https://learningenglish.voanews.com/z/986 Learn English as you read and listen to a weekly show about music, pop culture and American life. Our stories are written at the intermediate and upper-beginner level and are read one-third slower than regular VOA English. Everything is free. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-US-LEARN/img/logo.png https://learningenglish.voanews.com/z/986 en 2021 - VOA 60 Wed, 26 May 2021 13:50:06 +0000 Pangea CMS – VOA https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/25/95026e9b-5a3c-4198-9391-5a2d6875aa9f_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5903743.html Tue, 25 May 2021 15:58:00 +0000 Arts & Culture   A start-up company has a tool that it says can recreate lip sync - matching a speaker’s lip movements with pre-recorded audio - in films. The artificial intelligence, or AI, tool may change how film producers replace recorded speech in a movie with speech recorded in another language. This process is known as dubbing. Start-up Flawless AI, co-founded by film director Scott Mann, has a tool that it says can recreate lip sync without changing the performance of the actors. The tool studies how actors move their mouths. It then changes the movements to sync with the replaced, or dubbed, words in different languages. The result could be that Tom Hanks looks like he can speak Japanese or Jack Nicholson looks like he can speak French. The idea for the tool came to Mann when he saw how dubbing affected his 2015 film "Heist," starring Robert De Niro. "I hate dubbing as it stands," Mann told Reuters. He went on to describe the problems that dubbing can create. "You have to change so many things to try and catch sync. You're changing words filmmakers and performers have thought about so deeply. They're thrown out to find a different word that fits, but it never really does." Mann decided to do something about this issue. After some research, he discovered a paper written by Christian Theobalt of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Germany. The paper lays out a new method that uses artificial intelligence to recreate human visual effects. The tool worked to translate a De Niro scene in "Heist." Man said the tool was able to take an 'ooh' sound from De Niro 20 minutes earlier and place that in a different moment in the film." He added, "It measures at the same time and blends it so that the performance is the same, but it's a different mouth movement." Blend is a term that means to mix something, often with good results. Flawless AI is now working with producers and studios to use the technology after filming is complete. The first films using this tool are around a year away. Mann believes this technology will help to remove foreign-language categories at award shows. It could create a more open film industry with a real global stage. "From a filmmaking point of view, you're going to see the rise of a much more diverse range of stars," he said. Eventually, Mann hopes the technology's use will be widely accepted. "When it's a common thing, we're not going to think about it anymore and we'll just enjoy the movies," he said. I’m John Russell.    Rollo Ross reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. _____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   lip-sync – n. to pretend to sing (recorded words) translate – v. to change words from one language into another language scene – n. a part of a play, movie, story, etc., in which a particular action or activity occurs category – n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way diverse – adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other range – n. a group or collection of different things or people https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ai-tool-could-change-language-in-films/5896945.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ai-tool-could-change-language-in-films/5896945.html Sun, 23 May 2021 21:58:53 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ai-tool-could-change-language-in-films/5896945.html#comments When some people face difficulty, they look at their problem creatively. They consider a problem not as a barrier but as a chance to make something good. And Americans have a saying for that: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! In other words, just add sugar and water and a sour fruit can become a sweet drink. Well, recently a family in New York decided to take on the pandemic “lemon.” But instead of a popular summertime drink, the family cooked up a meal: lemon rosemary chicken. Traci Cangiano and her daughters Daniella and Kristina launched the Facebook group Quarantine Kitchen in March 2020 when restaurants closed because of COVID-19.  The family shared personal recipes on the group page and sought the same from members. The group grew into a lively, online community of tens of thousands of people. Then, the Cangianos decided to reach out to the world in another way. The family collected the recipes from the Facebook group and created a cookbook, called In the Quarantine Kitchen. It is published and for sale on the web marketplace, Etsy. The cookbook includes 120 recipes. All of the them were posted during the pandemic on the Quarantine Kitchen page. “It kind of grew and grew…” said Daniella Cangiano. “We were able to take something really negative and make it something really positive.” The 250-page cookbook contains more than just recipes. It has family photos. Some people share their memories of family coming together for special meals. Others explore how food and meals can be