VOA标准英语2012--Alawites Fear Future as Syrian Conflict Intensifies

Alawites Fear Future as Syrian Conflict Intensifies Inside a Cem house, an Alawite place of worship, in the Turkish city of Gaziantep close to Syria. The rituals, music and dance are alien to most other Muslim worshippers - as is the huge canvas pict

VOA标准英语2012--Libyan Economy in Post-Revolution Boom

Libyan Economy in Post-Revolution Boom On a busy road on the outskirts of town, a vegetable stand run by Ibrahim Jiuma Garguti has doubled in size since the revolution. Garguti says people have more money to spend and officials don't bother him anymo

VOA标准英语2012--Amid Drought, Midwest Farmers Embrace Changes to Farm Bill

Amid Drought, Midwest Farmers Embrace Changes to Farm Bill Legislation commonly known as the U.S. Farm Bill expires at the end of September. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act, its formal name, comes up for renewal every five years. It directs th

VOA标准英语2012--Survival at Stake For Girl, Dad in 'Beasts of The Southern Wild'

Survival at Stake For Girl, Dad in 'Beasts of The Southern Wild' Beasts of the Southern Wild, the small film from a new director, won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Festival and then the prestigious Camera D'Or at Cannes. It's a tale of surviva

VOA标准英语2012--Midwest Farmers Battling Worst US Drought in Generation

Midwest Farmers Battling Worst US Drought in Generation In this year's record setting heat under the hot summer sun, McLean County Illinois farmer Matt Hughes' crops are wilting. Each day without rainclouds brings new disappointment and worry for Hug

VOA标准英语2012--S. Korea Makes Money by Making Money

S. Korea Makes Money by Making Money 韩国先进铸造工艺印制各国货币 North Korea is notorious for its highly skilled counterfeiting, especially of American $100 bills. South Korea, however, is gaining a global reputation for minting money

VOA标准英语2012--China-Made US Olympic Uniforms Spark Controversy

China-Made US Olympic Uniforms Spark Controversy Now that the U.S. Olympic team acknowledges wearing uniforms made in China, there's new pressure on President Obama to preserve tariffs on the import of footwear from low-wage countries. Representative

VOA标准英语2012--US Synchronized Swimmers Hope Hard Work Pays Off at Olympics

US Synchronized Swimmers Hope Hard Work Pays Off at Olympics Their nickname is MK squared because the first letters of their first and last names are the same. Mary Killman and Mariya Koroleva are as close as you can get to sharing the same birthday,

VOA标准英语2012--Post-Ceasefire, No Signs of Peace in Burma's Kachin

Post-Ceasefire, No Signs of Peace in Burma's Kachin People who fled their homes for this temporary camp in Burma's Kachin state are bracing for the monsoon season, worrying about food shortages. Despite an increase in foreign aid flowing into Burma's

VOA标准英语2012--Olympic Officials Balance Security, Convenience

Olympic Officials Balance Security, Convenience British officials are using all their resources to prepare for any contingency, including putting fighter jets on alert. They are also deploying 17,000 troops and installing anti-aircraft missiles in re

VOA标准英语2012--Experts See Hopeful Agenda at International AIDS Conference

Experts See Hopeful Agenda at International AIDS Conference A new report from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, or UNAIDS, says a record eight million HIV-positive people around the world are now getting life-saving treatment for the viru

VOA标准英语2012--Fish-Sucking Parasite Named After Bob Marley

Fish-Sucking Parasite Named After Bob Marley The new species is called Gnathia marleyi, named in honor of the late reggae star, Bob Marley. Lead researcher Paul Sikkel, a marine biologist at Arkansas State University with a passion for Marleys music,

VOA标准英语2012--US Men's Basketball Team Olympic Gold Favorite

US Men's Basketball Team Olympic Gold Favorite The U.S. men's team is filled with National Basketball Association stars, making it a heavy favorite to win a gold medal at the London Games. But it did not look that way in the first quarter against a t

VOA标准英语2012--Boston Symphony Makes Music in Mountains

Boston Symphony Makes Music in Mountains When Serge Koussevitzy, the Russian-born conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, opened Tanglewood in 1937, he chose an all-Beethoven program, including the Pastorale Symphony. When conductor Christoph von

VOA标准英语2012--8 Million Now Receiving HIV Treatment

8 Million Now Receiving HIV Treatment More than eight million HIV positive people around the world are now receiving antiretroviral drug therapy, a 20 percent increase over the past year. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, or UNAIDS, has r

VOA标准英语2012--Artist Uses Special Skills to Create Wood 'Fan Birds'

Artist Uses Special Skills to Create Wood 'Fan Birds' 艺术家专注于木制小鸟传统技艺 Cedar fan birds are not considered fine art, but still they require skill and artful hands. The birds carved from wood have deep roots in Europe of the p

VOA标准英语2012--Egypt Prepares for Holiest Month

Egypt Prepares for Holiest Month Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for the world's 1 billion Muslims, begins with the new moon expected in most of the world on July 20. It marks the start of a month of fasting, reflective prayer and helping the

VOA标准英语2012--UN says Journalists Need Greater Protection

UN says Journalists Need Greater Protection Reporting, risky business American war correspondent, Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik were killed in Syria on February 22. They are among 65 journalists killed in the first five months of 2

VOA标准英语2012--World Population Day Focuses on Family Planning

World Population Day Focuses on Family Planning There are already seven billion people living in this world. Half of the population is under the age of 25. We add a quarter of a million people a day to the world population, and, of course, the planet

VOA标准英语2012--Children Learn to Play Music by Listening in Suzuki Method

Children Learn to Play Music by Listening in Suzuki Method Five-year-old Hannah Mei Steury started violin lessons two months ago. Her teacher, Stephanie Flack, says Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is the first song children learn to play. Its a very sim