10 words we've learned this spring

Here are 10 words and phrases we've seen in news articles this spring. Were any of these new to you?

    
           

1. desertification: [dih-ZER-ti-fi-KAY-shun] when a region of land gradually transforms into a desert

         

"The UN says that 100 million Africans are threatened by growing desertification as the climate changes and the worst drought in 30 years affects parts of the continent." -Africa's Great Green Wall is Making Progress on Two Fronts

         

         

2. guerrilla war: [guh-RIL-uh] a type of war in which unofficial soldiers in small groups fight against a government or a regular military

         

"Until recently, conflict made Colombia a no-go zone. But the government expects to sign a peace treaty this year to end a half-century-old guerrilla war." -As Colombia Grows Safer, Tourists—Especially Bird Watchers—Flock Back

          

        

3. kosher: [KO-shur] food that is prepared according to Jewish dietary laws 
            
"McDonald's is the largest fast-food chain in Israel. There are kosher branches in the country, and on the weeklong Passover holiday, which begins Friday, McD's substitutes its usual hamburger buns with potato-starch buns, in line with the Jewish custom of not eating bread products on the holiday." -Israel's Health Minister to McDonald's: 'Not in Our Country'

          

          

4. soft skills: skills that help a person to get along well with other people

         

"'The women [in this program] often need help with soft skills,' Wright tells us. In a sense, they're learning to undo some of their old habits and replace them with behaviors that can propel them forward." -This Bakery Offers a Second Chance for Women after Prison

        

          

5. smog: fog combined with smoke and other forms of air pollution

        

"Last month, for the first time since 2005, Mexico City officials declared a Phase 1 smog alert." -In Mexico City, the Return of Terrible Smog

      

         

6. asylum: [uh-SAI-lum] a type of protection granted to a refugee

         

"Class has just ended at a community center in the southern Swedish town of Ronneby. This is the first stop for refugees in the area, once they've been granted asylum." -A Swedish Town's Newest Residents Settle In and Make a New Start

         

          

7. home in (on something): to concentrate or focus on something 
         
"The team, led by cognitive scientist Aleix Martinez, homed in on negative statements — like 'that's not a good idea' or 'I don't like that' — and used computer algorithms to map the corresponding facial movements." -It's a Small World When it Comes to :-/

           

      

8. deplete: [dih-PLEET] to reduce the supply of something 
        
"The world is in danger of running out of vaccines for a deadly disease: yellow fever. A major outbreak in the African nation of Angola has already depleted the stockpile that world health officials had set aside for emergencies." -A 'Forgotten Disease' is Suddenly Causing New Worries

          

         

9. credible: [KRE-dih-bul] believable or able to be trusted

             
"Whenna Andrews knows about those things — she even found the homebuyers class on Facebook. But she prefers learning in person. 'I feel like the library seems more credible, if that makes sense,' she says." -For Adults, Lifelong Learning Happens the Old Fashioned Way

       

        

10. deploy: [dih-PLOI] to spread something out in a strategic way

          

"These missing maps make it next to impossible to track traffic congestion, to effectively deploy resources to poverty-stricken communities and to build public transportation systems." -How Do You Start Mapping Unmapped Streets?

               

        

What other words from recent posts would you add to this list? :)

        

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