Why Vitamins Are Important to Good Health
13 September 2010


Or download MP3 (Right-click or option-click and save link)
BOB DOUGHTY: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I’m Bob Doughty.
FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. This week, we tell about vitamins.

(MUSIC)

BOB DOUGHTY: Many jobs must be done with two people. One person takes the lead. The other helps. It is this cooperation that brings success.
So it is with the human body. Much of our good health depends on the cooperation between substances. When they work together, chemical reactions take place smoothly. Body systems are kept in balance.
Some of the most important helpers in the job of good health are the substances we call vitamins.


FAITH LAPIDUS: The word “vitamin” dates back to Polish scientist Casimir Funk in 1912. He was studying a substance in the hull that covers rice. This substance was believed to cure a disorder called beriberi.
Funk believed the substance belonged to a group of chemicals known as amines. He added the Latin word "vita," meaning life. So he called the substance a “vitamine” -- an amine necessary for life.

BOB DOUGHTY: Funk was not able to separate the anti-berberi substance from the rice hulls; it was later shown to be thiamine. Other studies found that not all vitamines were amines. So the name was shortened to vitamin. But Funk was correct in recognizing their importance.
Scientists have discovered 14 kinds of vitamins. They are known as vitamins A, the B group, C, D, E and K. Scientists say vitamins help to carry out chemical changes within cells. If we do not get enough of the vitamins we need in our food, we are at risk of developing a number of diseases.

FAITH LAPIDUS: This brings us back to Casimir Funk. His studies of rice were part of a long search for foods that could cure disease.
One of the first people involved in that search was James Lind of Scotland. In the 1740's, Lind was a doctor for the British Navy. He was investigating a problem that had existed in the Navy for many years.
The problem was the disease scurvy. So many sailors had scurvy that the Navy’s fighting strength was very low. The sailors were weak from bleeding inside their bodies. Even the smallest wound would not heal. Doctor Lind thought the sailors were getting sick because they failed to eat some kinds of foods when they were at sea for many months.

BOB DOUGHTY: Doctor Lind separated 12 sailors who had scurvy into two groups. He gave each group different foods to eat. One group got oranges and lemons. The other did not. The men who ate the fruit began to improve within seven days. The other men got weaker. Doctor Lind was correct. Eating citrus fruits prevents scurvy.
Other doctors looked for foods to cure the diseases rickets and pellagra. They did not yet understand that they were seeing the problem from the opposite direction. That is, it is better to eat vitamin-rich foods to prevent disease instead of eating them to cure a disease after it has developed.

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS: Which foods should be eaten to keep us healthy? Let us look at some important vitamins for these answers.
Vitamin A helps prevent skin and other tissues from becoming dry. It is also needed to make a light-sensitive substance in the eyes. People who do not get enough vitamin A cannot see well in darkness. They may develop a condition that dries the eyes. This can result in infections and lead to blindness.
Vitamin A is found in fish liver oil. It also is in the yellow part of eggs. Sweet potatoes, carrots and other darkly colored fruits and vegetables contain substances that the body can change into vitamin A.

Getty Images/Stockbyte Platinum

BOB DOUGHTY: Vitamin B-one is also called thiamine. Thiamine changes starchy foods into energy. It also helps the heart and nervous system work smoothly. Without it, we would be weak and would not grow. We also might develop beriberi.
Thiamine is found not just in whole grains like brown rice, but also in other foods. These include beans and peas, nuts, and meat and fish.
Another B-vitamin is niacin. It helps cells use food energy. It also prevents pellagra -- a disease that causes weakness, reddish skin and stomach problems. Niacin is found in meat, fish and green vegetables.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Vitamin B-12 is needed so folic acid can do its work. Together, they help produce red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 is found naturally in foods like eggs, meat, fish and milk products. Folic acid has been shown to prevent physical problems in babies when taken by their mothers during pregnancy.
Vitamin B-12 is found in green leafy vegetables and other foods, like legumes and citrus fruits. In some countries, it is added to products like bread.

BOB DOUGHTY: In 2003, Japanese researchers identified a new member of the B-vitamin group. It is a substance known as pyrroloquinoline quinone, or PQQ.
The researchers found that PQQ is important in the reproductive and defense systems of mice. They said the substance is similarly important for people. PQQ is found in fermented soybeans and also in parsley, green tea, green peppers and kiwi fruit.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Vitamin C is needed for strong bones and teeth, and for healthy blood passages. It also helps wounds heal quickly. The body stores little vitamin C. So we must get it every day in foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes and uncooked cabbage.
Vitamin D increases levels of the element calcium in the blood. Calcium is needed for nerve and muscle cells to work normally. It also is needed to build strong bones.

BOB DOUGHTY: Vitamin D prevents the children’s bone disease rickets. Ultraviolet light from the sun changes a substance in the skin into vitamin D. Fish liver oil also contains vitamin D. In some countries, milk producers add vitamin D to milk so children will get enough.
Vitamin K is needed for healthy blood. It thickens the blood around a cut to stop bleeding. Bacteria in the intestines normally produce vitamin K. It can also be found in pork products, liver and in vegetables like cabbage, kale and spinach.

