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Voice of America
14-03-2025
- General
- Voice of America
Sew and Knit
This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Rohullah in Afghanistan about using the words 'sew' and 'knit' and related terms. Dear VOA Learning English, I am sending this email to know what the differences are between "sewing and knitting" or "sew and knit.' Besides [that], I wanted to know what I can call a woman or a man that makes clothes. Thank you I'm happy to answer this question, Rohullah. An important difference between sewing and knitting is that when we sew, we connect pieces of fabric or cloth that are already made. When we knit, we make the cloth itself from strings called yarn. Also, the word 'sewing' can describe many ways people connect or repair fabric and clothes. For example, people can sew many kinds of clothes, such as socks, shirts, dresses, hats, and gloves. People can also sew larger things, such as window coverings or tents. A person can sew using a sewing machine or simply by using their hands with a needle and thread. Knitting does not generally require use of a machine or a needle and thread. To knit, a person uses thicker strings called yarn, along with two thin sticks called knitting needles. Yarn is usually made of small, natural pieces, called fibers, such as wool or cotton. While sewing thread is often less than one millimeter thick, knitting yarn is generally two to five millimeters thick. Many people who knit make clothing for cold weather, such as wool sweaters, hats, and scarves. They may also knit blankets or other things that can be used in the home. More than 50 years ago, most Americans who earned money sewing clothes in a factory were women. They were called 'seamstresses.' Today, we sometimes call any person who sews a 'sewist.' Or we can simply say 'a person who sews.' And a person whose job is to sew or repair clothes to make them fit well is called a tailor. For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English? Do you like to knit or sew? We want to hear from you! Send us an email at learningenglish@ And please let us know where you are from, too. And that's Ask a Teacher. I'm Andrew Smith. Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. ______________________________________________________ Words in This Story fabric – n. cloth or other material made from cotton, wool, silk, nylon or other threads tent – n. a shelter made of nylon or strong, heavy cloth held up by poles, typically used for camping needle – n. a small, very thin piece of metal with a sharp point at one end and a hole at the other for a thread to go through thread – n. a long, thin piece of material such as cotton, nylon or silk used for sewing blanket – n. a large square or rectangular piece of cloth, typically put on bed to keep you warm
Voice of America
07-03-2025
- Voice of America
Beach, Coast, Shore
This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Doyeon in Korea about the usage of three similar words. Here is the question: Hello. I want to know the differences between the beach, . . . coast and shore. Thank you. You ask a useful question, Doyeon. Beach, shore and coast are related words, but they have some important differences. Beach The word 'beach' is the most specific of the three words. The Collins online dictionary defines beach as 'a nearly level stretch of pebbles and sand beside a sea, lake, etc., often washed by high water.' Ocean beaches are popular places to visit. We often use the phrase 'at the beach' to express the idea of spending time in the general area of the beach, as in the following example: They will vacation at the beach this summer. We usually say 'on the beach' when describing specific activities we do there: She went for a walk on the beach. I'm going to spend my afternoon on the beach. They are playing football on the beach. Coast The Learning English Word Book defines coast as 'land on the edge of the ocean.' We can use the word to describe a wide area, however. For example, Baltimore, Maryland is an East Coast city even though it is several kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. Here are more examples of how we can use 'coast' in a sentence. The Florida coast has many nice towns and beaches. The coast of California extends over 1,300 kilometers. Like the expression 'at the beach,' we can say 'on the coast' when describing the general area, as in the following example: Her mother has lived on the coast for 30 years. We can use the expression 'off the coast of' to describe an area of ocean or sea relative to a place on land: The island is about 60 kilometers off the coast of Africa. Shore The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the word 'shore' as 'the land bordering a usually large body of water.' Shore can sometimes mean the beach, but not always. For example, you might swim to shore and come out of the water onto a beach. But you could also come to shore at a port with no beach in sight. And we can use 'shore' when discussing the general area, just like we do with the word 'coast.' The following example shows this meaning: The northern shore has many nice towns and beaches. For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English? We want to hear from you! Do you like to spend time at the coast? Send us an email at learningenglish@ And please let us know where you are from, too. And that's Ask a Teacher. I'm Andrew Smith. Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story specific – adj. precise, relating to one thing and not others pebble – n. a small rock
Voice of America
21-02-2025
- General
- Voice of America
Extend, Expand, etc.
