What’s Your Flavor?

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  What’s Your Flavor?

I went out of town last week to see family in the central northern state of Minnesota. The weather was mixed, the relatives were warm and the food was great. I ate what I would call a “very American” diet during my travels. Seafood, hamburger, lasagne and pizza.  But those foods can be found anywhere. What makes them different is how they are cooked and what seasonings are used.
My scallops were cooked in butter and lemon with a little parsley.  The hamburger was grilled with salt and pepper. I added ketchup and mustard. The lasagne had some oregano. The pizza was Neapolitan style with good olive oil, tomatoes and mozzarella di buffala cheese. I added lots of basil, capers and hot peppers.
These are some of the flavors I love and that I link with American cuisine. But I also could not live without cumin, cardamom, lemongrass, dill, ginger and rosemary.  Those flavors make me think of India, Thailand, France and other places.
Herbs and spices do more than just add flavor. You can find out about their health benefits in our story.
What do you like to eat? What spices do you often reach for when you cook? Confess your spicy stories here and improve your written English at the same time!

This 'Swan Song' Is My 'Last Hurrah'

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Goodbye Dear Readers: This Is My Swan Song! My Last Hurrah!

Now, the Special English program Words and Their Stories.
The white swan, with its long, graceful neck, is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.

In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song just before it dies.

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this 2,300 years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.

The story of the swan’s last song found a place in the works of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.

And, the expression "swan song" has long been a part of the English language. At first, "swan song" meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone’s swan song usually is also considered that person’s finest work.

A political expression with a similar meaning is the "last hurrah." The expression may be used to describe a politician’s last campaign -- his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The "last hurrah" also can mean the last acts of a politician before his term in office ends.

Writer Edwin O’Connor made the expression popular in 1956. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book The Last Hurrah.

Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson, America’s seventh president. They cheered "hurrah!" so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as "the hurrah boys."

Jackson’s hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson’s choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.

A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words, “by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson.”  So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.


TRASLATION:
 BY

A political expression with a similar meaning is the "last hurrah." The expression may be used to describe a politician’s last campaign -- his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The "last hurrah" also can mean the last acts of a politician before his term in office ends.

Una expresión política con un significado similar es el " última hurra. " La expresión puede ser usada describir la última campaña de un político - su tentativa final de ganar los aplausos y los votos de las personas. El " último hurra " también puede significar(pensar) los últimos actos de un político antes de su término a finales de oficina.

Swan= cisne

ANSWER:
HOW IS A SWAN?
DO YOU KNOW A SWAN?
WHERE DO YOU LOOK A SWAN?
DO YOU LIKE A SWAN?

GOOD LOOK!

How Did You Get so Intelligent?

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How Did You Get so Intelligent?

How Did You Get so Intelligent?

 

 You may have heard people say that hard work is more important than the intelligence you are born with. Recently, researchers noted changes in the brains of individuals immediately after they were told this.
Hans Schroder led a study at Michigan State University. Mr. Schroder is a student at the university. As he noted, whether or not what people were told was true, “giving people messages that encourage learning and motivation may promote more efficient performance.”
In the study, two groups read different stories about intelligence.  One story said intelligence levels are a product of our genetic material and cannot be changed. The researchers called this, the “fixed mindset.” The other story discussed how difficult living environments probably made individuals like Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein highly intelligent. Researchers called this the “growth mindset.”
Later, the researchers tested the groups’ members on what they had just read. Mr. Schroeder and his team watched their brain activity as they answered questions about the main subjects in the story.
The researchers say they found that small messages about our abilities can have a big effect on our beliefs about what we are able to do.
The people who read that intelligence comes from genes worked to answer the questions correctly. But their test results did not improve on later exams.
But the opposite was true among those who read that intelligence can come from hard work. They showed what the researchers called a more efficient brain response after they were told their answer was wrong. This suggests they thought they could give the correct answer on the next test. And the more these individuals thought about their mistakes, the faster they answered the questions on the next test.
The researchers say the study showed that those who had a growth mindset made efforts to improve and adapt. They say even a small amount of time spent on changing the mindset, or beliefs, of individuals can affect how their brain operates. In their words, “messages about how much our abilities can change affect learning, achievement, and performance.”
The study was published in the journal Biological Psychology.
I’m Christopher Cruise.
VOA correspondent Faith Lapidus reported this story from Washington. Christopher Cruise wrote it for Learning English. George Grow edited it. 
____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

intelligence/intelligent - adj., quick to understand or learn
study - v., to make an effort to gain knowledge by using the mind; to examine carefully  
different - adj., not the same
effect - n., the result or change caused by something -- “The storm had a serious effect on the economy.”
correct - adj., true; free from mistakes; v., to change to what is right

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Scientists Discover Secrets of Coffee

