Ariana Grande Announces Benefit Concert for Manchester

  This is What’s Trending Today. American singer Ariana Grande will return to Manchester, England, on June 4 to play a concert. She is raising money for the people killed and injured in the Manchester explosion on May 22. Grande had just finished her performance when a bomb went off at the Manchester Arena. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured. The Manchester Evening News reports that 50 people are still in the hospital. British police identified the Manchester attacker as 22-year-old Salman Abedi.  Abedi was a British citizen whose parents came from Libya. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, but British and U.S. officials could not confirm the claim. Grande’s concert on Sunday is called “One Love Manchester.” It will take place at the Old Trafford cricket ground, which can hold about 50,000 people. Tickets go on sale on Thursday. The ticketing website says that people who were at Grande’s May 22 concert can attend this weekend’s concert for free. Other performers include Justin Bieber, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Coldplay and Usher. Money raised from ticket sales will go to a fund set up by the city of Manchester and the British Red Cross. Grande said in a statement “we will not quit or operate in fear.” She said she wants people to be more helpful and loving and live more “kindly and generously than we did before.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on a story by The Associated Press. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Did you see any of the music performances? What did you think? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   __________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   concert – n. a public music performance ground – n. the land on which a game is played (mostly British) fund – n. an amount of money that is used for a special purpose quit – v. to leave or stop generously – adv. providing more than the amount that is needed or normal : abundant or ample

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Many Internships Offer a Direct Path to Jobs

A survey recently found that Facebook pays its interns $8,000 a month, more than any other American company. The survey was carried out by the website Glassdoor, on which people can post information about job experiences and pay. In second place was Microsoft, which pays its interns $7,100 a month. Oil company ExxonMobil came in third at $6,500. It was one of only a few non-technology companies to make the top 25 list. Amazon and Apple interns earn $6,400 a month, while Google pays $6,000, according to the survey. These internships pay much more than the average American earns. The government estimated the average U.S. pay in 2015 was about $4,000 a month. Paid vs. unpaid internships One thing that has changed over the years is that many companies now use the same methods for recruiting interns as for full-time employees. Ed Koc is the Director of Research, Public Policy and Legislative Affairs for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). He says companies now come directly to colleges hoping to find interns who will later become permanent employees. “They’re very selective in terms of who they choose to bring on board. Particularly because they want to be able to convert that student into a full-time hire once that internship is over.” This means that students should be preparing for internships in the same ways they would for a real career job. NACE connects U.S. college career service centers and conducts surveys on the job market for graduates. Koc said at companies the organization works with, about 52 percent of interns end up getting full-time jobs. He said research also suggests that interns working in paid internships get hired faster than those who are not paid. “The primary reason for that is that the employers that provided paid internships actually were the ones hiring the students. They were looking at them in a probationary fashion.”   According to a NACE survey, students who completed paid internships with private, for-profit companies received $53,521 in starting pay. Those who took unpaid internships received an average starting offer of $34,375. Another NACE study found that unpaid internships led to decreased levels of job satisfaction. They also resulted in less development of skills than paid internships. But unpaid interns gained a better understanding of their career field and some increased their academic performance, the research showed. William Goodloe is President and Chief Executive Officer of the not-for-profit Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO). He says many companies have found that an internship is a much more valuable recruiting tool than a job interview. “What they find is that interviews are not as reliable as they would like. But if you get to work with someone - observe them for 10 weeks - then you have a much better sense of if you want to ask them back full-time after they graduate from college.” The SEO Career program recruits and trains college students and places them in paid internships. The organization works with “underserved and/or underrepresented” students, including African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. SEO reports that 80 percent of its interns end up getting full-time job offers. Goodloe noted that one problem with unpaid internships is that they limit the candidates to only those with enough money to support themselves. Co-op programs Besides internships, some schools offer students another kind of work experience, called co-operative (co-op) education. Co-op students balance classroom study with full-time employment throughout the school year. The students are paid by companies while working during extended breaks from academic studies.   The University of Cincinnati (UC), in the Midwestern state of Ohio, started the first American co-op program in 1906. Today, it has partnerships with more than 1,800 companies. Depending on the area of study, most co-op students at UC earn between $12 to $27 per hour. This would be equal to yearly pay of $25,000 to $56,000. Some UC programs, including engineering, design and architecture, require students to complete co-op programs. In others, students can choose between a co-op or internship. Kettil Cedercreutz is the head of UC’s Division of Experience-based Learning and Career Education. As with internships, he says companies now use co-ops as a major recruiting tool. “Right now we have an average of 98 percent placement rate in co-op jobs. Then what happens when they graduate, they have 20 months of practical experience in their major under their belt.” Cedercreutz said co-ops can also be good for students’ academic performance and help them reach their graduation goals.    “In a co-op program they actually do graduate on time. To a very large extent because they learn something in the classroom and then they go out in industry and get to apply it - and they get to sort of digest it.” UC also operates international co-op programs in which students study languages and then go to work at companies in Japan, Germany and Singapore. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Tell us about your own experiences with internships. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   intern – n. student or recent graduate who works at a company to get experience recruit – v. find suitable people to work for a company convert – v. change from one system or position to another hire - n. someone hired by a company for a job probationary – adj. period of time in which a person is tested to see if they are able to perform a job reliable – adj. able to be trusted to provide what is needed belt – n. long, thin piece of material worn around the waist digest – v. read and understand new information  

