# VOA英语教学网 - VOA Learning English > 一个让你免费在线学习VOA英语的好地方! 无须报名, 不收学费, 全年无休, 保证提高! (^_^) ## Posts - [2025-04-29 Everyday Grammar Video: Ramen, A Popular Food in Japan](https://voa-story.com/2025-04-29-everyday-grammar-video-ramen-a-popular-food-in-japan/) - [2025-04-27 How to Pronounce: Fun Practice - Exaggeration Activities](https://voa-story.com/2025-04-27-how-to-pronounce-fun-practice-exaggeration-activities/) - [2025-04-22 Everyday Grammar Video: A Popular Person in Turkey](https://voa-story.com/2025-04-22-everyday-grammar-video-a-popular-person-in-turkey/) - [2025-04-20 How to Pronounce: Self-monitoring and improvement](https://voa-story.com/2025-04-20-how-to-pronounce-self-monitoring-and-improvement/) - [2025-04-13 How to Pronounce: Studying pauses and connections](https://voa-story.com/2025-04-13-how-to-pronounce-studying-pauses-and-connections/) - [2025-04-06 How to Pronounce: Difficult terms - Artificial General Intelligence](https://voa-story.com/2025-04-06-how-to-pronounce-difficult-terms-artificial-general-intelligence/) - [2025-03-30 How to Pronounce: Stress and listening - Artificial intelligence](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-30-how-to-pronounce-stress-and-listening-artificial-intelligence/) - [2025-03-25 Everyday Grammar Video: Feedback on Writing Submissions](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-25-everyday-grammar-video-feedback-on-writing-submissions/) - [2025-03-23 How to Pronounce: Science and Technology: 'Asteroid'](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-23-how-to-pronounce-science-and-technology-asteroid/) - [2025-03-20 Grammar Games at Home: Jeopardy](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-20-grammar-games-at-home-jeopardy/): Hi, everyone! You might be reading or listening to this Everyday Grammar program from your living room or bedroom. In fact, you might be even wearing pajamas, no matter the time of day. If you are like us here in Washington, D.C. and many other places, health officials have asked you to stay at home for now. And with so many people at home for long periods, people are looking for activities to keep their minds occupied. Too much time on social media can be a problem. Even binge-watching movies and television shows loses its appeal after a while. With this in mind, we will […] - [2025-03-18 Learning English with English Clubs](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-18-learning-english-with-english-clubs/): For many English learners, speaking is the most difficult part of the language to master. To improve your speaking skills, you need to be able to practice with other English learners or English speakers. One way to do this is by joining – or starting – an English club. In today’s Education Tips, we discuss how English clubs can be helpful to your language-learning process. This is part one of a two-part series on English clubs. In this episode, we offer advice for how to start and organize an English club. In next week’s episode, we will suggest some fun and […] - [2025-03-18 Everyday Grammar Video: 'Population' in Sentences](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-18-everyday-grammar-video-population-in-sentences/) - [2025-03-17 Wilbur and Orville Wright: The First Airplane](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-17-wilbur-and-orville-wright-the-first-airplane/): Wilbur and Orville Wright are the American inventors who made a small engine-powered flying machine. They proved that flight without the aid of gas-filled balloons was possible. Wilbur Wright was born in 1867 near Melville, Indiana. His brother Orville was born four years later in Dayton, Ohio. As they grew up, the Wright brothers experimented with mechanical things. Later, the Wright brothers began to design their own flying machine. They used ideas they had developed from earlier experiments with a toy helicopter, kites, the printing machine and bicycles. Soon, they needed a place to test their ideas about flight. The […] - [2025-03-17 English in a Minute: Dish It Out but Can't Take It](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-17-english-in-a-minute-dish-it-out-but-cant-take-it/) - [2025-03-16 Lincoln's Cottage: a Country House for the President](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-16-lincolns-cottage-a-country-house-for-the-president/): About five kilometers from the White House in Washington, D.C., stands an historic building closely linked to one of America’s most famous presidents: Abraham Lincoln. The building, known as President Lincoln’s Cottage, is where Lincoln spent about one-fourth of his time while in office. And he made some very important decisions while there. Summertime can get very hot in Washington, D.C. So, President Lincoln used a country house to escape the worst of the heat. Each morning and evening, Lincoln rode between the two houses on horseback, unguarded. The trip took about thirty minutes. The large house he rode to […] - [2025-03-16 How to Pronounce: Intonation and Function Words in Science and Technology](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-16-how-to-pronounce-intonation-and-function-words-in-science-and-technology/) - [2025-03-15 'Watching the Grass Grow' Is Not Fun](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-15-watching-the-grass-grow-is-not-fun/): And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. Springtime is a time of renewal and growth. Many plants end their long winter sleep and form new buds and shoots. Beautiful flowers will soon be showing their bright colors. And the grass will grow thicker and greener again. Some flowers bloom in a very noticeable way but that is not the case with grass. Imagine you are sitting in a grassy field. And you have only one job – to watch the grass grow. That does not sound very interesting. In fact, it sounds really boring. That idea is what gives us the expression “like watching grass […] - [2025-03-14 'The Open Boat' by Stephen Crane, Part Two](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-14-the-open-boat-by-stephen-crane-part-two/): We continue the story of “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane. As we told you last week, the story is based on true events. In eighteen ninety-six, Crane was traveling to Cuba as a news reporter. On his way there, his ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean. Crane climbed into the last remaining lifeboat. Three men got into the boat with him. They were the ship’s captain, the cook and a sailor named Billie. For three days, the men steered the small boat through high waves along the coast of Florida. At last, they saw land. Here is Shep O’Neal […] - [2025-03-14 Sew and Knit](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-14-sew-and-knit/): This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Rohullah in Afghanistan about