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS: Experts agree that everyone needs vitamins so that their bodies can operate normally. In general, a complete diet should provide all the vitamins a body needs in their natural form. In addition, many foods and food products now have extra vitamins and minerals added.
Some people fear they do not get enough vitamins from the foods they eat. So they take products with large amounts of vitamins. They think these products, called vitamin supplements, will improve their health and protect against disease. Many adults now take vitamin supplements every day.

BOB DOUGHTY: In 2006, medical experts gathered near Washington, D.C. to discuss studies about vitamin supplements. The experts found little evidence that most supplements do anything to protect or improve health. But they noted that some do help to prevent disease.
The experts said women who wish to become mothers should take folic acid to prevent problems in their babies. And, they said vitamin D supplements and calcium can protect the bones of older women.

FAITH LAPIDUS: The medical experts agreed with doctors who say that people who know they lack a vitamin should take vitamin supplements. Some older adults, for example, may not have enough vitamin B-12. That is because, as people get older, the body loses its ability to take it from foods.
The experts also noted that taking too much of some vitamins can be harmful. They said people should be sure to discuss what vitamins they take with their doctors.
Several studies have not been able to show that taking vitamin supplements in addition to a balanced diet helps to prevent disease. One study found that older Americans do not get enough Vitamin C and required minerals. The study involved more than 6,000 individuals. More than half of them took vitamin supplements.

BOB DOUGHTY: Vitamins are important to our health. A lack of required vitamins can lead to health problems.
Different vitamins are found in different foods -- grains, vegetables and fruits, fish and meat, eggs and milk products. And even foods that contain the same vitamins may have them in different amounts. Experts say this is why it is important to eat a mixture of foods every day, to get enough of the vitamins our bodies need.

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Brianna Blake. I’m Faith Lapidus.

BOB DOUGHTY: And I’m Bob Doughty. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

Leonardo da Vinci: One of the Greatest Thinkers in History

Leonardo da Vinci: One of the Greatest Thinkers in History
14 September 2010

Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper"
Or download MP3 (Right-click or option-click and save link)
STEVE EMBER: I’m Steve Ember.
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: And I’m Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we tell about one of the greatest thinkers in the world, Leonardo da Vinci. He began his career as an artist. But his interest in the world around him drove him to study music, math, science, engineering and building design. Many of his ideas and inventions were centuries ahead of his time.
(MUSIC)
STEVE EMBER: We start with one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous drawings, called “Vitruvian Man.” This work is a good example of his ever questioning mind, and his effort to bring together art, math and science.
“Vitruvian Man” is a detailed sketch of a man’s body, which is drawn at the center of a square and circle. The man’s stretched arms and legs are in two positions, showing the range of his motion. His arms and legs touch the edges of the square and circle.
Detail from the drawing "Vitruvian Man"
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: With this drawing Leonardo was considering the size of the human body and its relationship to geometry and the writings of the ancient Roman building designer Vitruvius.

Avec ce dessin Leonardo considérait la taille du corps humain et sa relation à la géométrie et les écritures du Romain antique construisant le designer Vitruvius.

Leonardo wrote this about how to develop a complete mind: “Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses- especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.”
STEVE EMBER: Leonardo da Vinci spent his life studying and observing in order to develop a scientific understanding of the world. He wrote down his thoughts and project ideas in a series of small notebooks. He made drawings and explained them with detailed notes. In these notebooks, he would write the words backwards. Some experts say he wrote this way because he wished to be secretive about his findings. But others say he wrote this way because he was left-handed and writing backwards was easier and helped keep the ink from smearing.


Léonard de Vinci a dépensé(passé) sa vie l'étude et l'observation pour développer une compréhension scientifique du monde. Il a noté ses pensées et des idées de projet dans une série de petits blocs-notes(portables). Il a fait des dessins et les a expliqués avec des notes détaillées. Dans ces blocs-notes(portables), il écrirait les mots en arrière. Quelques experts disent qu'il a écrit cette voie parce qu'il a voulu être dissimulé de ses découvertes. Mais d'autres disent qu'il a écrit cette voie parce qu'il était gaucher et écrivant était en arrière plus facile et a aidé à empêcher l'encre d'enduire




SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: The notebooks show many very modern ideas. Leonardo designed weapons, machines, engines, robots, and many other kinds of engineering devices. When disease spread in Milan, Leonardo designed a city that would help resist the spread of infection. He designed devices to help people climb walls, and devices to help people fly. He designed early versions of modern machines such as the tank and helicopter. Few of these designs were built during his lifetime. But they show his extraordinarily forward- thinking mind.
The notebooks also contain details about his daily life. These have helped historians learn more about the personal side of this great thinker.
(MUSIC)
STEVE EMBER: Very little is known about Leonardo’s early life. He was born in fourteen fifty-two in the town of Vinci. His father, Ser Piero da Vinci, was a legal expert. Experts do not know for sure about his mother, Caterina. But they do know that Leonardo’s parents were never married to each other. As a boy, Leonardo showed a great interest in drawing, sculpting and observing nature.
However, because Leonardo was born to parents who were not married to each other, he was barred from some studies and professions. He trained as an artist after moving to Florence with his father in the fourteen sixties.
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: It was an exciting time to be in Florence, one of the cultural capitals of Europe. Leonardo trained with one of the city’s very successful artists, Andrea del Verrocchio. He was a painter, sculptor and gold worker. Verrocchio told his students that they needed to understand the body’s bones and muscles when drawing people.
Leonardo took his teacher’s advice very seriously. He spent several periods of his life studying the human body by taking apart and examining dead bodies. Experts say his later drawings of the organs and systems of the human body are still unequalled to this day.
(MUSIC)
STEVE EMBER: While training as an artist, Leonardo also learned about and improved on relatively new painting methods at the time. One was the use of perspective to show depth. A method called “sfumato” helped to create a cloudy effect to suggest distance. “Chiaroscuro” is a method using light and shade as a painterly effect. The artist also used oil paints instead of the traditional tempura paints used in Italy during this period.


En formant comme un artiste, Leonardo a aussi appris d'et s'est amélioré dans des relativement nouvelles méthodes de peinture à l'époque. On était l'utilisation de perspective pour montrer la profondeur. Une méthode appelée "sfumato" a aidé à créer un effet nuageux pour suggérer la distance. "Le clair-obscur" est une méthode utilisant la lumière et la nuance(l'ombre) comme un effet pictural. L'artiste a aussi utilisé des peintures à l'huile au lieu des peintures de tempura traditionnelles utilisées en Italie pendant cette période.








nga.govLeonardo's first known portrait "Ginevra de’Benci"
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Leonardo’s first known portrait now hangs in the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. He made this painting of a young woman named Ginevra de’Benci around fourteen seventy-four. The woman has a pale face with dark hair. In the distance, Leonardo painted the Italian countryside.
He soon received attention for his extraordinary artistic skills. Around fourteen seventy-five he was asked to draw an angel in Verrocchio’s painting “Baptism of Christ.” One story says that when Verrocchio saw Leonardo’s addition to the painting, he was so amazed by his student’s skill, that he said he would never paint again.

Il a bientôt reçu l'attention pour ses habiletés(compétences) artistiques extraordinaires. Autour quatorze soixante-quinze on lui a demandé de dessiner(tirer) un ange dans la peinture de Verrocchio "le Baptême de Christ." Une histoire dit que quand Verrocchio a vu le complément(l'addition) de Leonardo à la peinture, il a été si stupéfié par l'habileté(la compétence) de son étudiant, qu'il a dit qu'il ne peindrait jamais de nouveau.




(MUSIC)
STEVE EMBER: Leonardo once said the following about actively using one’s mental abilities: “Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.” His mind was so active that he did not often finish his many projects.

Leonardo a une fois dit la chose suivante d'activement l'utilisation de ses capacités mentales : "des rouilles de fer de la désuétude, l'eau stagnante perd sa pureté et devient par temps froid gelée; cependant l'inaction dessèche l'énergie de l'avis(esprit)." Son avis(esprit) était si actif qu'il ne finissait pas souvent beaucoup de ses projets.



One religious painting he never finished was called “Adoration of the Magi”. He was hired to make the painting for a religious center. The complex drawing he made to prepare for the painting is very special. It shows how carefully he planned his art works. It shows his deep knowledge of geometry, volume and depth. He drew the many people in the painting without clothes so that he could make sure that their bodies would be physically correct once covered.

Une peinture religieuse qu'il n'a jamais finie a été appelée "l'Adoration de Rois mages". Il a été embauché pour faire la peinture pour un centre religieux. Le complexe le dessinant(tirant) fait pour se préparer pour la peinture est très spécial. Il montre comment soigneusement il a planifié ses œuvres(travaux) d'art. Il montre sa connaissance profonde de géométrie, le volume et la profondeur. Il a tiré(dessiné) les nombreux gens(peuple) dans la peinture sans vêtements pour qu'il puisse s'assurer que leurs corps(organismes) seraient physiquement corrects une fois couverts






SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Around fourteen eighty-two, Leonardo moved to Milan. There, he worked for the city’s ruler, Ludovico Sforza. This ruler invited Leonardo to Milan not as an artist, but as a musician. Historians say Leonardo was one of the most skillful lyre players in all of Italy. But he also continued his work as a painter. He also designed everything from festivals to weapons and a sculpture for Ludovico Sforza.
STEVE EMBER: One famous work from Leonardo’s Milan period is called “Virgin of the Rocks.” It shows Jesus as a baby along with his mother, Mary, and John the Baptist also as a baby. They are sitting outside in an unusual environment. Leonardo used his careful observations of nature to paint many kinds of plants. In the background are a series of severe rock formations. This painting helped Leonardo make it clear to the ruler and people of Milan that he was a very inventive and skillful artist.