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India Opens Its Longest Bridge in Northeast

  India has opened its longest bridge in the country’s northeast to strengthen its defenses close to a disputed border with China. The bridge is one of several projects whose construction has been sped up to make it easier for troops and artillery to travel to Arunachal Pradesh state, in the Himalayas. China claims the state as its territory. It calls the area South Tibet. The 9.15-kilometer-long Dhola Sadiya Bridge crosses over the Brahmaputra River. It has been designed to carry the weight of 60-ton battle tanks. The bridge connects Arunachal Pradesh with the northeastern state of Assam. Construction began in 2011. Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the bridge on the day marking his third year in office. He did not talk about possible military uses for the bridge. He said instead that the area will benefit from the bridge. He said it would speed up economic development in both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states and would help tens of thousands of farmers sell their crops in new markets. Since he took office in 2014, Modi has worked to increase the country’s economic growth through infrastructure projects. They include several projects in border regions of northeastern states that the government says are needed to strengthen India’s defenses. For many years, India did not improve infrastructure in the region because it believed Chinese troops would use it in a war to gain access to areas of India. Indian and Chinese troops clashed briefly in 1962. Negotiations have taken place since then, but parts of their border are still disputed. Dipankar Banerjee is a security expert and former Indian major general. He says that, in the past, experts believed that if India built roads close to the border then the roads “could perhaps be used for (an) offensive purpose by either side. So there was some constraint on building roads.” India hopes to complete a two-lane road by next year to a border area in Arunachal Pradesh, where all military supplies must now be transported by helicopter. Building the road near steep Himalayan mountains has been a difficult engineering problem. Some road-building equipment had to be transported to the area by helicopters. India is also improving landing runways for large military aircraft. Indian experts say the projects will help India in its efforts to match the large transportation network China has built on its side of the border. Banerjee says “China has got much better infrastructure -- that is one of the major issues.” Recently, Home Minister Rajnath Singh called on troops guarding the border to guard against Chinese attacks. “We want peace, but peace with honor. We need to be capable of deterring anyone who may think we are weak,” Singh told members of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police force that guards parts of the border with China. Ties between the two countries have worsened in the past year. Last month, China strongly criticized a visit by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh. It warned that the visit would harm relations with India. I’m Mario Ritter.   Correspondent Anjana Pasricha reported this story from New Delhi. We also used reporting from the BBC. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region or organization to function properly region – n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way constraint – n. something that limits or restricts someone or something deter – v. to prevent (something) from happening  

