【807-809】绿色屋顶造福人类、环境&在帮助击败伊斯兰国之后，什叶派民兵变得越来越强大&朝鲜的流行文化大革命？
AS IT IS
Green Roofs Benefit People, Environment
February 17, 2019
Water is a necessity of life. Rain, especially, helps plants grow and stay green. But too much rain -- especially in cities -- can lead to flooding. That can cause waste water systems, like sewers, to overflow and send pollutants into rivers and other waterways. To fight the problem, several cities in the United States are starting programs like rooftop gardens.
A labor of love
A team at the University of the District of Columbia in the nation’s capital has created a garden on the top of one school building. The garden holds many kinds of plants to help absorb rainwater… and grow food at the same time.
Architect David Bell has designed five “green roofs" for the university. He says he is excited about the project because “it meant doing something more than just dealing with storm water management.”
“It took advantage of a resource above the city that you see all over where you have these flat roofs that aren’t doing anything and it really made it something that was about urban agriculture.”
Rainwater is collected in large containers and sent through a system that waters the rooftop garden.
The roof is filled with green life that appeals to insects.
Urban agriculture
In cities, “you don't have that many spaces to choose from and so rooftops are just (unused) space,” says Caitlin Arlotta. She is a student in the school's Urban Agriculture program.
The project is part of a research program to see which plants do well on rooftops. The researchers are looking at plants including strawberries, tomatoes and sweet potatoes.
“We have the same experiment running with tomatoes as we do with strawberries, so we’re doing variety trials and we're trying just to see which variety grows the best in a green roof setting.”
Community involvement
The university also has other green spaces.
“We also have our own farm experiments,” Arlotta said. “Within each of those growing systems, we want to be able to tell people which sorts of these crops grow the best.”
One goal of the program is food justice; or in Arlotta’s words, “bringing fresh food into cities where you wouldn't necessarily have that access.”
And that includes produce that might be more recognizable to immigrant members of the community.
“In the U.S., it may not seem very common to use hibiscus leaves and sweet potato leaves as food, but in many places around the world it is.”
Surprisingly productive
Sandy Farber Bandier helps run UDC’s Master Gardener program. It seeks to improve cities and make them beautiful by training people to become Master Gardeners.
She says she’s been surprised by the garden’s output.
“My biggest surprise was that we produced 4,250 pounds of produce the first year and was able to disseminate that to people in need."
Spreading the wealth
She likes being able to show people who live in D.C. and others beyond the nation's capital what -- and how -- food can be grown on a rooftop.
“This is the future for food. What we have established here at this college is food hub concept of you grow it here, you prepare it in a commercial kitchen, you distributethrough farmers markets, food trucks, and then you recycle.”
I’m Susan Shand.
VOA’s Julie Taboh reported this story. Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
rooftop – n. the top of a building
absorb – v. to soak up liquid
management - n. the skill of organizing people and events
advantage - n. something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others
urban – adj. in a city area
access - v. a way of being able to use or get something
disseminate - v. to cause (something, such as information) to go to many people
distribute - v. to give away to people
AS IT IS
After Helping Defeat Islamic State, Shiite Militias Grow Powerful
February 17, 2019
The capital of Iraq is known for its cultural center and book market. Now, Baghdad has a new place for visitors: a war museum. It honors the thousands of mainly Shiite militiamen who died fighting the Islamic State group.
The museum also shows the Iran-backed militias’ growing importance in the country. Their political and military power rose sharply after they helped the government defeat IS. Now they are accused of trying to build their own state within Iraq.
War museum
The museum is housed inside one of Baghdad’s historic buildings. It shows rocket launchers, drones and other weapons from the four-year fight with IS. Visitors can look through the items taken from the front lines, as well as personal items fighters left behind on the battlefield.
One recent visitor to the museum was a 55-year-old teacher named Umm Hassanin al-Oukeily. She expressed feeling very thankful for the militia. “I feel that Iraq exists because of them,” she said. They are like the beating heart of Iraq, she added.
Who are the militia?
The militia are mainly Shiite groups with close ties to Iran. They also include some Christian, Yazidi and Sunni groups. Together they are known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or “Hashed al-Shaabi” in Arabic.
They appeared following a call in June 2014 by Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. He asked for volunteers to fight against IS. Tens of thousands answered the cleric’s call.
At that time, Iraq’s military and security forces had collapsed. Islamic State militants had taken the northern city of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest, and much of northern and western Iraq. Islamic State control came dangerously close to Baghdad and Shiite religious lands farther south. Desperate for a defense, the Iraqi government accepted the militias as an important part of the fight against IS.
The militias lost about 7,000 fighters in the war. They came out of the war with the image of an almost holy force protecting Iraq’s Shiite Muslim majority.
