Nobel Prize in Literature Will Not Be Awarded This Year

  The Nobel Prize in literature will not be awarded this year, after accusations of wrongdoing against the Swedish Academy. The organization chooses the winner. The Swedish Academy said Friday that the 2018 prize will be given in 2019. Members made the decision at a weekly meeting in Stockholm a day earlier. Anders Olsson, the Academy’s permanent secretary, said the group needed time to rebuild public trust before choosing the next laureate. He said the academy made the decision, in his words, “out of respect for previous and future literature laureates, the Nobel Foundation and the general public.” Nobel Prizes are awarded in science, medicine, literature and peacemaking. Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel provided money for their establishment after his death. This will be the first time since 1949 that the award has been delayed. Last year, Japanese-born British novelist Kazuo Ishiguro won the prize. Sex-abuse hits the academy The problems at the Swedish Academy began last fall. Jean-Claude Arnault, an important artist in Sweden, was accused of sexual abuse. Arnault leads a cultural center for which the Academy provided financial support. He is also the husband of Academy member, poet Katarina Frostenson. In November of 2016, a major Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, reported about 18 women who accused Arnault of sex abuse. He has also been accused of violating Nobel secrecy rules. He reportedly released the identity of winners before official announcements at least seven times. Arnault’s lawyer Bjorn Hurtig has denied the accusations.  He told the Associated Press that his Arnault is the victim of “a witch hunt” and that the accusations “may only have the purpose of harming” him. Needing time to rebuild The academy later admitted in a report that “unacceptable behavior in the form of unwanted intimacy” took place among its members. However, its poor management of the behavior damaged the organization’s trustworthiness. It also led to the resignation of its first female leader, Sara Danius. A debate about how to deal with the accusations divided the Academy’s 18 members, who are appointed to life terms. Later, seven members decided to leave or distance themselves from the group. The Academy released a statement that said members would reexamine operating polices at this week’s meeting. The Nobel Foundation quickly answered, saying it believes the academy will put all its efforts into rebuilding its trustworthiness. Carl-Henrik Heldin, chairman of the Nobel Foundation Board, said in a statement that he also believes the Academy members realize their changes need to include “greater openness toward the outside world.” Past Delays The Nobel Prize has been suspended 49 times since the prizes began in 1901, usually the result of war. Swedish Academy member Goran Malmqvist told Sweden’s TT news agency that the delay was “a really good decision.” “We’re in a crisis and it will take time to rebuild it again,” he said. He added that the academy must be more open to the media, but at the same time not leak the name of the winner. I’m Phil Dierking. This story was originally reported by Jan M. Olsen for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. How do you think the Nobel Academy can rebuild its reputation? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   previous - adj. existing or happening before the present time​ novelist - n. a person who writes novels -- books that are usually about imaginary characters and events intimacy - n. emotional warmth and closeness​ management - n.  the act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business, department, sports team, etc.​ witch hunt - n. the act of unfairly looking for and punishing people who are accused of having opinions that are believed to be dangerous or evil

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English @ the Movies: 'My Head Is Pounding'

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Boy Scouts Gets New Name to Include Girls

This is What’s Trending Today… For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America’s main program has simply been known as the Boy Scouts. But with more and more girls hoping to join, that will soon change. The organization has announced a new name for the program: Scouts BSA. The change will take effect in February of next year. The Boy Scouts’ chief, Mike Surbaugh, said the organization considered many name possibilities. He said the group wanted a name that held on to its past but also carried, in his words, the “inclusive nature of the program going forward.” The parent organization will remain Boy Scouts of America. And the Cub Scouts, its program serving younger children, will keep its name, as well. But the Boy Scouts, the program for 11- to 17-year-olds, will now be Scouts BSA. Surbaugh said he believes that boys and girls in Scouts BSA will call themselves scouts, rather than adding “boy” or “girl.” Scouts BSA will be divided by gender for the most part. Single-sex groups will do the same kinds of activities and earn the same badges.  Surbaugh said that having separate groups for boys and girls should reduce concerns that girls new to BSA might be less likely to get leadership positions. So far, more than 3,000 girls have joined an estimated 170 Cub Scout groups that are taking part in the first step of the new policy. The name change comes during worsening relations between the Girl Scouts of America and Boy Scouts of America. Girl Scouts leaders said they were surprised by the move. They said they are preparing an aggressive campaign to get and keep girls as members. Among the Girl Scouts’ efforts is creation of many new badges that girls can earn. The new badges center on outdoor activities and on science, engineering, technology and math. The organization is also expanding corporate partnerships in those areas, and it is developing a Girl Scout Network Page on LinkedIn to support career help for former Girl Scouts. Sylvia Acevedo is G.S.A. chief. She said, “We are, and will remain, the first choice for girls and parents who want to provide their girls opportunities to build new skills.” Surbaugh said B.S.A.’s national leadership respects the Girl Scouts of America and hoped both organizations could gain strength. “If the best fit for your girl is the Girl Scouts, that’s fantastic,” he said. “If it’s not them, it might be us.” And that’s What’s Trending Today… I’m Ashley Thompson.   The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gender - n. the state of being male or female badge - n. a cloth patch that can be sewn onto clothing and that is awarded to a person (such as a Boy Scout or Girl Scout) for doing something opportunity - n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done fantastic - adj. extremely good

