OK.

. . . It's a big question.

OK. So it does seem that it's been reported that the president's advisers are at odds. His national security adviser, John Bolton, is hawkish, seems very skeptical about any negotiations with Iran while the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, seems to want to de-escalate the conflict. Now, obviously, everyone should be very careful about committing troops to any conflict, so let's just take that as a given. But how do you interpret what's going on in the administration around this very sensitive and consequential issue?Some would argue that these things should have been worked out by now.

Well, as far as any discussion with regards to the military option - and there are four instruments of national power, primarily - diplomacy, information, military, economics. It's the dying principle that we follow here as a nation. I believe and many others believe that the military option anywhere at any time should always be the absolute. . .

turn 3 : "It's the dying principle that we follow here as a nation." The phrase "dying principle" here does not refer to a principle that is in the process of dying or fading away, but rather to the fundamental principle that should always be followed, even in dire circumstances.

How does the phrase "dying principle" refer to the principle mentioned in turn 3?

Answer: Fundamental


Oh, my God. I love them.

You love them.

I can eat one everyday. You hate them. I'm so interested.

It's literally, like, on my top three worst foods.

turn 1 : In this context, B's response "You love them" is not meant to convey a literal understanding of A's statement, but rather a sarcastic or skeptical response. B is implying that they do not share the same level of enthusiasm for whatever A is referring to. Therefore, the actual meaning of B's response is different from its literal meaning.

What is the intended meaning behind PersonB's response to PersonA's statement?

Answer: Implication


Well, they do. But what people don't always realize about the Affordable Care Act is it's not just a discrete program in and of itself. It changed other government programs, too, and that includes Medicare.

What was the biggest change for Medicare?

Well, the one that's gotten the most attention is the change to prescription drug coverage. You may have heard about something called the doughnut hole. That's where Medicare would get you a discount on prescriptions but only up to a point. After that, you had to pay full price for drugs until you shelled out around 1,300 bucks. Then Medicaid would help you out again.

Now, some people never really reached that point because when they had to pay full price, they just started skipping some of their prescription meds. So the Affordable Care Act has been phasing out this gap. It saved people on Medicare more than $23 billion. But this program could go away with the repeal of the law.

That could go away, and we should say, once again, that we don't know yet what any replacement will look like. What have you heard among the ideas being proposed that might affect older Americans?

Well, a few members of Congress, Republicans, have circulated their own proposals for replacing the Affordable Care Act. And one thing that comes up in some of them, including in House Speaker Paul Ryan's plan, is a major change to Medicaid. Now, that's known as the program that provides health care for the poor. But it's also the program that pays for long-term care for a lot of older people. In fact, Medicaid pays the bills for most nursing home residents.

turn 3 : "It saved people on Medicare more than $23 billion." This turn is not meant to be taken literally, as "saving" here means that the Affordable Care Act reduced the amount of money that people on Medicare had to pay for prescription drugs, rather than physically saving money.

Answer: Reduced


Yes. I mean, the biggest actor in all of this has been the U. N. Refugee Agency. That's the UNHCR. But, you know, the reality is that these organizations can only do so much without international supports. The UNHCR has said that they need $46 million from the international community for their response to the Venezuelan crisis this year alone

Mr.  Ramsey, just a few years ago, Venezuela was booming, wasn't it?

It was. You know, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world. But due to a combination of falling oil prices, governmental mismanagement, you know, the situation has gotten extremely bad. There was a study that came out a couple months ago that found that over half of Venezuelans report losing weight in the last year with an average loss of 20 pounds. People are dying of treatable diseases because of a lack of medication.

Do any of the refugees talk about the political situation?

turn 2 : Venezuela's situation is dire due to falling oil prices and governmental mismanagement.

Which country is facing a dire situation due to falling oil prices and governmental mismanagement?

Answer: Venezuela


People who read the exchange drove from all over to eat at Sichuan Garden, post praise for their food and service and suggest that the Harvard prof had too many degrees and not enough good sense or human grace.

By weeks' end, the sheriff of the Internet had surrendered. It's clear that I was very much out of line, Ben Edelman posted on his website. I am sorry and I intend to do better in the future.

And some Harvard business students, perhaps from chagrin, began a campaign for people to make $4 donations to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Maybe the next time Mr.  Edelman has Chinese food, he'll end the meal with a fortune cookie that says it is sometimes better to be wise then right.

(Singing) Everybody has the right to be wrong at least once. Everybody has the right to be dunce-like once-like. Not being too smart is no disgrace. What sets you apart is smiling with egg on your face.

turn 1 : Implied meaning: The speaker is aware that there may be differing opinions on the topic being discussed and is acknowledging the possibility of disagreement.

Which speaker acknowledges possible disagreement?

Answer: SpeakerB.


The final thing is this. How has both - how have both the culture and the appearance of Harlem changed with this new money and these new properties, newly priced properties?

Well, the culture is even more vibrant, because we have people that have moved in who have the money to contribute to the children's art carnival or the Dance Theater of Harlem or the Harlem School of the Arts. I mean, it's not just myself, it's brokers, other people who have moved in are writing large checks to these organizations, like the Studio Museum in Harlem. They weren't thriving before. Some of the organizations didn't exist before. The culture is only going to continue to be as great as it is and continue.

What you notice, though, is the complexion of the people walking down the street. In the bad old days when I moved up to Harlem, if I wanted to go shopping, you had to get on the subway and go to 42nd Street. Now I just walk down to 125th Street, and everything I want is there. And while I'm walking down the street, I see people from around the world. We get tourists from around the world, in addition to the non-African-Americans who are now residents of Harlem. So the face of Harlem is changing, but the culture is not going anywhere. The non-blacks who moved to Harlem moved there because they want the nightlife that we can offer.

Willie, thank you so much for being with us today and sharing your points of view.

turn 2 : Harlem's culture is thriving due to the influx of wealth and new residents.

Which aspect of Harlem is not going anywhere?

Answer: culture


. . . In terms of choices. I mean, am I wrong about that?

You know, that research is still in the early stages as well. And I don't want to undermine it or underplay it, but you have to think about things sort of globally. And one thing that you can do is - if you're concerned about sunscreen use is you can just be extra careful about covering up.

So I know for my own kid, the swimsuit I got for him has long sleeves. And I'm always putting, like, a big hat on him. So you're telling me that's not overkill.

That is not overkill. That's actually a great idea. You know, there are a lot of sun-protective clothing on the market now, so that will help protect the environment 'cause you're using less sunscreen. And it will also help protect you against any potential problems with sunscreen ingredients.

In the end, how big a deal is this study published by JAMA?

turn 3 : Using sun-protective clothing helps protect the environment and against potential problems with sunscreen ingredients.

Which product does the statement suggest using as an alternative to sunscreen?

Answer: clothing


There were some in the immediate crowd, Scott, who were smiling. But the president chose to make his tour of the damage in a rather affluent area where the damage was not so severe. Elsewhere on the island, these remarks seemed surreal. Plus, there was his rather cavalier comment about Puerto Rico's debt crisis, which is quite severe and which he dismissed and said, well, that's gone. That's gone. That's gone. Well, the next day, the president's budget director had to walk that back and say we shouldn't take that word for word. And all of this gave the impression that the president wasn't taking Puerto Rico as seriously as he did the hurricane disasters in Texas and Florida.

Did he leave a different impression the next day in Las Vegas?

You know, he did, and very much so. Whether it was recompense or whether the Vegas shooting just got to him on another level, one of his most authentic moments, really, of apparent empathy since he took office.

We're getting a tweet from president - from President Trump. Or we're not getting it. But he's tweeted, I called Chuck Schumer yesterday to see if the Dems would do a great health care bill. Obamacare is badly broken, big premiums. Who knows?

turn 3 : The President's remarks suggested that he was not taking Puerto Rico's plight as seriously as he did other disaster areas.

How did the President's remarks about Puerto Rico's debt crisis come across?

Answer: Consequences


Obviously, when I was at FreedomWorks, we weighed in in supported of Ted Cruz very early in his primary challenge in Texas. So I'm a big Ted Cruz fan. But I think the fundamental differences between what I would call Donald Trump's authoritarian tendencies - he's all about what he would do as president. And you never hear him talk about the Constitution, you never hear him talk about the Bill of Rights, you never hear about him and the rule of law. Whereas Ted Cruz wears that stuff on his sleeve.

How do you analyze Mr.  Trump's rise?What do you think he's tapping into?

Well, there's two things going on. One is a clear sense of economic anxiety and the feeling amongst a lot of voters that the country's headed in the wrong direction combined with a sense that Washington doesn't really give a damn. The other thing that's going on, which I think is more fundamental and I think both Republicans and Democrats are struggling to understand this, is a transformational moment in politics. It's more disintermediated. The party bosses no longer get to decide who the choice is. And with the ability to drive your own message and organize your own get-out-the-vote machine without the party's blessing, all sorts of candidates have become competitive. Donald Trump is definitely part of that, although he's sort of the odd man out because he's more of a cult of personality.

Is he though, at the same time, tapping into some of the sentiment that you and the tea party began to raise?

turn 2 : Donald Trump's success is partly due to the ability of individuals to spread their message without the support of the political establishment.

Which ability is responsible for Donald Trump's success?

Answer: Spreading


And you'll vote again, yes, today.

I will, although I'm pretty peeved at the Senate for putting in the baloney tax extension. I mean, I can't believe that the Senate did that. I mean, how disgusting. But we're over a barrel, we've got to hold our nose. You know, we can't let the state of California go belly up financially.

