German Students Protest ‘Unfair’ English Exam

  Thousands of German students are accusing school officials of creating an English exam that was “unfairly” difficult. The exam is important because it is part of Germany’s Abitur system. The Abitur test is given to students who are completing high school and preparing to enter college. More than 35,000 people have signed a petition to voice their concerns about the test which was recently held in the state of Baden-Württemberg. The students say the English part of the 2018 Abitur was clearly more difficult than tests given in recent years. They are calling on school officials to consider their criticisms while judging student performance and giving test results. School officials have defended the test. The said the questions were “appropriate” for the students. The exam is designed to test a student’s understanding and skill level in English. Part of the test requires students to read examples of English writing and then answer questions to measure how much they comprehend. Test unfairly difficult? The petition says some of the English examples were very difficult to understand, even for students who usually perform well in English classes. It said some examples were written a long time ago and contained old words. The petition also noted that “metaphorical” language was a problem.  One of the most criticized examples was a description of New York City’s Statue of Liberty. This is part of the example on the test--it contains many words not usually used in VOA Learning English. "Against the luminous sky the rays of her halo were spikes of darkness roweling the air; shadow flattened the torch she bore to a black cross against flawless light—the blackened hilt of a broken sword. Liberty." The students were required to answer questions about that example. The petition says such language should not have been used to measure reading and comprehension. Students said it contains too many “unknown words” and “symbolic meanings,” making it difficult to understand and analyze. Even some native English speakers pointed out on social media that they too would have difficulties with the writing in the example. One of those was a British Twitter user living in Frankfurt, Germany.  “I'm a native English speaker and ‘roweling’ is a new word to me, too. I'm pretty sure you can get by without it,” the user tweeted. The petition noted another English example from the 1934 book “Call It Sleep” by Henry Roth. The students said many of the words used in the example are so outdated that some modern dictionaries do not even include them. The petition said some examples dealt with character development. The students said this meant the comprehension questions required them to “interpret feelings and relationships.” They said this meant the right answers were not necessarily provable and required a lot of time to try to “read between the lines.” The BBC reported that the English exam also asked the students to compare two cartoons. They both dealt with the issue of Britain leaving the European Union, or Brexit. One image was called “Project Fantasy,” the other “The Realities.” The cartoons required some current affairs knowledge and also English skills, BBC noted. For all of these reasons, the petitioners declared, “The Abitur 2018 in Subject English was unfair!” Officials: judges will take a balanced corrections The local official in charge of the testing process in Baden-Württemberg is the area’s minister of culture, Susanne Eisenmann. In a statement, she said officials had carried out a full review of the exam and decided it was “appropriate” for the students being tested. She said the review included experts in charge of graduation requirements and outside English experts.   Eisenmann said she does not think the students should worry too much about their exam results. "I have full confidence in the teachers that they will use their discretion to make responsible and balanced corrections,” she said. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the BBC and other news sources. Mario Ritter 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 appropriate – adj. suitable or right for a particular situation or person comprehend – v. to understand the meaning of metaphorical – adj. an idea that is used as a symbol for something else symbolic – adj. representing something analyze – v. to study something closely and carefully character – n. a person included in a story cartoon – n. a picture that looks at people or objects in a funny way assess – v. make a judgement about something review – n. the act of carefully looking at or examining something confidence – n. feeling of being certain of your ability to do something well discretion – n. right to choose what should be done in a particular situation  

