VOA News| Arctic Ocean Ice Shrinks to Second Lowest Level on Record

 Arctic Ocean Ice Shrinks to Second Lowest Level on Record

 Arctic Ocean Ice Shrinks to Second Lowest Level on Record

Scientists say ice in the Arctic Ocean melted to its second lowest level on record this summer. Arctic sea ice melts over the summer, reaching its lowest point sometime during September. Then, during the winter, ice builds up again and reaches its highest level in March. The National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder uses satellite imagery to observe and measure the ice levels. The center recently announced its latest findings about sea ice levels at the North Pole, as well as areas off Canada, Greenland, Russia and the U.S. state of Alaska. Researchers reported Arctic Ocean ice levels reached a summertime low of 3.7 million square kilometers on September 15. That is the second lowest level recorded since 1979, when satellite observations of the sea ice began. The lowest level recorded was in 2012, when the ice shrank to 3.4 million square kilometers. In the 1980s, the ice cover was about 2.7 million square kilometers bigger than current summer levels. Mark Serreze is director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center. "It's been a crazy year up north, with sea ice at a near-record low,” he told the French news agency AFP. He noted the heat waves and massive forest fires in the Siberian area of Russia. He said the heat wave last spring and natural climate conditions in the Arctic played a part in the latest sea ice melt. He noted that temperatures for much of the year in the Siberian Arctic were 8 to 10 degrees Celsius above normal. Some of the warming was caused by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, he added. “Absolutely we’re seeing climate change at work because the warm summers become warmer and the cold winters aren’t as cold as they were,” Serreze said. Melting sea ice does not directly add to rising sea levels. But scientists say it can have a direct effect on rising temperatures. "When the sea ice disappears, the incident sunlight gets absorbed in the ocean, helping to further warm the Earth," Claire Parkinson told AFP. She is a climate scientist with the U.S. space agency NASA. Parkinson added that the lower ice coverage this year was "in line with the overall downward” patterns of the past 40 years. "What we are seeing here in the Arctic is really the opening up of a new ocean on top of the world, which means that we need to be protecting the area," she added. In another recent study, U.S. researchers suggested the Arctic has experienced such intense warming in recent decades that it is now changing to a completely “new climate state.” The study was carried out by the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The researchers said Arctic sea ice has seen such major melting in recent decades that even an unusually cold year “will no longer have the amount of summer sea ice that existed as recently as the mid-20th century.” The study predicted that autumn and winter temperatures will also warm enough to enter a “statistically distinct climate” by the middle of this century. This will likely result in seasonal changes to include months when rain will fall instead of snow. The scientists based their research on hundreds of detailed computer models and observations of Arctic climate conditions. They used this data to define climate conditions of what they considered the “old Arctic.” The team then attempted to identify future climate changes linked to human-caused warming. The study was based on high-end predictions for future levels of greenhouse gases, pollutants that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere. The researchers noted that lower greenhouse gas levels would lessen future climate changes in the Arctic. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and NCAR. Caty Weaver was the editor. Words in This Story crazy – adj. very unusual or strange absorb – v. to take something in and hold it decade – n. period of ten years statistical – adj. relating to statistics, a number that shows information about something distinct – adj. different and separate

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VOA News| Europe Reopens Schools

 

Source: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/europe-reopens-schools/5565077.html Toeic English course: https://shorten.asia/3Kt2r8nb Europe Reopens Schools In Paris, a mother and her three children recently went to a supermarket to look for school supplies. They bought writing instruments, notebooks and plenty of face masks. Parents and children across Europe have been making similar purchases at the start of a new school year. European officials have decided to put children back into school classrooms for the new term. Facing an increase in coronavirus cases, officials in France, Britain, Spain and other countries are making rules about masks, building new classrooms and adding teachers. European leaders from the political left, right and center are sending a similar message to students and their parents: Even in a pandemic, children are better off in class. France’s prime minister promised last week to “do everything” to get people back to school and work. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called reopening schools a “moral duty.” His government even threatened to fine parents who keep children at home. And Italy’s health minister forced discos to close this month with one goal in mind: “to reopen schools in September in complete safety.” As both a parent and a teacher, Mathieu Maillard has a lot to worry about when French schools reopen. Over the past month, the number of virus infections has increased in France. Maillard thinks it is time for students to go back. School “has to start up again at some point,” he said. “The health risk exists, but the risk of not putting children in school is even bigger.” When governments ordered people to stay at home, he said, some students never joined his online literature classes. Some had no place to work or did not have computers. “Our students really, really need school,” he said. For those growing up in an environment plagued with violence and drugs, school “is a place where they can breathe.” In southeast London, father of three Mark Davis is looking forward to schools reopening in September. But he worries about what will happen if there is a rise in coronavirus infections. “Everyone is gunning for this (return to school), but it’s no good just hoping for the best,” he said. “Plans need to be put in place.” The British government says schools will only close if conditions become very bad. But parents say the government’s message has been unclear. Most of the country’s 11 million students have not seen a classroom since March. Britain has 41,515 virus-related deaths, the highest confirmed number in Europe. Johnson’s government has been strongly criticized for the way it has reacted to the pandemic. Some European schools are considering a mixed school year, with some in-person classes and others online. But most want to do in-person classes. UNICEF, the United Nations’ Childrens Fund, recently announced guidance for government officials. It said that at least a third of the world’s schoolchildren were unable to do distance learning during virus lockdowns. UNICEF officials warned that the effects “could be felt in economies and societies for decades.” Medical experts say the risk of opening schools depends on how widespread COVID-19 infections are in the community and what safety measures are taken. Evidence suggests young children do not spread the disease very easily. But children aged 10 years and up may spread it as easily as adults. While children appear less likely than adults to get infected, severe cases and deaths have been documented. Health experts say more evidence is needed. Parents and teachers are not the only people demanding a voice in school reopenings. Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, sent all its high school students home after an increase in virus cases. But the students pushed back, saying they do not learn as much online. In protests last week, they held signs reading: “I just want to go to school.” I'm John Russell. Angela Charlton reported on this story for The Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Words in This Story mask – n. a cover or partial cover for the face

pandemic – n. a situation in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

disco – n. a business where people dance to recorded popular music

plague i to cause worry to someone — usually used as (be) plagued; to cause constant or repeated trouble or disease for (someone or something)

gun for (something) -- phrasal verb to try to get something in a very determined way

lockdown – n. requirements that people stay in their homes and limit activities outside the home

