10-year plans and an overall strategy for elephant conservation in Myanmar. One of the biggest threats to the survival of elephants in Myanmar is the illegal killing of the animals, especially for their skin. “It has been argued that poaching is a…minor threat to Asian Elephants because some males and all females lack tusks,” the report said. But, the report also said that elephants are poached for meat and leather as well as for their tusks. Christy Williams is the country director for the World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, in Myanmar. She told VOA there had been an increase in the number of elephants being killed for their skin in Myanmar in recent years. Elephants being targeted for their skin was unusual, he said, “but then in 2016 or 2017 we started seeing that about one elephant was being killed every week.” Williams said when WWF researchers traveled to border towns in 2016, only a few markets were selling elephant skins. But when they returned about a year later, “about 80 percent [of shops] were selling elephant skin,” he said. One of the major difficulties in combating the illegal sale of elephant parts, said Williams, was the small staff and a lack of money. Also, many of the border towns where elephant skins are being sold are not under government control. The plan asks for an increase in staff and for education efforts to show people that selling elephant parts is illegal. Another problem was the increase in conflict between humans and elephants. Mark Grinley is a project manager for the non-governmental group Fauna & Flora International Myanmar. He says the elephants’ natural habitat is shrinking. “The natural habitat is being lost,” Grinley told VOA, to large, industrial farms and to the demand for palm oil. The effects of the increased interaction between humans and elephants has led to injuries and death for both.   Suggestions for dealing with the issue include establishing a national management plan and supporting existing elephants. Other ideas include building a warning system so that people know when elephants are nearby. As the country of Myanmar continues to develop, the issue of elephant protection will not go away, said Grinley. "As the forest habitat is shrinking, I’m afraid these problems are going to be more common,” he said. I’m Dorothy Gundy. And I’m Susan Shand.   Oliver Slow reported this story for VOA News. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Symbol – n. an action, object, event, etc., that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality Conservationist – n. one who  protects animals, plants, and natural resources Extinction – n. the state or situation that results when something (such as a plant or animal species) has died out completely Strategy – n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of

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A Window to the World Through an American Classroom