An international team of researchers has created a sequence, or map, of the genes of the coffee plant known as Robusta. About one-third of the coffee drunk worldwide comes from this plant.
The researchers call coffee “the irresistible bean that delivers the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world.”
Researchers hope to use the map they created to make changes to the plant’s genes.
The researchers were surprised to discover the genes for caffeine. They discovered coffee’s caffeine genes are not linked to the caffeine genes in the cacao tree. Cacao beans are used to make chocolate.
With the new gene map, researchers say they may be able to develop plants that can survive climate change. They may also be able to create a coffee plant that does not have caffeine. The researchers say that would let growers and coffee makers produce coffee that tastes better than the kind that has the caffeine removed.
We drink 2.5 billion cups of coffee every day. Coffee is the main agricultural crop in many tropical countries.
The genetic map of the coffee plant Robusta was published in the journal Science. The researchers say the plant “joins a long list of crop species that have been sequenced using ever-improving” computer programs.  
I’m Christopher Cruise.
VOA health correspondent Jessica Berman reported this story from Washington. Christopher Cruise wrote it for Learning English. Jeri Watson edited it. 
_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

psychoactive – adj. having an effect on the brain; used to describe the effects of a drug     
plant - v. to put into the ground to grow; n. a living growth from the ground which gets its food from air, water and earth
map - n. a picture of the earth’s surface or a part of it
discover - v. to find or learn something
produce - v. to make; to create; to cause something to be; to manufacture
crop(s) - n. plants that are grown and gathered for food, such as grains, fruits and vegetables

Now it’s your turn to use these Words in This Story. In the comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar.

Ahora [esto es su vuelta] [es su turno] para usar estas Palabras en Esta Historia. En la sección de comentarios, escriba una sentencia(oración) que usa una de estas palabras y proporcionaremos la regeneración sobre su empleo de vocabulario y gramática. 


TEXT TRADUCCION

Un equipo internacional de investigadores ha creado una secuencia, o el mapa, de los genes de la planta de café sabida(conocida) como Robusta. Aproximadamente un tercio del café bebió [bebido]por todo el mundo viene de esta planta...

Los investigadores llaman el café " el frijol irresistible que entrega la medicina(droga) el [la] más extensamente consumida psicoactiva en el mundo. "

Los investigadores esperan usar el mapa que ellos crearon para hacer cambios a los genes de la planta.

Los investigadores esperan usar el mapa que ellos crearon para hacer cambios a los genes de la planta.

Los investigadores estuvieron sorprendidos de descubrir los genes para la cafeína. Ellos descubrieron que los genes de cafeína del café no son unidos para los genes de cafeína en el árbol de cacao. Los frijoles de cacao son usados para hacer el chocolate

Bebemos 2.5 mil millones de tazas del café cada día. El café es la cosecha principal agrícola en muchos países tropicales.

El mapa genético de la planta de café Robusta fue publicado en el diario la Ciencia. Los investigadores dicen que la planta " une una lista larga de especie de cosecha que ha sido la utilización ordenada alguna-vez-mejorando " programas del ordenador.




TRADUCCION BY:

  

Apple Unveils Smartwatch, Bigger iPhones

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The American technology company Apple has released a new smartwatch, known as the Apple Watch, and iPhones with bigger screens. The Apple Watch is the first Apple product to be developed by the company under Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook. Mr. Cook became CEO in 2011, just a few weeks before the death of company co-founder Steve Jobs. The watch will let people watch their health, and will include maps. It will also permit wearers to enter rooms by unlocking the doors. It will cost $349 and will be available early next year. Mr. Cook also presented two new models of the company’s iPhone. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have larger screens and more power. The iPhone has been sold worldwide since 2007. The South Korean technology company Samsung sells many more mobile phones worldwide than Apple does. But Apple is still one of the most valuable companies in the world. Apple said the smaller iPhone 6 will cost $199. It is about 12 centimeters long. The iPhone 6 Plus is almost 14 centimeters long. It will cost $299 for the lowest amount of storage. Both of the phones will be available on September 19. The company also said it is starting a new mobile payments service. Apple Pay will let users pay for products using their phones, instead of traditional credit or debit cards. I’m Jim Tedder. VOA correspondent Alex Villareal reported this story from Washington. Christopher Cruise wrote it for Learning English. Hai Do edited it. ______________________________________________________________ And now, words in this story available - adj., present and ready for use; willing to serve or help. (“There was a list of available candidates.”) valuable - n., the quality of being useful, important or desired; the amount of money that could be received if something is sold storage/store - v., to keep or put away for future use; n., place where people buy things traditional/tradition - n., a ceremony, activity or belief that has existed for a long time In the comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar.