using the words “sew” and “knit” and related terms. Dear VOA Learning English, I am sending this email to know what the differences are between “sewing and knitting” or “sew and knit.” Besides [that], I wanted to know what I can call a woman or a man that makes clothes. Thank you I’m happy to answer this question, Rohullah. An important difference between sewing and knitting is that when we sew, we connect pieces of fabric or cloth that are already made. When we knit, we make the cloth itself […] - [2025-03-13 Common Adverbs in Conversation: Amplifiers, Downtoners](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-13-common-adverbs-in-conversation-amplifiers-downtoners/): From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine you are at a business meeting. You have just presented a plan to your business partners. They want to give suggestions for how to make your plan better. The conversation might sound like this: A: I really like your plan! B: Yes, it’s pretty good … but it needs a little revising. A: Of course, you did a very good job. But you might need to consider a few more points. B: Yes, it will probably be more effective if you highlight the staffing requirements and expand on the budget. Whether you like business or not, this conversation gives you important grammar information that you can use in just about […] - [2025-03-12 Researchers: South Korea’s Birth Rate Increase Last Year Unclear](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-12-researchers-south-koreas-birth-rate-increase-last-year-unclear/): In 2024, the number of babies born in South Korea increased for the first time in nine years. The change is welcome news for a country that is dealing with serious population problems. South Korea’s statistics agency said recently that 238,300 babies were born last year, an increase of 8,300 from a year earlier. The agency said the country’s fertility rate — the average number of babies born to each woman in her reproductive years — was 0.75 in 2024, up from 0.72 in 2023. The data represents the first time that the yearly number of births has increased since […] - [2025-03-12 Methods for Protecting Earth against an Asteroid Strike](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-12-methods-for-protecting-earth-against-an-asteroid-strike/): Astronomers following asteroid activity in space estimate there is a very small chance an object large enough to destroy a whole city could strike Earth in 2032. But space agency officials say even if such an asteroid keeps heading on a path toward Earth, the world is now much better-equipped to defend itself against such a threat. The American space agency NASA recently estimated there was a 3.1 percent chance that asteroid 2024 YR4 would hit Earth on December 22, 2032. That is the highest probability predicted for such a large space rock in modern times. Richard Moissl is head of the […] - [2025-03-12 The Goodyear Blimp Has Been Flying Over America for 100 Years](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-12-the-goodyear-blimp-has-been-flying-over-america-for-100-years/): The Goodyear Blimp is an airship that is also a traveling advertisement for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The airships are immediately recognizable to most Americans. For the past 100 years, Goodyear has flown blimps over major sporting events, including the Daytona 500 car race. The blimp has been at every Daytona 500 race since 1962. In 2025 to celebrate the anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp, the airships are taking a special tour of big events around the country. Goodyear operates three 75-meter-long airships, called Wingfoot One, Two and Three. Wingfoot One is based near Akron, Ohio, which is also home to the […] - [2025-03-12 News Words: Illusion](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-12-news-words-illusion/) - [2025-03-11 Australian Navy Rescues Rower Crossing Pacific from California](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-11-australian-navy-rescues-rower-crossing-pacific-from-california/): A Lithuanian rower attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean has been rescued by an Australian warship after hitting stormy waters off the coast of Queensland state. Royal Australian Navy officer Justin Jones said in a statement that Aurimas Mockus was brought aboard the warship on March 3. The 44-year-old adventurer began his trip alone in October from San Diego, California. He made it to within 740 kilometers of Australia’s mainland before running into a tropical cyclone. Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority organized the rescue. It said the enclosed boat that Mockus traveled in was mostly destroyed by the powerful waters. He was only able to […] - [2025-03-11 Total Lunar Eclipse to Turn Moon Red](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-11-total-lunar-eclipse-to-turn-moon-red/): A total lunar eclipse is about to make the moon appear a reddish color across the Western Hemisphere. The event will happen Thursday night into Friday morning. The best places to see the eclipse will be in North America and South America. Parts of Africa and Europe may also get brief views. A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth, and moon line up just right, with Earth positioned between the sun and moon. This causes the Earth to create a shadow on the moon. In a total lunar eclipse, the Earth’s shadow covers all of the moon. Another kind of eclipse […] - [2025-03-11 Images Can Help You Retain Vocabulary](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-11-images-can-help-you-retain-vocabulary/): Suppose you are listening to a program in English and hear the word “borrow.” You have heard this word many times but forget its meaning. So, you look up the equivalent word in your own language. Ahh, yes, now you remember! A few days later, you see the word again, but again cannot remember its meaning. Why? It is easy to blame yourself or think, “I have a terrible memory!” But your memory is not the problem. The problem is that translating a word to its equivalent word in your language is not an effective way to learn vocabulary. This is because it […] - [2025-03-11 James Madison, Father of America’s Constitution](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-11-james-madison-father-of-americas-constitution/): The men who created America’s Constitution are often called the nation’s “founders.” But only one of those men, James Madison, is widely considered “the father of the Constitution.” Madison was elected president of the United States in 1808. He served for two terms. But many Americans remember Madison more for the work he did to strengthen the national government before he served as president. Madison was one of the writers of the state constitution in his home state of Virgina in 1776. Later, he