  Writer Helen Thorpe spent one school year in a classroom in Denver, Colorado. There, she observed immigrant and refugee students who had come from different cultures. All the students were just learning to speak English. Thorpe saw the young people deal with problems and work hard to succeed at Denver’s South High School. She shares their stories in a new book called The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom.   Tearing down barriers Sitting in room 142 at the high school, Thorpe had a chance to meet students from all over the world. She said the class included 22 foreign students. They came from countries such as Mozambique, Burma, El Salvador and Iraq. "They had the ordinary struggles of teenagers everywhere, plus this extra added burden of being in a new country and trying to figure out a new culture and trying to figure out a new language, all at the same time." The 22 students spoke 14 different languages. "Many of the students were the only one in the room who spoke a certain language," Thorpe noted. "The majority of the students were very isolated in the classroom and just in general, in their new life in America. They weren't able yet to make friends because they were just starting out learning English. And so that loneliness was something that they all were struggling to overcome." But as time went by, the students were able to overcome it. “I watched that loneliness … go away as they figured out they could use Google Translate to send text messages back and forth from their home languages to another person's home language," Thorpe said. What these students were hungry for, she said, was to learn how to speak, to feel they were accepted at their new high school, and to feel that they belonged to a community. Comfortable in their own identity In her book, Thorpe writes about some of the issues many of these students faced. Iraqi sisters Jakleen and Mariam struggled with difficult memories. Thorpe learned they had witnessed a car bombing. "When their family fled Iraq, they went to Syria and they survived the Syrian civil war as well as the Iraq war. Their father vanished during that time. Their mother became a single parent, and then she struggled to keep the girls safe. They fled to Turkey. And then she got the chance to resettle here in the United States.” Coming to the U.S. was the first chance the sisters had in 10 years to live in a safe home. However, they had a problem: how to define their identity. One of the two girls covered up her hair with a headscarf, and because of that she faced prejudice, Thorpe said. However, as her classmates got to know her, they started to understand, accept and respect her, which helped her to express her identity. Second chance at education Many students in The Newcomers class had missed a lot of school before moving to Denver. So, they had to work hard to succeed now that they were back in a classroom. Solomon and his brother Methusella grew up in the eastern side of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Armed conflicts forced their family to flee to a refugee settlement in Uganda. "They stayed there for seven years," Thorpe remembered. Then the whole extended family joined them in Uganda, she said. Solomon,  Methusella, their siblings and their parents were the only members of the family to get an invitation to go to the United States. They were excited and happy for a chance to stay in school, Thorpe said. “But they felt guilty that the rest of their family didn't get the same chance they were given." Methusella is expected to complete his high school studies next year. He gives thanks to classmates and his own willpower for his success. His brother Solomon says that wasn't easy. "I wasn't speaking any English. I couldn't even say, 'Hi,' Solomon recalled. A gifted teacher Solomon says one of their teachers, Eddie Williams, was friendly, patient, and kept them interested in school. Williams is an English Language Acquisition teacher and a very special teacher, Thorpe said. "His greatest skill was working one-on-one with individual students."  In her book, she explains how Williams kept each student interested in learning. "He really wanted to make sure that all the kids in his care understood that if they didn't know English when they walked into his room, that was perfectly OK with him." She added, "And he understood that they, nonetheless, were highly intelligent and possibly speaking other languages and he would appreciate them and show them respect and dignity." Thorpe notes that South High School gave the newcomers the chance to gain knowledge. In return, the newcomers gave their classmates the chance to learn about the world. I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Lucija Millonig.   