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miércoles, 12 de abril de 2023

Report: Chinese Ships Keep Training after End of Exercises


Chinese navy ships reportedly remained in waters around Taiwan on Tuesday, a day after China said it had ended military exercises in the area. Chinese state media reported the ships continued to carry out “actual combat training” as of Tuesday morning, Reuters news agency reported. The military exercises – which China said ended Monday – were held in answer to a visit by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States last week. During her visit, Tsai met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles, California. China had warned the U.S. government not to permit Tsai to visit or meet with McCarthy. China sees such meetings as showing support for Taiwanese voters and politicians who support full independence for Taiwan.
In this Xinhua News Agency photo, a Chinese fighter jet pilot takes part in combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island on Sunday, April 9, 2023. (Mei Shaoquan/Xinhua via AP)

China considers Taiwan a rebel territory. Chinese officials have said the government plans to one day reclaim the territory and would use force to do so if necessary. Taiwan rejects China’s territorial claims.

Although China said Monday night the drills had ended, state television reported that several warships "continued to carry out actual combat training in the waters around Taiwan.” The report said the exercises were continuing “to test the organizational and command capabilities of commanders at all levels and the combat effectiveness of weapons and equipment."

State television described some ships performing combat readiness exercises in waters off Taiwan's eastern coast. The exercises included air defense and anti-missile training, the report said.



Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks about recent Chinese military drills in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)


Taiwan's defense ministry said it had observed nine Chinese ships and 26 aircraft carrying out exercises around the island late Tuesday morning. The ministry said Taiwan's air force, navy and land-based missile crews were closely watching the situation.

Taiwan's government has repeatedly denounced the drills, but said it would not take any actions to escalate the exercises.

Writing on her Facebook page shortly before midnight on Monday, Tsai defended her trip to the U.S. She said that as president, "I represent my country to the world." She added that her visits overseas, including stops in the United States, were nothing new and something Taiwan's citizens expect to see.


In this Xinhua News Agency photo, a Chinese missile takes part in operations during the combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Liu Mingsong/Xinhua via AP)


"However, China used this to launch military exercises, causing instability in Taiwan and the region,” Tsai wrote. “This is not a responsible attitude for a major country," she said.

China's People's Liberation Army issued a threat as it ended the exercises. A statement was issued by the Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command. It said Chinese troops "can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ and foreign interference attempts.”

I’m Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

combat – n. a fight, especially during a war

capability – n. the ability or power to do something

escalate – v. to become worse or more serious

region – n. a particular area in a country or the world

resolute – adj. purposeful or determined

attitude – n. how someone thinks or feels about something


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sábado, 4 de febrero de 2023

Report: Half of US Mass Attacks Started by Personal, Workplace Disputes

A new government report says half of the mass attacks in the United States over the past few years started as personal, family, or workplace disputes. 

 The attackers, the report found, were mostly men. The attackers often have a history of mental health issues, money problems or domestic violence. Their weapons of choice: guns. 

 The report was released Wednesday by the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center.

The 70-page report studied 173 mass attacks carried out over a five-year period, from January 2016 to December 2020. The mass attacks happened in places such as businesses, schools and religious centers. The attacks killed a total of 513 people and injured 1,234.

 “It’s just happening way too often,” said Lina Alathari, the center’s director. 

 Alathari said that while the center did not study the two most recent shootings in California, there are themes seen “over and over again” when studying mass attacks. Officials said the suspects in both recent California shootings were older men. They both used semi-automatic guns.

Police officers detain a man, believed by law enforcement to be the Half Moon Bay mass shooting suspect, in Half Moon Bay, California, U.S., January 23, 2023, in this screengrab taken from a social media video. (Kati McHugh via REUTERS)


The report is the latest in a series undertaken by the center to examine mass attacks. Earlier reports examined the years of 2017, 2018 and 2019. But the new report noted that it examines several years of data, which offers more “in-depth analysis of the thinking and behavior of mass attackers.”

The center defines a mass attack as one in which three or more people — not including the attacker — were harmed.

The report noted that nearly two-thirds of attackers showed behaviors or communications “that were so concerning, they should have been met with an immediate response.” It said these concerns were often shared with law enforcement, employers, school workers or parents. But in 20 percent of the cases, the concerning behavior was not communicated to anyone who could do something about it.

Ninety-six percent of the attackers were men. The attackers ranged in age from 14 to 87.

The report called for greater attention toward violence at home. It noted that half of the attackers had a history of domestic violence or hatred toward women.