Un travail célèbre de la période de Milan de Leonardo est appelé "la Vierge des Roches(Rocks)." Il montre Jésus comme un bébé avec sa mère, Mary et Jean le Baptiste aussi comme un bébé. Ils sont assis à l'extérieur dans un environnement inhabituel. Leonardo a utilisé ses observations prudentes de nature pour peindre beaucoup de sortes d'usines(de plantes). Sont à l'arrière-plan une série de formations de roche(rock) sévères. Cette peinture a aidé Leonardo à préciser au dirigeant(à la règle) et aux gens(au peuple) de Milan qu'il était un artiste très inventif et habile.








SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Leonardo later made his famous painting “The Last Supper” for the dining room of a religious center in Milan. He combined his studies in light, math, psychology, geometry and anatomy for this special work. He designed the painting to look like it was part of the room. The painting shows a story from the Bible in which Jesus eats a meal with his followers for the last time. Jesus announces that one of them will betray him.
The work received wide praise and many artists tried to copy its beauty. One modern art expert described Leonardo’s “Last Supper” as the foundation of western art. Unfortunately, Leonardo experimented with a new painting method for this work. The paint has suffered extreme damage over the centuries.


Le travail a reçu la large éloge et beaucoup d'artistes ont essayé de copier sa beauté. Un expert moderne d'art a décrit Leonardo "le Dernier Dîner" comme la base(fondation) d'art occidental. Malheureusement, Leonardo a expérimenté avec une nouvelle méthode de peinture pour ce travail. La peinture a subi des dégâts extrêmes au cours des siècles


(MUSIC)
STEVE EMBER: In addition to the portrait of Ginevra de’Benci that we talked about earlier, Leonardo also painted several other non-religious paintings of women. One painting of Cecilia Gallerani has come to be known as “Lady with an Ermine” because of the small white animal she is holding. This woman was the lover of Milan’s ruler, Ludovico Sforza.
Detail from the "Mona Lisa" in the Louvre Museum in Paris
However, Leonardo’s most famous portrait of a woman is called the “Mona Lisa.” It is now in the collection of the Louvre museum in Paris. He painted this image of Lisa Gherardini starting around fifteen-oh-three. She was the wife of a wealthy businessman from Florence named Francesco del Giocondo. It is from him that the painting takes its Italian name, “La Gioconda.”


Lisa Gherardini s'assied de ses mains croisées(traversées) dans ses genoux(tour). Elle regarde directement le peintre. Elle semble sourire si légèrement. Beaucoup de mystère entoure la peinture. Les experts ne sont pas sûrs comment ou pourquoi Leonardo est venu pour peindre le travail. Mais ils connaissent vraiment qu'il ne l'a jamais donné à la famille de Giocondo. Il a gardé la peinture avec lui pour le reste de sa vie, pendant ses voyages par la France et l'Italie.







SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Lisa Gherardini is sitting down with her hands crossed in her lap. She looks directly at the painter. She seems to be smiling ever so slightly. A great deal of mystery surrounds the painting. Experts are not sure about how or why Leonardo came to paint the work. But they do know that he never gave it to the Giocondo family. He kept the painting with him for the rest of his life, during his travels through France and Italy.
Leonardo da Vinci died in France in fifteen nineteen. A friend who was with him at his death said this of the great man’s life: “May God Almighty grant him eternal peace. Every one laments the loss of a man, whose like Nature cannot produce a second time.”
STEVE EMBER: This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: And I’m Shirley Griffith. You can see some of Leonardo da Vinci’s work at our website voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.



Find this article at: http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/Leonardo-da-Vinci-One-of-the-Greatest-Thinkers-in-History-102911564.html