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2KEIv4Q
via IFTTT

Everyday Grammar: Antecedents + Pronouns

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2rodD0A
via IFTTT

Lesson 27: Fish out of Water

Summary Anna visits a friend on her houseboat. She says she wants to live on one. But, is that really a good idea?   Conversation ANNA: Hello, Ms. Weaver! MS. WEAVER: Oh, Anna. I’ve invited some people to dinner Saturday. We’re going to that new seafood restaurant -- Fish on a Dish. MS. WEAVER: Why don’t you join us? My treat. ANNA: Thanks, Ms. Weaver. But I already have plans. My friend has invited me to her houseboat. MS. WEAVER: Houseboat, really? That’s unique. ANNA: Yes, it is. In fact, I’m thinking of living on a houseboat. MS. WEAVER: Aren’t you too tall and klutzy to live on a houseboat? ANNA: I am not too tall! (She knocks over a display board.) PROF. BOT VO: Is Anna really ready for a houseboat? PROF. BOT: Ms. Weaver invited Anna to dinner. When we make friendly, informal invitations, we use phrases like “Why don’t…?” PROF. BOT: For example, Ms. Weaver said, “Why don’t you join us? My treat!” That’s: Why don’t plus the subject plus the simple form of the verb. PROF. BOT: Anna responded to the invitation by saying, “Thanks, but I already have plans.” Keep watching for more examples of informal invitations! FANNY: Anna, I’m so glad you could come! ANNA: Hi, Fanny! FANNY: Hi, this is my son, Phoenix. ANNA: Hi, Phoenix. FANNY: How about you give Anna a tour and I will make some lunch? PHOENIX: Aye, aye, captain! FANNY: Great! ANNA: Do you really call her “captain”? PHOENIX: I kind of have to. ANNA: So, Phoenix, I think I’d like to live on a houseboat. Do you like living here? PHOENIX: I love it! It’s much different than living in a house. ANNA: Oh, I bet. I bet you had to get rid of a lot of stuff, didn’t you? PHOENIX: No way! We moved from a 3-story house to a boat! So, we really had to downsize! ANNA: I’d have to get rid of a lot of stuff. I have a rock collection and I have some really big rocks. ANNA: Can you stop this boat from rocking for a minute? PHOENIX: No. We’re floating on water. I can’t do that. ANNA: Well, since you live on the water, aren’t you afraid of great white sharks? PHOENIX: No, not really. They don’t live in these waters. ANNA: … that you know of. What about killer whales? PHOENIX: No. ANNA: Electric eels? PHOENIX: No. ANNA: Barracudas? PHOENIX: No. ANNA: Piranhas? PHOENIX: Uh-uh. FANNY: You know, Anna, if you’re afraid of sea life, maybe you shouldn’t live on a houseboat. Do you have any boating experience? ANNA: Oh, oh yeah, Fanny. I have battled the great waters before -- once on a swan boat and once in a duck boat ...  bus. It was a boat that turned into a bus. FANNY: Yeah, I don’t think that counts. ANNA: Fanny, does this rocking ever bother you? FANNY: No, I love it. It goes up and down and side to side and up and down. Anna, I love it! (Because of the rocking, Anna begins to feel seasick.) FANNY: Anna, are you feeling okay? ANNA: Yeah, yeah. You know, I just need some fresh air. FANNY: Let me open a window for you. ANNA: No, I need some fresh land air. I mean, I need to breathe air on land. Oh, is that the time? I should really be going. ANNA: Thanks for lunch, Fanny, and a tour of your houseboat. It’s given me a great idea! FANNY: You’re going to live on a houseboat? ANNA: Sort of. Thanks again! ANNA: Hi! How would you like to hang out on my boat? Great! See you then! (Ms. Weaver and Anna sit in a boat on land.) ANNA: …and this is my shark net. MS. WEAVER: Thank you for the invitation, Anna. ANNA: Of course, would you like more orange juice? MS. WEAVER: Uh.. ANNA: (to young man) Ahoy!   ​New Words accept – v. to receive or take something offered Aye, aye, captain! – expression. A phrase meaning “Yes, sir!” in naval language barracuda – n. a kind of fierce tropical fish that has strong jaws and sharp teeth battle – v. to try or struggle very hard to do something count – v. to be considered or regarded as something​ decline – v. to say that you will not or cannot do something​ downsize – v. to make something smaller deck – n. a flat surface that forms the main outside floor of a boat or ship electric eel – n. an eel-like freshwater fish of South America, using pulses of electricity to kill prey, to assist in navigation, and for defense fish out of water – expression. a person or thing is completely clueless or directionless when put into unfamiliar surroundings or an unfamiliar situation​ float – v. to rest on top of a liquid get rid of – phrasal verb. to do something so that you no longer have or are affected by something that is unwanted great white shark – n. a large aggressive shark of warm seas, with a brownish or gray back, white underparts, and large triangular teeth houseboat – n. a boat which is or can be moored for use as a house invite – v. to ask someone to go somewhere or do something juice – n. the liquid part that can be squeezed out of vegetables and fruits klutzy – adj. describing a clumsy person killer whale – n. a black-and-white whale that kills and eats other animals kind of – expression. to some extent orange – n. a citrus fruit that is round and that has an orange skin​ piranha – n. a small South American fish that has sharp teeth and that eats the flesh of animals respond – v. to say or write something as an answer to a question or request seasick – adj. feeling sick because of the movement of a boat or ship that you are ​ swan – n. a large usually white bird that lives on or near water and that has a very long and graceful neck sort of –expression. in some way story – n. a group of rooms or an area that forms one floor level of a building treat – v. an occurrence in which you pay for someone's food, drink, or entertainment   Test Yourself How well do you know the grammar from Level 2? Test yourself! In today's lesson, you saw examples of grammar from other lessons. Look for sentences in Lesson 27 that have:  passive voice conditionals tag questions adverb clauses We also used many contractions -- the short forms of words. Find the contractions and write their meanings in the comments.  For example, Anna says, "I think I’d like to live on a houseboat." (I'd is a contraction. It means I would.) ’m = am  ’re = are  ’s = is and has  ’ll = will  ’ve = have  ’d = had and would   Writing Practice Now, you try it! Try making invitations! Invite someone to an event or activity. Use the language you learned today. Write your invitations in the comments.  In English, we make friendly, informal invitations using phrases like:​ Why don't + subject + simple verb "Why don't you join us?" -Ms. Weaver​ How about + subject + simple verb "How about you give Anna a tour...?" -Fannie​ Let's + simple verb  "Let's learn English!" -Anna​ How would you like to + simple verb  "How would you like to hang out on my boat?" -Anna A few phrases for accepting are: That’s a good/great idea! That sounds good/great. Thanks! I’d love to. A few phrases for declining are: Thanks, but I already have plans.  That’s a good idea but… I’m not sure.   Tell Us Did you like today's lesson? Don't forget to let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you! You can tell us in the comments below.   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: making invitations  Topics: invitations   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.  