designed to celebrate the lives of loved ones lost. The first group of the books sold well and quickly. Now, In the Quarantine Kitchen is in its second printing. “We started it as a way just to share our dinner with our family and friends. We didn’t see in the beginning what it would become. We just thought it was something fun to do, something to distract us,” said Daniella Cangiano. The women are giving all profits from the book’s sales to The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. That organization honors firefighter Stephen Siller and all those in public emergency services. Siller died while saving people trapped in the burning World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, just hours after the terrorist attack. Types of recipes Some dishes are beloved family recipes, like Nanny’s Stuffed Calamari in Red Sauce and Aunt Nellie’s Fried Chicken. Other dishes were made up during the pandemic. One such dish was a version of tres leches, or three milks, cake. The recipe turns it into frozen treats because ice cream shops were closed. On the Quarantine Kitchen page, families from around the world sent  messages of thanks for the meal ideas and sense of community. One woman wrote that her daughter had cancer and they checked the site together every day to see what people were cooking. Traci said, “I would never think in a million years a Facebook page would affect people’s lives like that.” Online, the community has stayed active. New postings go up every few hours. Traci added, “We could probably do five more books. I kid you not.” Now, more than a year later, the Facebook group has more than 44,000 members. The top posters by country are the United States, Canada, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. Next come Portugal, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, and South Africa. Traci Cangiano told the AP that the cookbook grew out of that Facebook community and is a collection of the stories and recipes shared there. She said the publication is like a memory book for the year 2020. “I hope we never see anything like 2020 again,” added Traci, “but this book will serve as a nice reminder.” The pandemic has unsettled life for many people around the world, including this Staten Island family. Kristina is in her last year of high school and the Quarantine Kitchen helps to ease the pressure she feels. “There’s a lot going on, but it’s definitely helped,” she said. Her older sister, Daniella, graduated from St. John’s University and loves to bake. She shares her creations with the Facebook group and likes to hear what others think of them. “That kind of kept me going. I knew I had something to look forward to, even though things were kind of crazy,” she said. “I was able to still bake and still enjoy that. And sharing that love of baking with others online," Daniella said,  "was so much fun.” I’m Caty Weaver. And I’m Anna Matteo.   Mark Kennedy wrote this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   sour – n. having an acid taste that is like the taste of a lemon recipe – n. a set of instructions for making food negative – adj. harmful or bad : not wanted positive – adj. good or useful printing – n. the process of producing books, magazines, etc. by using machinery distract – v. to take (attention) away from someone or something crazy – adj. unable to think in a clear or sensible way : wild and uncontrolled https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/facebook-food-group-turns-into-a-cookbook/5895444.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/facebook-food-group-turns-into-a-cookbook/5895444.html Fri, 21 May 2021 21:59:14 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/facebook-food-group-turns-into-a-cookbook/5895444.html#comments   Actors Gen Hoshino and Yui Aragaki played unusual, but appealing, lovers in a well-liked Japanese TV show. Now, they are really getting married. The couple announced their decision in a joint statement posted Wednesday on Aragaki's Instagram account. It is an example of “life imitates art,” which means that life sometimes seems to be a copy of a work of art. That is amusing because we usually think of art as a copy of something in real life. "We would like to announce that we, Gen Hoshino and Yui Aragaki, are getting married," the statement said. "We hope you will continue to warmly support us both."   Aragaki and Hoshino acted together in the 2016 humorous show, "Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu," or "It's Shameful to Run, but It Works." Hoshino played a businessman who hires a young woman, played by Aragaki, as a housekeeper. They begin with a business relationship. They slowly develop feelings of love for each other. They decide on an agreement that is a little like marriage, but only for three years.  The story spoke to one problem in Japanese society: young people are waiting until later in life to marry and have children. The result is one of the lowest birth rates in the world.   Hoshino wrote and sang the memorable theme song, “Koi” or “Love.” It was also very popular, including its dance moves. "Heartbeats throb within distance," the song goes. "Go outside the limits of man and wife." Caroline Kennedy, who was then U.S. ambassador to Japan, had shared a video on YouTube of the embassy staff and herself doing the dance.   