Everyday Grammar: Ever Words

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US Supreme Court Decision: Brown v. Board of Education

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Should SAT and ACT Test Results Be Optional in College Admissions?

  Standardized testing is a major part of applying for admission to colleges and universities in the United States. SAT or ACT results, for example, are just one measure admissions officials use to decide whether to accept an applicant. But many students and parents spend a great deal of time, effort and resources trying to ensure a high score. For some students, testing can be the most difficult part of the application process. And new research has raised debate about the fairness of standardized tests. Last month, researchers with the National Association for College Admission Counseling published findings from a series of studies on these tests. They looked at the academic records of over 950,000 students at 28 public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. Unlike most schools, those chosen for the studies do not require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The decision to submit scores is left to the students. The research found one major finding: The similarity in study program completion rates between those who submitted test results and those who did not. Students who chose not to submit test scores performed a little better. They were found to be one to two percent more likely to complete their study programs in four years than those who did submit test scores. William Hiss is a writer of the report, and a former admissions officer at Bates College. The private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine made college entrance examinations optional 30 years ago. Hiss says his team’s research is proof that standardized tests are not a good measure of how successful a student might be at a given school. Hiss argues that this is the case because the tests do not measure all the skills students will need in a college environment. They simply measure how a student operates under time pressure which is not the usual situation for college students. “If students need to stay up until two o’clock in the morning writing their papers, they do it,” he told VOA. “If they are working in a team on an experiment and it takes extra time…they take extra time. If they need help with their writing or math, almost all colleges have writing and math support...So the ways in which standardized testing works are not the ways in which college educations work.” Hiss adds that many students lack the skills to succeed in high-speed testing environments. Some may be very strong candidates for college, yet avoid applying because they fear the entrance exams. Such candidates may include people with disabilities and non-native English speakers. Hiss notes that first generation students, minority students, as well as those with little money, are especially affected. His research showed that about 42 percent of students who chose not to submit test scores were members of these groups. Some schools saw their minority population increase as much as 11 percent after they ended the entrance exam requirement. Hiss says many students from these groups do not have the same chance to prepare for the tests as wealthier white students. Oscar Schak agrees. He is a top researcher with the Education Trust, a non-profit organization that works to expand education for disadvantaged populations. He says public schools systems that serve poor and minority communities often lack resources that students in richer areas enjoy. And those students can also often pay for even more assistance, such as private tutoring. Because of this, Schack says, colleges should give more weight to other predictors of academic success, such as high school performance. “Given that it does raise some barriers... just having to take the exams and pay for the exams, I would argue that institutions should err on the side of de-emphasizing the exams,” Schak said. However, Jack Buckley finds several major problems with the claims the recent research is making. Buckley is a top official with the American Institutes for Research. He says the studies have not shown evidence of widespread problems with entrance exams or their use in the admissions process. And, he argues, no thoughtful admissions official would consider only standardized test results of applicants. Buckley notes that the companies that administer the SAT and ACT have made many changes to their tests over the years. Buckley worked with the College Board on it most recent changes to the SAT. They took effect in 2016. He says the changes ensured that the tests are designed in a way that is fair to all students. Many schools actively accept students with weak test results in order to offer more chances for higher education to disadvantaged populations, Buckley says. Tests also can provide good information about a student’s strengths and weaknesses. That way, colleges and universities can better know what support services they need to offer. “Blaming a test…for inequality is like blaming a thermometer because a room is hot,” Buckley said. “They do not cause those inequalities. It’s a piece of information that, were I an admissions officer, I would want to know.” ​ Derek Briggs adds that is it not clear that standardized tests create better admissions conditions for wealthier students. He is a professor of education at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Briggs’s own research has shown that for-profit services that claim to be able improve test results have little real effect. In fact, his research shows that private lessons led to less than a 20 percent increase on either part of the SAT. “The conventional wisdom is that the effects of the test preparation are much, much higher,” he said. “But there’s not a lot evidence to support that.” However, Briggs admits his research is about 10 years old. I’m ­Pete Musto. And I’m Caty Weaver. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. How should colleges and universities weigh standardized test results in the admissions process? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ​______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story standardized testing – n. any form of testing 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 apply(ing) - to ask formally for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan, usually in writing academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education submit – v. to give a document, proposal, or piece of writing to someone so that it can be considered or approved optional - adj. available as a choice but not required disabilities – n. conditions such as an illness or an injury that damage or limit a person's physical or mental abilities disadvantaged – adj.  lacking the things such as money and education that are considered necessary for an equal position in society tutoring – n. special lessons involving just one student and one teacher institution(s) – n. an established organization de-emphasizing – v. taking away attention from something thermometer – n. an instrument used for measuring temperature conventional wisdom - n. opinions or beliefs that are held or accepted by most people

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Expressions to Bring Out the Kid in You!

