Learning English Podcast - December 24, 2024
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Welcome to Learning English, a daily 30-minute program from the Voice of America. I'm Katie Weaver. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. This program is designed for English learners, so we speak a little slower and we use words and phrases especially written for people learning English.

Today, people around the world observe Christmas Eve. On our program, Andrew Smith has a special report on a popular holiday treat. Katie serves up a report on healthy winter foods.

Anna Mateo brings us the health report on new U.S. dietary guidelines. Then, Jill Robbins and Andrew present a lesson of the day highlighting fire safety. But first, here is Andrew. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose.

This classic song, written by Bob Wells and Mel Torme in 1944, has long brought to mind the image of Christmas for generations of Americans.

at one time the american chestnut was among the most common and largest trees in the eastern united states the wood was used to cover the walls of homes and schools the leaves helped add nutrients to the soil and men on street corners sold chestnuts cooked on open fire

However, in the late 19th century, some East Asian varieties of chestnut trees brought to the U.S. carried a fungus that killed almost all American chestnuts. The American Chestnut Foundation, or TACF,

is a non-profit organization based in the eastern state of north carolina it has been working with researchers for over thirty years to bring the trees back to eastern u s forests american chestnuts now exist mostly as huge root systems that grow into small trees

The fungus harms them when the small trees start to develop fully. East Asian varieties, like those that brought the fungus in the first place, are resistant to the fungus. Researchers have tried to save American chestnuts by crossbreeding, or mixing, them with one kind of Chinese chestnut,

that can fight off the fungus. Progress has been slow, however. The trees the researchers have grown could not resist the fungus well enough to become large and healthy trees. That is why scientists are now trying to combine two methods.

crossbreeding and genetically modifying or changing the genes of American chestnut trees. They hope this will improve the tree's ability to resist attack from the fungus. But progress was delayed by a recent mix-up involving two varieties of genetically modified American chestnuts.

Scientists at the State University of New York, or SUNY, had hoped to get approval for the new seed this year. A changing climate and warmer temperatures may also make restoring the chestnut difficult in some areas. A team at Virginia Tech University published a study this summer about this issue.

they looked at projected future climates and then measured the shortest distance the trees would have to move to survive well in a new climate for now researchers know their work might not be successful in their lifetimes the process has been slow

and two of the first chestnut restoration experts, Bill Powell and Chuck Maynard, both died in the past 13 months. Linda McGuigan helped support Powell's and Maynard's research for years at SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The project moves on, lives on,

and we honor their memory, McGuigan said. I want to do something good for the future, for my children. I'm Andrew Smith. Winter is settling in across much of the United States, with dropping temperatures, snowfall, and icy roads.

But the cold season does not mean weeks of lifeless, colorless meals. Diet and food experts say winter is a time to experiment. They suggest trying some of the season's vegetables to cook a healthy meal that tastes good.

Embrace the cold, embrace the winter, and appreciate the bounty, said Kristen Rasmussen. Rasmussen is a dietician and cook who teaches at the University of California, Berkeley. Here are some suggestions from nutrition experts on how to winterize your meals.

Any produce is good. Only 1 in 10 Americans eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables each day. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says staple fruits and vegetables are available all year in American food stores.

But winter is also high season for a few special kinds. Citrus fruits, including lemons, limes, and oranges, are among the fresh fruit available in U.S. stores in the winter.

Other produce we connect with the cold weather are pumpkins and root vegetables like sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets, and radishes. And do not overlook winter's leafy greens. Rasmussen suggests including more chicory into your winter diet, like radicchio, escarole, and endive.

You can also try different kales and the leafy tops of root vegetables, like radish greens. If fresh choices are limited, experts say canned and frozen fruits and vegetables still have a lot of nutritional value. Just do not overcook them.

also make sure these foods do not have a lot of added salt or fat dried fruits including apricots dates and raisins are good for winter meals nuts can also be tasty nutritious and filling

Without a doubt, there's a lot of nutritional benefit, even in dried fruits, said Linda Van Horn, a clinical nutrition epidemiologist at Northwestern University in Illinois. Soups, stews, and porridges are foods that have a long history and are eaten in many cultures.

they often are made using just one cooking pot which can ease the whole process they all can be frozen easily for a later meal and you can put just about anything in them the benefit of it is that it's all contained van horn said

she noted that nutrients from the ingredients stay in the cooking liquid or broth these meals are also a way to try out different beans and legumes which rasmussen called a nutritional powerhouse

They are less costly than produce and provide an excellent source of protein and fiber, said Alicia Henson. Henson is a dietician for children at the University of California, San Francisco's Benioff Children's Hospital.