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2FP9dnL
via IFTTT

Colleges Admissions: Finishing as Strongly as You Start

  Applying for admission to a college or university in the United States can be a long and difficult process. Each step requires hard work and careful consideration. Even after applicants submit all the required materials to their schools of interest, there is still much to do. Hebe Fuller says what comes next depends greatly on the first steps the applicants took. Fuller is the director of international admissions at Elon University, a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina. She spoke to VOA about different ways to seek admission to U.S. schools. Fuller said many American colleges and universities let applicants choose one of three admissions paths. The possible paths are early decision, early action and regular decision. Usually, all three require the same kinds of application materials, she said. Most high school students in the U.S. apply to college in the first half or fall of their last year of high school. Fuller said most students should apply to several colleges and universities. But if an applicant knows exactly which school they want to attend, he or she should consider requesting early decision. Schools that offer early decision expect students to complete and submit their applications several months before the regular deadline. The schools also make their decisions about those candidates early. But, Fuller noted, early decision candidates must understand they have entered a binding agreement to attend the school if accepted. Early action is a little different. Students also submit their applications earlier and schools answer earlier. But, the student is not bound to to attend the school if accepted. So, why do early decision or early action? Fuller said boths path will improve the chance of acceptance. “We like to offer admissions to students that will accept our offer,” she told VOA. “So those that apply early decision … have the highest level of acceptance. … Early action, we understand that students are applying to multiple schools, but they are also demonstrating more interest. … So, we don’t necessarily pay more attention, but we recognize that they are considering us.” Fuller also said that some schools will still consider students for regular decision even if they were rejected from early decision or action. Most American universities inform regular decision candidates of acceptance or rejection in the spring. Then, Fuller said, accepted students must pay a deposit to the school they most want to attend. The deposit amounts to a small percentage of the cost of the first year of study at the university or college. Fuller said even at this point some students still may not be sure about which school they want to attend. Most schools that offer admission give applicants several months to decide to accept or not. So, Fuller suggests applicants visit or re-visit the schools to help them decide. Students and their families can also use this time to do more research on the schools, Fuller suggested. They can learn about the community in which the students would live and about the environment. They can also consider how much financial aid each school is offering. However, Fuller said students should not take too long to make their decision. Students who provide deposits might be put on the list for housing at some schools. The earlier the deposit, the higher on the list and, possibly, the better the housing choices. Fuller said the university’s housing department will ask students who plan to live on campus for information about their personalities. This will help department officials decide which students live together. Students who will not live on campus should use this time to research other housing in the area, Fuller advised. Fuller said the next major step on the path to college is the process  of “orientation.” Orientation is a series of informational events for new students. It starts about a week before classes open. Fuller said orientation can be very helpful, especially for international students. Sometimes a college or university will not accept or reject an applicant. Instead, closely competitive candidates will be placed a ‘wait list.’ This is a safety measure for schools. They know that some applicants to whom they offer admission will decline it. So, the school will offer that admission space to a student on the wait list. Wait list applicants are usually close competitors to those offered admission. “When we’re looking at … the wait list, we’re not necessarily looking at who’s number one, two or three,” Fuller explained. “It’s more of, ‘What kind of student will complement the class that we’re trying to form?’” When it comes to facing total rejection by a given school, Fuller urges to students to remember that things do not always go as they expect. That is why they planned ahead and made sure to apply to several schools and keep their choices open. “I always try to tell them to picture themselves four years from now,” she said. “Wherever they end up, it’s pretty much guaranteed that they will have had a great experience. They will look back and say this was the right choice.” I’m ­Caty Weaver. And I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. What other steps do you think are important for students to consider once they learn they have been accepted by one or more schools? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   apply(ing) – v. to ask formally for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan, usually in writing submit – v. to give a document, proposal, or piece of writing to someone so that it can be considered or approved regular – adj. normal or usual deadline – n. a date or time when something must be finished binding – adj. forcing or requiring someone to do something because of a promise or agreement multiple – adj. more than one deposit – n. money that you give someone when you agree to buy something financial – adj. relating to money campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, or school personalities – n. the sets of emotional qualities, or ways of behaving that make people different from one another complement – v. to complete something else or make it better

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2IkPvpr
via IFTTT

Learn to Use a 'Full-Court Press'