The show is based on a "manga" or illustrated story. It also showed the long-standing inequalities between men and women in Japan. The female character in the story has a university degree, but loses her job. With no better opportunities, she decides to work as a housekeeper. As the two become friends, they show respect for each other, without strong feelings. Slowly, they find they have fallen in love. Hoshino is a 40-year-old, award-winning musician. He has played a lead in many movies, including 2020's "The Voice of Sin." Aragaki, age 32, started as a fashion model. She appears in Uniqlo and Toyota advertisements. The couple has not yet said the date for their wedding. The reaction from their followers on social media in Japan was: "Oh, wow." In his Instagram message, Hoshino said, "We hope to work together to build a calm, happy life.” I’m Jill Robbins.   Yuri Kageyama wrote this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. _________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   couple – n. two people who are married or who have a romantic or sexual relationship imitate – v. to copy (someone's or something's behavior, sound or appearance) shameful – adj. very bad throb  - v. to beat with a strong, steady rhythm character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show fashion – n. the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles     What do you think of the idea of ‘contract marriage?’ We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/stars-of-japanese-contract-marriage-tv-program-marry-in-real-life/5898282.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/stars-of-japanese-contract-marriage-tv-program-marry-in-real-life/5898282.html Thu, 20 May 2021 21:57:43 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/stars-of-japanese-contract-marriage-tv-program-marry-in-real-life/5898282.html#comments https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/20/9aa1ad89-8fba-4a66-b893-e5e3b9f46dc3_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/stars-of-japanese-contract-marriage-tv-program-marry-in-real-life/5898271.html Thu, 20 May 2021 19:24:00 +0000 Arts & Culture https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/20/d083e15f-cc55-4f54-a400-dd6ad482ad07_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5898089.html Thu, 20 May 2021 17:14:00 +0000 Arts & Culture https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/19/067c0be0-2ce3-46fe-a637-e55d2c7c584d_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5897004.html Thu, 20 May 2021 02:53:00 +0000 Arts & Culture The New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park is one of the best in the world. It has three Michelin stars. There are about 130 restaurants in the world with three stars from the famous French guide. A meal at Eleven Madison Park, for two people, with wine, costs about $1,000. And when the restaurant re-opens on June 10 after the year-long pandemic, it will not serve meat, fish, or other animal products.  Owner and chef Daniel Humm recently told the U.S. radio broadcaster NPR that the restaurant will be “100 percent plant-based.” He said the way people eat meat is “not sustainable. And that is not an opinion. This is just a fact.” Humm also said he will not serve butter or cheese. He will, however, offer honey and milk to go with tea and coffee.   Epicurious is a website that centers on food and cooking. In late April, the site announced that it will not write about beef or cooking instructions for meals with beef. The move, it said, is “an effort to encourage more sustainable cooking.” Raising cows for beef, the site said, led to more greenhouse gas than feeding other animals or planting vegetables for food. Researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana agree. In a 2019 study, they wrote that food production causes about 25 percent of the world’s carbon pollution. They suggested that if Americans would eat chicken instead of beef for just one meal per day, they could reduce pollution by about half. Will other restaurants follow? The question is, will other restaurants follow in the footsteps of a famous place like Eleven Madison Park? Nevin Martell is a food writer in Washington, D.C. He told VOA that Eleven Madison Park is special. “They’ve always done things a little bit differently and, you know, I think that this is a big bold move for them. But I also think that it's, they’re positioning themselves at the right time to be doing the right thing and I don't think it's as much of a risk as people might think that it is.” Martell added that people do not come to Eleven Madison Park to eat meat. They come for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He does not think the change will keep people from coming to the restaurant. Haidar Karoum is the chef at Chloe, a Washington, D.C. restaurant. The restaurant serves meat, chicken, fish and vegetables, based on what items are available in different times of the year. Recently, he said customers have been more interested in vegetables. “Vegetarian dishes have become far more popular than they were, let's say, 10 years ago. So because of that, because of customer demand, and just for the sake that I actually like cooking vegetarian things, if you looked at the menu, you'll find a lot of options for vegetables.”   But that does not mean he could make Chloe’s menu vegetarian overnight. Eleven Madison Park can, Karoum said, because the New York restaurant is so famous that people are “willing to travel the world just to eat in the restaurant, regardless of the cuisine.” Karoum feels he has some responsibility to help the environment. He works with a cheese maker in Pennsylvania, about two hours from Washington, to transport cheese, apples, pork and honey from different places to the restaurant. That helps reduce the amount of pollution Chloe adds to the environment.   