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VOA News| Plastic Pollution Flowing into Oceans to Triple by 2040

 

Source: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/study-plastic-pollution-flowing-into-oceans-to-triple-by-2040/5516326.html ***Study: Plastic Pollution Flowing into Oceans to Triple by 2040*** The amount of plastic waste flowing into the ocean could triple in 20 years unless businesses and governments act to reduce plastic production. That warning comes from a new study that appeared recently in the publication Science. The study was carried out by scientists and industry experts for The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ, an advising business. The study, called “Breaking the Plastic Wave,” identified measures that could reduce plastic pollution that gets into the ocean by 80 percent. If no action is taken, however, the amount of plastic going into the sea every year will rise from 11 million metric tons to 29 million metric tons by 2040, the study said. “Plastic pollution is something that affects everyone. It's not a ‘your problem and not my problem’. It’s not one country’s problem. It’s everyone’s problem,” said Winnie Lau. She is a senior official at Pew and one of the lead writers of the study. “It’s going to get worse if we don’t do anything,” she added. The report suggests redirecting hundreds of billions of dollars in plastic production investment into alternative materials. The report also calls for recycling centers and waste collection expansion in developing countries. Such action would require a sharp change in how the energy industry does things. The industry has been building new chemical plants around the world to increase plastic output. This is happening as the industry’s traditional fuel business has decreased because of a rise in cleaner energy sources. The amount of plastic manufactured each year has been climbing since 1950 when 2 million metric tons were produced. By 2017, that number had risen to 348 million metric tons. The study recommends that governments put in place laws to discourage new plastic production and provide more financial support for reusable alternatives. The plastic industry has pushed back against government bans on single-use plastic products. Some of the biggest buyers of plastic are major companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle and Unilever. These companies have all made promises to use a greater amount of recycled material in the future. But current promises from businesses and governments will not reduce plastic enough. In fact, the Pew and SYSTEMIQ study found that current measures would only reduce the plastic flowing into the ocean by 7 percent by 2040. To cut the flow of ocean plastic by 80 percent, the study said that paper or other materials that break down naturally must be used instead of single-use plastic. It also notes that packaging for products should be redesigned. Some people have criticized the study for including burning, chemical recycling and plastic-to-fuel factories as ways to deal with plastic waste. Critics note that these methods involve the release of heat-trapping carbon gasses while also helping to continue with plastic production. Single-use plastic products have become increasingly popular during the coronavirus crisis, the International Solid Waste Association has said. Face coverings and latex gloves are washing up each day on empty beaches in Asia. And landfills worldwide are filled with record amounts of food containers and delivery packaging. I’m Ashley Thompson. The Reuters news agency reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.   Words in This Story • triple /ˈtrɪpəl/ –v. to cause something to grow three times (or 200 percent) larger • alternative /ɑlˈtɚnətɪv/ –n. something that can be chosen instead of something else • discourage /dɪˈskɚrəʤ/ –v. to make a person or group less likely to do something • packaging /ˈpækɪʤɪŋ/ – n. protective material that encloses something so that it can be transported without damage • latex /ˈleɪˌtɛks/ – n. a rubber-like material

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How Can I Improve My English Pronunciation| Part 1| VOA english

How Can I Improve My English
Pronunciation? (Part 1)

Many people want to sound more like native English speakers. So
they send questions about pronunciation to us here at VOA Learning English. We
often get asked:

Question:

“How
can I improve my English pronunciation?”

Answer:

Today
we will look at two simple things you can do to improve your pronunciation.

Speak loudly enough

The
first is to speak loudly enough.

Many
people learning a foreign language worry about having an accent or
saying words differently because of their mother tongue.

Yet
there are plenty of people who have learned English as a second or even third
language. Take, for example, Hollywood actors Antonio Banderas and Jackie Chan.
The two are non-native English speakers. Banderas has a Spanish accent, while
Chan has a Chinese accent. But both men are easy to understand, partly because
they speak loudly and clearly.

When
speaking, the goal should be communicating to be easily understood, not
removing your accent, which is often hard to do.

To
read more on this subject, see our story called Keep Your Identity While
Changing Your Accent.

Listen for patterns

The
second thing you can do to improve pronunciation is to listen for patterns.

English
sentences have a rhythm. In other words, you
will find a kind of systematic arrangement, or order, to the words and expressions.
When you listen to someone speaking English, try humming along with the rhythm
of their sentences. Think of yourself making sounds like that of an insect.

Here
is an example: What are you doing in there?

The
line shows how the voice changes:

Here’s what it sounds like to hum this sentence.

It
is easy to make sounds while keeping your mouth closed.

Some
English learners like to listen to music and sing songs. These exercises will
help you to learn the rhythms of the language.

For
more exercises, see our story Improve Your Pronunciation by Training Your Ears.

Next
time, we will talk about some more things you can do to improve your
pronunciation.

And
that’s Ask
a Teacher!

I’m
Jill Robbins.

Dr.
Jill Robbins wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the
editor.

Do you have a question for the teacher? We want
to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or email us at learningenglish@voanews.com.

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