There is a real risk though, congresswoman, that even if the House passes this it goes through, the president signs it - that it won't help, that it won't unfreeze the credit markets.

We're still going to have a problem. I mean, there is no question that there is already layoff. There's going to be an economic decline. There's going to be a recession. The question is how deep and, you know, is this going to be a catastrophe or is just going to be bad. This is not the last thing we're going to have to do.

turn 3 : The economic situation will get worse, and it's uncertain how bad it will be.

What is the uncertainty regarding the economic situation?

Answer: Bad


Sort of the intellectual or business father of this. But he himself did not survive. But the practice did survive. And I want to ask for some distinctions here. You have different terms in the book, slaves, indentured servants and what you call free willers. I'm intrigued by the concept of a free willer. Who were they, and what did they get from essentially putting themselves in servitude?

Well, that's what they got. They put themselves in servitude. They were desperate. They were poor people or people who didn't have enough money to pay for the trip to America. They wanted a new life. They hoped that they would get one in America. And so they signed themselves away, their freedoms away, as indentured servants to pay for their passage. And that would be for anything between three and 11 years, usually. Now most of them, initially, didn't survive more than a couple of years.

The first - the average, I think, lifespan of a new indentured servant in the 1620s was probably two years. So these were - they were called at the time free willers because they went of their free will, and so many others didn't go of their free will. They were sent there. They were sent there in chains. They were sentenced to go there. They weren't free at all. Well, nor were these people. So that's the free willers. They are indentured servants.

What about the relationship of the white indentured servants to the African or African-descendant slaves?How did they get along, and how did the people who were essentially their masters treat them differently, if they did?

turn 2 : Indentured servants were not actually free and were treated similarly to slaves.

Which group of people were called free willers?

Answer: Indentured-servants


Mr.  Jones…

Yes?

…when you think about the issues of justice and in - for so long, we as African-Americans have and many of us have debated what does justice mean in this life, what does justice mean in the next life, do you think that there is racial justice?Do you think that there will be racial justice on this Earth?

Yes, I do. I believe that we are at a profound transition point. Martin King would say today, there's no way we can make the transition to the 21st century unless we leave the baggage of slavery and racism behind.

And I think to talk about current events, I think that he would both be disappointed and appalled in what's going on in the political discourse. He would be disappointed because when the Senator Obama is criticized in the speech he gave in Philadelphia, Martin would say, well, hold on, America seems to be deeply afflicted by amnesia about how it cheated these African-American people over the past 20th century.

But I think he'd applaud the fact that Senator Obama did what should have been done earlier and needs to be done. You see what Senator Obama did, he walked into the national living room of America and acknowledged and then talked to the 800-pound gorilla of race relations that everybody knew was sitting in there for the 20th century.

turn 5 : The speaker believes that Senator Obama did the right thing by addressing the issue of race relations in America, which has been a long-standing problem. The reference to the "800-pound gorilla" suggests that this is a difficult issue that people have been avoiding for a long time.

What does the reference to the "800-pound gorilla" suggest about the issue of race relations in America?

Answer: Complex


But more generally, Africa and Latin America are being hurt, but it doesn't seem quite as bad for example, as those in Eastern Europe, their debt levels are not as high. While they're hurting some because of the big fall in commodity prices - I mean, we've seen for example the first negative growth in South Africa since 1998. But I don't think these are as hard hit because the financial exposure in this part of the world is not as great as let's say it is in the U. S.  certainly, in Europe, and parts of emerging Europe.

Is that what is allowing some countries to be - I hesitate to use the word financially successful at the moment, but allowing them to compete in a way that they had not been able to before?

Well, it's possible, I think. I - you know, I think everybody is getting hurt. The only question is how much. And as we were saying earlier, the - many of the countries in Africa and Latin America seem to be, for the moment at least, being hurt less than countries in other regions like, say, Russia or Ukraine or Hungary. So, it's a matter of relative hurt rather than success.

Ah, that's a good way of putting it. Now, when trouble strikes immigrants and their families may choose to head home or they could be forced to return if their visas depend on having a job. What impact has the economic downturn had on immigration?

turn 2 : Everybody getting hurt doesn't mean physically hurt but that everybody is experiencing difficulties.

Which word describes the type of hurt that everyone is experiencing according to turn 2?

Answer: Difficulties


You know, in the post-Katrina era, Scott, the assumption has been that when a hurricane comes, you focus on that and set other things aside. So it was jarring when the president went ahead with his summit with Kanye West. And as you say, it was a major full-media presence in the Oval Office.

But the president's theme all week has been to keep the focus on the president. He's had a flurry of news availabilities - way more than usual. In fact, in the last month, he's had more than in all the time previously in his presidency - very flashy events, campaign rallies around the country, night after night.

And that happens just as the cable operations - television, news - has - well, they've begun to lose interest in some of those rallies. They're not covering them from beginning to end anymore, sometimes not covering them all - at all, perhaps because they do seem to be news-free campaign events, and maybe because they've become so frequent.

Does this week's sudden stock sell-off raise questions about what had seemed to be so much good news about the economy, including that historically low unemployment rate?

turn 1 : The President has been using flashy events and rallies to maintain the spotlight on himself and his presidency

How has the President been maintaining the spotlight on himself and his presidency?

Answer: Flashy


And it's not just exhaustion, Ambassador. It's a belief on all sides that they cannot win on the battlefield.

Yeah. And I think that is beginning to dawn on people. There is this view that somehow if the U. S.  launches air strikes on behalf of the rebels that this could somehow turn the tide. But I think if you're in the military and the Pentagon, you start looking at what exactly your target sets are going to be. You're going to see this as a pretty complex problem and then maybe air strikes are not going to solve it.

There's also the idea of a no-fly zone because the Assad forces have used air strikes on others. And there is no question that could have some impact on the ground, but none of these things are a sure bet. And the only sure bet is that they would - the first step in any of these things is an act of war, whether we like it or not.

And imposing a no-fly zone is an act of war. You mentioned some people who ought to be involved in this conversation. You did not mention a player with a major stake in Syria, and that's Iran.

turn 1 : The person thinks that the fact they can not win is beginning to be believed by people.

What is the belief on all sides regarding winning on the battlefield?

Answer: 2


It's a delight to be back with you, Scott.

Now, is this just another drip in the FIFA scandal or does this suggest that the Justice Department is any closer to sorting all of this out?

Well, the noose is tightening. Similar scenes in Brazil have gone on in Germany. It's kind of like the end of the "Godfather" movies where the dominoes are all falling, one by one. Sepp Blatter, the farcical little man who's run FIFA for the past couple of decades - FIFA, the nonprofit of a billion-and-a-half cash reserve. It's a wonderful - they're my favorite kind of nonprofit.

It's the kind of nonprofit NPR should be, but go ahead, yes.

turn 2 : 3) Implied meaning: The situation is getting worse for FIFA, with similar events happening in both Brazil and Germany. Sepp Blatter, the long-time leader of the organization, is running out of time as the evidence against him is mounting. Despite all the money they have, they are still a non-profit organization

What is the organization that has a billion-and-a-half cash reserve?

Answer: FIFA


Mm-hmm. Some of the stories seem to have sort of a moral to them, like the one - mysterious one I'm going to call the rectum in a jar.

Yeah, this is the case of the rectum of the Bishop of Durham. If you go to London and you visit the Hunterian Museum, it's a wonderful, wonderful - one - in fact, one of the world's few remaining big medical museums. It's part of The Royal College of Surgeons of England. If you go and visit it, on display on the main floor inside a jar is something they call object RCSHC/P192. The label identifies it as being the preserved rectum of the Bishop of Durham, and we're talking about Thomas Thurlow, who was born in 1737, died in 1791. Would you like to hear the story of why it's in a jar in London on display?

With that kind of teaser, how could I not?

OK. The - that particular Bishop of Durham was a rich and powerful man. And he came down with some ailments and called in one of the celebrated doctors of the day, John Hunter, a man who, years later, went on to found this museum. Dr.  Hunter examined him and told him he had an incurable disease and that it was bad news. The bishop did not want to accept this news, so he was very insulting to this doctor and instead went and insult - and consulted a cattle doctor who gave him some kind of nostrum.

turn 0 : The story titled 'rectum in a jar' has a moral to it

How is the rectum of the Bishop of Durham displayed?

Answer: Jar


Well, for me it's almost anything that I'm sent and asked to click on in which somebody else is supposedly really embarrassing themselves. And I'm supposed to find this funny. I'm supposed to enjoy the spectacle. But it's just a physical response that I can't, you know. I clench sort of every muscle in my body and I can barely bring myself to watch it and then end up pressing stop. So, you know, examples would be the recording that was around this week of an employee of a cable company attempting to make a departing customer stay using all sorts of extraordinary arguments, I'm told. I'm told it was very embarrassing for the cable company employee. But I don't know because I can't bring myself to listen to it.

The guy who proposed marriage to a woman at the ballpark - you know about this one?

Oh, this is going to be a wedding proposal that is rejected in public, I think?

Yeah, that's it.

turn 0 : the speaker is not actually clenching every muscle in their body, but rather expressing a strong physical discomfort or aversion to watching embarrassing videos.

Which physical response does the speaker have to watching embarrassing videos?

Answer: Discomfort


No, he didn't get to see it until it was finished, and by the end, that had ceased to be the main subject. Charlie Fairburn, as you say, is a successful screenplay writer and has had a hit with a film called "Aliens With A Human Heart," which he's not altogether proud of, and so he wants to write something serious before he dies. And he thinks, first of all, he'll write about his immediate situation, but then he decides to write about consciousness studies. But that novel within the novel is wrapped around by a journal that he's writing about his immediate situation.