Effect of the militia’s popularity
Their popularity has helped make the militias a major political and military player following the defeat of IS. Today, militias are present in almost every Iraqi province. In some areas, they are in local government. Pictures of dead fighters are shown in shop windows in Baghdad and other areas.
The 2018 parliamentary elections were the first after the victory over IS. The militias’ coalition won 48 seats, making it the second-largest bloc in Parliament. Their wins gave the militias a formal position in politics. Under the new budget, militiamen are for the first time being paid as soldiers.
But the mix of arms and political power is dangerous for Iraq because of its history of sectarian fighting. Iraq’s Sunni minority, the military, and the government fear the Shiite militias may control Iraq the way the powerful Revolutionary Guard does in Iran or the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
A Western diplomat in Baghdad who did not want to be named spoke about his concerns. The Shiite militias “are building economic empires, taking control of state reconstruction companies and projects, and developing into economic organizations,” he said.
The more than 50 militias in Iraq have up to 140,000 fighters, according to some estimates and the Popular Mobilization Forces itself. They are backed by tanks and weapons, and have their own intelligence agency, operations room and court of law.
In an interview with the Associated Press last month, the leader of one of the most powerful of the militias, Qais al-Khazali, said their existence helps the Iraqi military. He suggested that the militias would remain a force as long as there’s an ongoing military threat to Iraq.
I’m Susan Shand.
Susan Shand adapted this story for Learning English based on an original report from the Associated Press. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
drone – n. a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot
booty – n. money or goods stolen or taken in war
cleric – n. a religious man
desperate – adj. having a strong need or desire for something or to do something
sectarian – adj. relating to religious or political sects and the differences between them
empire – n. a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government
AS IT IS
Pop Culture Revolution in North Korea?
February 17, 2019
North Korea is not known for welcoming popular culture. In fact, North Korean leaders have historically sought to keep Western cultural influences out of the nation’s Communist society.
North Korea remains one of the most closed nations in the world. People who openly criticize North Korea’s government or leadership can be seen as a threat and face severe punishment.
Cultural changes have traditionally come very slowly. Watching television programming or listening to music from South Korea is illegal. Government restrictions also make it impossible for most North Koreans to travel abroad or to freely experience foreign movies or books.
But under current leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea appears to be taking steps toward its own pop culture revolution. Clear evidence of this change can be seen in music, television, film and fashion.
The change is described in a report by the Associated Press’ bureau chief in Pyongyang, Eric Talmadge. The changes could be evidence that Kim’s government is realizing that despite heavy restrictions, North Koreans are still experiencing foreign pop influences. It could be an attempt by Kim’s government to try to keep up culturally with South Korea and the rest of the world.
One example is a North Korean female pop group that has become hugely popular in the country and even has fans abroad. The group, called Moranbong, is also a known personal favorite of Kim Jong Un. The women perform in colorful, stylish clothing that shows off their bodies in a way not commonly seen before in North Korea.
Another change is evident in North Korea’s footwear industry. Factories are busy producing shoes designed to look like Air Jordans or other popular shoes being sold in other parts of the world.
The large Ryuwon Shoe Factory in Pyongyang shows off the latest creations in a colorful setting that looks similar to many Western showrooms. The collection includes shoes for all kinds of sports, including running, volleyball, soccer and table tennis.
Kim Kyong Hui works at the factory. She told the AP the operation is aimed at producing what the North Korean people want.
“The most important thing for us is to produce a product that suits the people’s tastes,” she said. “The respected leader Kim Jong Un has instructed us to closely study shoes from all over the world and learn from their example,” she added.
In general, many North Korean goods are now being presented to the public in Western-style packaging designed to be more appealing.
Changes have also happened on North Korean television. The country’s programs still include a lot of propaganda and documentaries with high praise for North Korean leaders.
But there is improved production values. The acting seems more realistic and emotional and the stories more entertaining. The sets and clothing meet a much higher level of quality than in previous projects.
One of the most-watched television shows in the country currently is “The Wild Ginseng Gatherers of the Imjin War.” It is a historical series set in the late 16th century, when Korea was struggling against Japanese invaders. The show is so popular that many people reportedly stop what they are doing to watch. Other fans meet in restaurants to watch together.
Bollywood films are also now very popular in North Korea. The film “Three Idiots” was recently shown in a state-run movie theater across the street from Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square. And Harry Potter books are among the most popular at the People’s Grand Study House, North Korea’s largest library.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words in This Story
fashion – n.a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a particular group of people
stylish – adj.fashionable or attractive
packaging – n.the paper, box, etc. that something is put inside to be sold or sent
entertaining – adj.interesting and helpful to someone having an enjoyable time
library – n.place where books, audio recordings and videos are kept for use