  Now, it’s time for Words and Their Stories, a program from VOA Learning English. On this program we explore common expressions in American English. Every year in the United States, we celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. So, in honor of mothers and mothering, today we are talking about expressions that use the words “baby,” “child” or “kid.” Ah, babies! Babies need lots of love, care and attention. Most new parents spend every waking moment caring for, worrying over and thinking about their baby. This applies to other things too! In American English, anything that you have focused and worked on for long periods of time can become your “baby.” Let's say your friend Sam is opening a new coffee shop. He has invested his own money into it. For months he spends all day every day getting the shop ready for customers. In the evenings, he works on hiring, advertising and menu options. And at night, as he tries to sleep, he worries about it. He really wants it to be a success. So when Sam’s friend asks about the progress of the business, she could say, "So, how’s your baby coming along?” Yes, using “baby” in this way is slightly informal. But it is very common and okay to use in just about any situation. The opposite of caring for a baby would be throwing it out with its bathwater. What?! “That is terrible!” you might be saying. Yes, it is terrible except -- when we do it in conversation. Then it is a useful expression. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater means to get rid of all of something, (like the baby and the water it was bathing in) even though some parts of it were valuable and definitely worth keeping (like the baby)! We often use this expression when we advise people to not act rashly or go to extremes. For example, let's say a married couple has been working with a designer for months on redecorating their home. They choose furniture, carpeting and wall color. But then suddenly, the designer pulls out of the project. The husband and wife are upset. The husband does not want to start from the beginning. He didn’t enjoy doing it the first time! But the wife says, "Look, there's no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Let's keep all things we have already chosen. We can hire a new designer just to help us put them in the house." Problem solved! Now, not all expressions related to children are actually about children. Some of them are about adults. If a grown-up is a babe in the woods, he is defenseless and naive. He is easily fooled, and nobody expects much from him. The opposite of a babe in the woods is a veteran, someone who is seasoned or experienced. For example, the law office had mostly seasoned, professional lawyers. But one young man was just out of school. He did not even know the most basic rules for the courtroom. As a result, he lost his first case. The judge called him a “babe in the woods.” Such a person is different than a new kid on the block. A new kid on the block is simply a newcomer to a group of people who know each other well. Here, “block” means part of a neighborhood. When you are the new kid on the block, you do not know yet how things operate in a new environment. Your ignorance can be good or bad. Maybe you bring new energy, skills, or talent to the group. Or maybe you spend a lot of time wandering around looking for the bathroom. Whether you are a teenager in a new high school or a grown-up starting a new job, being the new kid on the block is often uncomfortable. Do you know what is not uncomfortable? Playing. Children do it naturally and effortlessly. So when we say a job is child's play, we mean it is very easy to do. Note that this expression can be a little bit mean, because it suggests that the work is so simple even a child could do it (which is actually its own expression.) Let’s say in a meeting one of your co-workers says that she finds creating a spreadsheet really difficult. You say loudly to everyone, “Really? I finished mine in a few minutes. It was child’s play! You just input the information.” This makes your co-worker angry. She is so angry with you that she looks for a way to get you back. In other words, she might do something mean in return. At lunchtime she finds her chance! When you step outside for something to eat, you leave all your notes about an important, top-secret meeting on your desk. When you return, your co-worker is telling everyone else about the details of the meeting – details that no one was supposed to know. You say to her, “Where did you get that information?” She looks at you coldly. “On your desk,” she says. “It was like taking candy from a baby.” Of course, babies should not be eating candy. But if a baby were eating candy, and an adult took it away, the baby could not fight back. He might cry and be upset, but he is helpless compared to the adult. And that is the situation with your co-worker. She just walked in and picked up your notes. She is the adult. The notes are the candy. And, unfortunately, you are the baby. Now, if someone takes candy away from a baby, the parents might demand that the person replace it. This isn’t so bad. Going to a candy store is fun! For many kids, being in a candy store is pure joy. Wide-eyed and smiling from ear to ear, they run from sweet to sweet, imagining how everything will taste and trying to decide what to choose. So, if someone is very excited about all the possibilities in front of her, we say she is like a kid in a candy store. For example, whenever I go into a library, I feel like a kid in a candy store. There are so many books I haven’t read and I don’t know where to start first! And that’s the end of this Words and Their Stories. I’m Anna Matteo. And I'm Bryan Lynn. Have you ever felt like a babe in the woods, a new kid on the block or a kid in a candy store? Tell us about it. Or simply practice with the language you heard here. You can do both…in the Comments Section! "It’s just like taking candy from a baby ‘cause I couldn’t resist you from the very start. You had me around your little finger. No trouble at all for you to tiptoe in my heart. It was the first time I lost my head completely. Oh, you swept me off my feet ..” Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. The song at the end is Fred Astaire singing “Taking Candy From a Baby.” ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story nurture – v. to help (something or someone) to grow, develop, or succeed informal – adj. having a friendly and relaxed quality negative– adj. harmful or bad : not wanted naive – adj. having or showing a lack of experience or knowledge : innocent or simple opposite – adj. completely different veteran – n. someone who has a lot of experience in a particular activity, job, etc. seasoned – adj. always used before a noun : having a lot of experience doing something newcomer – n. a person who has recently arrived somewhere or who has recently started a new activity : often + to talent – n. a special ability that allows someone to do something well wander – v. to move around or go to different places usually without having a particular purpose or direction spreadsheet – n. a computer program that calculates numbers and organizes information in columns and rows joy – n. a feeling of great happiness

