http://learningenglish.voanews.com Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://learningenglish.voanews.com en-US-LEARN 2012 - VOA 60 Sat, 25 May 2013 12:12:34 +0000 Pangea CMS – VOA Hello there, I’m June Simms in Washington. Thank you for joining us for As It Is.   Today, we travel back in time to remember one of the most historic events in science fiction history.   We also take a trip to New York City for an unusual photographic exhibit.   But first, we hear about a new online exhibit that recognizes the work of Muslim women. The International Museum of Women has a new exhibit on its website. The exhibit showcases the artwork, voices and stories of ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-exhibit-muslim-women/1667594.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-exhibit-muslim-women/1667594.html Sat, 25 May 2013 00:30:40 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-exhibit-muslim-women/1667594.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.   People in Moore, Oklahoma, are starting to rebuild after a three-kilometer-wide tornado hit the city on Monday. Officials say the storm killed 24 people in Moore and nearby areas. More than 200 others were injured.   President Obama declared a major disaster in Oklahoma. His declaration freed up federal money to help state officials with the recovery effort. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin deployed the state National Guard and extra ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rebuilding-moore-oklahoma-tornado/1667800.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rebuilding-moore-oklahoma-tornado/1667800.html Sat, 25 May 2013 00:30:28 +0000 In the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rebuilding-moore-oklahoma-tornado/1667800.html#relatedInfoContainer Welcome to American Mosaic from VOA Learning English.   I’m June Simms.   Today, we play some Billboard Award-winning hits.   We also tell about an organization that helps music students prepare for a career in music.   But first, we visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, as it gets a clean-up from volunteers.   Washing “The Wall”   The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC is one of the most-visited places in the nation’s capital. It honors ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/vietnam-veterans-memorial-billboard-youth-iorchestra/1667179.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/vietnam-veterans-memorial-billboard-youth-iorchestra/1667179.html Fri, 24 May 2013 00:50:21 +0000 American Mosaic http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/vietnam-veterans-memorial-billboard-youth-iorchestra/1667179.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, this is At It Is.   Welcome! I’m Caty Weaver.   This week, American scientists said carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere had risen to its highest level in 2.5 million years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measured carbon dioxide at more 400 parts per million. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography recorded a similar measurement.    The announcement led to renewed fears and discussion of climate change. But the 400 level ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/study-predicts-species-loss/1667281.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/study-predicts-species-loss/1667281.html Thu, 23 May 2013 23:51:08 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/study-predicts-species-loss/1667281.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, welcome to The Making of a Nation, our weekly program of American history for people learning English. I’m Steve Ember.   Last time, we talked about the presidential election of 1804. Thomas Jefferson, the nation's third president, was easily re-elected. Jefferson was head of the Democratic-Republican Party, known today as the Democratic Party.   Thomas Jefferson had a very good record during his first term as president. He ended many taxes. He paid ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-impressment-embargo/1665733.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-impressment-embargo/1665733.html Thu, 23 May 2013 00:30:47 +0000 The Making of a Nation http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-impressment-embargo/1665733.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello.  I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.  Welcome to a special edition of “As It Is.”   Seventeen years ago, an American energy company paid hundreds of millions of dollars to settle legal claims brought by people in the town of Hinkley, California. The people claimed that Pacific Gas & Electric poisoned their well water by putting industrial waste into the ground.  Their story was told in the film “Erin Brockovich.”  But the legal settlement is not the end of the ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/pollution-chromium-hinkley/1660364.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/pollution-chromium-hinkley/1660364.html Thu, 23 May 2013 00:30:24 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/pollution-chromium-hinkley/1660364.html#relatedInfoContainer Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories. Today we talk about proverbs. A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are found in most cultures and are often very old.   In American history, Benjamin Franklin was famous for his proverbs. Franklin lived in the 1700s. He was a leader of the American Revolution against English rule. He was also a scientist, inventor and writer. For many years, Franklin published a book ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/proverbs-love-war-money/1662964.