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Former Panama Dictator Manuel Noriega Dies at 83

  Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega died in a Panama City hospital on Monday. He was 83 years old. Noriega had been in a coma since March. He had been recovering from several operations related to removing cancer from his brain earlier this year. Noriega ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989. His time in power is remembered as a time of corruption and violence in the Central American country.     Before and during his rule, Noriega received millions of dollars in payments from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In exchange, he provided intelligence to the U.S. government. He reported on events in Panama and the rest of Latin America. At the time, a number of rebel groups operated in the area. Noriega informed the CIA about guerilla and terrorist activities. The United States used his information to seize illegal drugs at sea and follow the secret movement of money in and out of Panama’s banks. But his relations with the U.S. government worsened after a political opponent was killed in 1985. In addition, Noriega appeared to begin working with the drug traffickers. Members of Panama’s military attempted to overthrow him but failed. The leaders of the attempted rebellion were arrested and executed without being tried. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush ordered 28,000 U.S. troops to invade Panama, oust Noriega from power and capture him.   During the operation, 23 American troops were killed. More than 300 others were wounded. The U.S. military estimates 200 Panamanian civilians died and 314 soldiers were killed. After Noriega’s capture, he was brought to the United States to face legal action. He was tried and jailed for 17 years after being found guilty on drug trafficking charges. In 2007, Noriega was sent to France, where he was jailed on money-laundering charges. He was returned to Panama in 2011 and imprisoned.   After Noriega was ousted, economic conditions in Panama seemed to improve. The United States gave the Panamanian government control of the Panama Canal in 1999. Panama expanded the waterway. The number of foreigners visiting the country has increased and property values have risen. But the country of 3.9 million people still suffers from the corruption that worsened during Noriega’s rule. And drug traffickers and money launderers still operate there. Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela said on the social networking website Twitter that Noriega’s death “closes a chapter in our history.” Varela said Noreiga’s wife and three daughters have a right to bury him in peace. I’m Alice Bryant. VOA’s Chris Hannas wrote this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report for Learning English. He also used information from the Associated Press and Reuters news agencies. George Grow 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   coma – n. a state in which a sick or injured person is unconscious for a long time traffic – v. to buy or sell something especially illegally  launder – v. to put (money that you got by doing something illegal) into a business or bank account in order to hide where it really came from  

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Experimental Super-Fast Spaceplane May Be Coming Soon

  A new airplane may soon be able to travel into space at more than five times the speed of sound. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, announced last Wednesday that a project by the aerospace company Boeing was making progress. DARPA said Boeing will “complete advanced design work” for an experimental space plane. DARPA is an agency in the United State Department of Defense. It creates new technology for the American military. The experimental spaceplane is called the XS-1, or the ‘Phantom Express.’ It would operate without a human pilot. The goal of the project is make it easier to reach low earth orbit, between 160 and 2,000 kilometers above the surface of the Earth. For example, the spaceplane could be used to launch a satellite very quickly. Currently, a lost military or commercial satellite might take months to replace. By 2020, the project could make it possible to launch one of the XS-1 vehicles 10 times within 10 days. Jess Sponable is the DARPA program manager. In a press release, she said DARPA was pleased with Boeing’s earlier work on the project. She added the Phantom Express spaceplane would reduce the cost of space launches to one tenth of their current levels and would make them possible “on demand.” “The XS-1 would be neither a traditional airplane nor a [normal] launch vehicle, but rather a combination of the two,” said Sponable. DARPA reports that the Phantom Express will be about the size and weight of a business jet. Instead of using rockets to launch, it will use self-contained, super cold fuel. Right before reaching outer space, the plane would launch a smaller rocket . This would be able to lift a satellite weighing up to 1,360 kilograms into low Earth orbit. The XS-1 would then return to Earth, landing like a normal plane. DARPA said the plane could then possibly be reused “within hours.” The Phantom Express could fly as a fast as Mach 10, or ten times the speed of sound, DARPA said. But the XS-1 is still years away from completion. DAPRA reported testing of the plane’s engines on the ground is not planned to start until 2019. I’m Pete Musto. This report first appeared on voanews.com Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What sorts of other new technology do you think may be coming soon? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   aerospace – adj. related to the development of airplanes and spacecraft advanced – adj. not basic, well developed, using new methods commercial – adj. related to the buying or selling of goods jet – n. a fast airplane that has one or more jet engines