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South Korea Wants US Troops to Stay

South Korea said on Wednesday that U.S. troops should stay in the country, even if a peace treaty is signed with North Korea. Kim Eui-kyeom is a spokesperson for South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in. Kim was responding to reporters’ questions about a recent column written by a presidential adviser. It said that if a peace treaty was signed, justifying the presence of U.S. forces in South Korea would be difficult. Kim said, "U.S. troops stationed in South Korea are an issue regarding the alliance between South Korea and the United States. It has nothing to do with signing peace treaties." Another presidential official added that South Korea wants the U.S. to stay because its forces act as a mediator in case of military conflicts between powers such as China and Japan. The United States currently has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea. American soldiers have been stationed there since the Korean War, which ended in 1953. North Korea has long demanded their withdrawal as one of the conditions for giving up its nuclear and missile programs. However, U.S. troops were not discussed in last week's declaration by Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two leaders said they would work for the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula. The North Korean leader is also expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in late May or June. I'm Jonathan Evans.   Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on Reuters new report. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   column – n. an article in a newspaper or magazine justify – v. to provide a good reason for peninsula – n. a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water and is attached to a larger land area

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Study Finds Africans Among Best Educated US Immigrants

  More than 2 million immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa live in the United States. A new study from the Pew Research Center finds that they are, on average, college-educated and employed. In fact, they are more likely than native-born Americans to have pursued advanced degrees. And they are employed at about the same rates as the general population. The study is important for several reasons. First, it shows that most sub-Saharan Africans living in the U.S. do not fit a stereotype of a struggling, out-of-work person with little schooling. The study also shows that the sub-Saharan African immigrant population is different in the U.S. than in Europe. For example, in the U.S. more than two out of three sub-Saharan African immigrants have at least some college education. In Britain, half do. In France, one in three do. And in Italy, only one in ten has had higher education. In addition, sub-Saharan African immigrants in the U.S. are more likely than those in Europe to be working. The Pew study found that employment rates were about equal to the general population in each country. About 93 percent of sub-Saharan African immigrants in the U.S. are working, compared to 92 percent in Britain and 80 percent in Italy. Monica Anderson is a researcher at Pew and one of the writers of the report. She told VOA that the research team wanted to compare the backgrounds of African immigrants in the U.S. to those in Europe. “What we found is that the sub-Saharan African immigrant population [in the U.S.] really stands out, and that they are a very highly educated group,” Anderson said over the phone. The Pew study is based on 2015 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Eurostat’s Labor Force Survey. Ease of reach One reason for different backgrounds among sub-Saharan African immigrants is proximity, Anderson said – in other words, how close things are to each other. Europe is much easier to reach than the U.S. for low-income Africans. They can come by boat or other ways, whether or not the travel is safe. Hundreds of thousands have risked crossing the Mediterranean Sea to go to Italy or Greece. In contrast, African immigrants coming to the U.S. often have the money to travel by plane, as well as permission to enter the country once they arrive. They come to the U.S. for different reasons – to study, for employment opportunities, through family reunification programs. Some come to the U.S. as asylum seekers and refugees. The State Department said that in 2015, Africans made up almost half of those invited to ask for immigrant visas through a lottery program. And the Department of Homeland Security reported that in 2016, about one-third of refugees approved to enter the U.S. were from Africa. Better off? But previous research found that higher education and employment levels do not always mean a higher quality of life for African immigrants in the United States. In 2015, researchers at Pew looked at black immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Researchers found that that their median household income was more than $8,000 lower than the U.S. average. They also owned homes at a rate less than the overall U.S. population, and were more likely to live below the poverty line. The findings suggest that even though sub-Saharan African immigrants have high education and employment rates, they may not have all the opportunities other groups enjoy. I'm Dorothy Gundy.   Salem Solomon reported this story for VOA. Xiaotong Zhou adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stereotype – n. an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic stands out – v. a person or thing that is better or more important than the others in a group proximity – n. the state of being near lottery – n. a system used to decide who will get or be given something by choosing names or numbers by chance median – adj. in the middle  