Other ways to help the environment Even if restaurants cannot change their offerings completely like Eleven Madison Park, Martell suggests that they can still find ways to reduce their pollution and waste. Increase meatless and vegetarian offerings. “It’s something people are more and more interested in and willing to pay more money for,” he said. Re-think take-out. “The take-out culture that expanded during the pandemic has an outsized environmental impact,” Martell said. Make sure diners know what steps are being taken to reduce pollution and waste. “If you can communicate the programs you’ve put in place, some diners will appreciate it and some diners will pay more for it because they’ll feel good about themselves when they are at the restaurant.” Almost one-and-a-half years into the coronavirus pandemic, most restaurants are just trying to stay in business. As a result, Martell said: “Reopening a place that people have been craving for 14 months, and then not giving them what they’ve wanted for 14 months is also a tough thing to ask of a restaurateur.” I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What do you think about going to a costly restaurant that only serves vegetables? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   sustainable –adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources chef – n. a professional cook who usually is in charge of a kitchen in a restaurant greenhouse gas -n. a gas that causes the warming of the Earth's atmosphere bold –adj. not afraid of danger or difficult situations vegetarian –n. a person who does not eat meat dish –n. food that is prepared in a particular way sake–n. used with ‘for’ to signify the benefit of something, done to help a person or a thing option -n. something that can be chosen : a choice or possibility cuisine –n. a style of food crave –v. to have a very strong desire for (something)   https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/one-of-the-world-s-best-restaurants-is-taking-meat-off-the-menu/5889368.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/one-of-the-world-s-best-restaurants-is-taking-meat-off-the-menu/5889368.html Fri, 14 May 2021 21:59:35 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/one-of-the-world-s-best-restaurants-is-taking-meat-off-the-menu/5889368.html#comments Learning the Koran is important for Muslims. But it does not always have to be serious, says Islamic teacher Yahya Edward Hendrawan. To help children learn to read and recite the Koran with cheer, he makes it fun. He dresses up like a clown! Hendrawan is a teacher in the Indonesian city of Tangerang. When he teaches reading to the children, he wears a colorful clown costume, with white and pink face makeup, and a red nose.   The 38-year-old teacher calls himself a “sharia clown.” Sharia is drawn from the teaching of the Koran. It is the law that governs Muslim daily life. In an interview with the news agency MSN Hendrawan said, “There are many clowns out there. But I teach and motivate children to read the Koran. And who wouldn’t want to read books cheerfully with a sharia clown!” Hendrawan told Reuters news agency that when children are asked to recite the Koran, it is a bit difficult. “But if there are clowns,” he explained, “they feel they go to the classroom with some purpose.” Hendrawan told MSN, “How can they read when they don’t want to come? They must have a purpose. So, we try to get them to join first. We need to understand the children’s world.” During the month of Ramadan, he rode to the school with his five-year-old son, Mirza. His son also dressed as a clown with big glasses and a big yellow and orange hairpiece. The father and son usually spent about an hour getting ready before meeting the children, including those from a community reading group.   It was not easy for Hendrawan to become the "sharia clown.” His father did not accept his son’s unusual methods for teaching the Koran. He told Hendrawan that he was an embarrassment. Hendrawan’s father has since passed away. And he still talks about his father’s words as cutting into his heart. "His behavior hurt me so much,” said Hendrawan. However, the founder of the school encouraged Hendrawan. He gave him confidence to pursue his dream of teaching as a clown. Hendrawan now takes on part-time entertainment jobs. He makes sure to include religious values in his performances. He also shares the importance of reading and writing in his programs. To teach a child to read, he said, they first must come to class. And if the lessons are fun, then they are they more likely to go. The important thing, Hendrawan said, “is that they want to go to school first and be happy.”   His love of teaching and keeping children entertained has won him praise in the community. A parent of one of the students said that "he helps children build an interest in reading, which will reduce the time they spend playing with phones” or other devices. This, the parent adds, will have a great effect on their development. I’m Anna Matteo.   Adi Kurniawan and Heru Asprihanto reported this story for Reuters from Indonesia. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________   Words in This Story   recite – v. to read (something) out loud or say (something) from memory sometimes for an audience orphanage – n. a place where children whose parents have died can live and be cared for : a home for orphans clown – n. someone who performs in a circus, who wears funny clothes and makeup, and who tries to make people laugh : someone who often does funny things to make people laugh makeup – n. substances (such as lipstick or powder) used to make someone's face look more attractive motivate – v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something embarrassment – n. the state of feeling foolish in front of others encourage – v. to make (someone) more determined, hopeful, or confident confidence – n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/indonesian-teacher-uses-clown-to-teach-koran/5889384.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/indonesian-teacher-uses-clown-to-teach-koran/5889384.html Fri, 14 May 2021 21:57:59 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/indonesian-teacher-uses-clown-to-teach-koran/5889384.html#comments https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/13/09770ac9-85a8-472b-aa97-b79a74b8ff36_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5889751.html Thu, 13 May 2021 20:56:00 +0000 Arts & Culture https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/13/fcc5013a-5f2f-453d-ab3d-dedbc706b928_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/one-of-the-world-s-best-restaurants-is-taking-meat-off-the-menu/5889376.html Thu, 13 May 2021 15:48:00 +0000 Arts & Culture American television network NBC said Monday that it will not broadcast the Golden Globes award show in 2022. The move may lead to the end of one of Hollywood’s oldest and most-watched awards shows. The NBC announcement may have been caused by growing criticism of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organization awarding the Golden Globes. Film production companies, movie stars and other parts of the movie industry have criticized the organization for its lack of diversity. They also accused the Golden Globes of creating a corrupt environment. Also on Monday, Variety and Deadline Hollywood reported that actor Tom Cruise returned his three Golden Globes to the organization. He won those awards for his performances in Jerry Maguire, Magnolia and Born on the Fourth of July. In a statement, NBC said it believes the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is committed to change, but the changes needed cannot come quickly enough for next year’s show. “However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right,” the network said. “We are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023,” it added. The organization has been criticized following an investigative report in February by The Los Angeles Times. The story questioned the organization’s record on diversity. HFPA has about 90 members and none are Black. It has promised to change and last week approved a plan to diversify its membership, but several big Hollywood studios, including Netflix, Amazon and Warner Brothers have threatened to end their relationships with the organization. Stating that he did not “believe” HFPA’s new plan would be effective, Netflix chief Ted Sarandos criticized “the lack of clear standards for how your members should operate.” In a letter sent Sunday and shared with reporters Monday, WarnerMedia said it would cease its relationship with HFPA until it made changes.  “For far too long, demands for perks, special favors and unprofessional requests have been made to our teams and to others across the industry,” WarnerMedia executives said in a letter. Criticism of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is not new, but has increased over the last six weeks. Members of the HFPA are mostly little-known journalists who make money from the yearly Golden Globes show. Mark Ruffalo is a Golden Globes winner. He said he “cannot feel proud or happy” about receiving the award.  Scarlett Johansson said HFPA press conferences included “sexist questions” and possible “sexual harassment.”  After the NBC announcement, the HFPA said its plan for changes would lead to new members, new leadership and several policy changes. The organization said in a statement, “We invite our partners in the industry to the table to work with us on the systemic reform that is long overdue, both in our organization as well as within the industry at large.” Last week, the organization approved plans to add at least 20 new members this year, with a focus on Black members. It also plans to increase its total membership by 50 percent in the next 18 months. Tina Tchen is the president of Time’s Up. She called the HFPA’s plan nothing but false “platitudes.” “These measures ensure that the current membership of the HFPA will remain in the majority,” she said.   Time’s Up was created in 2019 following the Weinstein case to support victims of sexual harassment in the movie industry. I’m Susan Shand.   The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ___________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   diversity – n. the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization magnitude – n. the size, extent, or importance of something standard – n.a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable perk – n. something extra that someone receives in addition to regular pay for doing a job favor – v.  a kind or helpful act that you do for someone journalist – n. the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio harassment – n. to annoy or bother (someone) in a constant or repeated way overdue - adj. not appearing or presented by a stated, expected, or required time platitude – n. a statement that expresses an idea that is not new​ We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page.   https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/nbc-refuses-to-broadcast-golden-globes-in-2022/5886703.