This week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission finalized regulations to ensure that most employees around the country are entitled to unpaid time off and other accommodations for a range of pregnancy-related medical needs, from nausea and gestational diabetes to abortion care. We’ll learn more. Also on today’s show: a drumbeat of “higher for longer” from Fed officials, the Biden administration’s show of support for American steel, and gaming furniture that’s all grown up.
Assignment:
When the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was built in the ’70s, it was a chance for workers to prove themselves on a massive construction project. Following its collapse, those workers look back on what many considered to be a monument to their work — and what happens when that monument is gone. Also: foreign aid could be bundled with a forced sale of TikTok, and European Union leaders agree to tighten sanctions on Iran.
Assignment:
From the BBC World Service: The European Commission has given TikTok 24 hours to provide more information on its new app, which pays users to watch videos, as officials raise concerns about potential harms. Then, we’ll hear more about the European Union’s efforts to sanction Iran following its attack on Israel. And later on the show: Why is the Pacific Island of Palau’s tourism sector struggling to recover from the pandemic?
Assignment:
Word of the Day
: April 18, 2024
\KWAH\ preposition
What It Means
Qua is a preposition used in formal speech or writing that means “in the capacity or character of (someone or something).” It is used synonymously with as to indicate that someone or something is being referred to or thought about in a particular way.
// The artist qua artist is less interesting to me than the artist as a human being.
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qua in Context
Assignment:
The United Auto Workers union is trying to organize foreign vehicle factories in the South, and today, workers at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, begin voting on whether to join the UAW. We’ll hear what’s at stake. Then, we’ll take a look at why TGI Friday’s is faltering while Texas Roadhouse thrives. Plus, a look at how a Detroit deconstruction company provides jobs and promotes sustainability.
Assignment:
From the BBC World Service: Despite extensive sanctions, the International Monetary Fund has forecast Russia’s economy will grow more than any other rich nation this year. Also: The small Pacific Island nation of Palau has warned delays to U.S. funding could open the door to China’s influence in the region.
Assignment:
Word of the Day
: April 17, 2024
\ser-kum-loh-KYOO-shun\ noun
What It Means
Circumlocution refers to the use of many words to say something that could be said more clearly and directly with fewer words. Usually encountered in formal speech and writing, circumlocution can also refer to speech that is intentionally evasive.
// The judge coughed and pointed to her watch, clearly impatient with the attorney's tiresome circumlocutions in defense of his client.
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circumlocution in Context
Assignment:
Big corporate landlords provide the company RealPage with data you can’t just see on Zillow, like the rent a tenant actually pays versus what’s advertised publicly. In return, the company recommends a rent price to set. Now, lawsuits are alleging that RealPage uses the data for wide scale rent-fixing. Also: the latest news on shares of Trump Media and a frank conversation about the shame that comes with debt.
Assignment:
From the BBC World Service: Economic growth in China, the world’s second biggest economy, beat expectations in the first quarter. Official data shows it’s being led by the manufacturing sector, but domestic demand is still weak. Plus, the Panama Canal will permit more ships from next month, easing congestion. And Colombia has become a top destination for so-called digital nomad; we take a look at how this is affecting the economy.
Assignment:
On today’s program, we’re taking a closer look at immigration and entrepreneurship. Immigrants are more likely to start a new company than U.S.-born citizens, studies show. And those new businesses need to make hires — turns out, immigrant entrepreneurs are associated with a net gain in jobs. We’ll discuss. Also, a boost in the Internal Revenue Service budget seems to be making a difference, and investors respond to rising tensions in the Middle East.
Assignment:
Word of the Day
: April 13, 2024
\BRUSK\ adjective
What It Means
A person may be described as brusque when they are talking or behaving in a very direct, brief, and unfriendly way. Brusque can also describe speech that is noticeably short and abrupt.
// We knew something was wrong when our normally easygoing professor was brusque and impatient with our class.
// She asked for a cup of coffee and received a brusque reply: “We don't have any.”
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brusque in Context
Assignment:
Next month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will tell us how much of the income generated by workers’ toil actually went to them in Q1. That stat is called labor share of national income — and it’s shrinking. Plus, a government committee that scrutinizes deals between foreign companies and American firms may be getting more power. And 14 states are opting out of a summer EBT program that would help families buy groceries.
Wanna learn more about labor share of income and see Marketplace reporter Nancy Marshall Genzer get a pie in the face? Check out the Marketplace TikTok feed .
Assignment:
From the BBC World Service: Thousands of victims of a huge investment scam believe police in London have nearly $4 billion worth of bitcoin that belongs to them and want the British government to give it back. Then, The European Central bank held interest rates steady but gave strong hints about future rate cuts. Plus, we hear about padel, one of the world’s fastest growing sports, and its Olympic ambitions
Assignment:
On Wednesday, Republicans, Democrats and college officials took to Capitol Hill to vent about the Education Department’s botched rollout of a newer, simplified FAFSA form. That’s the form high school students fill out and send to colleges to determine financial aid offers — and it’s affected millions of students. We’ll also discuss fresh wholesale inflation figures and get a sneak peak at the latest season of Marketplace’s “Million Bazillion” podcast , which tackles kids’ biggest money questions.
Assignment:
On Wednesday, Republicans, Democrats and college officials took to Capitol Hill to vent about the Education Department’s botched rollout of a newer, simplified FAFSA form. That’s the form high school students fill out and send to colleges to determine financial aid offers — and it’s affected millions of students. We’ll also discuss fresh wholesale inflation figures and get a sneak peak at the latest season of Marketplace’s “Million Bazillion” podcast , which tackles kids’ biggest money questions.
Assignment:
From the BBC World Service: A Vietnamese court sentenced property developer Truong My Lan to death after she was convicted of taking $44 billion from one of Vietnam’s largest banks. Also, South Korea’s liberal opposition party won in a landslide majority in the country’s general election. And paralympian Stef Reid is asking sportswear companies who use amputee athletes in their marketing why it’s not possible to buy single shoes.
Assignment:
Word of the Day
: April 11, 2024
\diss-KUM-fit\ verb
What It Means
To discomfit someone is to make them confused or upset. Discomfit is a formal synonym of the also formal (but slightly less so) disconcert.
// Jacob was discomfited by the new employee’s forward, probing questions.
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discomfit in Context
Assignment:
That’s the conclusion of many investors this morning, following the release of the consumer price index. Consumer inflation clocked in at 3.5% annually, while central bankers are looking for a figure closer to 2%. We’ll talk through the data. Plus, a European court ruled that two Russian oligarchs were wrongly sanctioned following Russia’a invasion of Ukraine. And the Congressional Budget Office found that immigration means gains for U.S. economy.
Assignment:
From the BBC World Service: Rising food prices, strikes and paying for an aging population were familiar themes as South Koreans voted today. Then, Spain has become the latest country to scrap so-called “golden visas,” where foreign nationals are granted residency rights in exchange for investments. And later, we hear about the aviation industry’s race against time to produce enough sustainable aviation fuel to meet the industry’s growing demands.
Assignment:
Word of the Day
: April 10, 2024
\vye-KAIR-ee-us\ adjective
What It Means
A vicarious emotion or experience is one felt by watching, hearing about, or reading about someone else rather than by doing something yourself.
// He felt a vicarious thrill as his daughter crossed the stage to accept her diploma.
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vicarious in Context
Assignment: