VOA标准英语2008年-Astroland Amusement Park in New York's Coney Is

An icon of New York's Coney Island, the Astroland amusement park, is closing its doors after nearly 50 years. Victoria Cavaliere reports that Astroland's owners and the residents of Coney Island say the shutdown marks the end of an era and also brin

VOA常速英语2008年-UN Appeals for Calm Ahead of Nepal Election

By Steve Herman Kathmandu 08 April 2008 An anxious calm has descended over Nepal prior to Thursday's national election. Voters are to select members of a special assembly that will draft a new constitution, the latest attempt to move Nepal out of its

VOA常速英语2008年-Obama, Clinton Square Off in Presidential Debat

By Jim Malone Washington 17 April 2008 Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were both on the defensive Wednesday night during a debate broadcast by ABC News (from the Constitution Center) in Philadelphia, their last exc

VOA常速英语2008年-Israel to Redistribute Gas Masks Amid Fears of

By Robert Berger Jerusalem 02 April 2008 Israel is strengthening security on its home front in a sign of war jitters. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Israel is casting a wary eye toward Iran. Israel's security Cabinet has decide

VOA常速英语2008年-Election Year Politics Has Impact on US Economy

By Mil Arcega Washington, DC 08 February 2008 Politicians could be making the economic slowdown in the U.S. worse than it really is by constantly reminding voters that the economy needs fixing. This is the view of some analysts who say that because c

VOA常速英语2008年-Biofuels One Factor in Rising Food Prices

By Kent Klein Washington 13 April 2008 Soaring food prices are causing big problems in many parts of the world today. One factor in the ballooning costs may be the increasing global demand for biofuels - vehicle fuels made at least partly from corn (

VOA常速英语2008年-'Perfect Storm' of Factors Driving Up Oil Price

By Michael Bowman Washington 23 April 2008 Since the beginning of the decade, gasoline prices in the United States have roughly tripled, while the global price of a barrel of oil has risen even more. The trend has inflicted pain on consumers and petr

VOA常速英语2008年-Islamic Movie 'Ayat Ayat Cinta' Wows Indonesian

By Nancy-Amelia Collins Jakarta 13 March 2008 A hugely popular movie based on an Indonesian Islamic novel is drawing record crowds to theaters in Indonesia. As VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports from Jakarta, Islamic novels, movies and songs are beco

VOA标准英语2008年-Rock 'n' Roll Guitar Legend Bo Diddley Dies

By Doug Levine Washington 02 June 2008 Early rock 'n' roll guitar wizard Bo Diddley died near Jacksonville, Florida, Monday, 2 June, of heart failure. He was 79 years old. One of the most primitive of the early rockers, Bo took the blues and folk mu

VOA常速英语2008年-Providing Security to Failed States Yields Mixe

By Brian Padden Washington 07 April 2008 Failed states are countries plagued by conflict, corruption, poverty and a lack of basic security. Advocates for international intervention say security is necessary in order for weak states to be stabilized,

VOA常速英语2008年-Troubled US Homeowners Face Emotional, Financia

By Brian Wagner Miami 24 April 2008 As the U.S. housing market continues a decline, home foreclosures across America have reached a three-decade high. For many Americans, the crisis is causing emotional as well as financial strain. VOA's Brian Wagner

VOA标准英语2008年-Afghanistan Says Foreign Agency Had Role in Ind

Pakistan's government is denying it played a role in Monday's suicide bomb attack on India's embassy in Afghanistan. But Afghan officials say it is pretty obvious who was behind the attack. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad. Afghan policem

voa标准英语2008-South Africa Experiments With Houses Made of San

Builders in South Africa have begun construction on a new type of housing for low-income families. The buildings look like conventional homes, but the walls are made with sandbags. Architects say their experimental design is quicker and easier to bu

VOA常速英语2008年-Survive to Five Campaign Aims to Reduce Infant

By Peter Heinlein Addis Ababa 09 March 2008 The charity Save the Children USA is starting a campaign to dramatically decrease the number of children who die before the age of five. VOA's Peter Heinlein in Addis Ababa reports the campaign will focus o

VOA常速英语2008年-Los Angeles Marathoner Celebrates 90th Birthday

By Mike O'Sullivan Los Angeles 03 March 2008 Among the 25,000 people who ran in Sunday's Los Angeles Marathon, runner Julian Myers joined in the race for five kilometers. Mike O'Sullivan reports, it was part a bigger marathon to mark his 90th birthda

VOA常速英语2008年-Anti-war Protests Held in Los Angeles, Other US

By Mike O'Sullivan Los Angeles 16 March 2008 Protesters in several US cities held anti-war rallies Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, March 20th. More rallies are planned in coming days in other U.S. cities. Mike

VOA常速英语2008年-Lakeside Tranquility is One Sure Thing in Uncer

By Greg Flakus Uncertain, Texas 08 February 2008 Environmentalists and conservationists work to protect natural areas around the world and are often supported in by local people who want to maintain their rural lifestyle. One such place is Caddo Lake

VOA标准英语2008年-US Positions Forces to Help Burma, But Won't Go

By Al Pessin Pentaton 08 May 2008 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the U.S. military has taken more action to prepare to deliver help to victims of the Burma cyclone. But he says he can't imagine U.S. forces would enter Burma or its airspace

VOA常速英语2008年-US Democratic Candidates Battle for Hispanic Vo

By Greg Flakus Houston 23 February 2008 With the March 4 primary approaching in Texas, presidential candidates from both U.S. political parties are seeking votes from the state's large Hispanic population. More than a third of the people in Texas are

VOA常速英语2008年-US Lawmakers Continue Debate Over 'Waterboardin

By Dan Robinson Capitol Hill 07 February 2008 Lawmakers pressed the U.S. attorney general on Thursday for more specifics about the legal justifications used by the Bush administration in authorizing the past use of the extreme interrogation technique