Faiza Elmasry reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted the report for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ordinary – adj. usual or normal burden – n. something oppressive or hard to take figure out – v. to discover or solve isolate – v. to set apart from others; to keep separate from others overcome – v. to defeat or successfully deal with vanish – v. to disappear headscarf – n. a piece of cloth worn over a woman's or girl's head sibling – n. a brother or sister appreciate – v. to recognize the worth or importance of something dignity – n. the state of being worthy or honored   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Vatican Magazine Condemns Misuse of Nuns in the Church

  A Vatican magazine has denounced the misuse of nuns who cook and clean for church officials with very little pay. The monthly magazine “Women, Church, World” describes how nuns are often treated like servants. The magazine, part of the official Vatican daily newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, is written by women journalists and scholars. Many nuns cook and clean for male church leaders and perform other household duties. “Some of them serve in the homes of bishops or cardinals, others work in the kitchens of church institutions or teach,” says the magazine. “Some of them, serving the men of the church, get up in the morning to make breakfast, and go to sleep after dinner is served, the house cleaned and the laundry washed and ironed.” A nun identified only as Sister Marie describes how nuns serve church leaders, but “are rarely invited to sit at the tables they serve.” Such work activities of Catholic nuns is widely known. But it is notable that an official Vatican publication would openly write about the church’s history of misusing nuns. “Until now, no one has had the courage to denounce these things,” the magazine’s editor, Lucetta Scaraffia, told the Associated Press. “We try to give a voice to those who don’t have the courage to say these words” publicly. “Inside the church, women are exploited,” Scaraffia said in a recent interview. Pope Francis has told Scaraffia he reads the magazine. But church officials have also questioned past writings that clashed with official teachings. One recent issue on “women who preach” appeared to support allowing lay women to give religious speeches during church services. After concerns from church officials, one of the writers had to publish an explanation that he was not suggesting a change to existing church rules   Only a handful of women hold high leadership positions in the church. Several nuns do lead some Vatican departments that oversee religious issues. One nun, called Sister Paule, told the magazine many nuns are highly educated and have college degrees. But most still end up only performing household duties because their intelligence is not valued. “Behind all this is the unfortunate idea that women are worth less than men, and above all that priests are everything in the church, while sisters are nothing,” she said. During a recent trip to Peru, Pope Francis condemned crimes against women that happen in some parts of the world.  He also has often called for dignified work - and dignified pay - for all. He recently wrote in a book on women’s issues that he was concerned that in many cases, women’s work in the church “sometimes is more servitude than true service.” I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   nun – n. woman who is a member of a religious community and who usually promises to remain poor, unmarried and separate from the rest of society in order to serve God scholar – n. person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it laundry – n. clothes, towels and other items that need to be washed iron – n. piece of electrical equipment that you use for making clothes flat and smooth courage – n. the ability and willingness to do something difficult or dangerous exploit – v. to use (someone or something) in a way that helps you unfairly; to abuse someone allow – v. to permit (something) : to regard or treat (something) as acceptable​ lay – adj. not ordained into or belonging to the clergy unfortunate – adj. having bad luck dignified – adj. serious and somewhat formal; behaving in a way that makes people respect you oversee – v. to watch and direct (an activity, a group of workers, etc.) in order to be sure that a job is done correctly​ servitude – n. ​the condition of being a slave or of having to obey another person  