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/proverbs-love-war-money/1662964.html Wed, 22 May 2013 00:30:46 +0000 Words and Their Stories http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/proverbs-love-war-money/1662964.html#relatedInfoContainer Also, big retail and clothing companies react to the tragedy in Bangladesh. And, David Beckham says goodbye to soccer. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/plans-chemical-plants-raise-questions-china-bangladesh-beckham/1665677.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/plans-chemical-plants-raise-questions-china-bangladesh-beckham/1665677.html Wed, 22 May 2013 00:30:17 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/plans-chemical-plants-raise-questions-china-bangladesh-beckham/1665677.html#relatedInfoContainer As It Is - Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif faces major tests as Prime Minister. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/nawaz-sharif-pakistan-gadhafi/1663443.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/nawaz-sharif-pakistan-gadhafi/1663443.html Tue, 21 May 2013 00:30:13 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/nawaz-sharif-pakistan-gadhafi/1663443.html#relatedInfoContainer This is Science in the News. I’m Shirley Griffith.   And I’m Bob Doughty. Spring has returned to the United States. The sky is blue, the grass is green and many plants are flowering. Spring can be a beautiful time of year. But it is especially troublesome for people with asthma. High pollen levels can keep asthma sufferers from enjoying spring flowers and the weather.   Asthma Awareness Month   May is “Asthma Awareness Month” in the United States. And May first is “World ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/control-asthma-attacks/1664674.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/control-asthma-attacks/1664674.html Tue, 21 May 2013 00:30:01 +0000 Science in the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/control-asthma-attacks/1664674.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello again, and welcome to As It Is, VOA’s daily magazine show for people learning American English.   I’m Christopher Cruise.   Today on the program, we report on the fight against illegal logging operations in West and Central Africa..    “The systemic nature of them in the other countries, if not controlled, could lead to similar destruction.”   And we go back 86 years to the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean..   “Nations and races are not ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/good-news-but-poverty-continues/1661601.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/good-news-but-poverty-continues/1661601.html Mon, 20 May 2013 00:30:47 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/good-news-but-poverty-continues/1661601.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, welcome to This Is America. I’m Avi Arditti.   And I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. This week, learn about a city in the South that helped give the world many kinds of American music. Come with us to Memphis, Tennessee... A Future President and a New City A future president of the United States helped build Memphis. Andrew Jackson and two other men settled the city in 1819. They chose the place where the Wolf River flowed into the Mississippi River. Jackson named ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/blues-country-soul-memphis-tennessee/1662565.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/blues-country-soul-memphis-tennessee/1662565.html Mon, 20 May 2013 00:30:39 +0000 This is America http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/blues-country-soul-memphis-tennessee/1662565.html#relatedInfoContainer Correction: Angelina Jolie's article in the New York Times was published on May 14, not May 21. Hi there. Thanks for joining us again on As It Is. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   “The fate of mankind … will rest in the hands of one.” “Ooo.” “Don’t start.”   Do you recognize that movie? It’s “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.” The star is Angelina Jolie. Jolie is famous for a lot of things. Her movies. Her beauty. Her humanitarian work around the world. Her six kids. Her husband-to-be, ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/angelina_jolie-mastectomy/1663285.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/angelina_jolie-mastectomy/1663285.html Sun, 19 May 2013 00:30:05 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/angelina_jolie-mastectomy/1663285.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello again and welcome back. I’m June Simms in Washington.   Today on As It Is…   Happy birthday wishes going out to Big Joe Turner. Some say rock and roll would have never happened without him.   And we hear about the first national women’s soccer team for Tibet.   But first, we report on efforts to move playtime back outside. 'Play Lady' Calls for Old-Fashioned Play   With the growing use of computers and electronic games, playing outside the home has ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/play-lady-old-fashioned-outside-play/1662629.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/play-lady-old-fashioned-outside-play/1662629.html Sat, 18 May 2013 00:30:34 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/play-lady-old-fashioned-outside-play/1662629.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.   President Obama this week found himself on the defensive on three different issues. Political observers say the issues could threaten his plan of action for his second term as president.   Critics say the most serious threat right now to the Obama administration involves the federal tax agency, the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS has admitted that agency officials targeted conservative political groups which sought to become ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/obama-administration-defensive/1662970.