Lesson 8: Are You Busy?

Summary Anna wants to apologize to her co-workers. She learns what they do at the same time every day.   Speaking Practice In this video, learn to say the new words. Learn to talk about three times of the day. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend. Pronunciation Practice ​In this video, you ​learn how Americans make hesitation noises, like um, to give themselves more time to think of an answer. You can also learn how to use emphasis when you apologize and accept an apology. Conversation Anna: Hello, everyone. Here I am at my new job! Yesterday at my first day of work … Well, let’s not talk about yesterday. Today is a new day! Today I want to apologize to my co-workers. Anna: Hi, Anne. Are you busy? Anne: Hi, Anna. Yes. At 10 a.m. I am writing. Every day I do my morning show. Sorry! Anna: Okay. See you later, maybe. Anne: Maybe I’ll see you later. Anna: Hi, Jonathan. Are you busy? Jonathan: Yes, I’m busy. When the studio light is on, I am recording my evening show. Anna: Right. Sorry about yesterday. Jonathan: No worries. Anna: May I see the studio? Jonathan: Um, maybe another time? Right now I am busy. Anna: Sure. Okay, ’bye. Jonathan: ‘Bye. Anna: Hi, Amelia! Are you busy? Amelia: I’m a little busy. Anna: I want to say I’m sorry for yesterday. Amelia: It’s okay, Anna. Anna: Well, I am sorry. Amelia: It’s okay, Anna. Come by this afternoon. Anna: Okay. Caty: Anna. Anna: Yes, Ms. Weaver. Caty: Are you busy? Anna: Yes, Ms. Weaver. I am busy.  Caty: My office. 5:00 p.m. Anna: 5:00 p.m. Caty: Come in. Co-Workers: Surprise! Anna: A party! Awesome! And I still have my job! Phew!* Until next time! * Phew! is a sound used to show that you are relieved, tired, or hot _____________________________________________________________ Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Use What You Know. We have knowledge about the world we use when learning a new language or a new skill. Here is an example. In this lesson's video, Anna learns that her co-workers do things at the same time each day. She understands this idea because she also has to do work at the same time every day. She uses what she knows and remembers not to bother her co-workers at the times they are busy.  How do you use what you know in studying English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.   Writing What do you do every morning? You can see some examples in the Activity Sheet. Click on the image to download it. Write to us in the Comments section. Listening Quiz Check your listening skills with a short quiz. Click here to go directly to the Listening Quiz, or see the link to one side of this lesson. New Words afternoon - n. the middle part of the day : the part of the day between noon and evening apologize - v. to express regret for doing or saying something wrong : to give or make an apology evening - n. the last part of the day and early part of the night job - n. the work that a person does regularly in order to earn money later - adj. happening near the end of a process, activity, series, life, etc. light - n. a source of light (such as an electric lamp) maybe - adv. possibly but not certainly morning - n. the early part of the day : the time of day from sunrise until noon now - adv. at the present time studio - n. the building or room where an artist works surprise - n. an unexpected event, piece of information, etc. yesterday - n. the day before today ______________________________________________________________ For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: BE - Short answers; simple present tense to describe routine activities Topics: Times of day: morning, evening, afternoon​ Pronunciation Focus: Hesitation Noise "um;" apologizing with stress or intonation Additional materials: Printable Activity Sheet & Lesson Plan ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. What do you think of this lesson? Please write to us in the Comments section or send us an email.