proposed a more structured national government after the Revolutionary War. That conflict resulted in the American […] - [2025-03-11 Everyday Grammar Video: Population](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-11-everyday-grammar-video-population/) - [2025-03-10 Study Shows How Earth’s Orbit Affects Ice Ages](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-10-study-shows-how-earths-orbit-affects-ice-ages/): A recent study suggests the next ice age will likely begin in about 11,000 years unless emissions change the effects of natural climate cycles. An ice age is a period of reduced temperatures causing ice to cover large areas of the northern and southern parts of the world. A group of scientists studied changes in the shape of the Earth’s orbit around the sun, the tilt of the Earth’s axis and the movement of the axis itself, called a wobble. These three motions are believed to happen in cycles. The Serbian scientist Milutin Milankovitch developed a theory about 100 years ago that these cycles affected Earth’s long-term climate. […] - [2025-03-10 How Physical Therapists Can Prevent Future Health Problems](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-10-how-physical-therapists-can-prevent-future-health-problems/): Many of us might only seek out physical therapists if we are recovering from accidental injuries or surgery. However, medical experts say these specialists can also help prevent many health problems if they are seen on a regular basis. One leader in the industry, Sharon Dunn, even calls physical therapists “the best-kept secret in health care.” Dunn is the past president of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). She recently told The Associated Press she thinks people need to look at physical therapists in a new way – as health practitioners who can help identify possible medical issues before they appear. Other […] - [2025-03-10 The Golden Gate Bridge: San Francisco’s Historic Suspension Bridge](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-10-the-golden-gate-bridge-san-franciscos-historic-suspension-bridge/): Every day, more than 110,000 automobiles cross a historic and beautiful bridge in northern California. The span is called the Golden Gate Bridge. It is named after the body of water below it. The Golden Gate Strait connects the Pacific Ocean with San Francisco Bay. The bridge links the city of San Francisco with Marin County to the north. Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge. Building began in 1933. The bridge was opened for use in 1937. The distance between the main towers is almost 1,300 meters long. That was the longest suspension bridge span in the world for […] - [2025-03-09 A Short History of Spacecraft Landings on the Moon](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-09-a-short-history-of-spacecraft-landings-on-the-moon/): Many years have passed since the first spacecraft landed on the moon in 1966. From then until now, there have been many additional attempts with some succeeding and others failing. Here is a short history of some of these attempts. First victories The Soviet Union’s Luna 9 spacecraft was the first to land on the moon. It touched down on the lunar surface in 1966. The landing came after several other Soviet spacecraft either did not reach the moon or crashed on the surface. The American space agency NASA says Luna 9 was the first spacecraft to carry out a soft landing […] - [2025-03-09 Philadelphia: a City Famous for its History](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-09-philadelphia-a-city-famous-for-its-history/): Philadelphia, also sometimes called Philly, is a big city on the Delaware River in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania. It has about 1.5 million people, estimates from the United States Census Bureau show. William Penn, an Englishman and member of the Christian group known as Quakers, founded Pennsylvania in the sixteen eighties. He also designed the city. Penn chose the name Philadelphia – a term he interpreted to mean “city of brotherly love” in Greek. Philadelphia is famous for holding an important place in American history. It served as the nation’s capital from 1785 to 1790. Earlier, it was the capital of […] - [2025-03-09 How to Pronounce: Clapping and Syllable Stress](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-09-how-to-pronounce-clapping-and-syllable-stress/) - [2025-03-08 Green Means Spring and Other Things](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-08-green-means-spring-and-other-things/): Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories. Today we talk about a color found all throughout nature – green! Green is also very common in American English. Let’s hear Warren Scheer read a story about these colorful expressions! Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants. Sometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe or finished. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In […] - [2025-03-08 Scientists Link Gene to Human Speech](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-08-scientists-link-gene-to-human-speech/): A new study suggests the beginnings of human speech are linked to genetics. The research identifies a protein – found only in people – that may have helped early humans develop spoken communication. Scientists involved in the study say this new speaking ability became important for humans’ survival. For example, speech permitted individuals to share information, organize activities and pass down knowledge. These abilities are now seen as an advantage humans had over their relatives, such as the Neanderthals and Denisovans. The researchers recently published their findings in a study in the journal Nature Communications. Liza Finestack teaches about speech and hearing at the University […] - [2025-03-02 How to Pronounce: Science and Technology: 'Telescope'](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-02-how-to-pronounce-science-and-technology-telescope/) - [2025-02-23 How to Pronounce: Possessive Forms in Science and Technology](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-23-how-to-pronounce-possessive-forms-in-science-and-technology/) - [2025-02-16 How to Pronounce: Pronouncing scientific terms - evidence](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-16-how-to-pronounce-pronouncing-scientific-terms-evidence/) - [2025-03-07 'The Open Boat' by Stephen Crane, Part One](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-07-the-open-boat-by-stephen-crane-part-one/): Our story today is called “The Open Boat.” It was written by Stephen Crane and is based on what really happened to him in eighteen ninety-six. Crane was traveling from the United States to Cuba as a newspaper reporter. One night, his ship hit a sandbar. It sank in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida. Most