Why Vitamins Are Important to Good Health

Why Vitamins Are Important to Good Health
13 September 2010

Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Or download MP3 (Right-click or option-click and save link)
BOB DOUGHTY: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I’m Bob Doughty.
FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. This week, we tell about vitamins.
(MUSIC)
BOB DOUGHTY: Many jobs must be done with two people. One person takes the lead. The other helps. It is this cooperation that brings success.
So it is with the human body. Much of our good health depends on the cooperation between substances. When they work together, chemical reactions take place smoothly. Body systems are kept in balance.
Some of the most important helpers in the job of good health are the substances we call vitamins.
FAITH LAPIDUS: The word “vitamin” dates back to Polish scientist Casimir Funk in 1912. He was studying a substance in the hull that covers rice. This substance was believed to cure a disorder called beriberi.
Funk believed the substance belonged to a group of chemicals known as amines. He added the Latin word "vita," meaning life. So he called the substance a “vitamine” -- an amine necessary for life.
BOB DOUGHTY: Funk was not able to separate the anti-berberi substance from the rice hulls; it was later shown to be thiamine. Other studies found that not all vitamines were amines. So the name was shortened to vitamin. But Funk was correct in recognizing their importance.
Scientists have discovered 14 kinds of vitamins. They are known as vitamins A, the B group, C, D, E and K. Scientists say vitamins help to carry out chemical changes within cells. If we do not get enough of the vitamins we need in our food, we are at risk of developing a number of diseases.
FAITH LAPIDUS: This brings us back to Casimir Funk. His studies of rice were part of a long search for foods that could cure disease.
One of the first people involved in that search was James Lind of Scotland. In the 1740's, Lind was a doctor for the British Navy. He was investigating a problem that had existed in the Navy for many years.
The problem was the disease scurvy. So many sailors had scurvy that the Navy’s fighting strength was very low. The sailors were weak from bleeding inside their bodies. Even the smallest wound would not heal. Doctor Lind thought the sailors were getting sick because they failed to eat some kinds of foods when they were at sea for many months.
BOB DOUGHTY: Doctor Lind separated 12 sailors who had scurvy into two groups. He gave each group different foods to eat. One group got oranges and lemons. The other did not. The men who ate the fruit began to improve within seven days. The other men got weaker. Doctor Lind was correct. Eating citrus fruits prevents scurvy.
Other doctors looked for foods to cure the diseases rickets and pellagra. They did not yet understand that they were seeing the problem from the opposite direction. That is, it is better to eat vitamin-rich foods to prevent disease instead of eating them to cure a disease after it has developed.
(MUSIC)
FAITH LAPIDUS: Which foods should be eaten to keep us healthy? Let us look at some important vitamins for these answers.
Vitamin A helps prevent skin and other tissues from becoming dry. It is also needed to make a light-sensitive substance in the eyes. People who do not get enough vitamin A cannot see well in darkness. They may develop a condition that dries the eyes. This can result in infections and lead to blindness.
Vitamin A is found in fish liver oil. It also is in the yellow part of eggs. Sweet potatoes, carrots and other darkly colored fruits and vegetables contain substances that the body can change into vitamin A.

Getty Images/Stockbyte Platinum
BOB DOUGHTY: Vitamin B-one is also called thiamine. Thiamine changes starchy foods into energy. It also helps the heart and nervous system work smoothly. Without it, we would be weak and would not grow. We also might develop beriberi.
Thiamine is found not just in whole grains like brown rice, but also in other foods. These include beans and peas, nuts, and meat and fish.
Another B-vitamin is niacin. It helps cells use food energy. It also prevents pellagra -- a disease that causes weakness, reddish skin and stomach problems. Niacin is found in meat, fish and green vegetables.
FAITH LAPIDUS: Vitamin B-12 is needed so folic acid can do its work. Together, they help produce red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 is found naturally in foods like eggs, meat, fish and milk products. Folic acid has been shown to prevent physical problems in babies when taken by their mothers during pregnancy.
Vitamin B-12 is found in green leafy vegetables and other foods, like legumes and citrus fruits. In some countries, it is added to products like bread.
BOB DOUGHTY: In 2003, Japanese researchers identified a new member of the B-vitamin group. It is a substance known as pyrroloquinoline quinone, or PQQ.
The researchers found that PQQ is important in the reproductive and defense systems of mice. They said the substance is similarly important for people. PQQ is found in fermented soybeans and also in parsley, green tea, green peppers and kiwi fruit.
FAITH LAPIDUS: Vitamin C is needed for strong bones and teeth, and for healthy blood passages. It also helps wounds heal quickly. The body stores little vitamin C. So we must get it every day in foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes and uncooked cabbage.
Vitamin D increases levels of the element calcium in the blood. Calcium is needed for nerve and muscle cells to work normally. It also is needed to build strong bones.
BOB DOUGHTY: Vitamin D prevents the children’s bone disease rickets. Ultraviolet light from the sun changes a substance in the skin into vitamin D. Fish liver oil also contains vitamin D. In some countries, milk producers add vitamin D to milk so children will get enough.
Vitamin K is needed for healthy blood. It thickens the blood around a cut to stop bleeding. Bacteria in the intestines normally produce vitamin K. It can also be found in pork products, liver and in vegetables like cabbage, kale and spinach.
(MUSIC)
FAITH LAPIDUS: Experts agree that everyone needs vitamins so that their bodies can operate normally. In general, a complete diet should provide all the vitamins a body needs in their natural form. In addition, many foods and food products now have extra vitamins and minerals added.
Some people fear they do not get enough vitamins from the foods they eat. So they take products with large amounts of vitamins. They think these products, called vitamin supplements, will improve their health and protect against disease. Many adults now take vitamin supplements every day.
BOB DOUGHTY: In 2006, medical experts gathered near Washington, D.C. to discuss studies about vitamin supplements. The experts found little evidence that most supplements do anything to protect or improve health. But they noted that some do help to prevent disease.
The experts said women who wish to become mothers should take folic acid to prevent problems in their babies. And, they said vitamin D supplements and calcium can protect the bones of older women.
FAITH LAPIDUS: The medical experts agreed with doctors who say that people who know they lack a vitamin should take vitamin supplements. Some older adults, for example, may not have enough vitamin B-12. That is because, as people get older, the body loses its ability to take it from foods.
The experts also noted that taking too much of some vitamins can be harmful. They said people should be sure to discuss what vitamins they take with their doctors.
Several studies have not been able to show that taking vitamin supplements in addition to a balanced diet helps to prevent disease. One study found that older Americans do not get enough Vitamin C and required minerals. The study involved more than 6,000 individuals. More than half of them took vitamin supplements.
BOB DOUGHTY: Vitamins are important to our health. A lack of required vitamins can lead to health problems.
Different vitamins are found in different foods -- grains, vegetables and fruits, fish and meat, eggs and milk products. And even foods that contain the same vitamins may have them in different amounts. Experts say this is why it is important to eat a mixture of foods every day, to get enough of the vitamins our bodies need.
(MUSIC)
FAITH LAPIDUS: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Brianna Blake. I’m Faith Lapidus.
BOB DOUGHTY: And I’m Bob Doughty. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