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Banned for Returning too Many Amazon Products

  Tuan Do of New York says Amazon has banned him from shopping on that website. The reason? He returned too many Amazon purchases, he said on his website, TechWalls.com. Do said he returned six items in the past two months. He said he was not satisfied with the quality of the products. Amazon first sent him a warning about his “unusually high rate of problems,” Do said. Later, when his wife returned a bicycle purchased on her Amazon account, the company cancelled both their accounts, Do said. Mark Cohen is former chairman and chief executive officer of Sears Canada Inc. He is not surprised Amazon and other businesses are trying to stop frequent returns. The costs are very high for a company like Amazon that offers many customers both free delivery and free returns, Cohen told VOA. The website Dyanamic.action.com reported that returns cost merchants $642.6 billion a year worldwide. But banning a customer can create bad feelings. Greg Nelson recently spoke to the Guardian newspaper after Amazon UK banned him from its shopping website. Nelson said he sent back 37 of the 343 items he bought on the website. He said he had a good reason for each return. “I could understand if there were evidence that I had somehow tried to abuse the system, but I haven’t,” Nelson told the Guardian. Amazon said it only closes accounts “in a tiny fraction of cases” when it finds “extreme account abuse.” Cohen, the former head of Sears Canada and now a Columbia University professor, said many returns are valid. It is fine to return clothing that does not fit, is the wrong color, or arrived damaged, he said. But there are many cases of “clear abuse.” Cohen cites the example of people who buy a dress or suit, wear it once to a wedding or other special event, and then return it. Cohen said Sears Canada had a customer who bought items from the Sears Catalog all the time – and returned every single purchase. Cohen said it seemed the customer wanted something to do and enjoyed placing orders, getting them delivered and sending them back. Cohen said he had to convince his staff to ban the customer. Some staffers said a ban did not fulfill the company’s promise to “completely satisfy” customers. He helped write a letter to the customer. It explained she could no longer shop “since we clearly have been unable to satisfy your needs as much as we have tried.” Cohen had won the argument. On his TechWalls website, Do said he bought “almost everything” from Amazon. That included cheap items like groceries and toilet paper, and more expensive items like laptop computers. He said the returned items costs more than the products he kept. But he said he only returns products “when they don’t meet my expectation.” Do had some support from his online readers. “Bob” wrote that he, too, was banned for too many returns. “It was a crazy high percentage in one bad month. But, yes, they were all defective. I wasn’t abusing/trying and returning,” Bob wrote. Cohen said online businesses like Amazon are getting hit with more returns than traditional stores. One reason, he said, is that shopping online does not allow customers to try on clothing or take a close look before buying. Many products, he said, are returned after they have been taken out of their packages, often in bad shape. In the case of clothing, he said, returns often come in after the selling season ended for winter or summer. That makes them hard to sell, or forces big price cuts, Cohen said. I'm Bruce Alpert. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. Let us know if you have returned products and what that experience was like. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   shopping – v. the activity of buying things either at a store or online. bicycle – n. a 2-wheeled vehicle that a person rides by pushing on foot pedals account – n. a record that allows people to buy goods from a business frequent – adj. happening a lot customer – n. someone who buys goods from a business fraction – n. a small percentage of the time extreme – adj. very serious or severe catalog – n. a book containing a list of things that you can buy, defective – adj. having a problem or fault that prevents something from working correctly  

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College Students Describe Election in One Word: Crazy