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Everyday Grammar: Peek, Peak, Pique

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Lesson 21: It Speaks to Me

Summary Anna wants to get Pete a gift for his birthday. So, she visits a store called Tanglewood Works and tries to learn the difference between trash and treasure...   Conversation Anna: (on phone, to Pete) Got it. Pete, I promise. I won’t tell anyone. (to herself) Bye. He is so strange. Ashley: Hey, Anna! Anna: Hi, Ashley! Ashley: Are you talking to yourself again? Anna: No, not this time. I was talking to Pete. Ashley: How’s he doing? Anna: Good. He has a birthday coming up! But he told me not to tell anyone. Ashley: Why? Anna: Well, from the way he was speaking, I don’t think he likes cake or presents or fun. Ashley: That sounds like Pete. Anna: Well, I don’t care. I’m getting him a present. Do you know where I can buy something unique? Ashley: I do -- Tanglewood Works. You will definitely find something unique there. Anna: Great. I’ll go this weekend. Now, speaking of Pete’s birthday, what else should I do? I know. I’ll rent him a clown! Ashley: Yeah, he’ll never speak to you again. Professor Bot: Did you hear Ashley and Anna using the words talk and speak? Talk and speak both mean “to say words.” And, many times, you can use either word without losing any meaning. But there are some differences in when we use these words. The word talk is usually used: for conversations between two or more people and informal situations, such as between friends or family For example, Ashley asks Anna: “Are you talking to yourself again?” Speak is usually used: for one-way communication, such as presentations formal situations, such as a boss speaking with her workers to talk about language ability and in polite requests Keep watching, and listen for the words talk and speak. (Anna goes to Tanglewood Works.) Sue: Hey there. Welcome to Tanglewood Works! I’m Sue. How can I help you today? Anna: Hi Sue, I’m Anna. A friend told me about your store. She said, “Anna, this place is really unique!” Sue: We are! Here at Tanglewood Works, we focus on things that are handmade, reclaimed and recycled. Anna: Wow! That is really good for the environment. Sue: It’s good for you too. Local artists made all of these one-of-a-kind pieces. And I paint most of the furniture. Anna: Can I look around? Sue: Oh, please do. (Anna walks around the store.) Sue: So, Anna, do you like to make things? Anna: Me? Oh, no. Every time I try to make something, something goes wrong. (She knocks down many things.) Anna: Oh, sorry. Sorry. Sue: It’s okay. Anna, everybody can make something. Anna: Sue, this piece is very interesting! Sue: You know, when I found these pieces, they were broken and in a dumpster. But they spoke to me. And they said, “Save me, Sue! Save me!” Anna: Sue, what do you mean they “spoke” to you? Sue: When I see something special that someone has thrown away, I can almost hear it talk. Anna: It’s not saying anything! Sue: Anna, it’s not easy to see the treasure in trash. Anna: Or hear it talk.   Sue: But you can learn. In fact, I teach private classes. And one is called Turning Trash to Treasure. Sue: Next week, bring in some trash and we’ll turn it into treasure. Just remember – pick some trash that “speaks” to you.   Anna: Got it! I’ll see you next week! Professor Bot: Will Anna find trash that “speaks” to her? What will it say? We’ll find out next week!   New Words ability - n. the power or skill of doing something cake – n. a sweet baked food made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and other ingredients (such as eggs and butter) communication – n. the act or process of using words to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people definitely – adv. in a way that is certain or clear dumpster – n. a large trash container furniture – n. chairs, tables, beds, et cetera that are used to make a room ready for use focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific handmade – adj. made with your hands or by using hand tools environment – n. the natural world local – adj. located or living nearby one-of-a-kind – adj. used to say that something is the only one of its kind polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people present – n. gift presentation – n. an activity in which someone shows, describes, or explains something to a group of people private – adj. for the use of a single person or group reclaimed – adj. describes getting (a usable thing) from materials that have been used before recycled – adj. describes something new that was made from something used before request – n. an act of politely or formally asking for something situation – n. the facts, conditions and events that affect someone or something at a particular time and in a particular place strange – adj. different from what is usual, normal, or expected trash – n. things that are no longer useful or wanted and that have been thrown away treasure – n. something that is very special, important or valuable unique – adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else   Practice Now, you try it! First, read more about talk and speak below. Then, practice using those words in the Comments section. Try making one sentence with talk and one with speak. You can write about: a conversation with a friend a conversation with a group   someone’s language skills a professor at a national event a manager and his/her workers or anything else you choose In each sentence, be sure to use the correct word: talk or speak!   Talk | Speak Talk and speak both mean “to say words.” But there are some differences in the ways we use each word. Talk is less formal than speak. It is usually used for informal conversations between two or more people. He wants to talk to you. They talked for three hours. Let’s talk about ideas for the show. I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you later. Speak is usually used for communication in more serious or formal situations. It is also used in polite requests and to talk about language ability. She spoke on the news about world hunger. May I speak to the manager? Which languages do you speak? I speak French and Haitian Creole.   Test Yourself Test yourself on what you've learned so far! Lesson 21 has grammar from many lessons in Level 2. See how much you can find! Look for sentences in Lesson 21 with: Indirect questions Reported speech Reflexive pronouns Adverb clauses Present perfect Prepositions Then, write those sentences in the Comments section. For example: Sue says, “You know, when I found these pieces, they were broken and in a dumpster.” (Adverb clause: “when I found these pieces”)   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: Speak and talk Topics: Trying something new   Comments Let us know what you think about this lesson. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page.