Severe Weather. How Ocean storms Work

Severe Weather: How Ocean Storms Work
23 August 2010

Photo: AP
A July 22 image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Bonnie over the Bahamas
Share This
Digg
Yahoo! Buzz
Facebook
del.icio.us
StumbleUpon
Double-click any word to find the definition in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary
Or download MP3 (Right-click or option-click and save link)
BARBARA KLEIN: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I’m Barbara Klein.
BOB DOUGHTY: And I’m Bob Doughty. Today we remember Hurricane Katrina and tell about the science of severe ocean storms.
(MUSIC)
BARBARA KLEIN: Many Americans are observing the fifth anniversary of one of the nation’s worst natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina reached the state of Louisiana on the morning of August twenty-ninth, two thousand five. It was the costliest hurricane in American history, and one of the deadliest.
Radio and television programs, concerts and films are recalling the storm and its effects on the nation. Literary readings and religious observances also are marking the event.
Hurricane Katrina struck hardest in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Death and destruction from the hurricane and its effects extended along the Gulf Coast. More than one thousand eight hundred people were killed.
BOB DOUGHTY: The storm formed over the Bahamas on August twenty-third, two thousand five. The next day, it grew strong enough for scientists to call it a tropical storm. Then it moved toward the United States. It first reached land in south Florida on August twenty-fifth.
At that time, the National Hurricane Center said the winds were at a top continuing speed of more than one hundred thirty kilometers per hour. Experts identified the storm as a hurricane. They named it Katrina, and rated it as the least severe type of hurricane. Still, it caused flooding and killed people in Florida.
BARBARA KLEIN: Hurricane Katrina weakened again after striking Florida. Later it moved to the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf’s warm waters helped it gain strength. At one point, the storm’s winds were blowing at more than two hundred sixty-eight kilometers per hour. Experts increased its rating to the most severe hurricane.
Time passed, and the winds again weakened. Then Hurricane Katrina reached land in Louisiana. Its speed had fallen to about two hundred kilometers per hour when it struck near New Orleans.
But the wind was strong enough to pick up trees, vehicles and buildings. It threw them into the air like toys. Walls of water flooded over the land. Intense rain fell. Then Hurricane Katrina struck land again, this time at the border of Mississippi and Louisiana. Again, there was loss of life and terrible destruction.
(MUSIC)
BOB DOUGHTY: Severe ocean storms in the northern part of the world usually develop in late summer or early autumn near the equator. Scientists call them cyclones when they develop over the Indian Ocean. When they happen over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, the storms are typhoons. And in the eastern Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean they are called hurricanes.
Ocean storms develop when the air temperature in one area is different from the temperature nearby. Warmer air rises, while cooler air falls. These movements create a difference in the pressure of the atmosphere.
BARBARA KLEIN: If the pressure changes over a large area, winds start to blow in a huge circle. High pressure air is pulled toward a low pressure center. Thick clouds form and heavy rains fall as the storm gains speed and moves over the ocean waters. Storms can get stronger as they move over warm ocean waters.
The strongest, fastest winds of a hurricane blow in the area known as the eyewall. It surrounds the center, or eye, of the storm. The eye itself is calm by comparison.
Wind speeds in severe ocean storms can reach more than two hundred fifty kilometers an hour. Up to fifty centimeters of rain can fall. Some storms have produced more than one hundred fifty centimeters of rain.
These storms also cause high waves and ocean surges. A surge is a continuous movement of water that may reach as high as six meters or more. The water strikes low coastal areas. Surges are commonly responsible for about ninety percent of all deaths from ocean storms.
(MUSIC)
BOB DOUGHTY: The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, keeps watch on severe storms. It works closely with public officials and with radio and television stations to keep people informed. Experts believe this early warning system has helped reduce deaths from ocean storms in recent years.
But sometimes people cannot or will not flee the path of a storm. That is what happened in many places in New Orleans.
BARBARA KLEIN: Weather scientists use computer programs to create models that show where a storm might go. The programs combine information such as temperatures, wind speed, atmospheric pressure and the amount of water in the atmosphere.
Scientists collect the information with satellites, weather balloons and devices floating in the world's oceans. They also collect information from ships and passenger flights and from government planes. These planes fly into and around storms. The crews drop instruments attached to parachutes. The instruments report temperature, pressure, wind speed and other conditions.
BOB DOUGHTY: Scientists use the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale to measure the intensity of storms based on wind speed. It provides an idea of the amount of coastal flooding and property damage that might be expected. The scale is divided into five groups or categories.
The mildest hurricane is called category one. It has winds of about one hundred twenty to one hundred fifty kilometers an hour. This storm can damage trees and lightweight structures. It can also cause flooding.
Wind speeds in a category two hurricane can reach close to one hundred eighty kilometers an hour. These storms are often powerful enough to break windows or blow the roofs off houses.
Winds between about one hundred eighty and two hundred fifty kilometers an hour represent categories three and four. An even more powerful storm is a category five hurricane.
BARBARA KLEIN: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Hurricane Katrina was a strong category three hurricane when it hit land in Louisiana. But researchers say other forces than its wind speed helped cause Katrina’s extensive destruction. NOAA scientists say Katrina’s air pressure was very low. The lower the air pressure, the stronger the storm. And Katrina was also an unusually wide storm.
Katrina’s most damaging power, however, came from the water it brought. The storm surge was estimated at more than six meters, and may have been as high as nine meters.
BOB DOUGHTY: All this water poured into Lake Pontchartrain on the north side of New Orleans. It also flooded into the Mississippi River to the south. New Orleans was built below sea level. The city is surrounded by levees made of earth and walls made of concrete.
The water and wind pressure from Katrina broke through the flood dams and destroyed many areas of New Orleans. The surge washed away large areas of the coastal cities of Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi. There was also heavy damage in Alabama.
(MUSIC)