  George Washington University is at the top of the list of U.S. schools with the “Most Politically Active Students” in 2016. But students at the school say they are not so sure about that. VOA asked several students about how politically active they are on a scale from one to 10. None of the students put themselves higher than a six on that scale. VOA also asked the students to describe the presidential election in one word. Several said, "crazy." The Princeton Review created the list of schools they say have high numbers of politically active students. The Princeton Review is an organization and publication that ranks U.S. colleges and universities each year in a book called "The Best 380 Colleges." The Princeton Review surveys more than 136,000 students at 380 schools. But the organization told VOA that the list of politically active schools is based on only one question. Student-run political groups have an active presence on campus: [Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree or Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree] Regan McAllister, 19, is a first-year student of international affairs and Asian studies at George Washington University, or GW. Originally from Niceville, Florida, McAllister says the reason politics are important at GW is the location: Washington, DC. "Just being right by the White House and the Capitol and everything. Our professors and the students are constantly hearing about the news.  And it kind of hard not to, because it’s right where we live. ... People with interests in politics come to GW to be among it all." McAllister first started following politics when she studied in Turkey in 2015 before coming to GW. "There was a big election that happened in June. Leading up to that election was when I really got into it and it was mostly Turkish politics at the time. I learned a lot about it and so that just kind of carried over when I came to college." The political activity of young people can be hard to predict. For example, college-educated young people vote differently from young people who never attend college. Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg is the director for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE. CIRCLE is an organization based at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. CIRCLE studies the political activity of people in the U.S. younger than 30. Kawashima-Ginsberg says college-educated young people are twice as likely to vote in primary elections as those with no college experience. She says the 2008 campaign that elected President Barack Obama broke a 30-year record in numbers of young people involved. The 2012 campaign also had high numbers of young voters. But, she added, young people have trouble feeling connected to politics.  "We were hearing both from young people who are in college and out of college about how they perceive voting. For them, it was starting to become this old, outdated thing that has no relevance or impact. And that showed, truly, in voting statistics, where we recorded the lowest youth turnout ever in 2014." Young people are not alone in their low turnout numbers. FairVote is an organization that studies U.S. democracy and elections. FairVote reported only about 36 percent of the entire voting population voted in the 2014 midterm election. But, Kawashima-Ginsberg states, things are changing for young people once again. Some presidential candidates are gaining back the youth vote. Senator Bernie Sanders has received more than 1.5 million youth votes in the primary race, she says. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump have both received more than 600,000 youth votes. Nancy Thomas is the director of the Institute for Democracy and Education, also at Tufts University. The institute started working on a project called The National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, or NSLVE, in 2013. NSLVE researchers examine enrollment and voting records from 2012 and 2014. They use the information from these records to study the voting habits of U.S. college students. Thomas says there is no other project like NSLVE. There are more college students now over the age of 30. Studies of young people find different results than studies only of college students. She also says student movements like the Black Lives Matter protests show college campuses are important places for political activity. "People in college… back in the ‘80s and ‘90s were pretty disengaged. And they were disengaged from public or civic life in general. "But I think the combination of enthusiasm for these primaries and the last couple of years of student protests means that some kind of sleeping giant is being awakened." Thomas adds that schools where politics are frequently discussed in class have the most politically active students. If professors use political examples in any subject, including math or history, students will see how important politics are. Hanna Corn, 20, is a second-year student studying international affairs and political science at GW. Originally from Wilmington, New Jersey, Corn is also the membership director of the GW College Democrats. The GW College Democrats are a student group that supports the Democratic political party. Corn says there are many political student groups and events at GW. Also, political discussion is everywhere. "Students would be talking about it in line to get their food at cafeterias. You’d be in the library and you’d look over at people laughing and they’d be watching a political talk show. Even at a social gathering, people are discussing politics. ... Even when you don’t want to hear about it, it will be right outside your door… So you might as well reach out and also engage in it." Corn joined the GW College Democrats in her first year because she wanted to learn more about the Democratic Party. But she says she has also learned a lot about people with different opinions from her own. She frequently talks and debates with members of the GW College Republicans. "We share an office actually , so we are constantly exchanging ideas. … It’s good to learn both sides. ... But I think it’s very difficult to be a strident conservative or Republican at our campus because the Republicans even I know are not so far to the right. "People that are more conservative don’t speak out. … But I think that there are more of them in our campus than you realize." VOA reached out to the GW College Republicans but received no response. Both Thomas and Kawashima-Ginsberg agree there is an increasing number of young Republicans voting in this primary. But Thomas says young Republicans care about different issues than older party members. Older members care more about terrorism, while young members care more about government spending. Both younger and older Democrats seem to care about the same issues, she says. But fewer young people are joining any political party at all. Kawashima-Ginsberg points out that technology plays a major role in how young people choose to be involved. "Social media’s played a bigger role in this age. In a way, young people are able to organize themselves online with their like-minded peers and start some action or cause… without being told what might be helpful for a candidate or what they’re supposed to do for the campaign." Thomas says that students entering the field of education vote more than any other group. Students studying math and science vote the least. Also, African-American students vote more than white, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American students. But no matter how they vote, Thomas says, college students are a force that politicians will have to recognize. "There are 18.5 million college students in this country. They could really shape the results of an election." I’m Pete Musto. Pete Musto reported and wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.  How politically active are young people in your country? At your  universities? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   scale – n. a range of numbers that is used to show the size, strength, or quality of something rank(s) – v. to place someone or something in a particular position among a group of people or things that are being judged according to quality, ability or size survey(s) – v. to ask many people a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college or school primary – n. an election in which members of the same political party run against each other for the chance to be in a larger and more important election perceive(d) – v. to think of someone or something as being something stated outdated – adj. no longer useful or acceptable relevance – n. relationship to a subject in an appropriate way turnout – n. the number of people who go to or participate in something midterm election – n. Congressional elections that occur halfway through a President's term of office enrollment – n.  people who are entered as a member of or participant in something disengaged – adj. no longer involved with a person or group enthusiasm – n. a strong feeling of active interest in something that you like or enjoy giant – n. a person or thing that is very large, powerful, or successful class – n. a series of meetings in which students are taught a particular subject or activity political party ­– n. an organization of people who have similar political beliefs and ideas and who work to have their members elected to positions in the government cafeteria(s) – n. a place such as a restaurant or a room in a school where people get food at a counter and carry it to a table for eating strident – adj. expressing opinions or criticism in a very forceful and often annoying or unpleasant way peer(s) – n. a person who belongs to the same age group or social group as someone else

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Foreign Leaders Taking Sides Against Donald Trump

When Cuban President Raúl Castro was asked his view of the U.S. presidential election, he did what foreign leaders usually do. He did not answer the question. Castro responded, “I cannot vote in the United States” at a news conference Tuesday with President Barack Obama in Havana. But other foreign leaders are breaking with tradition of not taking sides in other countries’ elections. Most of those who are speaking out are criticizing the leading Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto compared the language of Trump to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Trump has called for Mexico to pay for a new wall between the two nations. He also said Mexico is “sending people that have lots of problems... they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Pena Nieto responded in an interview with Mexico’s Excelsior newspaper. "That's the way Mussolini arrived and the way Hitler arrived," he said. In England, Parliament debated a resolution to ban Trump from entering the country. The debate came after Trump called for a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the United States. Parliament ended up not voting on the Trump resolution. But British leaders still criticized him. "I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong," said British Prime Minister David Cameron. After the March 22 terrorist attacks on Brussels, Trump tweeted a link to remarks he made in January, calling the Belgium city a “hell hole.” “Time & time again I have been right about terrorism. It’s time to get tough,” he tweeted. When the New York Times reached Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur for a response, his office wrote, “We don't react to Mr. Trump's comments. Have a nice day.” The day before the terrorist attacks, Trump said he favors reducing the U.S. involvement with NATO. NATO is a 28-nation coalition that works for the security of its member nations. Trump has argued throughout his campaign that other nations besides the U.S. should be paying more to defend Europe and Asia. Ana Palacio is a former Spanish foreign minister. She expressed concerns about Trump’s views in a recent interview with Politico. “The opportunism, unreliability and amorality that we have seen during the [Trump] campaign would be damaging for the world in general and hurt Europe in particular,” she said. James Thurber heads the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University in Washington D.C. He said it is “highly unusual” for foreign leaders to criticize a candidate for the presidency, even before he has won his party’s nomination. Thurber just returned from Turkey, where many already have negative views of the United States “But they are appalled at what Donald Trump is saying about Muslims,” he said. Some foreign leaders praise Trump Trump is getting some support from abroad, particularly in Russia. He called Russia’s President Vladimir Putin a strong leader and said he “would probably get along with him [Putin] very well." Putin, in return, praised Trump as “a bright and talented person.” Victoria Zhuravleva is a Moscow-based expert on U.S.- Russian relations. She said the U.S. has criticized Russia and Putin over the last two years. “So, when you hear something that is not so critical and even friendlier towards your country it’s like, ‘Thank God. There’s one person we can talk to, Donald Trump.’” She told Reuters. Trump is also getting praise from some anti-immigration leaders in Europe. They agree with Trump that immigration from the Middle East should stop. Jean-Marie Le Pen is the former head of the French National Front Party, which wants to limit immigration. He tweeted, “If I were American, I would vote Donald Trump,”   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   respond – v. to say or write something as an answer to a question, a request or criticism remarks – n. something that someone says or writes to express an opinion or idea tweet – v. to make a short comment on the website, Twitter. survey –n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something opportunism – n. someone who tries to get an advantage or something valuable from a situation without thinking about what is fair or right unreliability – n. not able to be trusted particular – adj. used to indicate that one specific person or thing is being referred to and no others appalled – v. to feel disgust  