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Russians Claiming to Represent IS Threatened US Military Wives

  Angela Ricketts’ husband is in the United States Army. On February 10, 2015, she received a text message: “Dear Angela!” it read. “Bloody Valentine’s Day!” “We know everything about you, your husband and your children,” the Facebook message continued. The writer claimed to represent the Islamic State, or IS militant group. The message said the militants had gained control of her computer and telephone. Ricketts was one of five military wives who received death threats from the self-declared CyberCaliphate. However, they were not from IS. The Associated Press says it has found evidence that the women were targeted by a Russian group known for attacking computers. It reportedly is the same group that was active during the U.S. presidential election campaign two years ago. The Russian hackers released emails from John Podesta, the chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential election campaign. The operation is similar to the online campaign by Russian hackers to spread false information in the months before the 2016 elections. Links between CyberCaliphate and the Russian hackers, often called “Fancy Bear” or “APT28,” have been documented earlier in both the U.S. and Europe. But this information had not been shared with the women involved. Many of the women believed they had been targeted by Islamic State supporters. “Never in a million years did I think that it was the Russians,” said Ricketts, a writer and activist for military families and veterans. Completely new ground At the same time that Ricketts received her message, four other women across the country received similar messages. Liz Snell, wife of a U.S. Marine, was at her husband’s retirement ceremony in California when she found that the Twitter account of her group, Military Spouses of Strength, had been attacked. It was broadcasting public threats to herself, the other women and their families. The threats also reached Michelle Obama, when her husband Barack Obama was U.S. president. The women later found they had all received the same threats. However, they refused to be frightened. “Fear is exactly what — at the time — we perceived ISIS [IS] wanted from military families,” said Lori Volkman, one of the victims. Volkman and the other wives decided to share their stories through different media organizations. “Military families are prepared to deal with violence that’s directed toward our soldiers,” Ricketts told Fox News. “But having it directed towards us is just completely new ground.” ‘We might be surprised’ On April 9, 2015, almost two months after the wives were threatened, the television signal of French broadcaster TV5 Monde went dead. The station’s communications equipment had been damaged, and its internal messaging system disabled. On the station’s website and Facebook page was the sign of CyberCaliphate. The cyberattack shocked France. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said evidence suggested the broadcaster was the victim of an attack of terror. But Guillaume Poupard, the chief of France’s cybersecurity agency, was not ready to support the minister’s claim. “We should be very prudent about the origin of the attack,” he told French radio. “We might be surprised.” Government experts later found evidence the attack did not come from the Middle East, but Moscow. Speaking to the AP last year, Poupard said the attack “resembles a lot what we call collectively APT28.” The Russian government has repeatedly denied plotting attacks against Western targets. Similar goals A cybersecurity company called Secureworks provided evidence to the AP that the military wives were targeted by Russian hackers. Recent AP research found that a group called Fancy Bear, which Secureworks calls “Iron Twilight,” was trying to break into the military wives’ email at same time that CyberCaliphate sent its messages. Lee Foster, with cybersecurity company FireEye, said the fact that the Russian hacking and CyberCaliphate activities happened at the same time makes it clear the groups were linked. The CyberCaliphate’s attacks are similar to the activities of a group called the St. Petersburg troll farm. It paid Russian employees to put false information into social media. They tried to raise fears of the IS militants’ threat to the United States by producing false stories of IS attacks. The AP said it has found no link between CyberCaliphate and the St. Petersburg trolls. However, their goals appeared to be the same: keep tensions high and extremist Islam in the news. I’m Phil Dierking.   Raphael Satter reported this story for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted his story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you ever been the victim of a cyber-attack? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Valentine - n. a card or gift that you give usually to someone you love on Valentine's Day​ online - adj. connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet​ veteran - n. : someone who fought in a war as a soldier, sailor, etc.​ spouse - n. a husband or wife​ perceive - v. to notice or become aware of something internal - adj. existing or located on the inside of something​ cybersecurity - n. he state of being protected against the criminal or unauthorized use of electronic data, or the measures taken to achieve this.​ prudent - adj. having or showing careful good judgment​ resemble - v. to look or be like (someone or something)​ troll farm - n. an organization whose workers try to create conflict in an online community