Porridges, in the morning or beyond, are a good way to try out different grains. You can make it savory or sweet. You can put leftovers on top, Rasmussen said, or an egg. Winter can be isolating for some people, so join friends and family for meals even when it is not a holiday.

Eating foods that are in season can help people connect with the sources of their food and with their environment, experts say. I'm Katie Weaver. From VOA Learning English, this is the Health and Lifestyle Report. For a healthy diet, people should eat more beans, peas, and lentils.

They should eat less red meat and processed meats, as well as starchy vegetables, like potatoes. Also, they should continue to limit added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat, an especially unhealthy kind of fat. That is the latest advice released on December 10th by a panel of nutrition experts.

This panel of experts is responsible for advising the U.S. government about the 2025 Dietary Guidelines. These guidelines will inform and shape federal food programs and policy. But the 20-member panel did not advise on ultra-processed foods that some research findings link to health problems.

The panel says there is not enough evidence to tell people to avoid them, and the group did not speak to possibly updating controversial guidance on drinking alcohol. They are leaving that issue to two independent reports expected to be released soon.

Overall, the recommendations for the 2025 to 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans sound familiar, said Marion Nessel. She is a food policy expert.

This looks like every other set of dietary guidelines since 1980. Eat your veggies and reduce consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat, she said in an email.

She also said the latest advice says nothing about balancing calories when overconsumption of calories, especially from ultra-processed foods, is the biggest challenge to the health of Americans. The nutrition panel described a healthy diet for people beginning at two years old.

It is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, and vegetable oils that are higher in unsaturated fat. The recommended diet is lower in red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened food and drink, refined grains, and saturated fat.

It may also include fat-free or low-fat dairy and foods lower in sodium and may include plant-based foods. This panel worked on the guidelines for almost two years. It was the first to consider dietary needs based on financial situation, race, ethnicity, and culture.

Panelist Fatima Cody-Stanford is an obesity expert and doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital. In an email, she said that considering these new elements will help make sure that the guidance reflects and includes various population groups. The panel did not advise on two controversial food groups.

Ultra-processed foods or alcohol. Ultra-processed foods make up about 60% of the American diet. The panel considered more than 40 studies. Several of them showed links between ultra-processed foods and being overweight or obesity. But the nutrition experts had concerns with the quality of the research.

So they said the evidence was too limited to make recommendations. The panel also did not change recommendations about alcohol. The current guidelines are two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less a day for women. The last time the guidance was updated was in 2020.

At that time, the government rejected the advice of scientific advisors to recommend less alcohol consumption. Two separate government groups expect to release reports in the coming months on the effects of moderate alcohol use to inform the guidelines.

The advisory panel said they know that the diets of most Americans do not meet the current guidelines. More than half of all adults in the country have one or more diet-related chronic health condition, and 18 million individuals and families have insecure sources of food, the report says.

The report adds that nutrition-related chronic health conditions will continue to threaten health through the lifespan. It adds that this is not good for the future of health in the United States. The scientific report informs the dietary guidelines, which are updated every five years.

These new recommendations now go to the U.S. Health and Human Services, or HHS, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. Officials there will create the final guidance and release it next year. As of December 11th, the public has 60 days to comment on the guidance.

HHS and USDA officials will hold a public meeting on January 16th to discuss the recommendations. And that's the Health and Lifestyle Report. I'm Ana Mateo. And now it's time for the lesson of the day on the Learning English Podcast. My name is Jill Robbins, and I'm joined by Andrew Smith. Hi, Andrew. Hi, Jill. Hi.

Our lesson is based on our video series, Let's Learn English. The series shows Ana Mateo in her work and life in Washington, D.C. Here's Ana introducing herself. Hello, my name is Ana Mateo. In Lesson 29 of Level 2 of the series...

Anna visits a fire station and learns about how to stay safe in the event of a fire. A fire station is where firefighters keep their fire trucks and things they need to fight fires. Today, we're going to look at several expressions from Lesson 29. In the beginning of the lesson, Ms. Weaver has asked Anna to learn about fire safety.

Hey, Anna. What are you reading? I'm reading about fire safety. Ms. Weaver named me Fire Safety Monitor. But the only time we have a fire emergency is when someone burns a piece of toast. That is true. But fire safety is very serious. Very serious. If there is a fire emergency, I have to help everyone out of the building. Well, then, if I were you, I'd learn as much as possible.

You're right, and I know just who to call. You may have noticed that Anna used the word monitor. I'm reading about fire safety. Ms. Weaver named me fire safety monitor. Monitor is more commonly used as a verb. It means to carefully look at and check on something.