  Now, the VOA Learning English program, Words and Their Stories. Each week we explore the meaning of words and expressions used in everyday American English. People all over the world love sports. Some of us play a sport for fun; some to stay in shape; a few, for the love of the game; and even more play to win. If you play to win, you had better have a game plan. A game plan is just like it sounds – a plan to win the game. But we use this expression for just about anything! If a friend says “Hey, let’s take a trip this weekend,” you could answer, “Sure! What’s the game plan?” If your business is facing competition from another company, you might need to change your game plan to beat them in sales. But, now let’s go back to the world of sports. Many English expressions come from how we play sports. For example, we play some sports – such as baseball and football – on a field. We play basketball on a court. And that leads to our next expression: a full-court press. “Court,” in this case, has nothing to do with trials and judges. It is a basketball court. And “press” does not mean newspapers or the news. In basketball, it means a very forceful effort by one team to take control of the game. In everyday life, “press” means to put pressure on someone to do something. Of course, this does not work with everyone. With some people, the more you press them, the more they will NOT do what you ask. For those who do not watch the sport, a basketball team scores by putting the ball through the basket at the opponent’s end of the court. Then the team usually runs quickly back to its own end of the court to defend its basket. The players try to keep the other team from scoring. However, in a “full-court press,” a team does not retreat after it scores. Instead, it attacks or pressures its opponent with a very aggressive defense. So, when someone decides to make an extra strong effort to get something done, that person is making a full-court press. You could say a full-court press is an all-out effort. So, do not save “full-court press” for a basketball game. You can use this expression anywhere! Use it in any situation where you want to meet a goal or solve a problem. For example, we can use it in politics. “The supporters of the safe cosmetics bill launched a full-court press to help it pass. Activists, consumer watchdog groups and women’s health organizations used all of their resources to achieve this goal.” We can use it when talking about business. “The clothing company planned a full-court press to beat its competitors during the profitable Christmas buying season. They cut prices, planned special in-store events and gave away prizes to attract more customers.” We also can use it in our personal lives. “When Sally ran into health problems, her friends used a full-court press to help her out. Until she felt better, they cooked her meals, cleaned her house and walked her dogs.” So, if you have a really important problem to solve or project to do, make sure that your game plan involves a full-court press. Be aggressive and attack it from all sides. And that’s Words and Their Stories. I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo and Marianne Christiano wrote this story. George Grow was the editor.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cosmetics – n. a substance (such as a cream, lotion, or powder) that you put on your face or body to improve your appearance consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services watchdog – v. one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or undesirable practices attract – n. to cause (someone) to like or be interested in something — usually used as (be) attracted customer – n. someone who buys goods or services from a business

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2roIbhF
via IFTTT

Hollywood Movie Stars Mainly Asian Actors

  It has been 25 years since a major Hollywood movie company has released an English-language film with mostly Asian actors. The last was Wayne Wang’s film “The Joy Luck Club,” which was released in 1993. Now, many people in Hollywood are excited about a romantic comedy called “Crazy Rich Asians.” The film is based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling book about a Chinese-American woman who gets a culture shock when she meets her boyfriend’s family in Singapore. Longtime producer Nina Jacobson said that when she and her business partner Brad Simpson read Kwan’s script, they knew it had to be a movie. Jacobson said, “It was so specific that it became really universal: Anybody who has ever faced in-laws who felt that they were not worthy of their beloved.” However, Jacobson and Simpson believed the film would likely never survive the film studio development process. They decided to have a plan, a script and a budget to sell together before going to the big studios to create the film. John Penotti of Ivanhoe Pictures agreed to help them and Warner Bros. agreed to partner with them and release the film. Hollywood has been wrong to avoid films that closely examine the world of different ethnicities, Simpson said. She added that successful films like “Black Panther” show people really like these kinds of films. Jon M. Chu is the director of “Crazy Rich Asians.” He heard about the new book from his family. He knew why. His last name is the same as that of the main character, Rachel Chu. Also, both are from Cupertino, California. His family is even mentioned in the book. I think a lot of Asian-Americans go through the same journey, Chu said. He said that he feels both American and Chinese. “I remember going to Asia for the first time and there’s a very specific emotion that you feel that’s like, ‘Oh, this feels like home but it’s not my home and these people don’t see me as being part of this,’” he said. Having known Jacobson and Simpson for years, he knew they would “protect” the film and do it the right way. He wants people who see the movie to see an unbelievable world of wealth and tradition. Chu asked Malaysian-born screenwriter Adele Lim to give the script an Asian “feel.”  Then, company officials looked in Canada, New York, Los Angeles, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia for the right actors. Candidates had to be English-speaking and have the right accents. Constance Wu was chosen to play the lead, Rachel. They found Henry Golding, a popular TV host to play Rachel’s boyfriend, Nick. He had the right English accent to play the London-schooled wealthy young man. International actress Michelle Yeoh was chosen to be his disapproving mother, Eleanor. Some people – especially on the internet – said the actors did not have the “right” ethnicities to match the ones written in the book. However, Chu said that having a film with an Asian-American lead is important. A USC Study found that 44 of the top 100 films from 2016 did not have Asian-American speaking characters. Wu said he has never played the main character in a movie since he finished drama school. He added that parts for Asian-Americans are not going to be complex until they get to play main characters. Actress Michelle Yeoh was different from the rest of the actors, Chu said. She had acted in majority Asian films so she did not understand why the film was so important to the Asian-Americans and it shocked her. Jacobson said making the film created a “joyful sense of purpose that we all shared.” Wu also is a strong supporter of Asian representation on social media. He said the film is important because it shows the difference between the Asian experience and the Asian-American experience. The film is expected to open on August 17. However, the film trailer already has been released and an early showing of the movie received good comments. Chu said that if the film is successful, Hollywood will make more stories about Asian-Americans. I’m Susan Shand.   Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English based on a report from the Associated Press. Mario Ritter was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   romantic – adj. involving love between two people script – n. the written form of a play, movie, television show specific – adj. special or particular in-laws – n. the parents of one’s husband or wife beloved – n. the person one loves studio – n. the company that produces a film character – n. a player in a film journey – n. a trip or adventure accent – n. the style of word pronunciation