of the people on board got into lifeboats. Crane was among the last to leave. There were three others with him: the ship’s captain, the cook, and a sailor. These four men climbed into the only remaining lifeboat. The boat was so […] - [2025-03-07 Beach, Coast, Shore](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-07-beach-coast-shore/): This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Doyeon in Korea about the usage of three similar words. Here is the question: Hello. I want to know the differences between the beach, . . . coast and shore. Thank you. You ask a useful question, Doyeon. Beach, shore and coast are related words, but they have some important differences. Beach The word “beach” is the most specific of the three words. The Collins online dictionary defines beach as “a nearly level stretch of pebbles and sand beside a sea, lake, etc., often washed by high water.” Ocean beaches are popular places to visit. We often […] - [2025-03-06 Adverb and Adjective Choices in Conversation](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-06-adverb-and-adjective-choices-in-conversation/): From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine two American students are talking outside of their school. Let’s listen to the imaginary conversation: A: Today is going slow. B: Yeah. I guess we should study for our grammar test. A: That sounds like a terrible idea. B: Yeah, but if we don’t study, we won’t do good on the test. A: Fine. Let’s go study our notes quick. Then we can play video games. These bad students may hate grammar, but they just taught you some common grammatical structures in conversational American English. In today’s report, we will study how conversational grammar differs from written […] - [2025-03-06 How Daylight Saving Time Affects Health](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-06-how-daylight-saving-time-affects-health/): Much of the United States “springs forward” on Sunday, March 9th, for daylight saving time. Worldwide, many other countries also observe daylight saving time, starting and ending on different dates. The time change can leave people tired and perhaps unhappy the next day. But it also might even harm health. Some studies have found an increase in heart attacks and strokes right after the March time change. However, there are ways to ease the effects of the time change, including getting more sunshine. The light helps reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep. When does daylight saving time start? In the U.S., […] - [2025-03-05 Knitting While Watching Movies Gains Popularity](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-05-knitting-while-watching-movies-gains-popularity/): Nearly 200 people in Vienna, Austria, gathered recently to enjoy two fun activities at the same time. They worked with needles and yarn. And they watched a movie together called The Devil Wears Prada. “It sounds a bit like a grandmother, but it’s relaxing. And…what’s wrong with letting the grandmother in us express herself,” joked Austrian Alexander Koch. He is a 28-year-old who crochets. Knitting or crocheting while watching movies has gained popularity in Europe. Luisa Palmer was one of the organizers of the event. Palmer said that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, “A lot of people started knitting during the lockdown alone at home.” Palmer launched the knitting […] - [2025-03-05 Private Lander Carrying NASA Experiments Lands on the Moon](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-05-private-lander-carrying-nasa-experiments-lands-on-the-moon/): A private spacecraft carrying several science experiments has successfully landed on the moon. The lander, called Blue Ghost, was built by the American company Firefly Aerospace. The spacecraft touched down March 2 on the part of the moon’s near side called Mare Crisium. The near side of the moon is the side facing Earth. Officials at Firefly’s Mission Control center near Austin, Texas, confirmed the successful landing. The chief engineer for the Blue Ghost mission, Will Coogan, announced to excited workers: “We’re on the moon.” The officials said the spacecraft landed in the right position and was operating normally. The […] - [2025-03-05 American Culture: Bald Eagle Officially Named National Bird of U.S.](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-05-american-culture-bald-eagle-officially-named-national-bird-of-u-s/): The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States. An image of the bird is on the flag and seal of the U.S. president, the seal of the U.S. Supreme Court, military insignia, as well as the dollar bill. Even so, the bird has had its ups and downs. At one time, the bald eagle was at risk of permanent disappearance, or extinction. Later, however, its numbers recovered. In the early 2000s, the federal government removed the bird from its endangered species list. Culturally, too, the raptors are doing well again. In December 2024 before leaving office, Joe Biden signed legislation officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the […] - [2025-03-05 News Words: Rustic](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-05-news-words-rustic/) - [2025-03-04 Grow Your Vocabulary by Learning Root Words](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-04-grow-your-vocabulary-by-learning-root-words/): English has been called one the most difficult languages for non-native speakers to learn. One reason is that English has so many rules – and almost as many exceptions of those rules! Sometimes, this leaves learners confused. For example, the order of words in a sentence can be tricky. Another reason English is hard to learn is that the pronunciation of its words cannot always be predicted by their spelling. For example, there are at least six ways to pronounce the group of letters spelled o-u-g-h. And, maybe the worst thing of all is that there are many idioms, or expressions, in English. You […] - [2025-03-04 American Spy: Virginia Hall](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-04-american-spy-virginia-hall/): Thousands of women have served as intelligence agents for the United States and its allies since the nation began. Virginia Hall was one of the bravest and most successful spies for the Allies during World War II. Hall was born in 1906 to a rich family in Baltimore, Maryland. She studied foreign languages in college. In 1931, Virginia Hall took a job at the American Embassy in Warsaw, Poland. Then she served in embassies in Estonia, Austria and Turkey. While in Turkey, Virginia Hall suffered a tragic accident. Her gun accidentally fired while she was hunting. The bullet severely wounded […] - [2025-03-04 Everyday Grammar Video: Goodbye In Informal Conversations](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-04-everyday-grammar-video-goodbye-in-informal-conversations/) - [2025-03-03 New Flowering Plants for Gardeners to Try](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-03-new-flowering-plants-for-gardeners-to-try/): If you are a gardener, you probably have some favorite plants that you grow year after year. But you might also like to try new plants sometimes. Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently reported for the Associated Press about one way to find new plants that might appeal to growers. Each year, the independent, nonprofit organization All-America Selections (AAS) enlists more than 80 horticultural professionals from around the United States and Canada to serve as plant-trial judges. Today, we share newly developed flowering plants meant to improve the appearance of your garden. Plants for a beautiful garden Celosia Flamma Pink is an upright flowering plant. This […] - [2025-03-03 Rise in ADHD Cases Raises Questions](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-03-rise-in-adhd-cases-raises-questions/): Allison Burk’s daughter was struggling. The American teenager had uncontrolled emotions, a decreased ability to pay attention and trouble completing work on time. A family doctor suggested testing for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. This led to an unexpected discovery: The teen had ADHD, and her mother, Allison Burk, did too. During her daughter’s testing, Burk thought, “Wait a minute. This sounds familiar.” “I was able to piece together that this might be something I was experiencing,” said Burk, who lives in Columbus, Ohio. She sought testing for herself and was diagnosed with ADHD — at 42 years old. More adults are being diagnosed with ADHD. […] - [2025-03-03 Skyscrapers, Made in America](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-03-skyscrapers-made-in-america/): Skyscrapers were invented in the United States. Two new technological developments made very tall buildings possible in the late 1800s. One development was the mechanical elevator. It meant that people would not have to climb many steps to reach the upper floors of tall buildings. It saved time and effort. The second was good quality steel that could carry the heavy load of a tall structure. These two developments helped make the skyscraper possible. Many experts consider the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, Illinois to be the first skyscraper. It was completed in 1885 and later increased to a height […] - [2025-03-03 English in a Minute: On the Ball](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-03-english-in-a-minute-on-the-ball/) - [2025-03-02 The Empire State Building: Once the World’s Tallest](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-02-the-empire-state-building-once-the-worlds-tallest/): The Empire State Building remains a popular place to visit in New York City. The structure sits in a central part of New York’s Manhattan area. It was built at a time when many developers were racing to become the first to complete the world’s tallest building. Construction on the Empire State Building started in January 1930. Building operations began two months later. The structure went up very quickly, with workers completing framing for the structure at a rate of about four-and-a-half floors per week. When completed in 1931, the Empire State Building was just over 443 meters tall, with 102 floors. The […] - [2025-03-02 New Discovery Could Explain What Gives Mars its Red Color](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-02-new-discovery-could-explain-what-gives-mars-its-red-color/): Scientists say they might have identified the mineral on Mars that is responsible for making the planet appear red. New data collected on Mars through several methods suggests the substance, called ferrihydrite, is likely found in dust and rock material across wide areas of the planet. The team carrying out the research describes ferrihydrite as an “iron oxide mineral.” The mineral appears reddish in color and can form in water-rich environments. The scientists said discovering large amounts of it on Mars adds to existing evidence that the planet might have held a large supply of liquid water in the past. […] - [2025-03-01 How to 'Dish Up' Something Good](https://voa-story.com/2025-03-01-how-to-dish-up-something-good/): And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. Food is a popular subject with many people around the world. It is fun to talk about our favorite dishes. It is even more fun to share a favorite dish with others. Today we talk about the word “dish.” A dish can be the object on which you serve food. But, a dish can also mean a specially prepared food. Do you have a signature dish? Our signature is how we sign our names. So, a signature dish is a dish we are known for making well. In a way, it identifies us. My […] - [2025-02-28 Scientists Discover Stonehenge-like Circle in Denmark](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-28-scientists-discover-stonehenge-like-circle-in-denmark/): Danish researchers have announced the discovery of a collection of wooden pieces placed in a circle that are believed to date back thousands of years ago. The team says the wood pieces and some other objects were found during building work in the northwestern Danish town of Aars. The discovery led the researchers to suggest the people who placed the wooden pieces might have been linked to a group who built Britain’s famous Stonehenge stone structure. A total of 45 ancient wood pieces were discovered underground last week during building, or construction, work. The pieces formed a circle about 30 […] - [2025-02-28 'Rappaccini’s Daughter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Part Two](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-28-rappaccinis-daughter-by-nathaniel-hawthorne-part-two/): Today, we complete the story “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Here is Kay Gallant with the second and final part of “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” Many years ago, a young man named Giovanni Guasconti left his home in Naples to study in northern Italy. He took a room in an old house next to a magnificent garden filled with strange flowers and other plants. The garden belonged to a doctor, Giacomo Rappaccini. He lived with his daughter, Beatrice, in a small brown house in the garden. From a window of his room, Giovanni had seen that Rappaccini’s daughter was […] - [2025-02-28 Appeal](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-28-appeal/): This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer the following question from a listener. Dear teacher, Could you please say more about the meaning of “appeal?” Thank you. Like many words in English, “appeal” has more than one meaning. It can also be more than one part of speech. A part of speech means the grammatical function a word has, such