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Political Beliefs Divide Small Town in Wisconsin

Editor's Note: VOA reporters recently traveled to rural areas along the Mississippi River to speak with the "forgotten men and women" who are supporters of President Donald Trump. They spoke to farmers, factory workers, and retirees in largely white, Christian middle class communities. This is one of their stories.   Dick Becker is hopeful about his hometown of Lancaster, in Grant County, Wisconsin. He also feels hopeful about the United States under the leadership of Donald Trump. “They need to give him a chance!” he said. Becker says that most voters in Lancaster supported Trump in the 2016 elections because he promised to change the direction of the country. He adds that many people who had voted in earlier elections for President Barack Obama were dissatisfied with him. “People I talk to did not like the way things were going,” he said. “People were fed up with politics as usual and they wanted a change.” Becker says he hopes Americans get behind Trump, “because if he does well, everybody does well.” Becker says he and other Grant County voters supported candidate Trump at a time when the local economy was expanding. Becker sells clothing and shoes at a store in Lancaster. He sees people spending time and money in the store where he works. He also sees them at a local jewelry store, gift shops, the drug store, and restaurants. Many people in small, rural communities drive an hour or more to buy things in a larger city. But Becker says Lancaster -- with a population of 3,868 -- has changed that trend. He says people come from as far away as Madison -- Wisconsin’s capital -- to visit his store and to experience the friendliness of a small town.   Becker says, “You can’t get the customer service and the quality you have here.” But while Lancaster’s economy is good, many smaller towns in Wisconsin are suffering. Becker says Grant County has been helped by economic development that was begun with federal and state money. He says some small manufacturers and food-processing centers opened nearby, creating hundreds of jobs. But he says the area has the same political disputes as many parts of the country. Some people defend President Trump as a businessman who speaks plainly. Others dislike the words he uses and his budget plans, which they believe will harm social services. Becker said he also does not like some of the things the president has said. But he likes to think mainly about Trump’s hopes for the future.   “I agree with what he says -- I want to see businesses come back to this country,” Becker said. He also agrees with Trump’s energy policies. Energy is an important subject in rural areas, where farms need fuel and nitrogen for fertilizer. Becker notes that Trump “wants to tap into more of our energy reserves.” He says, “I like that because I don’t want to give our money to other countries. Why should we buy oil from Iran or Venezuela when we have our own?” But Becker, like most other people in the county, said he does not like to talk about politics too much with his neighbors and friends. He says he wants to avoid arguments and keep a feeling of unity in the community.   VOA Correspondent Greg Flakus reported this story from Lancaster, Wisconsin. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow 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   fed up – adj. very tired of something; angry about something that has continued for a long time get behind – phrasal verb to support (someone or something) shop – n. a building or room where goods and services are sold trend – n. a general direction of change; a way of behaving, proceeding, etc., that is developing and becoming more common plainly – adverb in a simple, honest and direct way tap into – expression to understand and express something such as people’s beliefs or attitudes      

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Lesson 14: How About This?