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2IkPxO5
via IFTTT

English in a Minute: Dig Your Heels In

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2Ifl1VK
via IFTTT

US Raises Concerns over China's Missiles in South China Sea

  The United States has raised concerns with China about its latest missile deployment in the South China Sea. On Wednesday, the U.S. news network CNBC reported China had installed missile systems on three man-made islands in the South China Sea. The report did not name the source but said the information came from U.S. intelligence. When asked about the report, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, “We’re well aware of China’s militarization of the South China Sea. We’ve raised concerns directly with the Chinese about this and there will be near-term and long-term consequences.” Sanders did not say what the consequences might be. CNBC reported the missiles were moved to the Spratlys within the past 30 days to Fiery Cross, Subi, and Mischief Reefs. The area is about 216 kilometers from the Philippines, well within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The network said the YJ-12B anti-ship cruise missiles permitted China to strike vessels within 295 nautical miles. It said the HQ-9B long-range, surface-to-air missiles could target aircraft, drones and cruise missiles within 160 nautical miles. They would be the first Chinese missile deployments in the Spratlys, where Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims. Last month, U.S. Admiral Philip Davidson said China could use its “forward operating bases” in the South China Sea to challenge the U.S. regional presence and “would easily overwhelm the military forces of any other South China Sea claimants.” China’s defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Its foreign ministry said China has sovereignty over the Spratlys and the deployments were for national security needs and not aimed at any country. Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying added, “Those who do not intend to be aggressive have no need to be worried or scared.” On Friday, a spokesman for the Philippines said, “With our recently developed close relationship and friendship with China, we are confident that those missiles are not directed at us.” He added that the country “would explore all diplomatic means to address this issue.” Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the report, if accurate, would be a concern. And the actions would go against China’s stated desire not to militarize areas under its control. Eric Sayers is an expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He called the missile deployment “a major escalation.” He said the U.S. response could be to cancel the invitation for China to join the multi-national naval exercises in Hawaii in July. Sayers said, “China sees its participation in the exercise as a sign of its acceptance among the world’s maritime powers.” I'm Jonathan Evans.   Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on Reuters news report. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   consequence - n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions exclusive - adj. not shared : available to only one person or group vessel - n. a ship or large boat nautical - adj. relating to ships and sailing sovereignty - n. a country's independent authority and the right to govern itself intend - v. to plan or want to do escalation - n. increase maritime - adj. of or relating to the sea

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2rmo183
via IFTTT

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

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2FKAt6O
via IFTTT

English @ the Movies: 'My Head Is Pounding'

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2KBPZ8N
via IFTTT

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

from Voice of America https://ift.tt/2JNx7SO
via IFTTT