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The World Needs More Renaissance People

Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories. Each week we report on words and expressions commonly used in American English. Today, we talk about people who can do many things. Someone with many abilities often is called a “Jack-of-all-trades” or a “Renaissance person.” A “Jack-of-all-trades” is a person who can do many different jobs. “Jack” is an old word for a worker and a “trade” is a kind of job or skill. A Renaissance man or a Renaissance woman is a little different. This expression deals with a person’s education and knowledge, not so much with his or her skills.   The word “Renaissance” comes from Old French and means “rebirth.” The Renaissance is a period of European history that began in the 14th century. It’s a time when Europe began to awaken from the long period known as the Middle Ages. Classical learning from Ancient Greece and Rome was reborn in many parts of Europe. During the Renaissance, people became more interested in learning and educating themselves. The word renaissance can describe anything that is experiencing a rebirth. Arts, crafts and musical styles often undergo a renaissance. For example, you might say that currently in the U.S. playing the ukulele is experiencing a renaissance. Many people are learning to play this small, Hawaiian guitar. Used in this way, “renaissance” is not capitalized. This video features Hawaiian ukulele player and singer Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with footage of his island home. Beloved around the world, his funeral at sea was much celebrated by his family, friend and fans.   In the U.S, the Harlem Renaissance is an African-American cultural movement of the 1920s and 1930s. Named after a neighborhood of New York City, this Renaissance celebrated African-American culture, traditions, and ways of life. However, when talking about people, the term Renaissance man or woman refers to a person who is talented in many areas, especially the arts and sciences. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Benjamin Franklin often are called Renaissance men. Everyone knows about these guys. The names of Renaissance women in history may be less well known. In the past it wasn’t as easy for women to get a formal education, even during the “awakening.” Also, women were often too busy at home to study up on their science. But some women did find time. A German woman named Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) was a Renaissance woman. She spent her life investigating and drawing nature. After her husband died, she and her daughters traveled to Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname. For two years, they observed insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Her book titled “The Metamorphosis of the Insects of Suriname,” showed Europeans for the first time the great diversity of the South American rain forest. A more recent example of a Renaissance woman is the Austrian Hedy Lamar. During the 1930s and 1940s, Lamar was one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars. She was also an inventor. During the Second World War, she created a way to protect radio communications from enemy troops. Her method switched radio frequencies in a preprogrammed pattern. While the Navy did not use the technology, other inventors built upon her idea. Eventually, the U.S. government did use frequency hopping as do many telecommunications companies today. Lamar once said she hated being known for her beauty and not her mind – a problem Renaissance men like da Vinci and Franklin most likely did not have to face.                         And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories. Do you have a favorite Renaissance woman or man? Do you have a similar word in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section. I'm Anna Matteo. This Google Doodle features the accomplishments of Renaissance woman, Hedy Lamar.   Anna Matteo wrote this piece for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Playing at the end is Italian Renaissance music.  

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English in a Minute: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Why would Anna and Jonathan be talking about the fashion choices of a wolf? Watch this week's English in a Minute to find out what it means if someone is "a wolf in sheep's clothing!"