Tell us what went into the character of Angelique, the compulsive gambler with whom Charlie begins to keep company.

Well, he went into the casino hoping to lose his money in order to become this artist driven by poverty. He's horrified when he ends up much richer than he was at the beginning of the evening. He's sitting at the bar and this - there is Angelique with a symmetrical disappointment. She's lost all her money, and so he gives her his unwanted winnings, and they begin a passionate affair. But all of the incidents in this novel are really an attempt to look into the nature of consciousness.

When you're writing, how do you know when something is funny?

turn 3 : implies to ask for advice from the writer on how to craft humor in writing.

Answer: Humor


And then if you go down river, as you get closer to Arkansas, some communities, like Braggs and Webbers Falls, have been totally emptied out. One mayor earlier this week told people that if they refuse to evacuate, they should write their identification on their arm.

Wow. I mean, it does sound as though it's just an overwhelmingly awful combination of floods and tornadoes and bad weather. What are people saying as you are out and about interviewing people and, I guess, just talking to your own neighbors?

Well, people here are well-practiced. When we went into the basement on Saturday night with a tornado warning that hit near our home, our neighbors had their medication already prepared in plastic bags to take into the basement. But this has just been every day for nearly a month. And when you constantly have warnings coming through on your cell phone for floods and tornado watches and thunderstorms, it is hard to not just shut down.

Yeah. Today, of course, is a holiday, Memorial Day. But are schools on track, businesses on track for business as usual tomorrow?

turn 0 : People in some communities refuse to evacuate despite being warned of floods and tornadoes.

How have some people in communities responded to evacuation warnings?

Answer: Refuse


Well, the president fires the attorney general. The new guy fires the special counsel. History repeats itself. No, the president - President Nixon understood the Constitution. He understood how to govern. He knew he was walking a tightrope. So when a lot of different people in Congress, the public, the courts stood up and showed their courage and they were outraged and started to push back, he backed down. He let the investigation continue. And 10 months later, he resigned. This time it looks like a circus where the clowns are walking a tightrope in slow motion and some people are cheering as if it's a joke. But it's not a joke.

Mr.  Doyle, I must say you sounded almost wistful speaking about Richard Nixon.

(Laughter) Well, yeah. You know, I've never compared Richard Nixon to Thomas Jefferson before. Never thought I should. But I told someone yesterday that compared to Donald Trump, Richard Nixon is Thomas Jefferson.

All right. I'll leave that as your opinion.

turn 2 : Donald Trump is much worse than Nixon as a president and does not have the same level of political intelligence or ability to govern.

What did PersonA compare Richard Nixon to after saying that he has never compared him to Thomas Jefferson before?

Answer: Jefferson


You know, we - we're in constant communication with our states. I know South Carolina has done - and all the states, for that matter - but South Carolina, they've done a very proactive job. North Carolina is really going to amp up the messaging on evacuations. Florida has, and Georgia. So, you know, we will be able to tell what those evacuation rates are, obviously working with our state. The states and the locals are the ones that actually call for those evacuations.

Right now, it seems to be going well, but it always could go better. You know, if you're in a danger or hazard area, you know, I ask you to take those warnings seriously, and evacuate and protect yourself and your family.

Jeff Byard of FEMA, thanks for speaking with us today.

Thank you so much.

turn 0 : South Carolina is going to make more and much more public messages regarding evacuations.

What state's proactive job is mentioned in the dialogue?

Answer: South-Carolina


To be fair to President Trump, while tariffs, in my view, represent appalling economic policy, they are a reasonable political tactic in seizing the attention of a foreign government - in this case, China. And he succeeded on that. But in terms of the outcome that he produces, it'll be a classic case of the glass being either half-full or half-empty, depending on who looks at it.

Market access and a reduction in the U. S.  trade deficit with China over time - the glass will be more than half full. But on the others, the glass will get progressively empty. And I would be surprised, particularly on that question of state subsidy for China's high-technology industries, whether we'll see much substantive Chinese movement at all.

Do you think that Chinese leaders respect President Trump and his negotiating style?

I think the Chinese see in Trump two things. One is a preparedness to double down on these trade negotiations over a long period of time to extract maximum change in the Chinese position. So they see Trump as exercising American strength.

How will the Chinese likely respond to the question of state subsidy for their high-technology industries?

Answer: little


Are Jews in Germany already hiding external markers of religion?

Yes, they have for quite some time. Jews in Germany who wear yarmulkes often wear baseball caps to hide their yarmulkes because there is a feeling of unease. There aren't incidents all the time. And yet, one doesn't want to court that sort of danger. That said, of course, there's a great wish that this doesn't have to be, that one can wear a yarmulke openly. And here on the streets of Berlin, generally, it is no problem. But no one wants to be the person where it is a problem.

Right.

And even - it's not just wearing kippahs. It's also speaking Hebrew, it's wearing Magen David Jewish star necklaces. Any outward sign can be a problem.

turn 3 : Outward displays of Jewish identity can lead to danger

Answer: Jewish


We wanted to learn more about all this, so we've called on Daniel Fessler. He is a professor of anthropology at UCLA, and he is the inaugural director of the Bedari Kindness Institute. And he's with us now. Professor Fessler, thank you so much for talking to us.

Well, thank you for your interest. I'm happy to be here.

I was just looking at your bio, and you say in your own bio - your own university bio that when your colleagues talk about your work, they politely call it eclectic. And I took that to mean that your work is hard to categorize. So I just wanted to ask, you know, how - what is your work, and how does it translate into this task of creating this kindness institute?

So it is indeed eclectic, broad-ranging, you might say. I'm an evolutionary anthropologist. And, in particular, I work on understanding contemporary human behavior, contemporary human health and how the mind works in the contemporary world in light of our species' long history of evolution. And in terms of kindness, an important feature of our species is that we are perhaps the most cooperative animal on the planet. So in no other species do you see cooperation between large numbers of unrelated individuals, or even, in many species, tolerance of large numbers of unrelated individuals.

turn 3 : His work is odd and seen as very different from what people normally do and/or expect.

How is Professor Fessler's work described by his colleagues?

Answer: Eclectic


The show was political. I mean, it didn't shy away from really difficult issues, took sharp aim at President Trump on several occasions. Did that play into Netflix's decision to cancel it, do we have any idea?

I don't get any sense that Netflix canceled it over the political content. If anything, the political content is one of the reasons why they treated this cancellation a bit differently and a bit more gently than they ordinarily do - because there were not a lot of shows out there about a Latin American family with a predominantly Latinx cast dealing with these issues about immigration, LGBTQ issues. You know, every episode has some kind of hot-button subject. You know, one of the characters is a recovering alcoholic. Another has PTSD from serving in the military. So it touched on a lot of things.

And that was one of the things the audience loved about it. I don't think, based on a lot of the other content Netflix has, that that would have been a reason to get rid of it. I think it was purely a financial decision or, you know, whatever the finances actually were.

And the show can't just get plucked up by someone else.

turn 2 : Implicated meaning: The audience loved the show because it tackled difficult and relevant topics. The cancellation was likely due to financial reasons rather than the political content.

What was one of the reasons why the audience loved the show?

Answer: Difficult


Well, we got some comments about a story we did on a reported drop of media coverage on the war in Iraq. Charles Durn(ph) in Doylestown, Pennsylvania wrote us this. I am amazed how the various reasons given for the reduced coverage skip the obvious. One of your guests said that coverage switched off the same week General Petraeus said the surge was working. The obvious reason is the press is not interested in success in Iraq, especially if it made Bush look good.

Caroline Madelle Bennett(ph) in Rochester, New York praised us for a guest on that same segment. I don't care for much of what NPR puts on anymore, but I want you to know that I appreciate your having Laura Flanders on this evening. She's one of the intelligent voices of which there are so few on radio, in broadcast news, commentary and analysis.

We got a couple of comments on the monthly series on jazz that we're doing. Last week, we talked about how radio stations were dropping jazz from their programming lineups. Melinda Kennedy, who listens on WMUE FM noted this. It's not the music that keeps me from listening, but the radio personalities that host the shows.

And Don Nickels(ph) from Wildwood, Missouri chimed in, jazz has not suffered. Most of the greats are gone, but other than that it is the same as it's been for decades. It is a black genre and has never made it out of that community. Should it have more exposure on the radio?Maybe. But if no one is listening, who will pay?Welcome to what makes the world go round. It's called capitalism.

turn 0 : The press is biased and not interested in reporting positive news about Iraq.

What is the reason given for the reduced coverage on the war in Iraq?

Answer: Bush


And let's just say, it was a fishing expedition. It was financed by Trump's opponents in both parties. Some fishing expeditions do come back with fish. And if this one actually did and some of that finds its way into the hands of special independent prosecutor Bob Mueller's investigators, then the dossier might, in some sense, inform their questions about Russian interference because all of this was about Trump's ties to people in Russia.

Right. And those questions about Russian interference will also be front and center in the upcoming hearings that we mentioned for the tech giants - Facebook, Twitter and Google executives who are going to be before Congress over two days this coming week. What will they be grilled about?

You know, in recent days, we have learned a good deal more about how extensive the Russian involvement in social media was, particularly the number of ads running on Facebook and how they were targeted. And some of this was using some of the people in Facebook who work with advertisers - big advertisers - and who help you target exactly the people you're trying to reach.