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/obama-administration-defensive/1662970.html Sat, 18 May 2013 00:30:16 +0000 In the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/obama-administration-defensive/1662970.html#relatedInfoContainer Welcome to American Mosaic from VOA Learning English.   I’m June Simms.   Today, we play hit songs from the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.   We also talk about “The Great Gatsby,” the movie that opened the Cannes International Film Festival this week.   But first we explore the culture of Cambodia on display this spring in New York City.   Season of Cambodia   Most of Cambodia’s artists -- an estimated 80 percent -- were killed when the ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-york-celebrates-arts-of-cambodia/1662529.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-york-celebrates-arts-of-cambodia/1662529.html Fri, 17 May 2013 00:30:50 +0000 American Mosaic http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-york-celebrates-arts-of-cambodia/1662529.html#relatedInfoContainer Also, children learn about business basics, and we remember the United States Supreme Court ruling that banned discrimination in schools. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/children-literacy-microsoft-room-read-africa-asia/1662730.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/children-literacy-microsoft-room-read-africa-asia/1662730.html Thu, 16 May 2013 23:58:22 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/children-literacy-microsoft-room-read-africa-asia/1662730.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, welcome to The Making of a Nation, our weekly program of American history for people learning English. I’m Steve Ember.   We’ve been discussing the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. He was America’s third president, elected in 1800.   In our last program, we talked about a dispute between Jefferson and the chief justice of the United States. Jefferson believed the Constitution gave Congress the right to decide the country’s laws. But Chief Justice John ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-louisiana-purchase/1661190.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-louisiana-purchase/1661190.html Thu, 16 May 2013 00:30:48 +0000 The Making of a Nation http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-louisiana-purchase/1661190.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello, again!  I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.  Today we examine the human side of war, not from a soldier’s point of view, but from that of civilians who are forced from their homes by conflict.  Also, some important art objects are being returned to Cambodia from the United States.  Then we’ll hear about a special movie event, a famous actor, and travel back in time to the “big band” era …on this edition of “As It Is.”   The number of people displaced within their own ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/displaced-refugees-syria/1659667.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/displaced-refugees-syria/1659667.html Thu, 16 May 2013 00:30:15 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/displaced-refugees-syria/1659667.html#relatedInfoContainer Also, a China human rights update and a different kind of American high school. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/marking-china-wenchuan-earthquake/1661150.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/marking-china-wenchuan-earthquake/1661150.html Wed, 15 May 2013 00:30:45 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/marking-china-wenchuan-earthquake/1661150.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello. I'm Phil Murray with Words and Their Stories, a program in Special English. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist." Americans hear these words often. People say them in schools, offices and factories. Broadcasters on radio and television use them. This is how you might hear the words used. Workers in an office are afraid to try to use their new computer system. Their employer tells them not to be foolish. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to learn ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rocket-scientist/1659358.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rocket-scientist/1659358.html Wed, 15 May 2013 00:30:04 +0000 Words and Their Stories http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rocket-scientist/1659358.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, welcome to As It Is. Hello, I’m Steve Ember. Thanks for joining us. Activists and news reporters are questioning how media around the world report rape and other sexual abuse. The Oxford Journal of Public Health has called on world media to improve reporting on sexual violence against women. The magazine says the media too often concentrate on a few crimes -- and fail to make sense of the larger issue of sexual violence. “We need to challenge those attitudes ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rape-sexual-violence/1659346.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rape-sexual-violence/1659346.html Tue, 14 May 2013 00:30:49 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/rape-sexual-violence/1659346.html#relatedInfoContainer This is Science in the News, in VOA Special English. I’m June Simms. Today Shirley Griffith and Bob Doughty tell about two recent inventions that have helped to save lives. We will also tell about the people who developed them.    History of Seat Belts   Most cars have seat belts as part of their equipment. Seat belts protect drivers and passengers in case of accident. They also reduce the effect of a crash on the body. Safety experts estimate that the restraining devices save ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/scientific-engineering-skills-save-lives/1660280.