Summary Anna is going to the theater with her friends. She does not know what to wear. She looks in a magazine to get help and gets a surprise. Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words. Learn two ways to make a suggestion. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about clothes with a friend. Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn about describing clothing with color words. Conversation Anna: Hi, there! In Washington, D.C. people do many things in the evening. They go listen to music. They eat at a restaurant. They go to the theater. Anna: Tonight I am going to the theater with my friends. But I don’t know what clothes to wear. Maybe this magazine can help. Anna: Her clothes are beautiful! I really want a friend like her to help me. Anna: Who are you? Genie: I am Genie! You want help. I am here to help you find the right clothes! Anna: Awesome! How about jeans and a t-shirt? Genie: No! Jeans and a t-shirt are too casual. How about something more formal? Anna: Sure! Anna: Wow! Genie, this dress is beautiful. But it’s not the right size. It’s too small. Genie: Yes, it is too small. But green looks great on you. Anna: Thanks. Genie: Take off the green dress. Let’s try a green shirt and a skirt. Anna: Oh, Genie! This green shirt is too large and this orange skirt is too orange. Genie: Yes, the right size for you is medium. Let’s try again. Anna: Oh, I don’t like this outfit. Genie: No. That does not match. Anna: Nothing. Anna: These clothes are formal: a suit jacket, a dress shirt and a tie! They look great! Genie: Those clothes look great … for a man! Something is wrong. Anna: Let me see. Anna: There. Now try. Genie: Oh. Thanks! Now these clothes look great on you! Anna: They do! Um, Genie, can you put on a gold belt? Genie: Sure! Genie: That looks great. Anna: Can you put on a jacket? Genie: Why not? Anna: I love the jacket! How about a hat? Genie: Why not? Genie: Mm, take off the hat. That’s better. Anna: Genie, these clothes look and feel great! Let’s go to the theater! Genie: Sorry, Anna. I have to help other friends. Go to the magazine if you want me to help again. Anna: Thanks, Genie. Sure thing. Goodbye! Genie: Goodbye! Anna: There are many places in DC to go for a great evening out!  And it’s nice to have a friend to help me look my best. Until next time! Bye!      Writing What do you like to wear to go out in the evening?  What are you wearing today? Send us an email ​about your clothes and their colors and sizes or write in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend.     Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Personalize. Learning English is easier when you think about how what you learn relates to yourself. Here is an example. Meilin is learning about clothing words. She looks at her own clothes and says to herself, "My sweater is green. I am wearing blue jeans." Meilin looks at her English lesson. She sees a photo of a woman in black jeans. She says to her classmate, "I don't like black jeans. Do you?" Meilin is using the strategy "personalize" because she is speaking English to tell about herself and her own likes or dislikes. Tomorrow she will remember the words better, because she is thinking about herself when she says them.  How do you personalize 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.   Listening Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. ​______________________________________________________________ New Words casual - adj. designed for or permitting ordinary dress, behavior, etc clothes - n. the things that people wear to cover their bodies and that are usually made from cloth formal - adj. requiring or using serious and proper clothes and manners large -  adj. great in size or amount magazine - n. a type of thin book with a paper cover that contains stories, essays, pictures, etc. man - n. an adult male human being match – v.to be suited to (someone or something); to go well with (someone or something) medium - n. something that is sold in a medium size; something that is the middle size when compared with things that are larger and smaller music - n. sounds that are sung by voices or played on musical instruments nothing -pron. not anything; not a thing outfit - n. a set of clothes that are worn together put on -  phrasal verb to dress yourself in (clothing) restaurant - n. a place where you can buy and eat a meal size - n. one of a series of standard measurements in which clothing, shoes, etc., are made take off - phrasal verb to remove (something) theater - n. a building where plays, shows, etc., are performed on a stage too - adv. usually used at the end of a sentence or clause; in addition; also wear – v. to use or have (something) as clothing; to have (a shirt, pants, etc.) over part of your body ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials   Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice talking about clothing and colors with a friend.   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: Position of adjectives before nouns; use of two phrasal verbs: put on and take off Topics: Describing clothing colors and sizes; making a suggestion and giving compliments Learning Strategy: Personalize Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Making a suggestion; using color adjectives with nouns ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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Walking: The 'Wonder Drug'