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Fire Shines Light on Sao Paulo Housing Shortage

  On May 1, an electrical problem started a fire in a large, former police building in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Officials say at least two people died as a result. The building was home to a group of people who had jobs but could not afford to live in the city’s expensive apartments. Marta Maria Maia da Fonseca and her husband were among them. They escaped the burning building with their 14-year-old daughter. They spent that night in an open area in front of a church with several other families affected by the fire. The next day, they moved in with a sister and six other relatives in a neighboring city. Da Fonseca and her family had lived in three different abandoned buildings, called squats, in the past 10 years. “We have to start all over again,” said da Fonseca. The fire has brought a renewed attention to the movement of housing groups that have taken over about 70 abandoned buildings in downtown Sao Paulo. But the fire has also raised concerns that the buildings could be dangerous. Squatters often create their own connections to electrical power and make any repairs themselves. Jose de Anchieta Rocha, Jr. is with the Housing Movement in the Fight for Justice. He said, “You can’t say this, that we’re criminals, that we’re vagrants, that we’re invaders. We occupy because there are no housing policies. We occupy because (the buildings were) abandoned, abandoned for decades.” City officials say they will help the now-homeless squatters. They promise to pay about $340 immediately, then $115 a month for one year. Da Fonseca told the AP she does not think she will get anything. She says her name is not on the city’s list of people living in the building. Others say the amount is not enough to pay for rent or for the cost to replace lost belongings. Sao Paulo is known as the financial capital of Latin America. And it is home to much of Brazil’s economic wealth. But the city’s center is full of places in poor condition. Museums and theaters remain, but they share the area with old buildings that have no windows. The downtown area is home to most of the city’s homeless population and many illegal drug users. Dozens, if not hundreds, of buildings sit empty. Businesses have long since moved to more modern buildings in new neighborhoods. So, since the 1990s, groups have been breaking into the empty buildings at night and setting up squats. In many, residents each pay a little money to hire a doorman or a cleaner. Some squats have rules: residents are asked to be quiet, neighborly and observe a curfew. Some have fire-preparation measures, check that wiring is safe and make sure fire alarms are working. Over the years, the city government has struggled to renew the downtown area. Officials often say they want to bring the area back to life, but some observers fear they want an area without poor and working class people. Rocha of the housing movement said, “We are a very unequal country, where the wealth of 100 million people is in the hands of six.” Fernando Chucre is a city housing official. He says that adding low-income housing is an important part of efforts to solve Sao Paulo’s housing shortage. The city hopes to build new homes by working with the state and federal governments, as well as with private investors. Following the fire, the mayor’s office ordered city agencies to visit the 70 buildings now occupied by squatters. Chucre said the city government will work with squatters’ leaders to fix any problems. He added that if a building is declared unsafe, officials will help find other housing. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Sarah DiLorenzo reported this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vagrant – n. a person who has no place to live and no job and who asks people for money curfew – n. an order or law that requires people to be indoors after a certain time at night squat – n. an empty building that squatters live in