as a noun, verb, adverb or adjective. Let’s look at the many ways we can use the word “appeal.” As a verb, “appeal” means to make a request, often in official situations or involving important things. Generally, we do not use “appeal” […] - [2025-02-27 The Planets Gather for a Show in the Evening Sky](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-27-the-planets-gather-for-a-show-in-the-evening-sky/): All seven major planets form a kind of parade in the sky at the end of February. Although two of the planets are not visible to the unaided eye, all are on the same side of the sun during the evening hours. This planetary grouping happens when the planets appear to line up in the night sky as seen from Earth. They do not form a straight line, but they do stretch across the evening sky this year. The American space agency, NASA, says these astronomical gatherings are common. A parade of four or five planets visible to the unaided eye happens […] - [2025-02-27 Reviewing Your Birthday Message](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-27-reviewing-your-birthday-message/): Recently, our readers and listeners wrote many lovely messages about their birthdays. We have been reading all of them. Most messages are happy. You wrote about gifts you received, the people who celebrated with you, or where and how you celebrated. Some messages seemed sad. Some of you do not get to celebrate your birthdays. Other messages were a mix of sad and happy. In this week’s Everyday Grammar, we are looking at Farhana’s message about her birthday. She wrote: A message from Farhana My birthday was on last 23 march. This was my 27th birthday. In my birthday no […] - [2025-02-26 How to Reduce Risks of Bad Air Quality](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-26-how-to-reduce-risks-of-bad-air-quality/): Air quality differs from place to place and day to day. But about 99 percent of the world’s population breathes air at some point that does not meet pollution guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Different forms of air pollution kill about 7 million people each year, the U.N. health agency estimates. But health experts say there are some actions individuals can take to protect themselves, even in the world’s most polluted cities. The first step is to start with the understanding that air is not only polluted when it looks smoky or smoggy, said Tanushree Ganguly. She is […] - [2025-02-26 Japan’s Toyota Builds a City-like Center to Test Robotics, AI](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-26-japans-toyota-builds-a-city-like-center-to-test-robotics-ai/): Japanese automaker Toyota says it is building a research center in a city-like setting to test robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous vehicle technologies. Toyota recently announced it had completed the first part, or phase, of the center, called Woven City. It sits near the southern Japanese city of Susono. Company officials recently showed off the latest progress to reporters from the Associated Press. Daisuke Toyoda is an executive for Toyota who is helping lead the project. He told the AP that the center was not designed to be a “smart city.” However, it aims to carry out technology research and development […] - [2025-02-26 Mardis Gras: The Biggest Party in New Orleans](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-26-mardis-gras-the-biggest-party-in-new-orleans/): Wild celebrations of Mardi Gras come just before the start of Lent. Lent is the Christian observance leading up to the Easter holiday. It is a serious, spiritual time, especially important to Roman Catholics. The name “Mardi Gras” comes from the French language. It means “Fat Tuesday.” The day is also called “Shrove Tuesday” in some places. Mardi Gras marks the end of the Carnival period, a time of public merrymaking energetically observed in Europe and South America. Mardi Gras in New Orleans During Mardi Gras, huge crowds fill the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the southern part of the United […] - [2025-02-26 News Words: Enigma](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-26-news-words-enigma/) - [2025-02-25 Learn Prefixes, Suffixes to Expand Your Vocabulary](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-25-learn-prefixes-suffixes-to-expand-your-vocabulary/): On a recent program, we explained that knowing just a few root words in English can help you understand the meaning of hundreds more words. To refresh your memory, a root word is the simplest form of a word. For example, two forms of the root for the word “see” are vis- and vid- such as in the words “television” and “video.” Today, we will tell you about prefixes and suffixes – groups of letters that appear at the beginnings and endings of words. Learning the meanings of common prefixes and suffixes can help you understand unknown English words you come across. It can […] - [2025-02-25 Pearl S. Buck: The First American Woman to Win a Nobel Prize in Literature](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-25-pearl-s-buck-the-first-american-woman-to-win-a-nobel-prize-in-literature/): The year was 1931. The top selling book in the United States was The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. The following year, Buck won the Pulitzer Prize for the best novel by an American writer. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. She wrote more than one hundred books. She also wrote short stories, poetry, plays, essays, and children’s books. But most people remember Pearl Buck for her novels about China. She knew the country and its people very well. For nearly 40 years, China was her home. Early life Pearl’s parents were Caroline […] - [2025-02-25 Everyday Grammar Video: Goodbye in Formal Conversations](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-25-everyday-grammar-video-goodbye-in-formal-conversations/) - [2025-02-24 France Sets New Record in Hunt for Nuclear Fusion](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-24-france-sets-new-record-in-hunt-for-nuclear-fusion/): French scientists have announced they set a new record of 22 minutes for keeping hydrogen atoms in a state called plasma. The team said their work marks an important step in the search for nuclear fusion methods that could produce massive amounts of clean energy in the future. France’s Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) said the experiment – carried out February 12 – showed the process kept, or maintained, a state of plasma for 1,337 seconds. The CEA added that the new record was 25 percent longer than the previous one, set in China last month. The aim of fusion research […] - [2025-02-24 Experts Provide Tips for Avoiding Computer-linked Vision Trouble](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-24-experts-provide-tips-for-avoiding-computer-linked-vision-trouble/): Computer, or