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Trump Administration Delays Tariffs on Some Countries

U.S. President Donald has extended a period in which some countries will not pay import taxes, or tariffs, on some products. His administration says it is giving trade negotiators 30 more days to work out a deal. The exemptions were to have ended on Tuesday May 1. The tariffs have already been put into effect on China and Russia. But the European Union (EU), Canada and Mexico received exemptions from tariffs on their aluminum and steel exports to the U.S. Trade partners not satisfied The European Commission criticized the temporary extension in a statement Tuesday. The group said the EU has been willing to discuss the issue and “will not negotiate under threat.” The commission said, “The U.S. decision prolongs market uncertainty, which is already affecting business decisions.” It added that the tariffs, which are meant to protect U.S. industry, cannot be justified by national security concerns. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Trump last week during a visit to the White House. She warned that trade relations between the allies could worsen if the EU does not receive a permanent exemption. On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned against placing tariffs on his country’s steel and aluminum. He said such measures could hurt the U.S. car and aerospace industries, which depend on imported materials. Late Monday, the U.S. announced that it had reached a final deal with South Korea, which will receive a permanent exemption from the tariffs. It said that early agreements had been reached with Argentina, Australia and Brazil. The Trump administration has said that some countries sell their steel and aluminum at unfairly low prices. And President Donald Trump has said this competition hurts U.S. industries that are important to national security. The U.S. has placed a 25 percent tax on many steel imports and a 10 percent tax on aluminum as a result. I’m Mario Ritter.   Lee, Schwartz, Hannas reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   exemption –n. freedom from having to do what others are required to do prolong –v. to cause something to continue for a longer time uncertainty–n. the quality or state of being unsure justified –adj. providing a good reason that something should be done or is right We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Indian Court Orders Faster Investigations of Child Rape Cases

  India’s Supreme Court has ordered high courts to guarantee speedier investigations in child rape cases. The Supreme Court announced the ruling on Tuesday. It follows public anger over recent rapes and killings of young girls and other attacks on children. Chief Justice Dipak Misra and the court’s other members also ordered the creation of special groups to investigate those cases in need of special attention. They also ruled that those cases should be tried by special courts. The Supreme Court added that high courts have made efforts to provide “child friendly” courtrooms. Last month, the Indian government ruled that courts could use the death sentence to punish those found guilty of raping a child less than 12 years old. The move was seen as an effort to demonstrate the government’s willingness to fight crimes against young girls and babies. In the past, Indian officials have been criticized for not doing enough to stop what some call India’s epidemic of sexual violence. Angry citizens have organized street protests in a number of Indian cities this year. The protests were held after the release of details about the gang rape of an 8-year-old Muslim girl in January. Several men kidnapped, drugged and raped the girl for days in Kashmir. Finally, they murdered her. Public anger grew because Hindu activists demonstrated in support of the eight men arrested for the crime. In a separate case, an Indian spiritual leader with millions of followers was sentenced to life in prison last month for raping a teenage girl. Asaram Bapu is one of India’s most popular, yet controversial “godmen.” The guru was sentenced at a trial inside the prison where he is being held. The event was closed to the public because of concerns his followers could incite violence. The trial was the most recent in a series of rape cases that have fueled public protests in India. Those cases have also raised questions about how the law and police deal with the issue of rape and treat rape victims. The 77-year-old spiritual leader urges followers to live a life free of sexual desires. He has repeatedly denied raping a then 16-year-old girl five years ago during a spiritual retreat.  I'm Susan Shand.   This story was reported by VOA's Wayne Lee. It was adapted by Susan Shand and edited by George Grow. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   epidemic – n. a sudden quickly spreading of something harmful or unwanted controversial – adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument retreat – n. a place that is quiet and private gang – n. a group of people; a group of criminals; young people

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American Student's Chinese Prom Dress Starts Debate