APA man walks trough a flooded street in the Mexican town of Ciudad Anahuac in July. About 18,000 people were evacuated from the area after rains that accompanied Hurricane Alex
BARBARA KLEIN: Some scientists believe climate change affects major storms. Some say the warming of Earth’s atmosphere is already making the storms worse. Other scientists have published studies that disagree.
Earlier this year, a special World Meteorological Organization committee reported on severe storms. The committee’s work appeared in the journal Nature Geoscience. Ten scientists took part. The experts represented both sides of the debate about global warming. They reached no clear answer about whether global warming had already intensified storms. Still, the committee made some predictions.
BOB DOUGHTY: They said global warming might cause more powerful ocean storms in the future. They said the overall strength of storms measured by wind speed might increase two to eleven percent by the year twenty-one hundred. And there might be an increase in the number of the most severe storms. But there might be fewer weak and moderate storms.
The current Atlantic Ocean hurricane season began in June. Weather experts say fewer severe storms than usual have struck since then. Experts had predicted above-normal numbers of storms during the season, which continues through November.
(MUSIC)
BARBARA KLEIN: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by June Simms. You can read scripts and download audio at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and iTunes at VOA Learning English. I’m Barbara Klein.
BOB DOUGHTY: And I’m Bob Doughty. Listen again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

Easy as falling off a log

Words and Their Stories: Easy as Falling Off a Log
28 August 2010
Share This
Digg
Yahoo! Buzz
Facebook
del.icio.us
StumbleUpon
Double-click any word to find the definition in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary
Or download MP3 (Right-click or option-click and save link)
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Some of these expressions are easy to understand. The words create a picture in your mind.
“As easy as falling off a log” is one such expression. It describes a job that does not take much effort.
If you ever tried to walk on a fallen tree log, you understand what the expression means. It is easier to fall off the log than to stay on it.
The expression is often used today. For example, you might hear a student say to her friend that her spelling test was “as easy as falling off a log.”
There are several other expressions that mean the same thing. And their meaning is as easy to understand as “falling off a log.” One is, “easy as pie”. Nothing is easier than eating a piece of sweet, juicy pie. Unless it is a “piece of cake."
“Piece of cake” is another expression that means something is extremely easy to do. A friend might tell you that his new job was a ”piece of cake.”
Another expression is “as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.”
It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to shoot fish in a barrel. But, clearly, fish in a barrel would be much easier to shoot than fish in a stream. In fact, it would be as easy as “falling off a log.”
Sometimes, things that come to us easily, also leave us just as easily. In fact, there is an expression – “easy come, easy go” – that recognizes this. You may win a lot of money in a lottery, then spend it all in a few days. Easy come, easy go.
When life itself is easy, when you have no cares or problems, you are on “Easy Street.” Everyone wants to live on that imaginary street.
Another “easy” expression is to “go easy on a person”. It means to treat a person kindly or gently, especially in a situation where you might be expected to be angry with him. A wife might urge her husband to “go easy on” their son, because the boy did not mean to wreck the car.
If it is necessary to borrow some money to fix the car, you should look for a friend who is an “easy touch”. An “easy touch” or a “soft touch” is someone who is kind and helpful. He would easily agree to lend you the money.
And one last expression, one that means do not worry or work too hard. Try to keep away from difficult situations. “Take it easy” until we meet again.
(MUSIC)
You have been listening to the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. I’m Bob Doughty.