About half the attacks in the study involved workplace violence related to co-workers, customers or businesses. The report said workplaces should establish “behavioral threat assessment programs” to prevent possible violence. And it said businesses should work with law enforcement to deal with “incidents involving a concern for violence.”

The report also found that firearms were used in 73 percent of incidents.

Mass shootings happen often in the United States. But American lawmakers remain divided on how to deal with gun violence. Democrats are calling for more gun control measures, while Republicans’ calls center on mental health and increased security.

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded the right to carry guns outside the home. The court struck down a state law in New York that required people to show a specific need to carry a firearm in public.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

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Words in This Story

domestic - adj. relating to or involving someone's home

theme - n. a particular subject or issue that is discussed often and repeatedly

analysis - n. a careful study of something

response - n. something that is done as a reaction to something else

assessment - n. the act of making a judgement about something


OTHER TRASLATE:

A new government report says half of the mass attacks in the United States over the past few years started as personal, family, or workplace disputes. 

Un nuevo informe del Gobierno dice que la mitad de los ataques masivos en los Estados Unidos en los últimos años comenzaron como disputas personales, familiares o laborales.

The attackers, the report found, were mostly men. The attackers often have a history of mental health issues, money problems or domestic violence. Their weapons of choice: guns. 

Los atacantes, según el informe, eran en su mayoría hombres. Los atacantes a menudo tienen antecedentes de problemas de salud mental, problemas de dinero o violencia doméstica. Sus armas preferidas: pistolas...
...

The 70-page report studied 173 mass attacks carried out over a five-year period, from January 2016 to December 2020. The mass attacks happened in places such as businesses, schools and religious centers. The attacks killed a total of 513 people and injured 1,234.

El informe de 70 páginas estudió 173 ataques masivos llevados a cabo durante un período de cinco años, desde enero de 2016 hasta diciembre de 2020. Los ataques masivos ocurrieron en lugares como negocios, escuelas y centros religiosos. Los ataques mataron a un total de 513 personas e hirieron a 1.234.


It’s just happening way too often,” said Lina Alathari, the center’s director.

Simplemente sucede con demasiada frecuencia”, dijo Lina Alathari, directora del centro.

 Alathari said that while the center did not study the two most recent shootings in California, there are themes seen “over and over again” when studying mass attacks. Officials said the suspects in both recent California shootings were older men. They both used semi-automatic guns.

Alathari dijo que si bien el centro no estudió los dos tiroteos más recientes en California, hay temas que se ven “una y otra vez” al estudiar los ataques masivos. Las autoridades dijeron que los sospechosos de los dos tiroteos recientes en California eran hombres mayores. Ambos usaron armas semiautomáticas.

The report called for greater attention toward violence at home   El informe pidió una mayor atención hacia la violencia en el hogar.

undertaken  emprendida(femenino)

behavior of mass attackers.  comportamiento de los atacantes masivos.

harmed.  dañada.(femenino)

It said these concerns were often shared with law enforcement, employers, school workers or parents. But in 20 percent of the cases, the concerning behavior was not communicated to anyone who could do something about it.

Dijo que estas preocupaciones a menudo se compartían con la policía, los empleadores, los trabajadores escolares o los padres. Pero en el 20 por ciento de los casos, el comportamiento preocupante no se comunicó a nadie que pudiera hacer algo al respecto.

About half the attacks in the study involved workplace violence related to co-workers, customers or businesses. The report said workplaces should establish “behavioral threat assessment programs” to prevent possible violence. And it said businesses should work with law enforcement to deal with “incidents involving a concern for violence.”

Aproximadamente la mitad de los ataques en el estudio involucraron violencia en el lugar de trabajo relacionada con compañeros de trabajo, clientes o empresas. El informe dijo que los lugares de trabajo deberían establecer "programas de evaluación de amenazas de comportamiento" para prevenir posibles actos de violencia. Y dijo que las empresas deberían trabajar con las fuerzas del orden público para lidiar con “incidentes que involucren una preocupación por la violencia”.
Mass shootings happen often in the United States. But American lawmakers remain divided on how to deal with gun violence. Democrats are calling for more gun control measures, while Republicans’ calls center on mental health and increased security.
Los tiroteos masivos ocurren a menudo en los Estados Unidos. Pero los legisladores estadounidenses siguen divididos sobre cómo lidiar con la violencia armada. Los demócratas piden más medidas de control de armas, mientras que los republicanos se centran en la salud mental y una mayor seguridad.
Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded the right to carry guns outside the home. The court struck down a state law in New York that required people to show a specific need to carry a firearm in public.
En junio pasado, la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos amplió el derecho a portar armas fuera del hogar. El tribunal anuló una ley estatal en Nueva York que requería que las personas demostraran una necesidad específica de portar un arma de fuego en público.