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. If you want to get healthy or stay healthy, there is one easy activity to add to your day – walking. "Walking is the closest thing we have to a wonder drug,” says Thomas Friedman. Friedman is the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. And he is not alone in considering walking a great exercise. Health experts at the Mayo Clinic, the American Heart Association, the Arthritis Foundation, Harvard Medical School and many other health research groups agree. You may think that simply taking a walk is not enough to make a big difference. You might think that you need do something strenuous like running to stay healthy. Well, a new study says that is not true. It finds that walking may be as good for us as running. Running is a high-impact activity and can be hard on the body. So, many people cannot run. Walking, it seems, has all of the advantages and none of the disadvantages of running. The American Heart Association explains the findings on its website. Walking quickly, or briskly, can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California did the study. Over a six-year period, they studied about 33,000 runners in the National Runners’ Health Study and just over 15,000 walkers in the National Walkers’ Health Study. The researchers found that the same energy used for brisk walking and vigorous running “resulted in similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and possibly coronary heart disease over the study’s six years.” The study also found that the more people walked or ran each week, the more their health benefits increased. Walking is easy, fun and accessible Dr. Russell Pate is a professor of exercise science at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. He is also a volunteer at the American Heart Association. He commented on the study on the association’s website. Pate says the health benefits of walking are not "all or nothing." If your goal is to walk for 30 minutes a day, you can split that into three 10 minute walks.  Walking, he adds, has the lowest dropout rate of any exercise. People who start walking regularly usually stick with it. Pate says what many other health experts say: Walking is one of the easiest and safest exercises a person can do. With walking, he says, there is no learning curve. That means you do not need to learn a lot to get results. Walking requires no special skills or equipment. You can do it anywhere. It fits easily into your daily schedule. You can walk at work. You can park father away from a store entrance. You can take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walking is a great exercise for beginners. If you are out of shape or getting back into shape after an illness or accident, walking is perfect. You can do a little at a time, or as we like to say, take "baby steps." So, walking lowers your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. But many other studies have found that walking benefits the body and mind in other ways. For example, regular brisk walking can help you: Keep a healthy weight. Improve your mood. Walking releases natural pain­killing chemicals in the body. A study at California State University, Long Beach showed that the more steps people took during the day, the better their moods were. Sharpens your mind. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, studied 6,000 women ages 65 and older. They found that age-related memory loss was lower for those who walked more. Keeps your joints healthy. The Arthritis Foundation (U.S.) explains on its website that most of the material that makes up our joints has no direct blood supply. Our joints get "nutrition from joint fluid that circulates as we move." When you walk, your joints get this "life-giving fluid," which means your joints stay stronger. Improve your creativity. A 2014 study by Stanford University found that walking, indoors or outdoors, improved the ability to think creatively and solve problems.   Best of all, you can easily change where, when and how you walk. You can walk with your friends, co-workers, family or your dog. Or you can walk alone. The faster, farther and more often you walk, the greater the benefits. And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo ... … and I’m Mario Ritter.   How much do you walk every day? Let us know in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   wonder drug - n. a very effective drug or cure strenuous - adj. requiring or showing great energy and effort impact - n.  the act or force of one thing hitting another advantage - n.  something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others disadvantage - n.  something that causes difficulty : something that makes someone or something worse or less likely to succeed than others brisk - adj. moving or speaking quickly : quick and efficient vigorous - adj. done with great force and energy coronary - adj. of or relating to the heart and especially to the vessels that supply blood to the heart learning curve - n. the rate at which someone learns something new : the course of progress made in learning something. < The job has a very steep learning curve. [=there is a large amount that has to be learned quickly in order to do the job] > mood - n. the way someone feels : a person's emotional state circulate - v. to move without stopping through a system, place, etc.

