http://learningenglish.voanews.com/archive/learningenglish-home-usa/latest/958/958.html Learn English as you read and listen to news and feature stories about the U.S. and American life. Our daily stories are written at the intermediate and upper-beginner level and are read one-third slower than regular VOA English. Everything is free. http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://learningenglish.voanews.com/archive/learningenglish-home-usa/latest/958/958.html en-US-LEARN 2012 - VOA 60 Wed, 22 May 2013 09:43:20 +0000 Pangea CMS – VOA 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 00:30:44 +0000 Words and Their Stories http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/proverbs-love-war-money/1662964.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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Thomas Jefferson became America's president in 1801. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-inaugural-president-election-1800/1647641.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-inaugural-president-election-1800/1647641.html Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:25:06 +0000 USA http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/jefferson-inaugural-president-election-1800/1647641.html#relatedInfoContainer