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/scientific-engineering-skills-save-lives/1660280.html Tue, 14 May 2013 00:30:39 +0000 Science in the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/scientific-engineering-skills-save-lives/1660280.html#relatedInfoContainer Welcome to This Is America from VOA Learning English. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   And I’m Mario Ritter.  Today we talk about the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Boston has been in the news recently because of the two bombs that exploded during the Boston Marathon on April 15. Boston is also a popular place for visitors from the United States and around the world—partly because the city played an important role in American history.   Three people died and more than 260 people were ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/boston-tourism/1658107.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/boston-tourism/1658107.html Mon, 13 May 2013 00:30:48 +0000 This is America http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/boston-tourism/1658107.html#relatedInfoContainer Hi again! Nice to have you with us here on As It Is.  We are celebrating this week. Here in the United States, Sunday is Mother’s Day. The Census Bureau reports that about 80 percent of American women are mothers. This is good news if you own a flower shop or perfume business. Flowers, perfume and jewelry are popular gifts for moms on Mother’s Day. And if you are a woman in western India, you might get a very unusual gift this year. More iron in your diet!   Indian Farmers Fight ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/bollywood-100-anniversary/1659343.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/bollywood-100-anniversary/1659343.html Sun, 12 May 2013 00:30:53 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/bollywood-100-anniversary/1659343.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello again, and welcome to As It Is from VOA Learning English.   I’m June Simms.   Today we pay tribute to one of America’s greatest composers.   And we visit a play that honors one of the world’s most beloved reggae musicians.   But first, we hear from the “leader of the free world,” or at least someone pretending to be him.   Being President of the United States Takes Work   In some countries, people can be put in jail for impersonating a political leader. ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/president-obama-look-alike-bob-marley-irving-berlin/1658960.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/president-obama-look-alike-bob-marley-irving-berlin/1658960.html Fri, 10 May 2013 22:30:45 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/president-obama-look-alike-bob-marley-irving-berlin/1658960.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.    American police are praising the bravery of three women who were found alive this week after 10 years of captivity. The three kidnap victims were recovered late Monday from a house in Cleveland, Ohio. They were discovered after neighbors heard shouts for help from Amanda Berry. One neighbor kicked through a door to help her and her daughter escape and call the police.   “Help me! I am Amanda Berry. I need police. I have been ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/three-boston-women-freed-after-years-captivity/1658932.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/three-boston-women-freed-after-years-captivity/1658932.html Fri, 10 May 2013 15:30:24 +0000 In the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/three-boston-women-freed-after-years-captivity/1658932.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, this is As It Is.    I’m Caty Weaver.  Welcome back!   Cardiovascular diseases kill about 17 million people around the world every year. Heart attacks and strokes are to blame for a large share of the deaths. And, tobacco use greatly increases the risk of developing the diseases and dying from them.   Today on As It Is, we talk about cardiovascular disease: what some new studies are showing, and ways to reduce your risk. Urban Air and ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/air-pollution-cardiovascular-disease/1658211.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/air-pollution-cardiovascular-disease/1658211.html Fri, 10 May 2013 00:29:47 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/air-pollution-cardiovascular-disease/1658211.html#relatedInfoContainer Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC from VOA Learning English.   I’m June Simms.   Today we play songs from a long-awaited album from the band Phoenix.   We also tell about a way to unload unwanted clothing and still have something to wear.   But first we visit a famous show at America’s Smithsonian Institution.   Smithsonian Craft Show   The Smithsonian Craft Show is the most respected show of its kind in the United States. It is also one of the most difficult for ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/strumstick-smithsonian-clothes-swap-phoenix/1658094.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/strumstick-smithsonian-clothes-swap-phoenix/1658094.html Thu, 09 May 2013 20:53:51 +0000 American Mosaic http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/strumstick-smithsonian-clothes-swap-phoenix/1658094.html#relatedInfoContainer Thomas Jefferson moves to cut debt. Opposition Federalists warn that Jefferson’s financial program would crush the nation. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-federalists-republicans/1656659.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-federalists-republicans/1656659.html Thu, 09 May 2013 00:30:49 +0000 The Making of a Nation http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-federalists-republicans/1656659.html#relatedInfoContainer Hello.  I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.  On our program today, fuel prices are about to take a big increase in Indonesia.  We’ll hear about a mixture of politics and economics.  Then diplomacy of a musical kind in Moscow.  But first, new scientific details about how the Earth is changing.   Under normal conditions, NASA, the United States Space Agency, looks out there for new information about our universe.  But lately researchers have been aiming complex ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/nasa-earth-experiments/1655058.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/nasa-earth-experiments/1655058.html Thu, 09 May 2013 00:30:48 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/nasa-earth-experiments/1655058.html#relatedInfoContainer Welcome to As It Is, the daily current affairs magazine show from VOA Learning English.   Today we hear about a new film aimed at keeping girls around the world in school and learning. We hear how women stepped in to make guitars during the labor shortage of World War Two. But first, we hear about a recent report by Freedom House.   An independent press is one of the basic requirements of a free society. Freedom House is a group that seeks to support free reporting around the ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/only-14-percent-worlds-people-have-free-press/1656372.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/only-14-percent-worlds-people-have-free-press/1656372.html Tue, 07 May 2013 17:36:50 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/only-14-percent-worlds-people-have-free-press/1656372.html#relatedInfoContainer The medical term for hair loss is alopecia. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/hair-growth-hair-loss-alopecia/1652856.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/hair-growth-hair-loss-alopecia/1652856.html Mon, 06 May 2013 22:30:52 +0000 Science in the News June Simms http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/hair-growth-hair-loss-alopecia/1652856.html#relatedInfoContainer From VOA Learning English, welcome to As It Is! Hello, I’m Steve Ember. Today on our program: Coping with conflict in Nigeria… Just how Chinese is Chinatown? And Taiwan looks increasingly to immigrants to expand its economy. First stop, Nigeria, where religion, politics, ethnicity, and economic interests all can cause often deadly conflict. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, called MEND, is a former militant group in Nigeria. It fought against oil companies and the ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/chinatown-nigeria-mend-bokoharam-taiwan/1654696.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/chinatown-nigeria-mend-bokoharam-taiwan/1654696.html Mon, 06 May 2013 22:30:16 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/chinatown-nigeria-mend-bokoharam-taiwan/1654696.html#relatedInfoContainer Artists are responding to recent attacks on African immigrants in Florence, Italy. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/florence-hate-crimes-immigrants/1653419.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/florence-hate-crimes-immigrants/1653419.html Sun, 05 May 2013 22:30:44 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/florence-hate-crimes-immigrants/1653419.html#relatedInfoContainer Welcome to This Is America with VOA Learning English. Today we visit one of America’s great national parks. It is a place of strange and silent beauty. As beautiful as this place is, its name provides evidence of very real danger. Come with Phoebe Zimmerman and Steve Ember to Death Valley. Death Valley is a land of beautiful yet dangerous extremes. There are mountains that reach more than three thousand meters into the sky. There is a place called Badwater that is the lowest area ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/death-valley-national-park/1653515.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/death-valley-national-park/1653515.html Sun, 05 May 2013 22:30:18 +0000 This is America http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/death-valley-national-park/1653515.html#relatedInfoContainer Also, we tell about some neighborly help for older people and play music by George Jones. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-york-city-program-teaches-children-write-enjoy-poetry/1653616.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-york-city-program-teaches-children-write-enjoy-poetry/1653616.html Sun, 05 May 2013 00:05:38 +0000 American Mosaic http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/new-york-city-program-teaches-children-write-enjoy-poetry/1653616.html#relatedInfoContainer Hi again. Nice to have you with us on As It Is. I'm Kelly Jean Kelly. Today we are talking about a man named Shin Dong-hyuk.   “He spent the first 23 years of life inside a labor camp in North Korea. He’s the only individual born in the labor camp to escape.”   That was Blaine Hardin, a journalist who wrote a book about Shin Dong-hyuk. Mr. Shin's parents were prisoners in a labor camp called Camp 14.    Camp 14 is one of a network of labor camps in North Korea. ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/north-korean-labor-camp-survivor-story/1654697.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/north-korean-labor-camp-survivor-story/1654697.html Sat, 04 May 2013 22:30:47 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/north-korean-labor-camp-survivor-story/1654697.html#relatedInfoContainer Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories. Many professions have their own words and expressions.  This is true for the medical profession.  Doctors use many technical terms that most people do not understand. But there are also expressions we use every day to tell about a person’s health.  Let me explain. Last month, I was not feeling well.  I was under the weather.  I thought I had caught a cold.  I had a runny nose, itchy eyes, a sore ... http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/words-about-health/1654712.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/words-about-health/1654712.html Sat, 04 May 2013 22:30:02 +0000 Words and Their Stories http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/words-about-health/1654712.html#relatedInfoContainer More than 500 people are confirmed dead after the building failure on April 24th. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/bangladesh-collapse/1654298.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/bangladesh-collapse/1654298.html Sat, 04 May 2013 00:05:06 +0000 In the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/bangladesh-collapse/1654298.html#relatedInfoContainer New York officials study ways to deal with rising sea levels after super-storm Sandy. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/wonder-wheel-spook-a-rama-coney-island-hurricane-sandy/1652497.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/wonder-wheel-spook-a-rama-coney-island-hurricane-sandy/1652497.html Fri, 03 May 2013 22:30:13 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/wonder-wheel-spook-a-rama-coney-island-hurricane-sandy/1652497.html#relatedInfoContainer An orphan from the West Indies became one of the most important thinkers in American history. His face is on the ten dollar bill. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/making-of-a-nation-alexander-hamilton/1653788.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/making-of-a-nation-alexander-hamilton/1653788.html Fri, 03 May 2013 13:04:41 +0000 The Making of a Nation http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/making-of-a-nation-alexander-hamilton/1653788.html#relatedInfoContainer California continues to debate whether to make recreational marijuana legal in that state as well. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/washington-state-debates-marijuana-measures/1653596.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/washington-state-debates-marijuana-measures/1653596.html Thu, 02 May 2013 23:11:30 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/washington-state-debates-marijuana-measures/1653596.html#relatedInfoContainer Short trips into space can weaken the body’s natural defenses for fighting disease. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/space-flights-can-harm-astronauts-health/1652781.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/space-flights-can-harm-astronauts-health/1652781.html Wed, 01 May 2013 22:30:30 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/space-flights-can-harm-astronauts-health/1652781.html#relatedInfoContainer A powerful earthquake has again shaken southwestern China, and a story about an American artist who decorates artificial limbs. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/china-responds-earthquake-art-prosthetics-appeal-superheroes/1651937.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/china-responds-earthquake-art-prosthetics-appeal-superheroes/1651937.html Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:30:07 +0000 As It Is Mario Ritter http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/china-responds-earthquake-art-prosthetics-appeal-superheroes/1651937.html#relatedInfoContainer African elephants are facing their worst crisis in years. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/african-elephants-mobile-telephone-cameroon-nigeria-water/1650796.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/african-elephants-mobile-telephone-cameroon-nigeria-water/1650796.html Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:30:57 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/african-elephants-mobile-telephone-cameroon-nigeria-water/1650796.html#relatedInfoContainer April is National Poetry Month in the United States. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/april-national-poetry-month/1649103.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/april-national-poetry-month/1649103.html Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:00:38 +0000 USA http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/april-national-poetry-month/1649103.html#relatedInfoContainer India has become an important market for solar energy and Africa’s most populous nation desperately needs reliable rail service. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/india-solar-energy/1649743.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/india-solar-energy/1649743.html Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:30:31 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/india-solar-energy/1649743.html#relatedInfoContainer Government and local groups in Africa are training people to grow crops on top of buildings. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/city-gardens/1649669.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/city-gardens/1649669.html Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:30:06 +0000 As It Is http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/city-gardens/1649669.html#relatedInfoContainer Suspects had planned to drive to New York City to explode more bombs. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/boston-bombing-investigation-continues/1649800.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/boston-bombing-investigation-continues/1649800.html Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:06:43 +0000 In the News http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/boston-bombing-investigation-continues/1649800.html#relatedInfoContainer