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Millions Displaced by Violence, Disasters

More than 30 million people were displaced within their own countries last year. That number comes from a new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Norwegian Refugee Council. The two groups blame criminal violence and natural disasters for driving millions of people from their homes. The report also found that nearly 7 million people were newly displaced in 2016. Jan Egeland is the Director-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. “When a family is pushed out of their home, sometimes for years, it is a sign something is wrong in a nation, the locality, but also in international relations,” Egeland said. The country with the most newly internally displaced persons in 2016 was the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC. More than 922,000 people were driven from their homes because of conflict. The report found that the DRC had more newly displaced people than Syria and Iraq. Syria was second with 824,000 while Iraq was third with 659,000 displaced persons. Egeland said three provinces in the DRC -- North and South Kivu and Kasai -- are where most of the displacements took place. Afghanisan, Nigeria and Yemen all had nearly half a million or more internally displaced persons. Internal displacement is a more common problem than refugees driven from their country, Egeland said. “Internally displaced people now outnumber refugees by two to one,” he said. Alexandra Bilak is the director of the International Displacement Monitoring Center. She says displacement can be only the start for some people. “We need to acknowledge that without the right kind of support and protection, a person internally displace today may become a refugee, an asylum seeker or an international migrant tomorrow,” she said. One major cause for displacement is criminal violence, the report said. That is the case in some places in Central America. In El Salvador, for example, drug-related violence caused 200,000 people to leave their homes in 2016. The other major cause is natural disasters, such as floods, storms, drought, and wildfires. In 2016, three times more people were displaced by such disasters than in 2015. Researchers worry that the number of people displaced by weather events will continue to rise because of extreme weather linked to climate change. The International Displacement Monitoring Center has called for more information about the internally displaced and more money to deal with the problem. The United Nations has called for cutting the number of the internally displaced in half by 2030. I’m Mario Ritter. Margaret Besheer reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story Displaced –adj. having been forced to leave one’s home Drought –n. a severe lack of rain for a long period of time We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.  

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US Congress Reviews Plan to Cut Education Budget

President Donald Trump’s first budget proposes a 13 percent cut in federal spending on education. But like most budget proposals, the United States Congress is sure to make changes. Tom Cole of Oklahoma is a member of the House of Representatives. He heads the House subcommittee that oversees federal spending on education. Cole belongs to the Republican Party, just like Trump. But at a hearing on Wednesday, he told Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that some of the proposed cuts are “short-sighted,” meaning not well thought out. Cole noted proposals to cut programs that provide part-time jobs for college students and help students from poor families attend college. “Frankly, I will advise you, I have a different point of view,” Cole told DeVos. Thinking of taxpayers Mick Mulvaney is director of the Office of Management and Budget. He said that Trump’s budget does what many earlier budget proposals did not -- consider the needs of Americans who pay for federal programs through taxes. “This is I think the first time in a long time that an administration has written a budget through the eyes of the people who are actually paying the taxes,” Mulvaney said. Some proposed cuts hit international programs The State Department oversees American education programs worldwide. The Trump budget proposes $148.6 million for international academic programs, down 52 percent from 2017. The largest one, the Fulbright Program, would be cut by 47 percent -- from $235.6 million in 2017 to $125.6 million. The Fulbright program offers federal money so Americans can study, teach and do research outside the United States. It also provides funding for international students and scholars at American colleges and research groups. The program was started in 1946, after World War II, and named for Senator, J. William Fulbright of Arkansas.  Among the federal programs proposed for elimination is the international food for education program. It provides food to students in poor countries. In its budget proposal, the Trump administration said the program has not been shown to be effective. English Language programs, which provide English teaching and teaching materials worldwide, would receive $10 million, down 75 percent from 2017. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the budget proposal for international education puts a priority on “proven successful programs, such as Fulbright and International Visitor Leadership.” The budget proposals are part of President Trump’s plan to put “America First,” in terms of spending decisions, he said. The visitor program brings current and future leaders from around the world to the U.S. to experience American culture, education and business first-hand. The Trump budget provides $49.3 million for the program, down about 45 percent from the current budget. The budget also calls for big cuts in scientific research at the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health. Much of the federally funded research is done by universities across the country. Mary Sue Coleman is president of the Association of American Universities. Coleman said that federally funded research by American colleges helped develop important medicines, created the internet, put a man on the moon and produced smart phones. She said cuts in research funding would badly damage the programs that produced “all those things.” Education Secretary DeVos said the cuts in education spending are designed, in part, to fund a program Trump proposed during the 2016 election campaign – “school choice.” It would give poor families the ability to choose the school their children attend -- whether public or private. DeVos said school choice would help low-income parents find a better school for their children when the local public school is not providing a good education. But opponents said school choice takes money away from public schools, which, unlike private schools, must accept all students, including those with learning problems. Derrell Bradford is the executive vice president of 50CAN, which supports school choice. He praises Trump for his school choice proposal, but opposes the proposed education spending cuts. “But people should know that this is a political document, the start of what will be a long process,” Bradford told VOA. “The majority of the cuts will not survive Congress.” I’m Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   frankly - adv. speaking in an honest and direct way view - n. opinion actually - adv. used to refer to what is true or real scholar - n. a person who has studied a subject for a long time and knows a lot about it elimination - n. to remove something priority - n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first

