Seven high-ranking current and former FIFA officials were arrested Wednesday.
Iranian FM expresses hope for nuclear deal
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday he is hopeful Iran and a group of world powers can reach a final agreement on his country's nuclear program \reasonable period of time.\
But during a visit to Greece, Zarif also said an agreement will not happen if there are \
Iran and the group that includes Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany have given themselves until June 30 to form a final deal curbing Iran's nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. The two sides agreed to a framework in April, but still need to work out details such as how quickly to lift the sanctions that have hurt Iran's economy.
President Obama hosts Twitter chat on climate change
Just a week after entering the Twitter world with his new handle, @POTUS, U.S. President Barack Obama was on Twitter Thursday answering questions on climate change.
The president was in Miami, Florida, on Thursday, touring the National Hurricane Center. Mr. Obama spoke about the link between deadly storms and climate change.
During his Twitter question-and-answer session Thursday, the president was asked by one user why he called climate change a national security issue during his State of the Union address in January.
@POTUS responded saying, more severe weather events lead to displacement, scarcity, stressed populations; all increase likelihood of global conflict.
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Words in the News:
humiliation – n. the act of making (someone) feel very ashamed or foolish
corruption – n. dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people
sponsor – n. an organization that pays the cost of an activity or event (such as a radio or television program, sports event, concert, etc.) in return for the right to advertise during the activity or event
reasonable – adj. fair and sensible
国际足联主席布拉特称腐败丑闻令足球运动蒙羞
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said corruption scandals within the world soccer organization have brought \humiliation\
国际足联主席布拉特表示，国际足联内部的腐败丑闻令足球运动蒙羞。
Mr. Blatter spoke Thursday at the opening of the FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland. He was speaking publicly for the first time since U.S. and Swiss officials announced major corruption investigations of the organization.
布拉特先生周四在瑞士苏黎世国际足联大会开幕式上做了发言。这是他在美国和瑞士官员宣布对该组织进行重大腐败调查后的第一次公开发言。
Meanwhile, two major European football associations called on Mr. Blatter to resign, ahead of the organization's presidential elections planned for Friday. UK Prime Minister David Cameron also supported calls for Sepp Blatter to step down.
与此同时，在计划于周五举行的国际足联主席选举前，欧洲两大足球协会呼吁布拉特先生辞职。英国首相卡梅伦也支持呼吁布拉特下台。
Major FIFA sponsors like Visa and Coca-Cola are calling for FIFA to make major changes within the organization. The United Nations is also reviewing its partnerships with FIFA following allegations of widespread corruption, a U.N. spokesman said Thursday.
国际足联主要赞助商Visa信用卡组织和可口可乐公司都呼吁国际足联内部进行重大改革。联合国一位发言人周四表示，在大范围腐败指控之后，联合国也正在审查它同国际足联的伙伴关系。
Seven high-ranking current and former FIFA officials were arrested Wednesday. 七名高级别现任和前任国际足联官员周三被逮捕。
Iranian FM expresses hope for nuclear deal 伊朗外长希望达成核协议
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday he is hopeful Iran and a group of world powers can reach a final agreement on his country's nuclear program \伊朗外长扎里夫周四表示，他希望伊朗同一众世界强国能够就该国的核项目在合理时间内达成最终协议。
But during a visit to Greece, Zarif also said an agreement will not happen if there are \但是在访问希腊期间，扎里夫还表示，如果存在过份要求，协议就会无法达成。
Iran and the group that includes Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany have given themselves until June 30 to form a final deal curbing Iran's nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. The two sides agreed to a framework in April, but still need to work out details such as how quickly to lift the sanctions that have hurt Iran's economy.
伊朗同包括英国、中国、法国、俄罗斯、美国以及德国在内的组织已经达成一致，在6月30日之前形成遏制伊朗核活动的最终协议以换取缓解对伊朗的制裁。双方同意了四月份的一份框架协议，但是仍需要解决例如如何尽快解除已经伤害伊朗经济的制裁等细节。
President Obama hosts Twitter chat on climate change 奥巴马总统就气候变化进行推特对话
Just a week after entering the Twitter world with his new handle, @POTUS, U.S. President Barack Obama was on Twitter Thursday answering questions on climate change.
凭借新帐号POTUS入住推特仅仅一周之后，美国总统奥巴马周四就在推特上回答了气候变化的提问。
The president was in Miami, Florida, on Thursday, touring the National Hurricane Center. Mr. Obama spoke about the link between deadly storms and climate change.
周四奥巴马在佛罗里达州迈阿密市参观国家飓风中心。奥巴马先生谈到了致命风暴和气候变化之间的联系。
During his Twitter question-and-answer session Thursday, the president was asked by one user why he called climate change a national security issue during his State of the Union address in January.
周四在奥巴马的推特问答环节，他被用户问到，为何在一月份的国情咨文中称气候变化是一项国家安全问题。
@POTUS responded saying, more severe weather events lead to displacement, scarcity, stressed populations; all increase likelihood of global conflict.