TECHNOLOGY PROVIDE NEW TOOLS FOR REPORTERS

Internet, Technology Provide New Tools for Reporters The Internet and technology developments are quickly changing how people receive news and how reporters provide it. There are now more ways than ever to tell a story. A university in the western American city of Los Angeles, California has built a high-tech newsroom to train student reporters how to work in the new world of journalism. Faith Miller is one of those students. She says working in the newsroom taught her how much time and effort is needed to report a story. “I did not expect that in school I would be reporting on real stories and I did not know how much work goes into it.” Ms. Miller attends the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Journalism. Earlier generations of reporters worked either in newsrooms or as television or radio broadcasters. But today, members of the press must be able to report news in all the ways people want to receive it. Willow Bay is the director of the Annenberg School of Journalism. She says reporters today must know how to use technology to help them tell stories. “Today we expect journalists to be able to use all sorts of technological tools to research stories, to vet that research, to analyze that research. We expect them to be fluid in multimedia storytelling skills. We expect them increasingly to be their own marketing and distribution arms, to get their stories in front of audiences and to spread those stories as far as they can.” They learn all those skills in the school’s new media center. It was built like a newsroom. In the center of the newsroom is the assignment desk. That is where reporters learn what they are to investigate and report about. The newsroom has many televisions. The center also has more than 90 work areas where students can work with others on reports for television, radio and the internet. Robert Hernandez is a professor of digital journalism. He says reporters in the future must be at ease using new technology. He says they should also learn computer programming languages. “They need to know how the Web works and be able to tinker with it.” Professor Hernandez says there are many ways reporters can tell stories today. “You can do a 360 panorama through your phone. We can talk about what a tornado looks like, how it rips trees out of the ground. Through their phone there’s an app to kind of stitch them together.” Serena Cha is the director of the media center. She says students there are learning how to use new technology responsibly. “In the journalism arena we’ve got to consider carefully: How do we teach students to use the tools responsibly? Yes, new technology often raises new questions because you’re able to manipulate reality even more than before.” The media center at Annenberg offers many tools of the field. But, students also study the skills linked to traditional journalism: how to write an interesting story that is based on facts, fairness and balance. I’m Caty Weaver. ______________________________________________________________ Words in the News technology - n. the use of scientific knowledge and methods to produce goods and services news - n. information about any recent events, especially as reported by the media story - n. the telling or writing of an event, either real or imagined future - n. time after now (“We can talk about it in the future.”); adj. in the time to come (“All future meetings will be held in this room.”) tradition/traditional - n. a ceremony, activity or belief that has existed for a long time Now it’s your turn to use these Words in the News. In the comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar.

Syria Asks for Help to Fight Islamic State

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VOASites by Language September 13, 2014 16:51 UTC In the News Syria Asks for Help to Fight Islamic State An Islamic State militant announce to residents of Taqba city that Tabqa air base has fallen to Islamic State militants, in nearby Raqqa city August 24, 2014. Islamic State militants stormed the air base in northeast Syria on Sunday, An Islamic State militant announce to residents of Taqba city that Tabqa air base has fallen to Islamic State militants, in nearby Raqqa city August 24, 2014. Islamic State militants stormed the air base in northeast Syria on Sunday, [Pin It] 08/25/2014 In the News 08-25-14 Update Playlist Download (right-click or option-click and save) Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem says his nation is willing to work with the international community in the fight against Islamic State militants. He also appealed to others to end their support for the militants. The official spoke Monday; the day after Syria lost a major airbase in the northern Raqqa province. Mr. Moallem said, “My government is ready to cooperate and coordinate both regionally and internationally to fight terrorism.” He said that the Islamic State militants and Jabhat al-Nusrat, another jihadist group, are more dangerous than the Taliban or al-Qaida. The two groups have fought against the U.S. and its NATO allies since 2001 But, Mr. Moallem warned against U.S. airstrikes in Syria. He said any action in Syria must be approved by Syria. He warned that Syria could attempt to shoot down U.S. warplanes that take action without approval. The Syrian foreign minister also accused both Qatar and Turkey of supporting the militants. Ukraine Says Russian Military Has Crossed Its Border A top Ukrainian official said Monday Russian tanks and other military vehicles had crossed into southeastern Ukraine. A spokesman for Ukraine's National Security Council, Andriy Lysenko, said the group of 10 tanks, two armored vehicles and two trucks crossed the border near Shcherbak. He said the Russian military vehicles were flying flags of separatist Donetsk rebels. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters he had not heard about the border crossing. He said "there is plenty of misinformation" about invasions. Thousands Attend Teenager’s Funeral in Ferguson Mourners sang, clapped and danced on Monday at funeral services for Michael Brown. A white police officer shot and killed the unarmed teen August ninth. His death led to several days of protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Some were violent. Brown’s father appealed for calm before the funeral. He said, "All I want is peace while my son is laid to rest. Please, please. I'd like a day of silence so we can lay our son to rest. Please. That's all I ask. And, thank you." New Prime Minister in Thailand The army general who led the May 22nd overthrow in Thailand has officially taken office as prime minister. General Prayuth Chan-ocha bowed before a large photograph of King Bhumibol Adulyadej after an order from the King was read. The order inaugurated the general as Thailand’s 29th prime minister. Fighting Continues in Gaza Israeli airstrikes killed eight more people in Gaza on Monday. It was the 49th day of the conflict in Gaza. The Israeli army said Hamas militants fired 80 rockets across the border into Israel. No one was hurt in those attacks. ______________________________________________________________ Words in the News community – n. a group of people living together in one place or area tank – n. a large container for holding liquids; a heavy military vehicle with guns calm – adj. quiet; peaceful; opposite of tense overthrow – v. to remove from power; to defeat or end by force hurt – v. to cause pain, injury or damage Now, it’s your turn to use these Words in the News. In the comment section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on the use of vocabulary and grammar.

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