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domingo, 1 de enero de 2023

Grammar for Making New Year’s Resolutions

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-for-making-new-year-s-resolutions/5226829.html 


The New Year can come on different dates for different cultures. Most of the Western world, for example, celebrates it on January 1st.

But one thing many cultures have in common is the idea of New Year’s resolutions. A New Year’s resolution is a personal goal to change unwanted behavior, make a life improvement or try something new. 

Popular New Year’s resolutions in the United States, for example, include losing weight, improving your finances, volunteering for a charity and spending less time on social media. 

 On today’s Everyday Grammar, we will show you how to talk about resolutions in English.
Asking a question 

First, let’s learn how to ask people about their resolutions. 

Listen to a short conversation

            Hey there, Jill. Happy New Year! Great to see you. 

            Hi, Jonathan. Happy New Year to you too! How was yours?

           It was crazy! We went to New York and watched the ball drop in Times 
           Square. Really crowded and loud – but still really fun. 

           Sweet! Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? 

       Jill asked Jonathan about resolutions simply by saying, “Do you have any New 
      Year’s resolutions?” 

 You can also say, “What are your New Year’s resolutions?” to ask about more than 
one or “What is your New Year’s resolution?” to ask about one. 

 Now, let’s find out how to answer the question.
Using phrasal verbs 

 When we make statements about our resolutions, we often use phrasal verbs. 

 We can use the phrasal verb “take up” to say that we will start a new activity as a hobby

 Listen to Jill and Jonathan continue their conversation: 

         Sweet! Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? 

         Yes, I do. I plan to take up kickboxing starting next week. I’m excited to
          finally do it rather than just talk about it! How about you? 

 Another phrasal verb for resolutions is “give up,” which is to stop doing or using 
something. We can use this verb to talk about ending bad habits or changing a 
behavior for a time. 

           Let’s hear Jill respond using the verb “give up”:

                        How about you? 

                       I am giving up sugar for the month of January. Then, for the rest of the year, 
                       I’m avoiding soft drinks.
  

                       Impressive! I wish I could join you but kickboxing class starts soon. I’ll 
                       probably want a sweet snack after class! 

 Another phrasal verb, “cut out,” has the same basic meaning as “give up.” For 
example, Jill could say, “I am cutting out sugar for the month of January.” But in many situations, we do not need phrasal verbs to talk about resolutions, as you will soon see.
Using future forms Next, let’s talk about verb tenses and forms. Jonathan talked about his new kickboxing hobby using the verb “plan” followed by the infinitive verb form and Jill talked about giving up sugar using the present continuous verb tense, also called “BE + ing.” We can also use the simple future tenses: one with “will” and the other with “going to.” These tenses are especially useful when the New Year has not come yet. Imagine it’s the last week of the year and a few people are talking to each other about resolutions: Here are some things you might hear: In 2020, I’m going to visit my parents every month. By January 1, I will end a few unhealthy friendships. In the new year, I’m going to walk 10,000 steps every day. When we use simple future tenses to talk about resolutions, we’re expressing that we are making a promise to or plan for ourselves. The noun “resolution” comes from the verb “resolve,” which means to make a serious decision to do something. Have you made a resolution?? #NewYearsResolution #Newbeginnings
Infinitives and gerunds You may have noticed that the statements so far today did not actually use the word “resolution.” That is because the subject was already known by the listeners. But it is still perfectly normal to start your statements with, “My New Year’s resolution is…” or “My New Year’s resolutions are…” An infinitive verb or a gerund must come after these phrases. Here is an example: My New Year’s resolution is to call my sister on video chat every week. The infinitive verb here is “to call.” You can also use a gerund, like this: My New Year’s resolution is calling my sister on video chat every week. Well, that’s all for today’s program. Tell us about your New Year’s resolutions in the comments below. Happy New Year! I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this lesson for Learning English. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story charity – n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, or otherwise in need conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people phrasal verb – n. a group of words that functions as a verb and is made up of a verb and a preposition or an adverb, or both hobby – n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working habit – n. something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way impressive – adj. deserving attention, admiration, or respect tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened chat – n. a talk held over the internet by people using a computer or phone Forum