But as a noun, we can say that a monitor is a person who watches something carefully. And it also has another meaning as a noun. A monitor is a screen for showing information or videos. For example, in an airport, monitors show when flights arrive and depart. Now, let's hear Anna meeting the firefighters at their fire station.

which is also called a firehouse. Hi, Firefighter Jones. Hey, how are you, Anna? I'm well, thanks. How are you? Hi, Firefighter Hatcher. Hi, Anna. How are you? I'm well, thanks. Welcome to our firehouse. Thank you. Come on in. Thanks. This is where the firefighters eat. This is where we rest. This is where we exercise. This is where the fire trucks are parked and maintained. This place is beautiful. You know, the firehouse is a firefighter's second home.

In the U.S., firefighters always make sure their fire trucks are in good working condition. This is what the verb maintain means. It is important to maintain equipment or machines so they work well during an emergency. I also notice that fire trucks in the U.S. always look very clean. The noun form of maintain is maintenance.

A collocation or phrase that commonly occurs with maintenance is the expression perform routine maintenance. Here, the verb perform simply means to do, and the word routine is used as an adjective. It means on a regular basis. So if you perform routine maintenance on your car or motorcycle, you're

It means you make sure all the parts are in good condition and that you replace or change the parts that are getting worn out. Worn out means old or damaged from overuse. Sometimes I feel worn out. And, you know, I have replaced some of my parts. That's right. The partial knee replacement part.

Well, I feel worn out too sometimes, especially at the end of the week. Now, let's listen to what the firefighters tell Anna.

Firefighter Jones, Firefighter Hatcher, can you tell me some ways to prepare for a fire emergency? Sure, Ana. There's one really important thing you can do. Install a fire alarm. Test it monthly and make sure the batteries are fully charged. Let's talk about those emergency exits. In your home, office, and schools, no way your emergency exits are located. What about fire extinguishers? Everyone should know how to use a fire extinguisher. Have one handy and practice using it.

What if we need to get out? You should have an evacuation plan and practice getting out safely with fire drills. A drill is a practice routine. We can also use this word as a verb. If you drill an activity, that means you practice it in a careful, repetitive way. For example, you can do grammar or pronunciation drills to improve your English. But be sure to find or make drills that are interesting and useful.

That's good advice. The firefighters also advised Anna to install a fire alarm. To install means to put a piece of equipment in place so that it is ready to work or be used. Anna also asked about extinguishers. I have to admit, Jill, I don't know how to use one. Andrew, they have very simple instructions written on them. Just read it.

An extinguisher helps extinguish or put out a fire. They are usually red bottles that spray a white material that helps put out the fire. And notice what the firefighters said about fire extinguishers. Everyone should know how to use a fire extinguisher. Have one handy and practice using it. The word handy is an adjective. It has two meanings. One means the same thing as the adjective useful.

The other means that the thing is nearby and easy to start using. You can think of it as easy to grab with your hand. With this second meaning, we often say keep or have something handy. I think the camera on your phone is a good example of something that is handy. It's both useful and nearby and easy to use, and it's in your hand.

That's right. It's handy in every way. Okay, now let's listen to more advice the firefighters give Ana. What if we need to get out? You should have an evacuation plan and practice getting out safely with fire drills. If I'm in a building and it's on fire, should I use the elevator? No, always use the stairs. What other safety tips should I know?

Stay low. The smoke rises. The air is clear and close to the ground. Stay low. Anything else? If you touch a door and it's hot, don't open it. There might be a fire on the other side. What do I do if my clothes catch on fire? Do not run. If you run, the fire will burn faster. You must stop, drop, and roll.

Thanks so much. I've learned a lot, and I can't wait to share this information with others. Thanks for coming, Ana. It's been a pleasure meeting you. Ana received a lot of good tips. A tip means a piece of advice or some helpful information. Now Ana knows that she needs an evacuation plan in case there is a fire at the office.

Evacuate is a verb, which means to move away from a dangerous area or emergency. And evacuation is the noun. At the end of Lesson 29 of Level 2,

Anna does have to help evacuate the building because there is smoke. And where there's smoke, there's fire. True. Or maybe just some wood that is almost on fire. Yes. Or in this case, just some toast.

In the end, the reason there is smoke in Anna's office is because Pete has burned his bread while making toast. I remember that fire drill. And before we're toast or all worn out, we'll remind our listeners that each lesson of Let's Learn English comes with a lesson plan they can download for free from our website.

And as always, remember that you can find us on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Thanks for listening. I'm Andrew Smith. And I'm Dr. Jill. And that's our show for today. But join us again tomorrow to keep learning English on The Voice of America. I'm Katie Weaver. And I'm