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/nbc-refuses-to-broadcast-golden-globes-in-2022/5886703.html Tue, 11 May 2021 21:55:10 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/nbc-refuses-to-broadcast-golden-globes-in-2022/5886703.html#comments   New York state and city leaders have given permission to reopen Broadway theaters this fall at full capacity. Many Broadway productions are rushing to sell tickets in the coming days to welcome back theater-goers. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says Broadway theaters can reopen September 14. They will be able to decide their own entry requirements, such as whether people must show proof of vaccination to attend a show. Robert Mujica is Governor Cuomo's budget director. He said that selling tickets will permit theaters to find out, before the shows open, how many people want to return to in-person events. Happy that fans can buy tickets Charlotte St. Martin is president of the Broadway League. She said in a statement that the group’s members are hopeful “about Broadway's ability to resume performances this fall and are happy that fans can start buying tickets again."    Phantom of the Opera, Broadway's longest-running show, announced it planned to resume selling tickets for performances set to start October 22. More shows are expected to announce return dates in the coming weeks. Mary McColl is executive director of Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 actors and stage managers in live theater. She said the news meant the theater community is "one step closer to the safe reopening" of Broadway. "We look forward to continuing our conversations with the Broadway League about a safe reopening and know that soon the time will come when members can go back to doing what they do best, creating world-class theater," McColl said. Some shows will not reopen The Broadway that reopens, however, will look different. In May, the big budget Disney musical Frozen decided not to reopen when Broadway theaters restart. It was the first time the coronavirus pandemic caused the closing of an established show. Producers of the play Mean Girls also decided not to restart. But there will be new shows. One is Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu's Pass Over, which is set to reopen at the August Wilson Theatre, the same theater Mean Girls left. And playwright Keenan Scott II's play, Thoughts of a Colored Man, will appear in a Schubert theater.   Full capacity is necessary Theaters see the lifting of all capacity restrictions as important to any reopening plan. That is because the economics of Broadway shows require full capacity. Some off-Broadway shows -- less well-known plays that take place in smaller theaters around New York City -- have already reopened with limited capacity. All city theaters suddenly closed on March 12, 2020, bringing all shows to an end, including 16 that had still planned to open. Some shows planned for spring 2020 decided to move their productions to 2021. Among them are a musical about Michael Jackson and a performance of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite, starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. But others gave up on their plans, including Hangmen and a production of Edward Albee's famous play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I’m Jill Robbins.   Mark Kennedy wrote this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. ___________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   capacity – n. the largest amount or number that can be held or contained resume – v. to begin again after stopping conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people give up – phrasal verb. to stop planning on; abandon What do you think of reopening theaters? Have they opened where you live? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/broadway-prepares-to-reopen-in-fall/5880945.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/broadway-prepares-to-reopen-in-fall/5880945.html Fri, 07 May 2021 21:59:52 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/broadway-prepares-to-reopen-in-fall/5880945.html#comments   The Girl Scouts organization, founded in 1912, is well known for teaching important life and survival skills to girls. Part of their goal, as stated on their website, is “to improve their corner of the world.” One way they do that has become a beloved tradition. They sell Girl Scout cookies! Many people look forward to Girl Scout cookie season and have a favorite cookie.   Girl Scouts usually sell their cookies in person: door-to-door, in offices and businesses, on busy street corners and sidewalks. But the coronavirus pandemic has made selling the cookies harder. There are simply less people out in public. Well, this year in one U.S. state some Girl Scouts will get around that face-to-face problem. Their cookies will be delivered by drones. Google is using drones to deliver Girl Scout cookies to people’s homes in a Virginia community. The town of Christiansburg has been a testing ground for delivery drones. The tests are operated by Wing, a division of Google’s corporate parent Alphabet. Representatives from Wing told the Associated Press (AP) that the company began talking to local Girl Scout troops because of the pandemic. The troops have been having a harder time selling cookies during the pandemic because of restrictions.   