This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Ann in China. Here is part of Ann's question: Hello Teachers, Could you please help me understand the difference between "extend," "expand," "stretch," [and] "enlarge" when I describe an activity that makes something larger than its current state? Thank you, Ann. We can use the four verbs Ann asked about to express an increase in physical size or amount. We can also use them to express increasing the time an activity takes. Extend We often use the verb 'extend' to talk about increasing the amount of time for an activity or program. For example: Officials want to extend the school year by six weeks. We can use the verb 'extend' to express an increase in people, things, or ideas. Consider the following examples: The new rule extends to all employees in the company. They want to extend the benefits of freedom to people around the world. This research will extend our knowledge. We can also use 'extend' to express the distance or the area something reaches. For example: The Rocky Mountains extend from the United States into Canada. Expand We use 'expand' to express an increase in the size of a project or program. And, like 'extend,' we can use 'expand' to talk about including more people. Consider the following example: Officials want to expand the program to include people from developing countries. We commonly use 'expand' in connection with business or industry: We want to expand our business to reach more customers. Stretch We can use the phrasal verb 'stretch out' to express increasing the time to continue an activity: I wanted to stretch out my vacation for an extra two or three days. We can use the verb 'stretch' to express improving our ability to do something: Learning a new language will stretch your mind and improve your problem-solving abilities. Note that when we use the verb 'stretch' in this way, we communicate the idea that the improvement might be a little difficult or take a lot of effort. Enlarge Unlike the verb 'extend,' we do not use 'enlarge' to talk about an increase in time. Instead, it simply means to increase in size or scope. Scope means all of the things connected to an activity or project. Consider the following example: They have enlarged their research team to examine the effects of pollution on animals. For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English? How are you trying to expand your knowledge? We want to hear from you! Send us an email at learningenglish@ And please let us know where you are from, too. And that's Ask a Teacher. I'm Andrew Smith. Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________________ Words in This Story benefits –n. the good things that result from an action or situation
Voice of America
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
VOA immigration weekly recap, Feb. 9-15
Editor's note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@ Trump administration moves quickly with mass deportation plans Since taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump has declared illegal immigration a national emergency. The Trump administration ramped up its mass deportation efforts, expanding the use of expedited removal and using Guantanamo Bay as a detention site for certain migrants. The moves have raised concerns among immigration advocates, who argue that the policies lack transparency and could violate due process rights. VOA's immigration reporter, Aline Barros, reports. US fires 20 immigration judges from backlogged courts The administration of President Donald Trump has fired 20 immigration judges without explanation, a union official said Saturday amid sweeping moves to shrink the size of the federal government. On Friday, 13 judges who had yet to be sworn in and five assistant chief immigration judges were dismissed without notice, said Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, which represents federal workers. Two other judges were fired under similar circumstances last week. The Associated Press reports. With doors closed to US, asylum-seekers turn to a new life in Mexico When Angelica Delgado took a one-way flight to Mexico as she fled Cuba in December, she was set on seeking asylum in the United States. But after President Donald Trump effectively slammed the door on asylum-seekers crossing the U.S. border when he took office last month, the 23-year-old recalibrated her plans. She decided she would seek protection in Mexico. The Associated Press reports. US deports 119 migrants from several nations to Panama Panama has received the first U.S. flight carrying deportees from other nations as the administration of President Donald Trump takes Panama up on its offer to act as a stopover for expelled migrants, the Central American nation's president said Thursday. "Yesterday, a flight from the United States Air Force arrived with 119 people from diverse nationalities of the world," President Jose Raul Mulino said Thursday in his weekly news briefing. He said migrants from China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries were on board. The Associated Press reports. Chicago nonprofit helps undocumented migrants afraid to leave home Amid nationwide immigration raids, a community organization in Chicago is helping undocumented migrants who say they are afraid to leave their homes for fear of being detained. Veronica Villafane narrates this report by Enrique Garcia Fuentes. Arrests for illegal border