sábado, 24 de diciembre de 2022

jueves, 22 de diciembre de 2022

ULTIMAS PALABRAS Y VOCABLOS ASÍ COMO MODIFICACIONES A ALGUNOS, PRESENTADAS POR LA REAL ACADEMIA DE LA LENGUA ESPAÑOLA

TENIENDO EN CUENTA QUE LA RAE ES LA INSTITUCI´´ON ACADÉMICA QUE TIENE A SU CARGO, TODAS LAS MODIFICACIONES, NUEVOS VOCABLOS Y DEMÁS ACEPTADOS EN LA LENGUA CASTELLANA, PRESENTAMOS A USTEDES UN LINK, YA QUE SON MÁS DE TRES MIL VOCABLOS Y PALABRAS ACEPTADAS POR LA REAL ACADEMIA DE LA LENGUA ESPAÑOLA https://www.rae.es/noticia/la-rae-presenta-las-novedades-del-diccionario-de-la-lengua-espanola-en-su-actualizacion-236

martes, 20 de diciembre de 2022

Rural South Korean Schools Welcome Seoul Students

Students at Cheontae Elementary School learn agriculture skills, such as how to tend a garden. September 20, 2022.
In the 1970s, more than 800 students filled the classrooms of Cheontae Elementary School in rural Hwasun County. The school is set among a group of small villages and rice farms in southwestern South Korea. 

 By 2021, the school’s population had dropped to just 24 students. Without intervention, local officials said, Cheontae Elementary could soon close. 

 The large decrease is the result of both South Korea’s falling birth rate and fast urbanization that has sent huge numbers of young people to the city for better jobs. 

The situation is the same for many schools across South Korea. Since 1982, more than 3,800 schools nationwide have shut down because of a lack of students. Most of the closures have happened in rural areas. 

In Dojang, a small village about a five-minute drive from Cheontae Elementary, locals understand that their community is on the edge of extinction

"People in their 60s and 70s are considered young here," said 82-year-old Moon Gyeongga. "There is not a single child in this village. Everyone with kids leaves for the city," Moon added. 

If the community loses its school, there would be almost no hope of bringing in young families. That is why Cheontae Elementary recently began taking part in a program that brings students from the capital city of Seoul to study in the countryside. 

Under the program, which started in March 2021, Seoul children study for at least six months in schools throughout the southwestern part of the country. The mostly rural area has been hit especially hard by South Korea's population crisis. 

The exchange program is paid for by both Seoul and local government groups.
Students at Cheontae Elementary School learn agriculture skills, such as how to tend a garden. September 20, 2022.
What it looks like 

 So far, Cheontae Elementary has seen hopeful results. Since it began accepting Seoul students last spring, attendance has doubled to over 50. 

 Along with saving the school, the increased attendance has brought practical benefits for local students. Before the exchange program, it was difficult to find enough children to play team sports, like soccer or basketball, said sixth-grader Lim Sung-ju. 

 "I have more hobbies now, and I can experience more things. Basically, I just have more fun," Lim said. 

More students also mean the school receives more resources and employees – such as a vice principal who can work on lesson planning. 

Seoul exchange students benefit, too. They are able to take a break from the overcrowded capital area. They can enjoy more outdoor activities, cleaner air, fewer crowds and a less competitive educational environment. 

"It's possible to educate the whole person here," said Kim Na-yoon, a Seoul local whose son is in the third grade at Cheontae Elementary. 

The exchange students also report feeling less stress away from Seoul, said Hwasun County school chief Lee Hyeong-hui. "This is good for all of Korea in the long term," she said.
Moon Gyeongga, who has lived in tiny Dojang Village for 60 years, says any young people in the area long ago left for the city. September 20, 2022.

Not a perfect solution 

However, many locals worry the program is only a partial fix. They note it does not deal with the main problem facing rural communities: a lack of income for locals.

"The (local) population is still not growing," said Park Gong-ryeol, a 67-year-old who has lived in Hwasun County for 18 years. 

Park supports the exchange program. He even helps run a housing center for exchange students and their parents. But he said the government should do more to increase the earnings of local farmers who have historically depended on small rice fields. 

Without that kind of intervention, hundreds of rural communities could soon disappear. A March study by the Korea Employment Information Service says 113 of South Korea's 228 cities, counties and districts are at risk of extinction.
Cho Hee-yeon, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent who is the driving force behind the exchange program, hopes to expand the initiative nationwide. October 20, 2022.

Bigger plans Cho Hee-yeon leads the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. He is also the driving force behind the exchange program. He hopes this is just the beginning. He wants to one day attract enough students to expand the program to rural areas nationwide.

"We hope that by studying in rural areas, children will be able to escape the concrete jungle, experience living in nature, develop a second hometown, and grow in a healthier way," he said. 