So this might have been - it appears to have been one of the main ways in which these Russian elements were trying to put a big thumb on the scale in the 2016 election.

turn 1 : (2) Grill: to question someone intensively and aggressively.

How was Russian involvement in social media extensive?

Answer: Ads


Right. We're all talking about the wrong thing anyway. Most gun deaths are caused by the guns that people aren't trying to ban right now. You know, we're focused again on assault rifles. They don't kill that many people. In the spectacular shootings, we see the use of so-called assault rifles. But it's - handguns are responsible for most of the gun-related suicides. And that's half the - half the gun deaths in this country. And in the low-level street violence that you see in many cities, it's mainly a handgun issue. So we're not even talking about the things that are causing most of the deaths. But in the media climate in which we exist, these spectacular events get all of the attention. And the shootings on the streets of Chicago - one dead, two dead at a time - they don't get any attention. But that's the - that's the - that's the real center of the gun problem in this country.

Do you think the shootings we saw in San Bernardino do represent something different in - forgive me - the mass-shooting scenario. . .

Right.

Something different than what we've seen, and for that matter - obviously it's speculated at this point - but people who might not have been directed by any kind of authority overseas but inspired by something like that?

turn 1 : Turn (2) implies a question, implying that the speaker is asking if the shootings in San Bernardino represent something different than what we've seen in other mass shootings, and if they could be potentially inspired by something like a foreign authority-directed attack.

What is PersonB's speculation about the San Bernardino shootings in relation to other mass shootings?

Answer: San-Bernardino


Last week, Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers reached a tentative deal with thousands of plaintiffs over those lawsuits and - which would've paid up, I guess, $3 billion out of their personal fortune. Why did most state attorneys general reject that deal?

Well, what they say, basically, Scott, is that Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers aren't paying enough under this deal. They think the family is worth around $13 billion. That's the Forbes family - the magazine estimate. And the vast majority of that came from pushing really aggressively to turn OxyContin into a bestselling drug. So these AGs want members of the family to cough up more of what they describe as ill-gotten gains.

I will say the family sent an email to NPR this week. They said the deal on the table will drain a lot of their personal wealth and mean them giving up Purdue Pharma, this company that they own outright.

What is it that New York's attorney general and her team say they found?

turn 2 : "drain a lot of their personal wealth" implies to lose a lot of their personal wealth.

What is the consequence of the deal that the Sackler family is concerned about?

Answer: Lose


When I listen to you talk, I feel like the worst possible - the most hurtful insult someone could ever fling at you is, you're not authentic.

And she falls to the ground, and she curls into a ball. And. . .

What is it about authenticity that if it were lacking, it's mortally wounding for you?

Yeah. I mean, if you're telling someone they're not authentic, then what are you saying?I guess you could say the opposite of authenticity is - I don't want to just say fake because there's another word.

turn 0 : Being called 'not authentic' is a severe insult

How does PersonA feel when someone insults them by calling them "not authentic"?

Answer: Insult


I think it's very important for people to unplug. Setting aside the whole question and dangers of addiction, let's assume you're not somebody who is addicted, but you are still constantly plugged in. The downsides are likely to be, first of all, no time to think, no time to just reflect on what you feel, what you think, what you've been experiencing. And wisdom really comes to us through the process of reflecting on our experience and our feelings and thoughts. So, I think people are in danger of not being able to become wise if they don't take time to think.

Plus there is this huge factor of engagement with other people. We are we're social animals. We need to be connected. There's something called limbic resonance, which is kind of an energetic resonance that gets set up between two people when they are engaged in a positive and constructive way with each other and they are able to develop the relationship. And we know that when people do not have enough of that engagement with each other, they suffer depression and they suffer in other ways. So, getting unplugged allows you to get reengaged with real people in your life that matter to you.

Let's talk a little bit about how online addiction can work in tandem with other addictions. I'm thinking about gambling. There's now all sorts of online gambling. There's also pornography.

Right.

turn 0 : Constantly being plugged in prevents people from becoming wise

Which factor may prevent people from gaining wisdom?

Answer: Unplugging


What should we make of these shocking statistics?

I think to most Alaskans, these statistics aren't surprising. Anyone who lives here knows someone or is themselves a victim of sexual violence. And so this is a reality that Alaskan residents are constantly made aware of.

You say in an opinion piece you wrote for the Anchorage Daily News that 59 percent of women in Alaska say they've been sexually assaulted.

That's right. And it should be noted that, though that number is remarkable, it is likely that that number is also conservative. And we should also note that amongst the 59 percent of Alaska women, 61 percent are Alaska Native, which makes Alaska Native women almost 10 times more likely than other Alaskans to be victims.

turn 1 : Sexual violence is a widespread problem in Alaska.

What is the main issue in Alaska that the dialogue is discussing?

Answer: Sexual


The militant group ISIS, the Islamic State, has lost much of the territory it held when it was, as reporter Azadeh Moaveni says, running a kind of killing spree in Iraq and Syria. But many of the young women and girls that left their homes to join ISIS view the group differently.

The story I wanted to tell is how it unfolded in the lives of so many young women as kind of, in a very perverse way, an empowerment project.

Moaveni's new book is called "Guest House For Young Widows: The Women Of ISIS. "It follows some of the girls who left their families in Tunisia, Germany and England to join the caliphate. We begin with the story of the Bethnal Green teenagers.

These were a group of young high school students. They were 15. They went to school in a very urban, dense neighborhood of London. They were straight-A students. They were popular in school. These were not girls who you would think would be really susceptible, but a lot of them also had absent fathers.

turn 1 : Unfolded meaning that things are revealed to what they really are, in this case the lives of young women involved in ISIS.

What is the name of Azadeh Moaveni's new book?

Answer: Widows


What drew you to getting involved?

I made a comic about him earlier this year, and I sort of rallied this fan base of Nikola Tesla fans. And then I actually was involved in this little lawsuit in June. It was unrelated to Tesla. But as part of this lawsuit, I ended up starting a charity campaign, a crowd funding campaign to raise money for cancer and for the National Wildlife Federation. And it was a huge success. We raised like 10 times the amount of money we needed. Instead of raising 20 grand, we raised $211,000.

So then I heard in August about this real estate in Long Island that was up for sale that was Nikola Tesla's old laboratory, and I figured with my army of Tesla fans on the Internet and my previous experience with crowd funding, I thought I would be the perfect person to come in and see if I could make a difference.

Your comic, I think, is titled "Why Nikola Tesla Was The Greatest Geek Who Ever Lived. "Would you mind making that case for us?

turn 2 : A thinks that with their army of Tesla fans and experience with crowd funding, they can make a difference in Nikola Tesla's old laboratory.

What motivated PersonA to think they could make a difference in Nikola Tesla's old laboratory?

Answer: Crowdfunding


Yeah. I think a big local newspaper, you know, was kind of like the big local sports team. There's always been hostility toward the big, local paper but I think there was a certain amount of pride in it. And this is our paper. We are a big-time city. I think the Herald spoke more for the community and reflected the community better than any other institution down here could. And now there is no institution to replace that, unless, you know, you talk about sports team or something like that. And I think that's true of many, many cities now.

We talk so much about newspapers. Is journalism going to survive?Has that become DIY?Is this an opportunity for novelists to step in?

You know, novelists have been trying to step in for hundreds of years. And I think the same forces that are sort of working against newspapers probably are also working, to some extent, against books. I just, I don't know. It just feels like everything happens so fast now and everybody, you know, goes on to the next subject so quickly now. Books seem a little archaic, except as entertainment and, you know, as an escape from policy and that sort of thing.

Dave Barry. His new novel, "Insane City. "Speaking with us, of course, from Miami. Dave, thanks so much for being with us.

turn 2 : In turn (3), the speaker implies that the same forces that are affecting newspapers are also affecting books, and that books may be perceived as archaic except as a form of entertainment.

Which form of media is discussed as potentially being perceived as archaic in turn (2)?

Answer: Books


You know, I'm encouraged by the step. It makes it easier to deal with churches that have enabled or covered up sexual abuse. That being said, it is a framework only.

A framework only - what do you mean?

Well, it creates a new committee by which these claims can be vetted. What we don't know yet is who is going to be on that committee, what questions the committee will be asking as they consider whether or not churches are in violation of the SBC standards on sexual abuse. And so it really remains to be seen what is built on that framework.

Talk to me about the culture. I'm thinking of some reporting that our religion correspondent, Tom Gjelten, has been doing this week. He's been interviewing Southern Baptist women. And they describe a culture that is resistant to change. Has that been your experience as you've interacted with church leaders?

turn 1 : B doesn't understand the implications of the framework

What is PersonB's question about the framework?

Answer: Meaning


No doubt it has for those legal scholars and for other people who are actively seeking grounds for impeachment proceedings. It is not likely to change the calculus for the majority of Republicans in the House. And if you need to get a president impeached, you need the Republicans, who are the majority in the House of Representatives.

Speaking of his relations, the president's relations with members of his own party, he took to Twitter to call out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan about the debt ceiling and health care. Is he alienating the very people in the Senate he needs later for legislation to defend him against investigations?

It's going to harden the battle lines, the battle lines that are already there, especially on immigration, especially with regard to the southern border wall. And this is a sensitive time, as we approach the perfect fiscal storm this September. I'm talking about the budget resolution, the spending bills, the federal debt ceiling with the prospect of a shutdown or a credit default. While still remote, perhaps, that threat is quite real.

Another face has been crossed out of the White House staff photo overnight. Counterterrorism Adviser Sebastian Gorka has left the building. But was he a fired man walking, if you please, for the past week or so?

turn 0 : "change the calculus" - this is a metaphorical expression that means to change the way people are thinking about something.

