VOA标准英语2011--Christmas Concert Hits Jazzy Note

Christmas Concert Hits Jazzy Note It's the holiday season in the United States and choirs across the country are staging special Christmas concerts. Typically, the singers are accompanied by pianos, organs and, sometimes, even a full orchestra. But a

VOA标准英语2011--Russians Look Ahead to Mass Protest, Presidential Election

Russians Look Ahead to Mass Protest, Presidential Election Is Russias middle class on the march? People are angry, and are speaking out for clean elections and democracy. Two days after Russias largest democracy demonstration in a generation, Russian

VOA标准英语2011--Popular Culture Inspires Top US Baby Names

Popular Culture Inspires Top US Baby Names Theres a better-than-random chance that babies born in the United States last year, 2010, were named Bella or Edward. Those were among the 10 most popular girls and boys names, respectively, and it was more

VOA标准英语2011--Aid Agency Warns of West Africa Food Crisis

Aid Agency Warns of West Africa Food Crisis A humanitarian agency warns that millions of people in West Africa are facing a food crisis. Oxfam is calling on donors to take immediate action. Oxfams regional humanitarian coordinator, Nahuel Arenas, say

VOA标准英语2011--Oldman Hopes to Overcome Typecasting with 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'

Oldman Hopes to Overcome Typecasting with 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' In 30 years of making films, British-born Gary Oldman has won acclaim from critics and audiences, but he has never been nominated for Hollywood's top awards. That could change w

VOA标准英语2011--American Girl Doll Store Sells Innocence and Mothers Are Buying

American Girl Doll Store Sells Innocence and Mothers Are Buying This week Americans charge into one of the busiest shopping weeks of the year, picking up final Christmas gifts as the December 25 holiday fast approaches. Reports about retail sales hav

VOA标准英语2011--Hearing Aid Common in Europe Turns Up Volume in US

Hearing Aid Common in Europe Turns Up Volume in US More than 10 percent of Americans have some form of hearing loss. Even with a hearing aid, deciphering sounds in places like airports, theaters and places of worship can be tough. However, a not-so-n

VOA标准英语2011--New Breast Cancer Treatment Shows Great Promise

New Breast Cancer Treatment Shows Great Promise There's some promising news about breast cancer treatment. In clinical trials at Johns Hopkins Cancer Center in Baltimore, Maryland, doctors report they successfully pumped cancer-fighting medicine dire

VOA标准英语2011--Gift-Givers Find Paradise in 'Big Apple'

Gift-Givers Find Paradise in 'Big Apple' New York is known as the city that never sleeps, and during the busy holiday season, many locals and tourists alike are descending on the Big Apple to take in its sights and sounds, and perhaps find the perfec

VOA标准英语2011--Foragers Sample Nature's Bounty

Foragers Sample Nature's Bounty Today, most Americans get their food from the supermarket, but some are even going beyond farmers markets or backyard gardens for fresh produce. They're learning how to forage for wild edibles. Earth Connection, about

VOA标准英语2011--Police Beat Protesters as Clashes in Cairo Continue

Police Beat Protesters as Clashes in Cairo Continue Cairo reporter Edward Yeranian tells us about the scene in Tahrir Square, where he was briefly caught between police and protesters. Clashes between Egyptian police and stone-throwing protesters hav

VOA标准英语2011--Charities Get Creative to Attract Donors

Charities Get Creative to Attract Donors December is traditionally a season of giving but the current economic downturn has some U.S. nonprofits getting creative to inspire contributions from donors - and that means everything from banding together t

VOA标准英语2011--Hotel Magnate Sees Bright Future for Hospitality

Hotel Magnate Sees Bright Future for Hospitality The man credited with turning his father's soda stand into a global hotel business is stepping down after 39 years running Marriott International. The change at the top of the company (announced this w

VOA标准英语2011--Turkey Playing Increasing Role in Iraq

Turkey Playing Increasing Role in Iraq The U.S. secretary of defense is visiting NATO ally Turkey. He arrived in the Turkish capital, Ankara, after attending a withdrawal ceremony Thursday in Bagdad of American troops all of whom are due to leave by

VOA标准英语2011--START Treaty Ushered in New Nuclear Era

START Treaty Ushered in New Nuclear Era 1991 was the year that U.S.-Soviet strategic relations took a historic turn. And in that same year, as the Soviet Union dissolved, a special program to collect and lock up the former Soviet Union's nuclear arse

VOA标准英语2011--India Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Economic Slowdown

India Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Economic Slowdown As India struggles with an economic slowdown, the central bank has decided to hold interest rates steady. A series of aggressive rate hikes in the last 18 months have been partly blamed for dam

VOA标准英语2011--UN Warns Against Land Degradation

UN Warns Against Land Degradation A top U.N. advisor said on Friday that every minute, 23 hectares of land are degraded by drought and desertification. He said its damaging the economic, social and environmental pillars needed for sustainable develop

VOA标准英语2011--Kenyan Artwork Growing in International Popularity

Kenyan Artwork Growing in International Popularity Long overlooked on the international arts scene, Kenya is finally gaining prestige on the world stage. Some artists can now make their living entirely from artwork and collectors are coming from arou

VOA标准英语2011--Controversy Surrounds Muslim-American Reality TV Show

Controversy Surrounds Muslim-American Reality TV Show A new controversy over Islam has arisen in the United States, this time over a reality TV show that profiles Muslim Americans and a home improvement chain's decision to pull its advertising from t

VOA标准英语2011--Better Development through Education

Better Development through Education The Global Partnership for Education has launched a three-year effort to put 25 million children in the classroom for the first time and train 600 thousand teachers. It calls education one of the most important in