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China Approves Law on Charities, NGOs

  China recently approved its first comprehensive law on charities and nonprofit organizations. The legislation makes it easier for charities to register and provides protections for people who donate. It also provides stronger government supervision of the organizations. Karla Simon is an American expert on civil society in China. She said there are two sides to the measure. "You have two sides. One is that charities come into being more easily. That's the charity side. And then they are permitted to register, and more of them are. It applies to a broad range of charities. But the other side is, how do we protect the people who give money.” Lawmakers approved the new law at the yearly meeting China’s National People’s Congress. The meeting ended Wednesday. Some people consider the law a government attempt to increase charitable giving. Donations stopped growing in 2011 when the media reported about the misuse of charity monies. The Britain-based Charities Aid Foundation recently rated charitable giving in 145 countries. It placed China second to the bottom. The legislation places a limit on yearly management fees. Charities are required to spend a certain amount of money they make. They can spend 70 percent of the amount given them that year, or  70 percent of the average income over the last three years. The law also provides tax reductions for people who donate. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pushed for greater control of civil society groups in China. The nation is considering a measure to place foreign nonprofit organizations under the jurisdiction of the police. The new charity law says that charities found to be threatening to national security will be punished. Officials might cancel their registrations, for example. Chinese police have arrested many human rights activists over the last four years reportedly for national security reasons. Patrick Poon is a China researcher for Amnesty International. “In China, what it means by endangering national security would be very broad, and subject to the authorities’ interpretation.” Supporters say the charity legislation is aimed at strengthening approved civil society groups. This would permit nonprofit groups to help the government deal with the needs of the poor as China’s economy slows. They say it will also permit China’s new middle and upper classes to more easily donate to approved charities. Anthony Spires is a civil society scholar at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He said implementation of the legislation will be important to its effect on Chinese society. “It’s going to come down to, whether or not it’s implemented at the local level. It’s going to come down to whether or not the Ministry of Civil Affairs officials at the local level adopt a broad definition of charity, or a very narrow, specific one." Spires said local officials probably will understand the law in a way that excludes organizations working on politically sensitive issues, such as women’s or gay rights. The Chinese government has said it wants to end poverty in China within four years and the new law is an attempt to reach that goal. I'm Mario Ritter. VOA’s Shannon Van Sant reported this story. Mario Ritter adapted for Learning English using additional material from Reuters. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   comprehensive – adj. charity – n. the organizations that help people in need range –n. a group of things that usually share a similarity management – n. the act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business, department, sports team, etc. jurisdiction –n. an area to which certain laws or rules apply authority – n. people who have power to make decisions and enforce rules and laws interpretation – n. the act or result of explaining or interpreting something: the way something is explained or understood scholar – n. a person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it : an intelligent and well-educated person who knows a particular subject very well implement –v. to put into action, to carry out gay – adj. people who are sexually attracted to members of the same sex

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Rare Rhino Birth in Kenya

  The first black rhino in more than 25 years was born in northern Kenya this month. It was born at the Sera Community Rhino Sanctuary. The birth comes when poaching has put the black rhino on a list of animals that face extinction. Only about 5,000 black rhinos remain. Female black rhinos usually have one baby at a time. At birth, baby rhinos, called calves, weigh between 40 to 64 kilograms, according to the San Diego Zoo. Conservationists in Kenya say they are pleased with the birth. But protecting the black rhinos is expensive. A sanctuary in east Africa estimates it costs between $10,000 and $15,000 to protect one rhino. The Sera sanctuary is becoming a popular home for rhinos. The first rhinos were moved to Sera in 2015. The baby rhino’s birth brought the population at the sanctuary to 11. Officials hope to bring 10 more rhinos to Sera this year. White rhinos and black rhinos live in the grasslands and floodplains of eastern and southern Africa, according to the National Geographic Society. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Jill Craig wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English and VOANews.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   rhino – n. informal language use for rhinoceros poaching – v. to catch or kill an animal illegally extinction – n.  the state or situation that results when something such as a plant or animal species has died out completely sanctuary – n. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter calves – v. a baby of a large animal like a rhino grasslands – n. land covered with grasses and other soft plants but not with bushes and trees floodplains – n. an area of low, flat land along a stream or river that may flood  

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What Is March Madness?