crossings fall in Texas An idled Border Patrol bus sat empty this past week, on standby for any migrants surrendering near the southern tip of Texas. Agents in two speedboats zipped by pockets of sandy shores, known landing spots for people entering the U.S. illegally from Mexico on inner tubes, but saw nothing suspicious. Once-busy river landings near the Texas border city of Mission were barren of the migrants who previously crossed there, although the riverbank was littered with clothes, plastic bracelets issued by smugglers and a teddy bear on an unusually cold Thursday morning. The Associated Press reports. New York City mayor to allow ICE agents at Rikers jail New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he will allow federal immigration officials to operate at the city's Rikers Island jail following a meeting Thursday with President Donald Trump's border czar. Adams said he will issue an executive order reestablishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence at the complex — one of the nation's largest and most notorious lockups — as had been the case under prior administrations. The Associated Press reports. VOA60 Africa - Nigeria: Thousands of refugees return from Chad Thousands of Nigerians who fled to Chad to escape jihadi violence in Nigeria's northeast have returned after more than a decade. Around 3,600 refugees arrived in Maiduguri, the regional capital of Borno State, aboard trucks. Immigration around the world Guam a doorway to US for Chinese asylum-seekers President Donald Trump's immigration policy has mainly been focused on migrants trying to cross into the U.S. at its border with Mexico, some having made the perilous trek from as far as South America. Out in the western Pacific Ocean, some Chinese are taking an equally dangerous route to the U.S. VOA's Yu Yao and Jiu Dao have their story, narrated by Elizabeth Lee. VOA Creole: Congressman asks Trump to renew TPS for Haitians Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of New York told VOA in an exclusive interview that he will ask President Donald Trump to renew Temporary Protected Status for Haitians. TPS will expire for current holders in February 2026. Lawler told VOA that gang violence, drug and arms trafficking, and an overall lack of security make it untenable to deport the Haitians. Radio offers connection for longtime Afghan refugee Arriving as a refugee in Pakistan four decades ago, Besmillah Miakhil's first purchase was a radio. Now 88, Miakhil says broadcasts help keep him connected to his home country, Afghanistan. From Kohat, Pakistan, Muska Safi has the story, narrated by Bezhan Hamdard. News Brief — Statement by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on indictment of CBP officer for drug and human smuggling.
Voice of America
14-02-2025
- Health
- Voice of America
Regimen
This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Marco in Italy. Here is Marco's question: Dear Teacher, I want to understand more when to use the word 'regimen' for exercise or other actions. Thank you. I'm happy to answer this question, Marco. A regimen is usual and repeated action, especially in training. In health care, it is a systematic plan to improve a person's health. A training regimen, for example, can include exercises people can do to help them get the results they want. For example, a long-distance runner's regimen might include runs of 10 or 20 kilometers every week. Note that we often put another noun before the word 'regimen' to help identify it more clearly. These are called attributive nouns. They act similarly to adjectives, as in the following examples: a weightlifting regimen, a workout regimen, a running regimen, a walking regimen, a stretching regimen In fact, you can more clearly identify any kind of regimen by placing an attributive noun before it. For example, musicians can have a 'practice regimen,' and students can have a 'study regimen.' To express what actions or steps are in a regimen, we can use the verb and preposition 'consist of,' as the following example shows: My exercise regimen consists of strength training two days a week and running or walking most other days. Note that native speakers might substitute the word 'routine' for 'regimen' in some situations. Here are some examples: What practice routine do you follow? You can use this daily routine to improve your fitness. A medical regimen is a series of repeated treatments. For example, a doctor might tell a patient to take a certain medicine two times a day for two weeks. We often put adjectives, like medical, before the word 'regimen,' also. 'Daily,' and 'effective' are commonly used, as in: Try to include long walks in your daily regimen. You need an effective regimen for losing weight. And it is not unusual to use both an adjective and an attributive noun, like in this example: She swims two kilometers a day as part of a strict training regimen. For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English? Do you have a special study regimen? We want to hear from you! Send us an email at learningenglish@ And please let us know where you are from, too. And that's Ask a Teacher. I'm Andrew Smith. Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________________ Words in This Story consist of -verb phrase. To be formed or made of fitness -n. the state of being in strong physical condition certain -adj. specific, exact strict -adj. exact and precise, with little variation