Cho considers the program to be part of a large plan for more balanced, sustainable development in the country. 

"Korea is traditionally a rice-farming society, but unfortunately some kids these days think rice grows on trees," Cho said, laughing. "The goal is to make children remember rural areas even as adults.

" I'm John Russell. And I'm Ashley Thompson. 

 William Gallo and Lee Juhyun reported this story for VOA News. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. 

Words in This Story

urbanization - n. the process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more and more people begin living and working in central areas 

extinction - n. the state or situation that results when something has died out completely 

benefit - n. a good or helpful result or effect 

hobby - n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working 

Quiz - Rural South Korean Schools Welcome Seoul Students

Quiz - Rural South Korean Schools Welcome Seoul Students Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

martes, 8 de noviembre de 2022

Christian Monastery Possibly Older than Islam found in UAE

Christian Monastery Possibly Older than Islam found in UAE
 
 An ancient Christian site has been discovered on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, officials announced recently. The religious complex, a monastery, could date to a time before the spread of Islam across the Arabian Peninsula. 

The monastery is providing researchers a lot of information about early Christianity in the Persian Gulf area. It is the second such monastery found in the Emirates, dating back as many as 1,400 years. 

The two monasteries became lost to history in the sands of time. 

As Islam spread in the area, experts believe Christians slowly became Muslim. Today, Christians remain a minority across the wider Middle East. 

Timothy Power of the United Arab Emirates University described the UAE today as a “melting pot of nations.” 

Power helped investigate the newly discovered monastery. 

He added, “The fact that something similar was happening here ... 1,000 years ago is really remarkable and this is a story that deserves to be told." 

The monastery sits on Siniyah Island in Umm al-Quwain, an emirate some 50 kilometers northeast of Dubai. The island has a series of sandy areas coming off of it like fingers. On one, to the island’s northeast, researchers discovered the monastery. 

Samples found in the monastery’s foundation date between 534 and 656. Islam’s Prophet Muhammad was born around 570 and died in 632. 

Seen from above, the monastery's floor plan suggests early Christian worshippers prayed within a small church. Rooms within the monastery appear to hold a baptismal area, as well as an oven for baking bread or wafers for communion rites. Another area also likely held an altar and an installation for communion wine. 

Next to the monastery sits a second building with four rooms, likely around an open area known as a courtyard. This was possibly the home of an early church leader such as an abbot or even a bishop. 

The monastery recently saw a visit from Noura bint Mohammed al-Kaabi, the country’s culture and youth minister, as well as Sheikh Majid bin Saud Al Mualla, the head of the Umm al-Quwain’s Tourism and Archaeology Department and a son of the emirate’s ruler. 

The UAE’s Culture Ministry has also supported the dig, which is ongoing. Just hundreds of meters away from the church, there is a collection of buildings that archaeologists believe belongs to a pre-Islamic village. 

Nearby also sits a village that the British bombed in 1820 before the area became part of what was known as the Trucial States, an early form of the modern UAE. That village’s destruction brought about the creation of the modern-day settlement of Umm al-Quwain on the mainland. 

Historians say early churches and monasteries spread along the Persian Gulf to the coasts of present-day Oman and all the way to India. Archaeologists have found other similar churches and monasteries in Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. 

In the early 1990s, archaeologists discovered the first Christian monastery in the UAE, on Sir Bani Yas Island, today a protected natural area and site of luxury hotels. It similarly dates back to the same period as the new find in Umm al-Quwain. 

However, evidence of early life along the Khor al-Beida area in Umm al-Quwain dates as far back as the Neolithic period. This evidence suggests continuous human presence in the area for at least 10,000 years, Power said. 

Power said that building developments led to the archaeological work that discovered the monastery. The area will be fenced off and protected, he said, though it remains unclear what other secrets of the past remain hidden just under a thin layer of sand on the island. 

“It’s a really fascinating discovery because in some ways it’s hidden history — it’s not something that’s widely known,” Power said.

 I’m John Russell. Jon Gambrell reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. ________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story 

melting pot – n. a place (such as a city or country) where different types of people live together and gradually create one community 

remarkable – adj. unusual or surprising : likely to be noticed 

baptism – n. a Christian ceremony in which a small amount of water is placed on a person's head or in which a person's body is briefly placed under water 

communion – n. a Christian ceremony in which bread is eaten and wine is drunk as a way of showing devotion to Jesus Christ 

altar – n. a platform or table used as a center of worship in Christian ceremonies and services 

fascinating – adj. very interesting or appealing