What does the metaphorical expression "change the calculus" mean?

Answer: thinking


Yes, we're all OK.  We're all safe. We're at his house in James City, thank goodness.

Yeah. I'm told you left after the evacuation order. May I ask why?

We made the decision to stay based on the fact that all of the ATMs were out of cash, there was a gas shortage, monetary reasons and concerns of not being able to get back in. I have my father, who is in a nursing facility fighting Stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma, and I was really concerned about what would happen with him.

How is your father?How is your father, may I ask?

turn 2 : The decision to stay was based on financial and personal concerns, not just the evacuation order.

Answer: Based


If I hear you right, you're saying the process worked. Somebody who thought they saw behavior - not - I'm not asking you to characterize it - but thought they saw behavior that they were uncomfortable with or that crossed a line - that they were able to report it through the proper channels. It maybe took a little while, but it has reached the people it was intended to reach.

That would be correct. As a whistleblower fan, I think the process worked the right way.

Given that, can you speak to the delay that it took to reach the intelligence committees?The DNI knew about this for a while, and it wasn't reported.

Yeah, unfortunately, I would not have optic to that, which is a good reason because I think the individuals that are in the center of that circle need to remain small and precise in - to protect the whistleblower.

turn 0 : The behavior was unacceptable to what the people would accept.

Answer: behavior


Oh, well, you'll be surprised, Neal. Actually, Minnesota has more solar potential than anywhere in the eastern part of the U. S. , except for Florida. We have nice, clear winters and good, sunny summers. Germany, farther north than we are, has much more solar than about anywhere in the United States. So actually, we're pretty well-positioned for solar. You'll be surprised how much of the U. S.  could do well in solar. We also have a lot of wind potential here in Minnesota, especially in the western area. But it's more about, how do we get that electricity to the cities like Minneapolis or Chicago?

And, of course, we have bioenergy here, too, and the debates about things like corn ethanol. That's another big contentious issue here in the Midwest. And one where, again, middle grounds might have to be found between groups that are in very different poles on that issue.

And what do you think is the most promising - again, the symbolic areas, those are always going to be difficult. But are there other conversations that could be had that, as you say, skirt the ideology?

Well, it's very interesting. Regardless of, you know, how you think of him politically, the Obama administration has actually done more, may be by accident - or may be on purpose - to think about, to take on climate change than all previous administrations, really, combined. Our CO2 emissions in the United States have gone down pretty dramatically in the last few years, partly because of the recession, of course, but partly because people are retooling and getting more efficient.

turn 0 : Minnesota has good solar potential despite being in the northern part of the US

What state has good solar potential despite being in the northern part of the US?

Answer: Minnesota


You note when Turkey failed to prosecute this man and then your office did prosecute this man that you became a kind of social media hero in Turkey. You got a huge following. Apparently. . .

Yeah. Completely undeserved. As I said, other people had done the work. But I became a symbol. And I say, look, the prosecutors are not saviors. They can't solve everything. It takes an involvement from a lot of other people. It just happens to be the case that it's very easy to put, you know, their hopes and hatreds both, sometimes, in the figure of a prosecutor.

Are people putting too much faith in Robert Mueller?

People should have a lot of faith in Robert Mueller. I have a ton of faith in Robert Mueller. I think, you know, he is not a deity and he should not be put on a pedestal, but there's no one I can think of in the country who could have done this job as honorably as he's doing. And even he has been attacked and dragged through the mud and false accusations made about him. What I'm saying is he's just a lawman acting by the book trying to do what he thinks is correct with a band of really, really smart, I think, honorable people around him.

turn 3 : People should not put too much faith in any single person or institution to solve all of their problems.

Answer: Caution


Honestly, it looks totally different than a Porsche looks like today. It looks more like a carriage.

Now, why was this powered by electricity as opposed to gas?

In the time when Ferdinand Porsche invented the first cars, there were three engine types competing to each other. This was gas, steam and the other engine was electrical power. And for Ferdinand Porsche, his true interest was in the field of electricity, and so he was very keen on creating very efficient electrical cars.

Efficient, so that was a consideration even then, in 1898?

turn 1 : In turn (2), B's question implies that there is a specific reason or advantage for using electricity instead of gas to power the vehicle. The underlying meaning could be that B wants to explore the advantages or benefits of electric power in comparison to gas power.

How does PersonB imply the advantages of electric power in turn (2)?

Answer: Electricity


Well, most of them are against the government, so many of them see even public health workers as the enemy since they work for the government. And every time there are clashes with the police or with government soldiers, you know, health workers have to wait a day or two or even more for them to get into these villages or territories to treat the people.

Yeah. You know, what struck me when I was reading your article was that the health officials actually think that this outbreak is made much worse because of these militias. It's almost like they've created the problem.

Absolutely. Because every, you know, day or hour of delay, there is the possibility that the virus will spread to someone else and then spreads to the entire village. And that could, you know, spread very dramatically.

So tell us a little bit more. You know, there are also experimental treatments. What kind of progress has been made there?

turn 2 : Delays in treating people with the virus could lead to it spreading rapidly.

What is the reason for health workers having to wait to get into villages or territories to treat people?

Answer: Delays


Yes. We got involved and that's 25 years ago. And it took us about 25 years to get it done. We met monthly. And - well, actually, we met like biweekly and just phonetically translate it - every word in the New Testament to Gullah.

Can you read something for us, a short passage?

That would be wonderful.

turn 2 : Well, why don't I read just the first few verses of the Lord's Prayer that most people are familiar with? (Actual meaning: A suggests reading a portion of the Lord's Prayer that is well-known to most people.)

How did PersonA suggest reading a portion of the Lord's Prayer?

Answer: First


And so, finally, what would affect this backlog?What would be the most - in your view, based on your experience - the most effective way to address this backlog - this enormous backlog of cases?

I think, to begin with, any high-volume court system - criminal courts, you know, outside of the immigration system - can only survive when you have - the two parties are able to conference cases, are able to reach pre-case settlements, are able to reach agreements on things. If you could imagine in the criminal court system, if every jaywalking case had to go through a - you know, a full jury trial and then, you know, get appealed all the way up as high as it could go, that system would be in danger of collapse as well. So I think you have to return to a system where you allow the two sides to negotiate things.

And you also have to give the judges - let them be judges. Give them the tools they need to be judges and the independence they need to be judges. And lastly, you have to prioritize the cases.

Before we let you go, I assume that there were different political perspectives at this conference, given that people come from all different sectors of that - of the bar. And I just wondered - and I assume that there are some there who favor more restrictionist methods and some who don't. I was wondering, overall, was there a mood at this conference?

turn 2 : cases implies situations, issues or conditions and not suitcases or packs

How does the speaker define the term "cases"?

Answer: Situations


Look. I think there is a very, very big leap between candidate Trump in 2016 saying, Russia, if you can hear this, show us the emails, and President Trump using his awesome powers to coerce a foreign government into interfering in our elections. You know, his defense to the Mueller report was that, yeah, Russia may have interfered but that he had nothing to do with it. If this story is true, here we have the president trying to force a foreign government to work with him against his political opponent in the United States. That's beyond unacceptable.

And you say, if it's true. . .

And yes, impeachable.

You say, if it's true, what powers does the House have to try to corroborate this claim?

turn 0 : Forcing a foreign government to work as per your choice is unacceptable

Which action of the president does turn 0 in the statement refer to?

Answer: Forcing


Yeah.

You know, so, yeah, I think that there are people who really enjoy - just like it's sort of a niche market that people like the Winter Olympics. But largely, I think a lot of people who couldn't tell, you know, an Olympic torch from, you know, a fire extinguisher are waiting to find out if - can we wrest the gold medal back in basketball?

Why do you think that is?I remember watching the Olympics growing up, you know, and as a young man, I mean, it was big, big deal. You wanted to watch all of it. That's how you learned about other sports that you didn't even know anything about was through watching the Olympics. But it seems of late that it's lost some of that. I don't know if it's because of the doping scandals and Marion Jones and others. Why do you think that our interest has changed?

That's a great question. But I think it's - what's happening in entertainment in general is that there's just so much on our palette. There are so much to choose from and to watch. You know, when we were kids, you know, back in oh-hundreds, you know?

turn 1 : The speaker suggests that many people are only interested in the Olympics for popular events

Which market does the speaker refer to as a niche market in the Olympics?

Answer: Winter


. . . Entities. . .

Correct.

. . . Like - nongovernmental groups like terrorist organizations.

Yeah, the terrorist organizations or. . .

turn 2 : Specifically mentioning terrorist organizations as an example of non-governmental entities

What kind of groups did PersonB mention as an example of non-governmental entities in turn 2?

Answer: non-governmental


So most of the players in the money sports, in football and basketball at the Power Five schools, are black. So 56 percent of the basketball players - men's basketball players - are black. Fifty-five percent of the football players are black. But 2. 4 percent of the students at these schools are black men. And so this is -

Only?

Only 2. 4 percent. I know. That was shocking to us, too. But there's this weird paradox that happens, right?So you have black men on these campuses who are basically invisible in the classrooms. But at any given time and during any given academic year, the most high-profile undergraduate at one of these universities is likely to be a black basketball phenom or a black football star.

What did you find out about if these stars are actually getting the education that they've been promised?

turn 0 : The proportion of black male students at Power Five schools is much lower than the proportion of black male athletes.

Which proportion is much lower at Power Five schools?