These days, you may hear people in the United States talking about March Madness. But what does that mean? Does the month of March make people angry? No, of course not! March Madness refers to a college basketball tournament. The competition takes place every March. And the madness it creates is excitement! Sometimes mad is defined as angry. But here is another definition of the word:  “marked by intense and unpredictable activity.” The three-week long college basketball tournament is exactly that. It involves 64 men’s team and 64 women’s teams from colleges and universities around the country. Another reason for the madness is that people bet a lot of money on the games. In 2015, the American Gaming Association said about $9 billion is bet on the tournament. That is more than double the amount bet for the professional American football championship known as the Super Bowl. All that money is enough to drive someone crazy! The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, puts on the basketball tournament. The competition is made up of three divisions. The men’s Division I tournament is the most popular. It features players who sometimes move on to professional careers in the National Basketball Association, or NBA, and other leagues around the world. Some of the players who became famous in the NCAA tournament and now have major professional careers are Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. Retired NBA legends Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan all played in the NCAA tournament. Even tournament players who do not “go pro,” sometimes become folk heroes for the fans that support their teams. Paul Jesperson of the University of Northern Iowa is an example. He will be famous in his state forever as a result of his game winning score in the tournament just a few days ago. Jesperson threw the ball from half-court with less than a second left in play. The crowd went wild when the ball went in the basket. NCAA experts choose the teams to play in the tournament each year. When a team loses a game, it leaves the tournament. The tournament goes from 64 teams to 32, 16 and 4. The last two rounds are referred to as the Sweet Sixteen and the Final Four. This year, the championship game will be played on April 4. Some of the recent men’s tournament champions are Duke University from North Carolina, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Louisville, in Kentucky. The tournament has been going on since 1939, but did not become a “madness” until 1979. That is when Michigan State University defeated Indiana State University. Two important players faced each other in competition: Michigan’s Magic Johnson and Indiana’s Larry Bird. Both went on to the NBA and great fame as two of the greatest basketball players ever. The university with the most tournament championships is the University of California, Los Angeles, or UCLA. The Bruins, as the team is known, has won 11 times. After this weekend’s games, the tournament will be down to the Final Four. Some of the well-known teams still playing are Pennsylvania’s Villanova University, the University of Kansas and the University of Oregon. One of the most interesting stories in this year’s tournament came from Yale University, a school better known for academics than athletics. Yale qualified for the tournament by winning the Ivy League for the first time since 1962. The league also includes Harvard University and Princeton University. The games are usually exciting, adding to the madness. Even the players are big fans. Daniel Ochefu plays for Villanova. His family is from Nigeria and he lived there for a couple years when he was a teenager. He says great things happen in March. “I know I was up late watching the Northern Iowa half-court buzzer-beater and the St. Joe's game. You know, it's March. Great things happen. We just don't want to miss them. So the TV's right there. We're laying in bed and just turn the TV on, and something great could happen.” Of course, when great things happen, that is when the madness ends. I’m Caty Weaver.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you follow the NCAA basketball tournaments? Who are you rooting for? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   madness – n. behavior or thinking that is very foolish or dangerous tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days mania – n. extreme enthusiasm for something that is usually shared by many people crazy, drive crazy – adj. wild and uncontrolled, used in the phrase drive/make (someone) crazy to describe annoying or bothering someone very much wander – v. to move around or go to different places usually without having a particular purpose or direction bet – n. to risk losing something (such as money) if your guess about what will happen is wrong folk hero – n. a person who is greatly admired by many people of a particular kind or in a particular place sweet sixteen– n. a party celebrating a person’s 16th birthday buzzer-beater– n. a shot or goal made before the end of a period or game in a sporting event  