Gracie Walker is an 11-year-old with Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Troop 224. Gracie told the AP that she is “excited” to be “part of history.” She says the drones “look like a helicopter but also a plane.” Wing drones fly without a human pilot controlling them remotely. When a drone reaches the home, it drops the delivery on the front lawn. Wing is also using the beloved Girl Scout cookies to build public support for drone delivery. The company is currently competing against Walmart, Amazon and others business. However, there is not much evidence that people really want drone delivery services. Amazon has also been working on drone delivery for years. In 2013, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said in a TV interview that drones would be flying to customers' homes within five years. However, that date has long since passed. A small study of people in Christiansburg appears to show that they are happy with the drones. But that study was done by researchers at nearby Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Also Wing helped to pay for the study. Lee Vinsel is an assistant professor at Virginia Tech and did the study. He said that neighborhoods in the area are “easiest for drone delivery.” That might not be the case for more crowded places, he added. Federal officials started announcing new rules in early April. These new rules will allow operators to fly small drones over people and at night. Most drones will need to be equipped so they can be identified remotely by law enforcement officials. But all these problems have not lessened Gracie’s drone delivery excitement. The Virginia Girl Scout said she hopes that people are going to realize drones are better for the environment. And she adds, people can also just walk outside in their pajamas and get cookies. I’m Anna Matteo.   Matt O’Brien wrote this story for the Associated Press. AP Retail Writer Joseph Pisani in New York contributed to this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. ___________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   cookie – n. a sweet baked food that is usually small, flat, and round and is made from flour and sugar corner – n. the place where two streets or roads meet drone – n. an uncrewed aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers delivery – n. the transfer of something from one place or person to another troops - n. the basic organizational unit of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts under an adult leader remotely - adj. technical : from a distance front lawn - n. an area in front of a house pajamas - n. a loose usually two-piece lightweight suit designed especially for sleeping or lounging customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/famous-cookies-delivered-by-unusual-method/5878295.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/famous-cookies-delivered-by-unusual-method/5878295.html Fri, 07 May 2021 21:57:21 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/famous-cookies-delivered-by-unusual-method/5878295.html#comments https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/06/7d101190-cd74-4cbd-960f-04967f04541a_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/space-aged-wine-bottle-could-get-1-million/5881165.html Thu, 06 May 2021 23:00:00 +0000 Arts & Culture https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/06/a4615331-1fd2-4372-92fb-2b2bd27a2932_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5881109.html Thu, 06 May 2021 21:26:00 +0000 Arts & Culture https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/05/06/33b1d04f-bdae-4b18-a990-3d25764505d4_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5881081.html Thu, 06 May 2021 21:05:00 +0000 Arts & Culture   Gal Gadot is using her Hollywood power to examine the lives of special women from around the world. The “Wonder Woman” actor is host and executive producer of a new documentary television show. It follows six women who improved their communities while dealing with poverty, violence, discrimination and natural disasters. The 35-year-old Gadot said National Geographic Presents IMPACT with Gal Gadot grew from her need to “do something good with my fame and my social media.” She and her husband Yaron Varsano are both executive producers of the show.  They got the idea after watching a short documentary from a music video director Ryan Pallotta about a dancer from a very poor neighborhood in Brazil. “We completely fell in love with the story, and we decided that we’re going to build a concept around the story,” Gadot said. The first episode follows a young Black figure skating coach in Detroit who has decided to spend her life coaching young girls of color to give them more power. “…She’s giving them a skill…that is familiar or familiar with white people doing it, which is ice skating,” Gadot said. Another episode tells the story of Kayla. She helps create a safe community for homeless transgender women of color in Memphis, Tennessee, by building homes. Gadot said she is pleased that this year the Academy has included Nomadland director Chloé Zhao and Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell. Zhao won the Academy Award for Best Director on Sunday for her film. “Women that are used to be only in front of the camera are now going to the other side of the camera and developing stories that they’re passionate about and that they care about and that now it’s becoming a norm, almost. You know, you see it with the Oscars,” she said. “There’s a great change. But at the same time, I got to say that the change can only happen when we include the men. It’s never like you can just empower the women and not educate the men.”  