Answer: Students


I would say that those who have sought to make a story of this initially focused on the decision by Hunter Biden to take this lucrative deal. But starting late last year and really kind of earlier this year in March timeframe, Giuliani and his allies have been pushing allegations that Joe Biden when he was vice president used his office to put pressure on the Ukrainian president at the time to fire a prosecutor who they allege was investigating Hunter Biden and the company that had him on the board.

I looked very closely at this and spoke to officials who were involved in that. And I understand the first example of the questions about whether or not he should have taken this job in the first place. I think that is a legitimate topic to be discussed and suggests questionable judgment that was made by Hunter. But in the case of his father using his office to fire this prosecutor, what I found was to the contrary. That prosecutor was not investigating his son or the company and is merely claiming that he did in retrospect.

Does Hunter Biden still hold this position?

He resigned the position on the board earlier this summer and basically decided that it just wasn't worth the heat for himself and for his father.

turn 3 : He resigned because the job was not worth all of the trouble that he and his father were going through.

Which decision did Hunter Biden make earlier this summer?

Answer: resignation


That's right.

Tell us about that one.

Well, that's around a star called HD 10 - excuse me, 40307. I'm losing track of the numbers, there are so many stars now. And this is a system where we first tried out some of these techniques, where there were already several planets known around it, three planets known around it, and we found three more by basically being more clever in how we deal with the noise due to the star's surface activity.

And this was - you have a rating scale for how close to Earthlike they are correct?

turn 2 : Well, that's around a star called HD 10 - excuse me, 40307.I'm losing track of the numbers, there are so many stars now.And this is a system where we first tried out some of these techniques, where there were already several planets known around it, three planets known around it, and we found three more by basically being more clever in how we deal with the noise due to the star's surface activity.

How many planets did they find around the star?

Answer: six


Eric, good morning.

Yeah. You know, I'm reminded, the Chipmunks did a version of that (laughter). . .

(Laughter). Did they really?

Maybe we'll get to hear that.

turn 3 : Implied meaning: The speaker may be using allusions to reference something indirectly, assuming that the listener will understand the reference based on shared knowledge or cultural context.

How did the speaker reference something indirectly in turn 3?

Answer: Allusions


Well, let's talk about the forecasting because one of the amazing parts of sort of science of this story was that hours before, the National Weather Service locally issued a warning that there might be a tornado. And it was pretty spot-on, it sounded like.

Yeah. You know, even days before. I mean, with this region was under the gun, we had outlooks noting this particular area would be prone to these types of storms on that particular date. Even that day, as you noted, some of our high resolution models indicated the possibility of tornadic storms. I know the National Weather Service put out some public communications, even warning, I think, somewhere around 11, 11:30, noontime hour that there was a possibility of storms later that afternoon. And even special warnings for schools.

So I want to give out a shout out to the colleagues and members of AMS there working at the National Weather Service and in the broadcast community because they were on top of it from the beginning. And I want to also emphasize that the Weather Service put out warnings 16 minutes before the storm even touched down. The average warning time these days is around 13 to 15 minutes, and that's up from five minutes in 1990. So although to many in the public that doesn't sound like a lot, that's actually above average so - and even more time before the storm reached Moore.

Talking with Marshall Shepherd, president of the American Meteorological Society. I'm Flora Lichtman, and this is SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. So what accounts for this change, this bettering of our prediction time?

turn 0 : The forecast for the tornado warning was exactly right for the place and time it issued it.

Answer: 16


Yeah.

That's toe master Terry Lee speaking with us from the Sourdough Saloon in Dawson City, Yukon. Terry, good luck. Thanks so much.

Thank you very much.

turn 0 : (1) B: Well, the call has gone out to our NPR listeners, who are either going to be repulsed or intrigued by what you're talking about here, Terry Lee.

How would NPR listeners react to Terry Lee's topic?

Answer: Intrigued


President Donald Trump had his long-awaited face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin at last week's G-20 summit. Just how the issue of Russian meddling in the November election was addressed is subject to interpretation. And in this country, Congress comes back from recess with health care legislation still looming. So much politics to talk about, so little time - so let's turn to NPR's national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Good morning, Mara.

Good morning, A.

All right. So before we get to Putin-Trump, let's look at the G-20 meeting and what all the countries got out of it.

Well, the big theme of this meeting was how isolated and separate the United States is from the rest of the G-20, the rest of the big economies. It's like there's a G-19, and then there's the U. S. , particularly on climate, trade and immigration. The biggest difference at this meeting was climate. The other 19 leaders agreed that continuing to enact the Paris Agreement on climate change was important. They called the agreement irreversible. Of course, Donald Trump has pulled the U. S.  out of that agreement. So the Europeans and others are going to move forward without the U. S.

turn 3 : It's like there's a G-19, and then there's the U.S." - This implies that the United States is distinct and separate from the other 19 countries in the G-20, rather than simply stating that there are 19 countries in addition to the U.S. in the group.

Which country was isolated and separate from the rest of the G-20, according to turn 3?

Answer: United-States


You know, it's interesting that you should say that because leasing was one of the ways you could get into a car without having to have a huge down payment. So now, if leasing is going to cost more, buying a car already costs more with regard to the down payment, it's going to be really tough for some people, isn't it?

It will be, and you know what it's going to put pressure on is the used-car market, because if you can't get a new one, you go get a used one. But if they have more demand for used ones, that's going to push up, too. So the entire - the love affair that America had with the automobile. . .

Coming to an end?

It may be a love affair that we have to look at again, you know, somebody cheated on somebody, I don't know who.

turn 1 : The increase in leasing and new car prices will lead to a rise in demand for used cars, which will increase their prices as well.

Which market may face a rise in demand due to an increase in leasing and new car prices according to the dialogue?

Answer: Used-car


Now, Ward Connerly said of economic affirmative action was okay so you know, rich and poor but not racial or gender. How do you feel about those distinctions?

I think that it's some - I think that there's something very misguided about that. If you're saying that the government can take action to try to bring about equality based on finances and economic status, it seems to me that given that racism and sexism still deform opportunity in this society, it makes no sense to stand against allowing the government and allowing the private sector to take action to try to bring about greater equality and equal opportunity.

Next week in Michigan, a federal district court judge is going to hear oral arguments against prop two. That judge could decide to throw out the proposition is unconstitutional but you're actually hoping for a full trial. Why?

We are, because we think that we have to go to the Supreme Court with a full record in these cases. We think that it's extremely important to get at the question of what is - of who has a preference in the society. And I think, as Ward Connerly himself admitted in our deposition, there are all kinds of preferences and privileges that white men have that still are not afforded to the whole society. And I think it's very important to get a trial record on that.

turn 3 : In (4), the speaker is explaining that they want a full trial to build a complete record of the case, in order to bring attention to the issue of privilege and preference in society, particularly those that benefit white men.

What is the speaker hoping to bring attention to by requesting a full trial?

Answer: privilege


Largely because the Algerian move to split the groups had failed. One of the groups they thought they'd fought off decided to join al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, moving south and trying to occupy the rest of Mali. And that forced the French to intervene earlier than they intended, and they forced the Algerians to attempt, in some way, to help in this process by allowing French over flights over Algeria.

And tell us about the Algerian government's interest here. This government has been - this is a country that's been very quiet compared to its neighbors who have been roiled since the Arab Spring.

Well, Algeria, partly because of the civil war in the 1990s, was able to avoid the worst outcomes of the Arab Spring, in the sense that the regime was able to continue there. And Algeria, too, feels that it should be the dominant power inside the region. It's, therefore, tempted to avoid, allowing other states to intervene in Mali, which is along its southern border. And it's also trying to create a defense force of 25,000 men to try to counter the activities of Islamist groups along its borders. But that really has failed.

And beyond that, too, the Algerians are extremely ambivalent about the French presence there, but they've come to realize that they can't deal with the problem without the French participating too. So all in all, the Algerian government is extremely frustrated, very irritated, embarrassed and now feels that it's got to accept something, which in the past it would never have dreamt of accepting.

turn 3 : The Algerian government reluctantly accepts French help in dealing with the problem in Mali

How did the Algerian government respond to the French intervention in Mali?

Answer: Reluctantly


My father believed the world was divided between those who were mentally and physically strong and those who were weak and lazy. For this, I had to undergo a physical and psychological training.

Can you tell us about those nights in the cellar?

From the age of 6, I had to spend one night a month in the basement meditating on death. I sat on a stool, alone, in the dark, surrounded by rats. And I had a cardigan with small bells on it. I wasn't allowed to let the bells tinkle, as it meant that I was moving. It was one of his exercises.

There are just too many instances of abuse and cruelty to recount - I mean, the way he didn't turn on the heat, the way he made you bathe in his dirty water. He said he gave you his energy that way or something.

turn 1 : My father was trying to instill a sense of superiority and strength in me by contrasting the strong and the weak.

Which exercise did PersonA have to do in the basement?

Answer: Meditating


UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Mass squadrons of bombers and transports led the way, more than 11,000 planes spearheading the attack. Paratroopers landed in Normandy behind the coastal defenses.

You're standing up as we hit the coast, and you're ready to go. And finally, you wait for the green light. Green light comes, and it's like a slingshot out the door.

Were you scared?

Never thought about. . .

turn 1 : Describing the experience of jumping out of a plane in a positive light

Answer: Green


OK.  And do we know what happens next?I mean, what are authorities looking at next?What do they say they are doing in response to this?

Well, right now, they are - this incident is under investigation right now. The FBI is calling this murder investigation. The police chief is saying they are looking at capital murder charges for the suspect.