This is What’s Trending Today. Keziah Daum is an American high school student from the state of Utah. She recently attended her school’s prom dance, where she wore a traditional Chinese dress called, in Mandarin, a “qipao.” Daum found the dress at a used clothing store. She thought it had a special look, and hoped it would help her stand out at the dance. Daum said she chose the form-fitting dress in part because she liked its high collar. The dress was “Chinese red”, a color that represents good fortune and joy. On her prom night, Daum posted photos on Twitter of herself wearing the dress. ​ One week later, her post has received more than 14,000 comments. It has created a heated debate about whether it is right for Daum, who is not Chinese, to wear such a traditional Chinese gown. Major American newspapers like The Washington Post are writing about the online debate. The Post reported Tuesday that Daum said wearing the qipao “really gave me a sense of appreciation and admiration for other cultures and their beauty.” The debate centers on whether Daum wearing a qipao is an example of cultural appropriation. This is when members of the dominant culture in a society adopt practices of a minority culture, without fully understanding the meaning of the practices. Twitter user Megan Phung wrote, “If you…’love’ our culture, you’d know it’s a traditional gown. Yet you claim, it’s just a ‘dress.’ It has cultural meaning and significance to us.” Another Twitter user, Jeremy Lam, wrote, “My culture is not your…prom dress.” In several other tweets, Lam explained the history and importance of the qipao. ​ Others on social media, however, did not consider Daum’s prom dress to be a problem. Ying Li, for example, tweeted, “I am a Chinese woman. I support you. You rocked that dress!!” Another Twitter user, Nyah Memmott, asked, “Why can’t we grow up and not be so sensitive about what someone wears. It doesn’t matter.” Daum has apologized on Twitter. She said she meant “no disrespect to the Chinese culture.” She also said she does not plan to take her post down. “I’ve done nothing but show my love for the culture," she said. "It’s a….dress. And it’s beautiful.” And that’s What’s Trending Today.   Xiaootong Zhou wrote this report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   collar – n. a part of a piece of clothing that fits around a person's neck and is usually folded down​ fortune – n.  a great amount of money or possessions​ gown – n. a long, formal dress that a woman wears especially during a special event appreciation – n. an ability to understand the worth, quality, or importance of something : an ability to appreciate something admiration  – n. a feeling of great respect and approval​ dominant – adj. more important, powerful, or successful than most or all others adopt – v. to begin to use or have (a different manner, method, etc.) significance – n. the quality of being important : the quality of having notable worth or influence sensitive – ​adj. easily upset by the things that people think or say about you​  

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Four Shows Competing for the Tony for Best Musical

  Nominees for the most important awards in American theater were announced Tuesday in New York City. Two musicals lead all the candidates with 12 nominations each. Both came from already popular media products. Mean Girls is a morality story set in a high school, from writer, actor and funny woman Tina Fey. It was a huge hit in movie theaters in 2004. In the last year, it has had similar success as a musical on Broadway. Mean Girls’ 12 Tony nominations include one for best musical. Fey was also nominated for a writing award as well. Her husband, Jonathan Richmond, wrote the music. He was nominated for best original score, along with lyrics writer Nell Benjamin. Competing for best musical and 11 other awards is a production developed from the widly popular children’s television show, SpongeBob SquarePants. The lead character is an ocean animal called SpongeBob. He lives in a pineapple under the sea and has much to sing about. Like Fey, SpongeBob writer Kyle Jarrow is nominated for the Tony for best book. It also is up for best original score, created by a number of musical artists. The grown-up musical The Band’s Visit also earned 11 nominations. It is about a clash of cultures that results when an Egyptian orchestra gets lost and ends up in the wrong Israeli town. It is based on a 2007 Israeli film. The Band’s Visit is less well-known than its Tony competitors. However, it has received a lot of critical praise. You have probably heard of the final best musical candidate. Frozen is based on the Disney animated movie of the same name. The 2013 film is the most popular animated picture ever, based on ticket sales. The Broadway version also got nominated for best original score and best book of a musical. I’m Caty Weaver.   Caty Weaver wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on an Associated Press report. ­­­­­­­­­­­­Ashley Thompson was the editor. Here is a complete list of Tony nominees.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   original - adj. new; not a copy score - n. the music that is written for a movie or play​ lyrics - n. the words of a song​ animated - adj. produced by the creation of a series of drawings, pictures, etc., that are shown quickly one after another : produced through the process of animation​.

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Iran Bans Use of Telegram Messaging Service