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Dogs Trained to Smell Low Blood Sugar Levels May Save Lives

  Dogs can be trained to use their sense of smell to recognize illegal drugs and explosives. So Mark Ruefenacht wondered if the animals also could recognize changes in the blood sugar level of people with diabetes. Ruenfenacht has had the disease for much of his life. In 1999, he almost died while training a young dog to be a guide dog for the blind. Without any warning, his blood sugar suddenly dropped to a dangerously low level. Ruefenacht said the dog stayed with him, and tried to keep him awake. "More than likely, I had a seizure, from the low blood sugar. The dog liked me, and he stuck with me and I was able to get my blood sugar up." When talking about a drop in blood sugar, doctors use the term hypoglycemia. Ruefenacht said his near death experience made him wonder if dogs could be trained to identify the chemical changes that happen during an attack, and then inform their owners.    Dogs4Diabetics begins Ruefenacht worked with scientists and financed research which found that the "smell" of hypoglycemia appears in both breath and sweat. He also worked with and studied animal trainers who teach dogs to recognize everything from explosives to cancer. In addition, Ruefenacht started training a yellow Labrador retriever named Armstrong to tell him when he had a dangerously low blood sugar level. The training was successful. Armstrong is now listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s first diabetes-detection dog.  Armstrong died in 2012. Ruefenacht noted that after his early training successes, several organizations offered him a lot of money for the rights to his discoveries. He told VOA he refused those offers. Instead, in 2004, he created a group called Dogs4Diabetics, where he trains dogs to help people with diabetes. Ruefenacht says training for a diabetes detection dog and its owner can cost up to $50,000. His organization raises money to cover the costs, so they can provide dogs for free to those in need. The smell of hypoglycemia To train the animals, Ruefenacht uses bottles containing swabs of sweat from a diabetic with low blood sugar, and containers of other smells, such as peanut butter, dog food, or plants. The dogs are given a treat when they choose the correct jar. This "sweat jar" method for training diabetes detection dogs has been approved scientifically. The next step is to teach the dog to alert the owner. The dogs are trained to use subtle signs at first. However, if those signals are ignored, the animals then put their paws on the owner’s legs or shoulders. They learn to lick and put their nose in the owner’s face, and make noises. If none of these methods work, the dogs are then trained to find someone else to help. Ruefenacht says the dogs can often detect blood sugar dropping long before electronic systems send a warning sound. Dogs4Diabetics has placed more than 100 dogs with diabetics. The group hopes to expand the program -- training people’s “most loyal friend” to save lives and help diabetics around the world.   I’m Phil Dierking.   ShelleySchlender reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What are other interesting things you have seen dogs trained to detect? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   detect - v. to discover or notice the presence of​ something hidden paw - n.  the foot of an animal that has claws​ swab - n. a small amount of material taken with a swab as a sample from a person's body​ sweat - n.  to produce a clear liquid from your skin when you are hot or nervous​ subtle - adj. hard to notice or see​

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English in a Minute: Muddy the Waters

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Ties with US, North Korea Make Singapore a Good Meeting Place