That is Reporter Monica Ortiz Uribe in El Paso, Texas, where she's been reporting on the events there all day. Monica, thank you so much for talking with us.

You're welcome.

turn 0 : looking at next in this context means the authorities are trying to figure out what will happen next

What is the FBI calling the incident under investigation?

Answer: Murder.


They were part of the crew of the USS Monitor, a celebrated Civil War ship that helped open a new era in naval warfare. The ship was ironclad, powered by steam instead of sails, and supported a rotating gun turret. The Monitor sank in a storm in 1862. Sixteen of 62 men on board went down with their ship. They were thought to be lost forever until 2002. The Monitor was being restored and the remains of two of the sailors were discovered in the turret. We're joined now by historian Anna Holloway. She's curator of the USS Monitor Center in Newport, Virginia. Thank very much for being with us.

Well, thank you so much for having me.

What do we know about these two sailors who have finally been buried?

Well, we still don't know their names, and that is one of the ongoing mysteries about these two heroes of the USS Monitor. However, as you mention, 16 men went down with the vessel, so there are 16 possibilities. Now, forensics tells us a little bit about them - their relative heights, their ages and their race - so that does narrow it down a bit.

turn 0 : There are no turns in the given conversation that have a meaning different from their literal meanings. All the turns convey their literal meanings without any implied or figurative language.

How many sailors went down with the USS Monitor?

Answer: 16


I'm Farai Chideya and this is News & Notes.

Condoleezza Rice holds historic talks with Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, and the South African president tries to get political rivals in Zimbabwe to reconcile. For that and more in our Africa Update, we've got Emira Woods, she is co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies. Hey, how are you doing?

Hey. So great to be in the same room with you.

I know, I get to do it every now and then. And every time I do, you're wearing an incredible tailored African outfit. One day we will have to take a picture and put it up on our newsandviews blog.

turn 1 : Emira Woods will give an update on Africa.

What is the name of the co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies who will give an update on Africa?

Answer: Affiliated.


The auto industry is perhaps the most prevalent of family businesses in Michigan. It's not uncommon for several generations of a family to work with the same carmaker. Alex Marinica is a junior at Wayne State University in Detroit. His father spent 20 years working for Chrysler. Alex, your dad recently took a buyout from Chrysler. What was behind his decision?

Well, I mean, obviously, it was a very hard decision to make. He'd been at the company for many, many years, and he really, really love working there. He thought maybe it was time to move on to some other things.

If you don't mind my asking about your career aspirations. . .

Sure.

turn 0 : The auto industry is dominated by family businesses in Michigan, and it's common for multiple generations of the same family to work for the same carmaker. (Literal meaning: The auto industry is just one of many types of family businesses in Michigan.)

Which state has a prevalent auto industry with family businesses dominating it?

Answer: Michigan


Well, I only recently arrived, so I haven't seen the whole city by any means. But when I got here, I went straight to a demonstration on the city's east side. This was one of those demonstrations that have been called by Juan Guaido for what he billed as the biggest-ever demonstration in the history of Venezuela.

There were a lot of people there - thousands, possibly in the tens of thousands. But I have seen much larger crowds turn out for Guaido before. And so this was a smaller turnout. And I think the most noticeable thing about it is that the mood has quite substantially changed. Whilst these demonstrations for the opposition leader, Guaido, were before quite very lively - there'd be a lot of chanting, a lot of singing - now there's a mood of wariness. I thought it was more subdued.

And not far away from where I was, there were violent clashes underway between the security forces and a small group of anti-government protesters in which, you know, they were exchanging. . .

Yeah.

turn 3 : the simple agreement "yeah" could convey a range of meanings depending on the speaker's tone and context. It could indicate anything from sincere agreement to disinterest or even sarcasm.

Answer: Range


We recommend - we have a lot of recommendations. We think they're very practical. It can be done. Some of them are internal in the government themselves. There are internal changes Congress needs to make so that it can be more effective in this, and other commissions have recommended them. Now, let's do it. Let's get it done.

We want the life science community to work with the government about how to self-regulate. In other words, what kind of protocols can we use so that we can keep track of high containment labs better. And then, we say we need to emphasize Pakistan. Now, it's funny that this report is coming out now because we saw in the course of this that Pakistan is an epicenter for all of these risks that we're talking about.

Jim Talent, former senator from Missouri, thank you.

Thank you.

turn 0 : track implies awareness and not record or relating to filed

Answer: Awareness


Some analysts call the decision a compromise rather than a punt, but the ruling leaves open many questions about what's next for affirmative action. We're joined now, as we often are, by David Savage, Supreme Court correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune newspapers. He joins us by phone from his office here in Washington. David, always good to have you with us.

Hi Neal.

Waiting a long time for this decision on a case the justices seemed to have picked to issue a sweeping ruling on affirmative action.

Yes, this is one that the most surprising aspect of it is what they didn't do. When this case came up for argument in October, it sure looked like the case that the conservatives had wanted to basically say no to affirmative action. Five of them are very familiar with this subject and have in the past been very skeptical of the idea of using race.

turn 0 : The decision was not something that was given up by one side.

What was the decision called by some analysts?

Answer: compromise


Yeah, thank you.

So tell us what the article said.

Well, it's very interesting. It's in the Jesuit magazine La Civilta Cattolica. It's a very historic magazine, the Jesuits, of course, being the same order that Pope Francis - an order of priest that Pope Francis is a part of. And what's very interesting is that these two authors are known to be quite close to him. One, Antonio Spadaro, was the person who interviewed him in 2013 and made a big splash. And what they're saying is that they're concerned about ties between fundamental evangelicals and, kind of, right-wing Catholics in the U. S.  that are focused only on very neuralgic issues and kind of dividing in politics.

And the article, I believe, specifically talks about xenophobic and Islamophobic views.

Yeah. What the authors say is that, you know, Pope Francis has really been trying to create a culture of dialogue encounter, really working with people across all the spectrums. And what the two authors in this article are saying is that these right-wing groups in the U. S.  have been really doing the opposite. Where Pope Francis is trying to build bridges, they're trying to build walls. And they're playing up concerns about migration, about refugees. And they're kind of operating in the exact opposite way of the pope which, for a Catholic, is obviously a very strange thing.

All right, this article also directly mentions President Donald Trump and his adviser Steve Bannon. What does it say about them?

turn 5 : "Directly mentions President Donald Trump and his adviser Steve Bannon" - The literal meaning is that they are specifically referred to by name in the article.

What names are mentioned in the article?

Answer: Donald,Steve


I understand, Mr.  Doyle, that you and other members of the Watergate investigation team still with us - well, you have reunions now and then. And I gather for the first time you had a reunion on the actual anniversary of the Saturday Night Massacre. What are the - my 15 year old now says, you know, what's the tea?What went on there?

Three weeks ago, Saturday night October 20, the Watergate Special Prosecution Force held a reunion. It was the 45th anniversary of the Saturday Night Massacre. None of the senior leaders are any longer with us. But the young idealists who had been in their 20s back when we began, they all showed up in their 60s and 70s as earnest as ever, as idealistic as ever and still full of hope.

Sorry.

No, I think someone was talking to you, telling you that, I think, we're running out of time. But did you want to make the final point?

turn 1 : The people who were part of the Watergate investigation team still held onto their youthful idealism.

How were the members of the Watergate investigation team during the reunion?

Answer: Idealistic


But also, at the moment, there is a decided sense of panic and loss of confidence in the financial system itself, which is actually exacerbating the situation. The scariest thing that's going on at the moment is, essentially, there's a run on the whole of the Western world's banking systems. It's a behind-the-scenes run, but it's a run nonetheless. And this is why you're seeing some extraordinary action by central banks, essentially because they are now the only people in the - around who are willing to fund or finance the banking sector.

If there's a loss of faith in leadership in the U. S.  and Europe, where do you look for world financial leadership now?

Well, I think the interesting thing is, the normal thing - place you would look would be to the finance ministers and the central bank governors of the world and seek to see whether they can come up with some sort of plan or some sort of coordinated action. Everyone is gathering together later this week in Washington on Friday and at the weekend.

And so this is a real test. I don't think they necessarily want it to be a test, but I'm sure it will be seen as a test to see whether the authorities can do more than look at how to stop this happening again in the long term, which is one of things, actually, they were intending the meeting to be about, but actually to try and stop the panic.

turn 3 : The authorities are trying to stop the panic and the meeting is a test to see if they can do more than just plan for the long term.

What is the purpose of the meeting in Washington?

Answer: Planning


Absolutely. This is probably one of the most consequential elections in Israel in the last 10 years, since Netanyahu has been in power.

Daniel, thanks so much.

You're welcome.

That's NPR's Daniel Estrin.

turn 2 : None of the turns have implied meanings that are different from their literal meanings. They all convey their literal meanings without any hidden or implied messages.

What is the name of the NPR journalist mentioned in the dialogue?

Answer: Election


I think it's a story that can stick with you for many different reasons. If you leave a film, if you put down a book, and there is something that you didn't know before or something that has informed you about the world you live in that you care about but you didn't know before - if you can walk away from any kind of story with that, I think that's the goal of storytelling. I believe this is a film that does that.

And so that's what I love about this film - is it really has moved people. And it's become more, I think, socially important today than it was when we made it. There's been a lot more attention being given to Indigenous and Native American people within our country since we made the film. And there is also this whole epidemic that every day, we're learning more about men in power and sexual assault. And those are what this film is about in a very specific story.

Elizabeth Olson, speaking with us from Atlanta. Thanks so much for being with us.