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VOA English Newscast: 2200 UTC March 25, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m David Byrd reporting. U.S. forces have killed Hajji Iman, an Islamic State finance minister also responsible for the terrorist group's external affairs. U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced Iman's death Friday. “We are systematically eliminating ISIL's cabinet.  Indeed the U.S. military killed several key ISIL terrorist this week, including we believe Hajii Iman.” Carter would not say whether Iman was killed in Iraq or Syria, nor would he say whether the Islamic State leader was killed in a raid or an airstrike. Carter also announced that Abu Sara, an Islamic State leader charged with paying fighters in Iraq, was targeted by U.S. forces this week. Belgian prosecutors say three people have been detained in a counterterrorism operation in Brussels prompted by Thursday’s arrest of a Frenchman in the Paris area suspected of plotting a new attack. The Belgian prosecutor's office confirmed in a statement that Friday's arrests were conducted in three districts of the capital. Meanwhile U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Beligum's Prime Minister Charles Michel and assured him of U.S. support in the wake of the attacks. “Our mission to defeat and destroy Daesh is not going to be accomplished overnight, it’s going to take some time and patience and persistence. It will require resources and commitment and cooperation across may cultures and beliefs and the recognition that this is in fact truly a global challenge.” Kerry also laid a wreath at the Brussels airport, one of the two sites rocked by bombings that left more than 30 people dead. This is VOA News. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast Eliminate –v. to remove Prosecutors –n. a lawyer for the government who accuses someone of a crime Prompt –v. to cause something to happen Conduct –v. to lead, to carry out Wake –n. the after-effect, what is left after some event Persistence –n. continuing to do something despite barriers Challenge –n. a difficult thing to accomplish

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Playing Games and Learning About Economics

“Today, what we have planned for you guys is money markets, and then playing a game called Mr. Big Shots. So, we’ll start off today’s class….” Just outside Washington, D.C., children with an interest in economics now have a place to learn about it. They can join a club called Edunomics. The group meets once a week at Farmwell Station Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia. Edunomics was the idea of two high school students who once studied at the middle school. Sahith Malyala and Sahil Yedulla visit Farmwell Station once a week to teach economics to interested students. The high school seniors began studying economics in high school. The two say they work with the children not for credit, but to give back to the local community. Sahil Yedulla says they decided to give children a chance to explore a subject they enjoy. “I got a message from Sahith, he was like, 'Hey you want to start an economics club?' I was like, 'You know what, why not?'” Sahith Malyala says there were many reasons for launching the club last year. He says middle schoolers have plenty of chances to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Educators use the name STEM when talking about the four subjects. “They have a lot of STEM-related opportunities, but we wanted to do economics because we’re both interested in that. And there wasn’t that many economic-related organizations or clubs out there." Neighbors and childhood friends took their idea for Edunomics to David Stephenson, who teaches at the Farmwell Station Middle School. “I’m deeply touched. I usually get visitors to come back and see me and say ‘hi.’ I have never had students come back and say this is what I want to do. I thought it was a fantastic idea.” Stephenson helped  the high schoolers find a space to hold the weekly classes. Yedulla says he also showed them how to be good teachers. “Mr. Stephenson’s help cannot be put in words. He helped us so much with this club. I remember like, after the first lesson, he was like, 'maybe just try to slow down a little bit, just like ease into it.'” Malyala says simplifying economics, financing and business, and making it fun is the secret to getting younger students interested. “Each week, we would have like a 5- to 10-minute lecture on a new topic. Then after that, we would really hit hard on making sure they understood it through an interactive game.” These games help demonstrate the real world uses of the economic theories. Club member Anika Kumar finds studying economics fun and useful. “If you want to start your business, then you need to know all about economics and money .” David Stephenson says Edunomics has been profitable for everyone involved. Older students learn to become leaders and bring change to others’ lives. Middle schoolers are more open when high schoolers teach them. Next year, the high schoolers will be attending college. But David Stephenson says the club will continue, giving other students a chance to teach and learn. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Faiza Elmasry reported on this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   senior – n. a student in the final year or high school or college fantastic – adj. extremely good or great lesson – n. a single class lecture – n. a talk or speech to a group of people interactive – adj. requiring people to talk with each other or do things together We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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