  Iran’s government has ordered internet service providers to block the messaging service Telegram. Iranian state television said on Monday that the country’s judiciary approved the order in interests of national security. Iran has an estimated 40 million Telegram users – about half its population. The Fars news agency said the blocking of Telegram should include a way to prevent users from accessing it with a virtual private network, or VPN, or any other software program. A VPN uses software to link to private computer networks outside the country to make it appear that the device or computer is based overseas. Iran had been considering banning the service since January, when critics of the government’s economic policies demonstrated in many cities. Some Iranian officials accused the protesters of using Telegram to organize and briefly blocked the app. The official website of Iran’s judiciary, Mizan, published details of the latest court order. It said the messaging service had been used to spread “propaganda against the establishment” and to organize “terrorist activities.” At least 25 people were killed and more than 5,000 arrested during the demonstrations. The protests were eventually contained by Iranian military forces. Iran blocks social media services like Facebook and Twitter, and limits information on other websites. The government says it blocks information it considers offensive or criminal. The order to block Telegram came nearly two weeks after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani banned government agencies from using the messaging service. In a related development, thousands of people marched through Moscow on Monday to protest Russia’s blocking of Telegram. Some demonstrators denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin and the government. Many threw paper airplanes into the air. Telegram uses an image of a paper airplane as its trademark. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attended the protest. “Nothing can be forbidden to a normal person,” he told reporters. “I have my civic rights, and I don’t care about all these bans. I do everything I want, everything I find necessary, and everything I’m given the right to by the constitution.” Russia began blocking Telegram two weeks ago after the company refused to obey an order to provide users’ encrypted messages to the government’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Russian officials have said they need to read the messages to investigate the use of Telegram by violent extremist groups. But Telegram has repeatedly refused to surrender access to messages, arguing this would violate its users’ privacy. A group of 26 international human rights and internet freedom organizations have signed a petition protesting Russia’s action. They say they see the restrictions as an attack by officials on internet freedom. They also note that the restrictions also affect other websites dealing with shopping, banking and travel. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on information from VOANews.com, the Associated Press and Reuters. George Grow 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 access – v. to get near or gain use of something network – n. system of computers connected together for the purpose of sharing information offensive – adj. likely to make people angry or upset trademark – n. the legal name of a company or product forbidden – adj. not permitted encrypted – adj. having electronic information changed into a secret system of letters, numbers or symbols to hide its meaning shopping – n. the action of going to places where goods are sold  

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Study Finds Africans Among Best Educated U.S. Immigrants

More than 2 million immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa live in the United States. A new study from the Pew Research Center finds that they are, on average, college-educated and employed. In fact, they are more likely than native-born Americans to have pursued advanced degrees. And they are employed at about the same rates as the general population. The study is important for several reasons. First, it shows that most sub-Saharan Africans living in the U.S. do not fit a stereotype of a struggling, out-of-work person with little schooling. The study also shows that the sub-Saharan African immigrant population is different in the U.S. than in Europe. For example, in the U.S. more than two out of three sub-Saharan African immigrants have at least some college education. In Britain, half do. In France, one in three do. And in Italy, only one in ten has had higher education. In addition, sub-Saharan African immigrants in the U.S. are more likely than those in Europe to be working. The Pew study found that employment rates were about equal to the general population in each country. About 93 percent of sub-Saharan African immigrants in the U.S. are working, compared to 92 percent in Britain and 80 percent in Italy. Monica Anderson is a researcher at Pew and one of the writers of the report. She told VOA that the research team wanted to compare the backgrounds of African immigrants in the U.S. to those in Europe. “What we found is that the sub-Saharan African immigrant population [in the U.S.] really stands out, and that they are a very highly educated group,” Anderson said over the phone. The Pew study is based on 2015 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Eurostat’s Labor Force Survey. Ease of reach One reason for different backgrounds among sub-Saharan African immigrants is proximity, Anderson said – in other words, how close things are to each other. Europe is much easier to reach than the U.S. for low-income Africans. They can come by boat or other ways, whether or not the travel is safe. Hundreds of thousands have risked crossing the Mediterranean Sea to go to Italy or Greece. In contrast, African immigrants coming to the U.S. often have the money to travel by plane, as well as permission to enter the country once they arrive. They come to the U.S. for different reasons – to study, for employment opportunities, through family reunification programs. Some come to the U.S. as asylum seekers and refugees. The State Department said that in 2015, Africans made up almost half of those invited to ask for immigrant visas through a lottery program. And the Department of Homeland Security reported that in 2016, about one-third of refugees approved to enter the U.S. were from Africa. Better off? But previous research found that higher education and employment levels do not always mean a higher quality of life for African immigrants in the United States. In 2015, researchers at Pew looked at black immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Researchers found that that their median household income was more than $8,000 lower than the U.S. average. They also owned homes at a rate less than the overall U.S. population, and were more likely to live below the poverty line. The findings suggest that even though sub-Saharan African immigrants have high education and employment rates, they may not have all the opportunities other groups enjoy.   Salem Solomon reported this story for VOA. Xiaotong Zhou adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _______________________________________________________   Words in This Story: stereotype – n. an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic stands out – v. a person or thing that is better or more important than the others in a group proximity – n. the state of being near asylum – n. protection given by a government to someone who has left another country in order to escape being harmed lottery – n. a system used to decide who will get or be given something by choosing names or numbers by chance median – adj. in the middle  

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