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Trump, Other Officials React to Oregon Train Killings

  President Donald Trump has condemned the killing in Oregon of two men who tried to stop another man from using anti-Muslim speech against two teenaged girls. A third man was injured in the violence. Trump tweeted a statement saying: “The victims were standing up to hate and intolerance.  Our Prayers are w/ them.”   On Friday, a man in the American city of Portland, Oregon, apparently shouted anti-Muslim words at two teenaged girls on a train. He then stabbed two people who tried to defend them. Those killed were Ricky John Best, aged 53, and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, aged 23. The two died from their wounds. A third person, Micah David-Cole Fletcher, was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. Portland Police said one of the two young women on the train was wearing a hijab, head covering. The suspect, identified as 35 year-old Jeremy Joseph Christian, shouted at them using, in their words, “hateful speech.” One of the young women involved, 16-year-old Destinee Mangum, told Portland’s KPTV television station: "He told us to go back to Saudi Arabia and he told us we shouldn't be here, to get out of his country." Mangum thanked those who came to her and her friend’s defense. “Without them, we probably would be dead right now," she said. The community’s response Local and state officials, denounced the incident saying attacks of this kind have no place in their communities or the United States. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said, "Two men lost their lives standing up to somebody spewing hateful words directed at Muslim passengers on an afternoon commuter train." ​He continued saying, "Our current political climate allows far too much room for those who spread bigotry. Violent words can lead to violent acts. All elected leaders in America, all people of good conscience, must work deliberately to change our political dialogue." Oregon Governor Kate Brown said she was "heartbroken" by the attack. "Safety while traveling through our community is a basic human right that we need to be able to guarantee to everyone, regardless of where they're from, or what they believe," she said. Jeff Merkley, a U.S. Senator representing Oregon, denounced the incident on Twitter. “We all stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters who've had to face discrimination and fear. This hatred is unacceptable and un-American.” Police are investigating the suspect Christian. They said he appears to have posted extremist ideas on social media.  ​ Thousands of people have given money to an online fundraising effort for the victims and their families.  As of Monday, the amount donated reached about $800,000. Minnesota representative Keith Ellison is the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress. He praised those killed in a statement. "They saw injustice being committed, racism being practiced, and they intervened," said Ellison.  He said they showed, “the best qualities of American heroes. And they were killed for it." Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi said that the attack showed an increase in hate-crimes against religious and ethnic groups during the past year. I’m Phil Dierking   ­­­­­­­­­­­­This story was originally written for VOA News. Phil Dierking adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What do you think is the best way to stand up to racism?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________ Words in This Story bigotry - n. act that are strongly and unfairly against other people, ideas, etc. ​ conscience - n.  the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong​ dialogue - n.  discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement​ extremism - n. belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable​ hijab - n. head covering worn in public by some Muslim women. ideology - n. the set of ideas and beliefs of a group or political party​ spew - v. to flow out of something in a fast and forceful way​

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