She said that is what her part as Wonder Woman was able to do for a new generation of both boys and girls. “It gives them a role model for boys to admire as well and to understand that women can be strong and great and just like men,” she said. “So, for me, it’s educating both women and men in order to reach this place that we always talk about gender and equality and all of that. We have to do this together.” I’m Susan Shand.   The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _______________________________________________________   Words in This Story   host – n. a person who talks to guests on a television show documentary – n. a movie or television program that tells about actual people and events concept – n. an idea episode – n. a television, radio or other show that is part of a series figure skating – n. ice-skating in which the skaters perform various jumps in a competition passionate – adj. having, showing or expressing strong emotions or beliefs role –n. the part someone plays in a performance or in an activity gender – n. the state of being male or female We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/gal-gadot-tells-women-s-stories-in-new-docuseries/5867309.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/gal-gadot-tells-women-s-stories-in-new-docuseries/5867309.html Fri, 30 Apr 2021 21:58:23 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/gal-gadot-tells-women-s-stories-in-new-docuseries/5867309.html#comments https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2021/04/27/5e7c2c06-1c91-4868-979b-588e344095c3_hq.mp3 https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5868929.html Tue, 27 Apr 2021 19:11:00 +0000 Arts & Culture Chloé Zhao’s Academy Award wins for best director and best picture are being met with restrained reaction in China, her country of birth. Zhao’s Nomadland is the second film directed by a woman to win an Academy Award, or Oscar, for best picture. She is the first woman of color and second woman ever to win the Oscar for best director. Yet, in China, her history-making success has not been broadcast or celebrated. State media in China remained silent as of Monday afternoon, with no statement of her win by either CCTV or the Xinhua news agency. A post announcing Zhao’s directing win by film magazine Watch Movies appeared on the Chinese media service Weibo. But it was censored a few hours after it appeared Monday morning. The hashtag “Chloe Zhao wins Best Director” was also censored on the service. Users who searched under the hashtag received an error message saying, “page is not found.” Some Weibo users began using “zt” to post about Zhao. Those are the first letters of her full name in Chinese, Zhou Ting. Putting in Zhao’s name in Chinese brought up only unrelated posts from the beginning of April. A search for “Oscars” showed only official posts from the South Korean and U.S. embassies. A news story on WeChat, the largest messaging service in China, was also removed. But news of Zhao’s wins did spread onto the Chinese internet, with individual web users praising the filmmaker. Many took note of her acceptance speech, which included a line from a poem written in the 13th century Zhao had memorized as a child. The line in English means, “People are good at birth.” South Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung, who played the grandmother in the film Minari, could be found in searches on the Chinese internet. Youn won the best supporting actress award, becoming the first Korean performer to win an Oscar. In South Korea, “Actor Youn Yuh-jung” was at the top of Twitter’s trending list. Other South Korean performers quickly offered their congratulations. Actor Lee Byung-hun posted a photo of Youn holding an Oscar trophy. “Impossible is just an opinion,” he wrote on the post. Actors Bae Doona and Kim Hye-soo also congratulated Youn on social media. Zhao faced criticism in China in March after winning a Golden Globe award for best director. Internet users questioned whether she could be called Chinese. Some said she had insulted her birth country in comments on the political system. China’s media organizations are closely controlled by the ruling Communist Party. Online criticism can often result in calls for boycotts of famous people or big companies. Before the criticism in March, local media reported Nomadland was set for release in China on April 23. But the film did not open last week and there was no official word on a release date. Employees at two movie theaters in Beijing said they did not know of any future showings of the film. Frances McDormand won the best actress Oscar for her performance in Nomadland. Anthony Hopkins won best actor for his performance in The Father. And Daniel Kaluuya won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Huizhong Wu reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. ________________________________________________   Words in This Story   censor – v. to examine books, movies and media and remove things that are not approved by a government or society trend – v. to be one of the words, subjects or names quickly gaining popularity on social media at a particular time https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/restrained-reaction-in-china-to-zhao-oscar-wins/5867459.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/restrained-reaction-in-china-to-zhao-oscar-wins/5867459.html Mon, 26 Apr 2021 21:59:29 +0000 Arts & CultureRead, Listen & Learnhttps://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/restrained-reaction-in-china-to-zhao-oscar-wins/5867459.html#comments