Thanks for having me.

turn 2 : Implied meaning: The speaker is hinting at something indirectly and expects the listener to read between the lines.

Which turn in the dialogue suggests that the speaker believes the film has become more socially important over time?

Answer: Turn1


So to me, I'm not blaming what took place in El Paso on the politicians. What I am saying is that our political climate may very well serve as a facilitative platform for these crazy, extreme actions and ideas to be made manifest. So all of us need to build firewalls immediately. That's what I'm saying.

The question, though, I think, Reverend Rodriguez - I'm sorry, you just cannot escape the fact that many people feel that this president exacerbates these tensions in a way that few other national leaders do. I mean, telling people to go back where they came from, you know, who are people who happen not to be white - you know, when three of the four people he told to go back where they came from are people of color - I mean, how is that - how do you not account for that?I mean, how do you address that?

Again, I don't sign off on absolutely everything Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer or Kevin McCarthy may tweet or declare. I don't. I'm not the endorser of anyone. And I have pushed back on statements that I do believe do exacerbate the very climate and culture that I just referenced. Indeed. But to put the onus exclusively on the president when on the other side of the aisle there are calls of uber-racism and absolutely. . .

When has Nancy Pelosi ever told anybody to go back where they came from?

turn 1 : President Trump's remarks contribute to tensions and exacerbate racism

What does PersonB mention as an example of President Trump exacerbating tensions?

Answer: Remarks


So even though there are contaminations or contaminants that can affect the meteorite, there is definitely a lot of information that you can learn about these. In fact, you know, a lot of times people wonder, you know, meteoritics is such a small sort of niche of very specialized science. But everything that we understand about the beginnings of the Earth, everything that we understand about beginnings of the solar system, what we're made of, what the planet's made of, the age of the Earth, all of that comes from studying meteorites. And, you know, we can learn a lot from that.

Would that be a good topic for a novel, do you think?

Absolutely. There are actually quite a few novels that have been written about meteorite impacts and, you know, microbes being carried over here from other places. And yes, there are science fiction books that I've certainly read very avidly about that, but, yes. . .

So what is the holy grail of a meteorite collector?What do you really wish for some day?

turn 3 : not the literal grail or cup/platter used by jesus, but the most important thing or idea

What is the figurative "holy grail" for a meteorite collector?

Answer: Goal


But some people might want the extra three months of the nine months option. Just look through and see what's offered. And the other good thing is, this is not one of those negative option kind of options. At the end of the six months or nine months, they're not going to automatically enroll you into a plan in which you have to pay, because the six month is worth about 60 dollars and the nine month is about 115 dollars. So they will absolutely stop it, and you have to say, I want this back. But listen, for six or nine months you've got someone looking through your TransUnion credit file, so it's worth it.

You know, Michelle, what you're saying is anyone who has applied for credit, essentially in the last 20 years, any credit card, is eligible for this. There is a benefit, including maybe some cash, sitting there on the table. You can write in and get it. That's it?

That's it. That's exactly right. And you do have to register for it. It's not automatic, and you have to go to www. listclassaction. com. And once you go to the site, you click on the link for Register for Benefits. And then they will email you and tell you later when you can actually start getting the monitoring service.

We will link to you and to this website at our site, that's npr. org. Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist for the Washington Post and contributor to Day to Day. Michelle, thank you.

turn 0 : The offer is a good deal and worth considering.

What is the value of the six-month option?

Answer: Incorporating


Anna Sommer Schneider is a professor of Jewish civilization at Georgetown. This past week, the country's president signed a law that would punish anyone who suggests Poland was complicit in the Holocaust. Critics, including Israel and the U. S.  State Department, say the law will stifle discussion about those atrocities and cover up the role of Poles who killed or denounced Jews during World War II. For Schneider, this debate is personal. In 1977, she was born in the same town as Poland's most infamous concentration camp.

Despite the fact that I was born and raised literally in the shadows of the gas chambers, there was very little information available for me at that time - what Auschwitz really was.

Auschwitz was a taboo topic in her family. And the word Holocaust was not widely used in communist Poland. But as Schneider grew older, she wanted to learn more about what had happened during the war. She got her Ph. D.  in Jewish studies, eventually converted to Judaism. And for the last two decades, she's given tours of Auschwitz. She tells me even today, people see Jews in Poland as others, highlighting a long history of anti-Semitism in the country.

When we teach about Holocaust in Polish classrooms today, we often talk about Jews as strangers who lived in our country.

turn 2 : Jews are still seen as outsiders in Poland due to a history of anti-Semitism.

What is the reason behind Jews being viewed as outsiders in Poland?

Answer: AntiSemitism


Ibiza being the Spanish island where this video was filmed.

Exactly - just blathering on and on to a Russian woman who they believed was the niece of a prominent Russian oligarch.

And I'll just insert here that I have not had the opportunity to verify exactly what is being documented on this video. But what it has done is raise all of these questions in Austria about the extent of Russian influence in Austrian politics. Is that right?

Absolutely. And, I mean, it's funny because these are actually fake Russians. This is - these are not necessarily people that were sent from the Kremlin. We don't really know the provenance of the video. Some people believe it's an activist collective. Other people are speculating that some secret services of various countries were involved. But the most important thing to say is that Vice Chancellor Strache hasn't denied any of the assertions.

Right. Well, let me insert a practical question here. Where does this leave the government of Austria?Who's in charge today?

turn 3 : Vice Chancellor Strache has not denied any of the assertions

Which high-ranking Austrian politician has not denied any of the assertions?

Answer: Strache


It's a pleasure to be with you. And thank you very much for having me.

So this issue has been kind of dancing around the edges of political discourse for years now. I mean, Jesse Jackson made it part of his platform when he ran for president in 1988. And as we mentioned, your former colleague, Representative Conyers, reintroduced the bill in every congressional session for 25 years. But now it seems to be gaining some traction again. Why do you think that is?

I frankly believe that there's something to elections - And this is a Democratic House with Democratic leadership - and also the times. And it is tragic, but it is real that we've seen an uptick in racial incidences - white supremacy, white nationalism. And so the question of slavery, frankly, has never been addressed, particularly from the institutional governmental perspective. And I've updated the language of the resolution, HR40, and that is that it is a commission to study and to engage in proposals, recommendations on the question of reparation.

And it really goes to, I think, more people understanding that 40 acres and a mule was a legitimate concept right after the Emancipation Proclamation, and that never happened. But yet cotton was king. It was an economic engine of the entire United States. And so the prominence of the United States today in the 21st century is grounded on the free brutal labor that Africans gave and their descendants.

turn 0 : Expressing gratitude for the invitation and glad to be here.

How did PersonA update the language of the resolution, HR40?

Answer: Study


A whistleblower has told Congress that at least 25 people were granted security clearances by the Trump administration after career employees recommended denying those clearances. Those 25 include two current senior White House officials. The whistleblower's name is Tricia Newbold. She's an 18-year career employee who currently works at the Personnel Security Office. That's the office that recommends for or against granting security clearances to members of the administration. She gave these details in private testimony to the House Oversight Committee last month.

Joining me now is a member of that committee, Jamie Raskin, Democrat from Maryland. Welcome.

I'm delighted to be with you.

So Tricia Newbold flags three particular instances involving senior White House officials who are kept anonymous. Can you tell us a little more about these officials who were initially denied security clearances but those decisions were overruled?

turn 1 : "Joining me now" does not imply that Jamie Raskin physically joined the interviewer in the same location, but rather that he is participating in the conversation remotely or over a video call. This is an example of a figurative or idiomatic use of language where the intended meaning is different from the literal meaning of the words used.

How did Jamie Raskin participate in the conversation?

Answer: Remotely


Yeah. After the West Africa outbreak, there was this sense that, you know, we're in much better shape. We know more about it. We've got new treatment options. We've got a vaccine that's out there.

But in this one, it really has been this perfect storm. The area that this occurred in is incredibly poor, that had poor health care infrastructure beforehand. It's incredibly volatile; there's these militias that have basically been running that part of the Democratic Republic of Congo for decades. They're vying for control of minerals. And, you know, they have really undermined any governmental institutions that would be there.

And then all these health care workers show up to try to contain the Ebola treatment unit - that Ebola, you know, outbreak, and some of them were attacked, even killed. The World Health Organization yesterday was saying they've documented 198 attacks on Ebola clinics and workers over the last year. So obviously, that's an incredibly high number for attacks on a health response, you know, even in a declared war zone.

Well, I mean, yeah, it is a war zone, but why attack - specifically attack clinics that you know are treating a disease?

turn 3 : It does not make logical sense to attack people are trying to help get a dieses from spreading.

How does PersonB express confusion about the attacks on Ebola clinics?

Answer: confusion


Well, I was abused by a priest when I was a child. And it caused me a great deal of difficulty with my life afterwards. I had a lot of problems with anxiety and depression.

How old were you when it happened?

I had just turned 13. I was in a children's hospital. And the priest who assaulted me was the Catholic chaplain of the hospital. And he also took indecent photographs, which had a lasting effect on me.

You were one of two sexual abuse survivors on the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Yet you resigned March 1. Can you tell us why?

I did because I accepted the appointment to the commission in the hope that the church was really beginning to show, you know, a sincere wish to change. And after three years, I resigned on some specific issues. But, basically, it was the resistance from some quarters in the Vatican to actually change.

Does it surprise you that someone as high up as Cardinal Pell has been accused?

turn 0 : "abused by a priest" - This phrase refers to a specific type of abuse, sexual abuse, rather than physical abuse or verbal abuse.

Answer: sexually