  American President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have agreed to meet in Singapore on June 12. Singapore’s position in Asia, and diplomatic ties with the U.S. and North Korea, make it a natural choice for the historic meeting. Trump announced the meeting in a tweet Thursday. Singapore is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with both North Korea and the United States. It is also considered a neutral place. About Singapore The city-state of less than 6 million people is between Malaysia and Indonesia. The country has 700 square kilometers of land. That is about three and one half times the size of Washington, DC. Britain founded Singapore as a trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963, but became independent two years later. The country maintains strong international trading ties. It is a port city, between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, on one of the busiest waterways in the world. Singapore is also a wealthy country, with incomes similar to those of leading European nations. The country has been ruled by one party since gaining independence in 1965. Protests cannot take place without permission. Movement is limited and there are controls on media. Why Singapore? Tom Plant is an expert on nuclear issues at London’s Royal United Services Institute. He said Singapore is “a great location” for the meeting. Plant told the Associated Press that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “will be on friendly territory, not hostile territory. But he wouldn’t be on home turf.” North Korea’s state companies have, in the past, traded with Singaporean companies. Under pressure from the United States, Singapore officially stopped trade relations with North Korea in 2017. U.S. ties to Singapore are strong. The port city has long provided services to visiting U.S. Navy ships in the Asia-Pacific area. It is also the regional headquarters of large American companies including Google, Facebook and Airbnb. Former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore David Adelman said Singapore is the perfect location for the meeting. He said, “Singapore has been a great friend to the U.S. But also Singapore has carefully worked to be a friend to all, which has earned it trust in capitals around the world.” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, “We hope this meeting will advance prospects for peace in the Korean Peninsula.” In 2015, Singapore was the site of another historic meeting, between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan’s then-President Ma Ying-jeou. It was the first such meeting since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. I’m Caty Weaver. Hai Do adapted this AP story for VOA Learning English. 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   neutral –adj. not supporting either side location –n. place turf –n. an area or place that feels like your home advance –v. to move forward prospects –n. possibilities or opportunities  

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Trump to Meet N. Korea’s Kim Jong Un June 12 in Singapore

United States President Donald Trump has announced his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place on June 12 in Singapore. The president wrote on Twitter “We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!” The meeting would be the first between a sitting U.S. president and a leader of North Korea. The announcement came hours after Trump welcomed three Americans who had been held prisoner in North Korea back home on Thursday. The former prisoners arrived at Joint Base Andrews near Washington early in the morning. North Korea freed the prisoners after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met for a second time with the North Korean leader. Trump and his wife, Melania, boarded the plane that carried the three men. The three then stepped out, shaking hands with the president and waving to media and military personnel. Trump thanked the Korean leader for their release. He said, “We’re starting off on a new footing. This is a wonderful thing that he released the folks early.” Trump said he believed Kim wanted to bring North Korea “into the real world” and he had high hopes for their planned meeting. “I think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful,” Trump said. Only months ago, Trump and Kim exchanged insults. However, tensions began to ease beginning with North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. Trump then accepted an invitation to meet with Kim. The three former prisoners are Korean-Americans. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017. North Korean officials accused the two of anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in October 2015. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor in 2016 after being found guilty on charges of spying. Kim Dong-chul said, “I was treated in many different ways, but overall I had to do much labor and when I became ill I received some treatment.” The three appeared to be in good health on their release. But they were taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for additional medical examinations. The release followed a recent announcement by Kim that North Korea would suspend missile tests and shut down a nuclear bomb test area. Bonnie Glaser is an Asia expert at Center for Strategic and International Studies. She warned that, “The North Koreans have still said nothing to indicate that they are willing to give up their nuclear weapons.” American Vice President Mike Pence agreed. He told the CBS This Morning program, “What Kim Jong Un has said publicly and in discussions is that he is prepared to negotiate to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Pence added, “Those words are important, but we’ll see what they mean.” I’m Jonathan Evans.   Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters. Mario Ritter was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   folks –n. people participation –n. the act of being involved or taking part in something indicate –v. to show, to direct attention to achieve –v. to get or reach by working hard denuclearization –n. the process of removing nuclear weapons    

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Trump: 3 Americans Held in North Korea Released

President Donald Trump says three Americans who were detained in North Korea have been released. Trump said the three men are returning to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The president made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday. He added that the three “seem to be in good health." Trump also said he plans to meet with the released Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.  The announcement follows Pompeo’s visit to North Korea. The secretary of state went there to prepare for talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump added that Pompeo had a “good meeting” with Kim. The three Korean-Americans released by North Korea had spent many months trapped in the country. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017. North Korean officials accused the two of anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in the North Korean city of Rason in October 2015. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor in 2016 after being found guilty of espionage charges. Pompeo’s latest trip to North Korea came just weeks after he met with Kim. Earlier this week, the North Korean leader met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the second time in a little more than a month. Observers say the talks are a sign that negotiations have reached a critical point. "It suggests that a major deal is under consideration that involves major concessions on each side," noted Dennis Wilder. He served on the U.S. National Security Council during the presidency of George W. Bush. I’m Jonathan Evans.   George Grow wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from VOANews.com and the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   strategic – adj. something important or necessary to completion of a plan concession – n. something given up   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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