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English in a Minute: Happy Camper

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College Admissions: Preparing to Test Your Abilities

  For many would-be college students, testing is the most difficult part of the undergraduate application process. Applicants sit for hours taking tests. They answer questions about a number of subjects, sometimes providing answers both in writing and by saying them out loud. In some countries, a single test result can be the only thing college or university officials consider when deciding whether or not to admit a student. But that is not true everywhere. Ryan Griffin says that in the United States, test scores are only part of what school officials consider. Griffin is head of International Admissions at the University of Missouri, a public research university in Columbia, Missouri. He notes that many schools have changed their thinking about this part of the application. Griffin says a growing number of U.S. colleges and universities let applicants choose whether or not they want to take a standardized test, such as the SAT or ACT. He told VOA the University of Missouri does not require international applicants to provide results from either test. Why? The College Board, a higher education group, created the SAT in 1926 as way of fairly measuring a student’s academic abilities and critical thinking skills. A university professor created the ACT in 1959 so as to offer a different method for rating college applicants. But Griffin says research has since shown the two tests are not as fair as was once thought, especially for students in need of financial help. Colleges and universities have come to recognize that tests like the SAT and the ACT usually help students with experience in the U.S. education system. Additionally, official testing centers are available in some, but not all areas. They can be difficult to reach and costly for some applicants. Still, Griffin says, if a student decides to apply to a school that does require a standardized test score, there is a lot to consider. Both the SAT and the ACT are divided into different parts. Both tests have areas that measure a student’s abilities in mathematics, where they must choose the best answer to a question. Standardized tests also require students to demonstrate their ability to understand a reading and express themselves in writing. But unlike the SAT, the ACT has a part with questions about science. Schools usually prefer one standardized test over the other and will clearly state which of the two they want applicants to take, says Griffin. The different parts of both tests have their own test scores. And he thinks that students should consider taking either test more than once. “There’s going to be some anxiety as far as sitting down for this test for the first time,” Griffin told VOA. “So it can be a good chance for the student … to feel as though they then have a better understanding … for their second attempt.” Most Americans take the SAT or ACT in the spring of their next to last year in high school. If students decide to re-take the test, Griffin suggests doing so in the autumn of their final year. Some colleges will only accept a student’s most recent test score. But another reason he says students should take either one more than once is that some schools will accept the highest score from both attempts. And if, for example, a student scores higher in math the first time they take the SAT, but higher in writing the second time, some schools will combine the higher numbers. Students can often ask schools how they weigh these scores, or read about their methods on the schools’ websites. There are many test preparation books and classes available to people interested in paying for them. But Griffin says the best test preparation is to be well-rested the night before and calm the day of the test. “It’s … important for students … to be confident in their knowledge, so that when they sit down to take the test there’s not an extra level of … pressure that they’re putting on themselves,” he said. However, academic tests are not the only ones students from non-English speaking countries will face. After World War II, U.S. schools needed a way of measuring the language abilities of the greatly increasing number of international students entering the country. So a test of English as a foreign language -- the TOEFL -- was created in 1964. Another test for non-native English speakers -- the IELTS -- was created in 1980. The IELTS is mainly for use by English-speaking European colleges and universities. But Mark Algren says it is becoming more widely used in the United States. Algren is the executive director of the Center for English Language Learning at the University of Missouri. Algren notes that like the SAT and ACT, the TOEFL and IELTS are similar, and schools usually prefer one over the other. They also both have individually scored parts. These measure a student’s abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English. Like the academic tests, he says, there are many resources available to help applicants prepare themselves. But one of the best things any language learner can do is to take seriously the English language classes their school offers. Outside of school, the best thing a student can do is read in English, notes Algren. All areas of language ability are important. But in a college environment, reading is the most commonly used language skill. And reading connects to the second most commonly used skill: writing. “Read, read, read, read, read; because when you’re reading, you’re not only learning reading,” he said. “You’re learning vocabulary … You’re going to learn grammar.” Unlike traditional standardized tests, Algren suggests students not take the TOEFL or IELTS more than once. Test results are considered acceptable for up to two years, and many schools, such as Missouri, only accept the most recent score. Instead, Algren says, students should make use of internet-based practice tests. These will help student get used to the amount of time they have to complete these tests, and let them know where their strengths and weaknesses lie. “Be truthful with yourself, because you do … get some idea of things you need to be working on,” he added. Both Algren and Griffin agree that honesty is important, especially in testing. Schools have ways of looking at test scores to see if there is anything unusual about them that suggests a student cheated. Also, in the case of language testing, many U.S. schools require international students to take an additional English ability test when they arrive. This to ensure that students are fully prepared to begin their studies. I’m ­Pete Musto. And I’m Caty Weaver.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. How do you prepare for tests? What advice can you offer to other students who are considering taking the SAT, ACT, TOEFL or IELTS? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ QUIZ ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   undergraduate – adj. describing a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree application – n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan standardized test – n. any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a consistent manner academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education prefer – v. to like someone or something better than someone or something else anxiety – n. fear or nervousness about what might happen confident – adj. having a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something practice – adj. describing the activity of doing something again and again in order to become better at it

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