VOA标准英语2011--Brief Singular Life Inspires Creative Activists

Brief Singular Life Inspires Creative Activists Artist, activist and photojournalist Dan Eldon lived a short, yet full, life expressing himself through photos, drawings and journals. He died almost two decades ago, at age 22, covering a story he beli

VOA标准英语2011--Russia Seeks Democracy After Soviet Collapse

Russia Seeks Democracy After Soviet Collapse In the two decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has made enormous economic progress. Incomes have increased 10 times. But bookending these changes are demonstrations - in 1991 against com

VOA标准英语2011--Social Media Impacts Retailer Decisions

Social Media Impacts Retailer Decisions When New York resident Lauren Todd saw a photo of the Im too pretty to do homework T-shirt on Facebook last August, she was so annoyed, she started a petition on the social action website Change.org. It was out

VOA标准英语2011--Beer Gets a Seasonal Twist on Taste

Beer Gets a Seasonal Twist on Taste Its weird beer time in America. Beer and ale are already available, any time of year, in familiar varieties: lager, pilsner, stout, India pale ale. But perhaps inspired by candymakers and coffee bars, U.S. brewers

VOA标准英语2011--Cold War Films Reflected Shifting US Attitudes

Cold War Films Reflected Shifting US Attitudes In 1946 speech, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill coined the term Iron Curtain to describe the physical and symbolic wall separating East and West across Europe. Churchill's speech signaled the be

VOA标准英语2011--Crumbling Infrastructure Slows Iraqi Growth

Crumbling Infrastructure Slows Iraqi Growth As the U.S. military leaves Iraq after more than eight years of war, the country's weakened infrastructure struggles to provide daily needs. Despite billions of dollars set aside for reconstruction, Iraqis

VOA标准英语2011--Gorbachev's Foreign Policy Changed Map of Europe

Gorbachev's Foreign Policy Changed Map of Europe This month marks the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was the foreign policy of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, that contributed to the demise of the Soviet Union. Mi

VOA标准英语2011--Thai Clinic Is One of the Few Health Care Options for Burmese Refugees

Thai Clinic Is One of the Few Health Care Options for Burmese Refugees Along Thailands border with Burma, tens of thousands of refuges have few health-care options. At one key clinic, health care workers offer advice for expectant mothers, dental eme

VOA标准英语2011--Kazakhstan: Riots Not Prelude to Arab Spring

Kazakhstan: Riots Not Prelude to Arab Spring For years, Kazakhstan has nurtured an image of stability and friendliness to foreign investors. In recent days, a series of riots and protests in western Kazakhstan has marred this image. Kazakh authoritie

VOA标准英语2011--High School Dropout Hits It Big on the Internet

High School Dropout Hits It Big on the Internet In 1931, famed author James Truslow Adams popularized the term American Dream. He said life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achieve

VOA标准英语2011--Many Unknowns about Future Climate Change Effects

Many Unknowns about Future Climate Change Effects Scientists say many of the long-term effects of rising temperatures are still unknown. Theyre discussing the problem at the U.N. climate change conference in Durban, South Africa. Researchers say clim

VOA标准英语2011--Immigration Remains Hot Topic in US Politics

Immigration Remains Hot Topic in US Politics In the 2012 presidential elections in the United States, Hispanics could play a larger role than ever in determining who will occupy the White House. They are the fastest growing voting group in the nation

VOA标准英语2011--US Sets Extreme Weather Records in 2011

US Sets Extreme Weather Records in 2011 Extreme weather cut a path of destruction across the United States in 2011. For Bill Wing, it began 12 months ago, on New Years Day, as he surveyed the damage from a tornado that touched down in Cincinnati, Ark

VOA标准英语2011--Is Putin Showing Weakness in Face of Opposition Movement?

Is Putin Showing Weakness in Face of Opposition Movement? Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin switches campaign managers in the middle of an election campaign. Is his position as solid as he would like the world to think? The prime minister was tal

VOA标准英语2011--North Korea Bids A Snowy, Dramatic Farewell to Kim Jong Il

North Korea Bids A Snowy, Dramatic Farewell to Kim Jong Il Snowy streets and wails of grief dominated the live broadcast from North Korea state television Wednesday, as the reclusive state bid farewell to its absolute leader, Kim Jong Il. Internation

VOA标准英语2011--Refugee Crisis in South Sudan

Refugee Crisis in South Sudan The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders is reporting a refugee crisis in South Sudans Upper Nile State. It says 60 thousand people have fled fighting just across the border in Sudan. The group, also known as MSF, s

VOA标准英语2011--Science: 2011 Breakthrough of the Year

Science: 2011 Breakthrough of the Year The journal Science has named an AIDS study as its 2011 Breakthrough of the Year. The clinical trial found that antiretroviral drugs can be used to dramatically lower the risk of transmitting HIV. The clinical t

VOA标准英语2011--Push to Ban Cell Phone Use While Driving Builds

Push to Ban Cell Phone Use While Driving Builds In an unprecedented move, the National Transportation Safety Board in the U.S. is recommending that motorists turn off all cell phones while driving. The board, charged with determining the cause of tra

VOA标准英语2011--US Will Not 'Tolerate' Disruption of Vital Oil Strait Traffic

US Will Not 'Tolerate' Disruption of Vital Oil Strait Traffic For the second time in two days, Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials warned they would shut down the worlds strategic oil passageway if the West imposes sa

VOA标准英语2011--Activist Trains to Run Mile on Moon

Activist Trains to Run Mile on Moon Athlete and activist Jonathon Prince is used to setting high goals for himself, however, his resolution for 2012 is perhaps his most ambitious. Prince dreams of not just walking, but running, a mile on the moon. Pr