digital, screens are common at work, homes, schools, and stores. An estimated 104 million Americans of working age spend more than seven hours a day in front of screens, the American Optometric Association says. All that screen time can cause harm. Too much screen viewing can lead to dry or watery eyes, unclear vision and headaches. It can also lead to vision conditions including myopia, or nearsightedness, especially in children. Some technology workers even describe short times of dizziness or vertigo when they look at screens for too long. However, exposure to blue light from digital screens has […] - [2025-02-24 American Inventors: Rocket Scientist Robert Goddard](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-24-american-inventors-rocket-scientist-robert-goddard/): Today rocket launches and space missions are common. But in the early 1900s, space travel seemed like a dream. One of the most influential people in the field of rocket science was American Robert Goddard. The American space agency NASA describes Goddard as “the father of modern rocket propulsion.” Robert Goddard once said that “the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.” His scientific work gave hope to many dreams about space travel. He turned some of those dreams into reality. More than one hundred years ago, Goddard carried out studies and tests of rocket engines. He […] - [2025-02-24 English in a Minute: Hold Your Horses](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-24-english-in-a-minute-hold-your-horses/) - [2025-02-23 The Statue of Liberty: ‘Enlightening the World’ for Nearly 150 Years](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-23-the-statue-of-liberty-enlightening-the-world-for-nearly-150-years/): The Statue of Liberty has served as the guardian of New York Harbor for nearly 150 years. The statue might be one of the most photographed works of art in the world. A French sculptor, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, designed it in the late 1800s. Today the monument remains a beautiful sight on the New York skyline. The materials required for building the Statue of Liberty were almost lost at sea. In 1885, the ship carrying those materials nearly sank in stormy seas. Luckily, the ship survived. It arrived in June of that year. By 1886, the Statue of Liberty was erected on what […] - [2025-02-23 What Is a Polar Vortex Weather System?](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-23-what-is-a-polar-vortex-weather-system/): Weather experts say extreme cold in many parts of the United States this winter has been driven by a polar vortex. But what is this weather system and how does it work? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describes a polar vortex as strong westerly winds that form each winter in the atmosphere above the North Pole. These cold winds move about 16 to 48 kilometers above the surface in the Arctic area in the part of the atmosphere called the stratosphere. At times, the polar vortex can weaken, causing masses of cold air to break off and move south. A […] - [2025-02-22 Space Agencies Report Increased Risk of Space Rock Striking Earth in 2032](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-22-space-agencies-report-increased-risk-of-space-rock-striking-earth-in-2032/): Scientists say the threat of a large space rock striking the Earth in 2032 has increased. Recent calculations suggest there is a small chance – perhaps around 1 to 3 percent – the space rock 2024 YR4 will hit Earth in 2032. This also means there is around a 97 to 99 percent chance it will safely pass our planet in that year. The odds of a strike will likely continue to go up and down as the asteroid’s path around the sun is better understood. And scientists say there is a good chance the risk will drop to zero. NASA and […] - [2025-02-22 The Importance of Being ‘Dialed In’](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-22-the-importance-of-being-dialed-in/): And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. Technology is always progressing. Today, many modern devices can be controlled by touch or voice. This has led to some traditional electronic controls – such as dials and switches – being replaced with new technologies. Digital displays have also become increasingly common. For example, digital number readouts have long replaced the hands on many clocks. Many other devices also now operate purely with digital tools instead of mechanical systems. But some expressions and idioms used by English speakers still describe older technologies. First, let’s talk about dials. These controls are used for changing settings on a piece of equipment, […] - [2025-02-21 Extend, Expand, etc.](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-21-extend-expand-etc/): This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Ann in China. Here is part of Ann’s question: Hello Teachers,Could you please help me understand the difference between “extend,” “expand,” “stretch,” [and] “enlarge” when I describe an activity that makes something larger than its current state? Thank you, Ann. We can use the four verbs Ann asked about to express an increase in physical size or amount. We can also use them to express increasing the time an activity takes. Extend We often use the verb “extend” to talk about increasing the amount of time for an activity or […] - [2025-02-21 Rappaccini’s Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Part One](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-21-rappaccinis-daughter-by-nathaniel-hawthorne-part-one/): Our story today is called “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. We will tell the story in two parts. Here is Kay Gallant with the first part of our story. Many years ago, a young man named Giovanni Guasconti left his home in Naples to study in northern Italy. He rented a small room on the top floor of a dark and ancient palace. Long ago, the building had belonged to a noble family. Now, an old woman, Signora Lisabetta, rented its rooms to students at the University of Padua. Giovanni’s room had a small window. From it […] - [2025-02-21 Researchers Use Chemical Examinations and Human Smell to Study Ancient Remains](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-21-researchers-use-chemical-examinations-and-human-smell-to-study-ancient-remains/): A recent study about the smell of Egyptian mummies reached some surprising findings. The ancient bodies did not smell bad, the researchers found. Instead, they say, the remains mostly smelled good. Cecilia Bembibre is director of research at University College London’s Institute for Sustainable Heritage. “In films and books, terrible things happen to those who smell mummified bodies,” she said. “We were surprised at the pleasantness of them.” The researchers reported the leading descriptions of the smells