奥巴马回应说，更恶劣的气候事件会导致流离失所、物资匮乏和人口受压，这些都会增加全球冲突的可能性。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)
美国之音 > Voa English Learning > Learn A Word
2297 berate
今天我们要学的词是 berate. Berate 动词，有责骂，痛斥的意思。A Saudi religious policeman berated a veiled woman and barred her from entering a shop for not wearing gloves. 沙特阿拉伯的一个宗教警察对一名头戴面纱的女性大喊大叫，因为这名女性没戴手套而不让她进商店大门。A Starbucks employee was fired after a video showed her berating a customer. 星巴克一名雇员因为大声斥责一名顾客，被星巴克开除。好的，今天我们学习的词是 berate, berate, berate...
美国之音 > VOA Standard English > Latest Updates
Researchers Study Ways to Help People Quit Smoking
Carol Pearson May 29,2015
WASHINGTON— It's no secret that any type of tobacco use is not healthy. But, for most people, it's hard to quit. That's because most of them started the habit as teenagers and because tobacco contains nicotine.
\Dr. Kimberly Horn, Associate Dean of Research at the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health.
Dr. Kimberly Horn said teens are likely to use more than one form of tobacco. It could be cigarettes, small cigars, smokeless tobacco. And teens who smoke are likely to use electronic cigarettes, which also deliver nicotine.
\
There is no one technique for quitting that works for everyone. Some turn to e-cigarettes for help.
Cici, who provided only her first name, is hoping electronic cigarettes can help her kick the habit.
\ of smoke. I don‘t like the mess of cigarette butts,\\tobacco smoke.‖
She admitted to being a heavy smoker and said she was also concerned about the health effects of tobacco use.
―When I tried it for the first time, I said, ?Oh, that‘s almost as good as smoking,‘\were so many benefits, and I realized it was better than smoking.‖
Stop smoking programs
Studies show electronic devices can work for some people, but not for others. Behavioral therapy and medication and products that reduce nicotine cravings like gum and nicotine patches might help.
Dr. Nancy Rigotti at Massachusetts General Hospital and other researchers designed a program to help smokers quit while they were in the hospital and stay smoke free after they were discharged.
Some patients were given a nicotine patch or medication and counseling in the hospital, with follow-up support after they left.
―We know that medication works and that counseling works, but they both together work much better than either one alone,‖ Rigotti said.
Seventy percent of smokers in that program were still smoke-free six months after leaving the hospital.
The U.S. government and private organizations have been running anti-smoking campaigns since 1964 when the U.S. Surgeon General produced his first report on Smoking and Health. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities/tobacco/index.html.
Since then there have been reports on how smoking affects women, youth and various diseases including diabetes and cancer.
A study from the Yale School of Public Health found that those who quit during this time period had a 30-percent improvement in life expectancy.
Dr. Theodore Holford, and co-authors compiled analyzed surveys and compiled personal histories, many of which had detailed information about where people smoked, when they began smoking and when they quit.
Holford concluded that between 17 and 18 million deaths in the U.S. were associated with the use of tobacco, and in particular, with cigarette smoking between 1964 and 2014.
And, he said, if the government had not started an anti-smoking campaign, ― an additional eight million would have died.‖
Both studies were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
美国之音 > VOA Standard English > Latest Updates
Modular Robot Getting Closer to Reality
George Putic May 29,2015
For years, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University experimented with a snake-like robot that could crawl through pipes and climb up trees.
Gradually, their robot evolved into motorized modules, each with its own processor, that can be assembled in various configurations, such as a six-legged insect-like machine they call the Snake Monster.
Howie Choset, a professor at the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, said researchers were \together as easy as Lego, but there is a lot going on underneath the hood to allow that to happen.‖
What happens \other, in order to coordinate the robot‘s movements.
End modules with wheels instead of feet allow the robot to move faster on smooth surfaces. Modules may also be equipped with a camera that can survey the surroundings.
Another feature is a so-called ―master-and-slave‖ system, through which an operator can manipulate a robotic twin, remotely controlling the twin and even feeling the resistance it encounters.
Choset said the robot is ready for real-life testing. \throw it around. It's robust. You can kick it, and it is still going to work.‖
Modular robotic arms can be programmed for various tasks, including feeding handicapped persons.
Researchers are already working on other modular attachments, such as force-sensing feet or tank-like tracks that will allow customizing robots for even more tasks.
美国之音 > VOA Standard English > Latest Updates
One World Trade Center Observatory Opens to Public
Bernard Shusman May 29,2015
NEW YORK— From New Jersey to Long Island, from Northern suburbs to the Atlantic Ocean, with all of New York City in-between. That view became available to the public Friday as the One World Trade Center Observatory opened in New York - atop the replacement for the buildings destroyed in the September 11, 2001, attacks.
The emphasis was on New York, the future…but still remembering the past.
People from around the world lined up to go to the top of this shiny new building, which reaches 541 meters into the sky…taller than any other building on the North American continent.