Bomber Strikes Iraqi Army Recruits, Killing at Least 61

Bomber Strikes Iraqi Army Recruits, Killing at Least 61
Elizabeth Arrott Cairo 17 August 2010

Photo: AP
An injured man is taken a way from the scene of a suicide attack in Baghdad, Iraq, 17 Aug 2010 A suicide bomber has killed at least 61 people in an attack at an army recruitment center in Baghdad. More than 125 other people are said to have been injured in the blast. The attack comes two weeks before a U.S. deadline to remove its combat troops from Iraq.
The bomber struck as hundreds of recruits had gathered waiting to submit their applications. It was not clear how the attacker passed numerous checkpoints to reach the center, at the former Defense Ministry in the heart of the capital.Officials accused al-Qaida in Iraq of planning the blast, the deadliest in months. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility. Insurgents had vowed to step up attacks during Ramadan, the Islamic month of spiritual devotion that began last week.The number of people gathered at the center appeared larger than normal on what was said to be the last day of recruitment for the time being. With jobs scarce, many had been lining up for hours to secure a coveted slot.
Wayne White, a scholar with the Middle East Institute, discusses the violence in Iraq:
Mohammed Jasim witnessed the attack. Speaking of those killed, Jasim asked, what crime did they commit. He blamed the government, saying it is unable to protect people.Politicians are still deadlocked over how to form a new government, more than five months after inconclusive elections. This week saw a further setback, with the head of the leading coalition, former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, suspending talks with his closest rival, current Prime Minister Nouri al Malaki.The stalemate further heightens concerns about the state's ability to establish a security force capable of taking over from the United States. American forces have already handed over control of the last combat team to Iraq. A formal end to combat operations and a draw down to 50,000 troops is slated for the end of the month. That force will help with training and what are called counter-terrorist missions. But an end to the U.S. military presence is still planned for the end of next year. The blast at the recruitment center appears calculated to deter Iraqis from filling that void.

Listen -->
Listen
Email
Print
Listen: Arrott reportMP3
Listen: Interview with Wayne WhiteMP3

**********************************************************************************
در حمله به مرکز سرباز گیری در بغداد ۶۱ تن کشته شدند
17.08.10

عکس از: AP
شبکه های اجتماعی
مقامات عراقی می گویند یک حمله انتحاری در خارج از یک مرکز سربازگیری در بغداد، دست کم ۶۱ کشته و بیش از ۱۲۵ زخمی بر جا گذاشته است.
یک مقام وزارت کشور گفت مهاجم روز سه شنبه جمعیت بزرگی از داوطلبان ورود به ارتش را، که در آخرین روز ثبت نام در برابر مرکز صف بسته بودند، هدف گرفت.
این انفجار مرگبارترین واقعه از آغاز ماه رمضان است. شورشیان عهد کرده اند بر حملات در این ماه شدت بخشند.
حمله به ساختمانی که در دوره صدام حسین وزارت دفاع عراق بود، جدیدترین رویداد در سلسله حملاتی است که توانایی و جرات نیروهای امنیتی عراق را آزمایش می کند. آنها در تلاش هستند نفرات خود را پیش از پایان عملیات رزمی سربازان آمریکایی در اواخر ماه جاری افزایش دهند.
کاخ سفید روز سه شنبه گفت بمب گذاری بر پایان ماموریت آمریکا تاثیر نخواهد داشت.
بیل برتون، معاون سخنگوی کاخ سفید، گفت علیرغم تلاش های شورشیان، عراق در مسیر درست به سوی دموکراسی حرکت می کند.
کریستوفر هیل، سفیر آمریکا در عراق، روز سه شنبه در واشنگتن حملات اخیر را «وحشتناک» خواند، اما از گمانه زنی درباره مسئول این حادثه خودداری کرد. گزارش ها از عراق می گوید این حمله به حملات القاعده در عراق شباهت دارد.
مقامات کاخ سفید هفته گذشته گفتند آمریکا به تصمیم خود برای پایان دادن به ماموریتش در عراق تا پایان اوت پای بند است. ۵۰ هزار سرباز برای خدمت به عنوان یک نیروی انتقالی باقی خواهند ماند.
باراک اوباما، رییس جمهوری آمریکا، پایان ۲۰۱۱ را تاریخی برای خارج ساختن تمام نیروهای آمریکا از عراق تعیین کرده است.
در این میان، خبرنگار صدای آمریکا در بغداد گزارش می دهد انفجار روز سه شنبه همچنین نگرانی مردم محلی نسبت به توانایی دولت در حفاظت از آنها را در حالی که آمریکا کنترل نظامی را به عراقی ها واگذار می کند، برجسته ساخته است.
سیاستمداران از زمان برگزاری انتخابات بی نتیجه در بیش از ۵ ماه پیش، هنوز نتوانسته اند دولت جدیدی تشکیل دهند.

rrr

rrr