as “woody,” “spicy” and “sweet.” They also reported a floral or flowery smell. That smell could be from pine and juniper resins used in mummification; a process […] - [2025-02-20 Study: Electrical Medical Device Helps Improve Muscle Strength](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-20-study-electrical-medical-device-helps-improve-muscle-strength/): Researchers recently reported new evidence from a study of a medical device placed inside the body, a spine-stimulating implant. Three people with a muscle-destroying disease got a little stronger after using the implant. They were able to stand and walk more easily because of electrical stimulation to their spinal cord. Marco Capogrosso is an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburg, or Pitt, who led the research. “These people were definitely not expecting an improvement,” he said. Capogrosso said, “They were getting better and better,” over the study that lasted one month. Returning muscle function The implant was able to return […] - [2025-02-20 Describing Your Birthday](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-20-describing-your-birthday/): Today, on Everyday Grammar, we will learn to describe our birthdays. When is your birthday? When people ask us the question “When is your birthday?” we can answer a few different ways. We can use the season (spring, summer, autumn/fall, or winter), the month, or the day. My birthday is in the summer. Her father’s birthday is in March. Last Sunday was her birthday. His birthday is the 4th of May. Remember that word “birthday” is different from “birthdate.” “Birthdate” is the exact date, like December, 7th, 1997. The word “birthday” can be the date, or you can answer more […] - [2025-02-19 Senegal Starts Introducing English in Preschools](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-19-senegal-starts-introducing-english-in-preschools/): In Senegal, educators are starting to teach English to younger children in an effort to better prepare them to succeed in future educational and professional activities. The preschool students also learn French – the country’s official language – as well as Arabic and the nation’s national languages, the French news agency AFP reports. Senegalese children who attend preschool – also known as nursery school, are generally under five. Since mid-January, the education ministry has been testing a program that teaches English in more than 600 nursery and primary school classes. It is part of a plan to better connect Senegal with the […] - [2025-02-19 Tech Tip: How to Block Location Tracking on your Phone](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-19-tech-tip-how-to-block-location-tracking-on-your-phone/): Smartphones have become valuable tools for helping to organize our lives. However, the devices can also capture personal data and location information that users might want to keep private. Here are some tips, suggested by the Associated Press (AP), to help smartphone users limit the collection of private data on personal devices. How does a smartphone track your location? All a user has to do is open a phone’s map tool to search for a restaurant or other business to activate data tracking. Similarly, someone choosing to look up the price of a product online can unknowingly permit the smartphone to track the user’s […] - [2025-02-19 The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the ‘Super Bowl’ of Dog Shows](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-19-the-westminster-kennel-club-dog-show-the-super-bowl-of-dog-shows/): At America’s 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Monty the giant schnauzer won the top prize. The lively schnauzer beat six other finalists in New York City to become the first of his breed to win Westminster’s “best in show.” The prize is the most important and respected in the U.S. dog show world. While Monty came close to winning Westminster the past two years, he fell short of the big prize. In December 2024, the dog won another big prize, the huge American Kennel Club championship. But for dog show lovers, Westminster is considered the Super Bowl of all shows. This year the comparison is especially fitting. That […] - [2025-02-19 News Words: Embers](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-19-news-words-embers/) - [2025-02-18 Airbus Delays Development of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-18-airbus-delays-development-of-hydrogen-powered-aircraft/): European manufacturer Airbus has announced a delay in its development efforts of a hydrogen-powered aircraft. The company explained that progress on the project has been slower and more complex than expected. Airbus had set a goal to make a zero-emission airplane by 2035. The company has not announced a new target date for the plane’s production. But the French union Force Ouvrière said some of its aircraft workers were recently told the technology was running five to 10 years behind, Reuters news agency reported. The French news agency AFP reported Airbus also said it had reduced the program’s budget by 25 […] - [2025-02-18 Mary Kay: A Leader in the Beauty Product Industry](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-18-mary-kay-a-leader-in-the-beauty-product-industry/): Mary Kay Cosmetics is an international company that sells beauty products. One woman started the business in the 1960s with an investment of $5,000. Mary Kathlyn Wagner was born in the state of Texas in 1918. For much of her childhood, she cared for her sick father while her mother worked long hours at a restaurant. Mary Kay married Ben Rogers when she was 17 years old. They had three children before he left home to serve in World War Two. When he returned, their marriage ended. Mary Kay looked for a job so she could support her children. She […] - [2025-02-18 Raise Your English Level with More Vocabulary](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-18-raise-your-english-level-with-more-vocabulary/): Let’s look at two English learners. One knows about 500 words and understands how they are used in a sentence. The other knows about 1,000 words but has some problems with grammar. Which person can understand and communicate more in English? Clearly, it is the person who knows 1,000 words. Some studies have shown that for learners to fully understand a written work, they need to know 95 percent or more of the words in it. That means that if there are only five or more words you do not know in a 100-word text, you might not really understand […] - [2025-02-18 Everyday Grammar Video: How Does Share Fit into Sentences?](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-18-everyday-grammar-video-how-does-share-fit-into-sentences/) - [2025-02-17 Saying ‘No’ at Work Can Be Good for Your Health](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-17-saying-no-at-work-can-be-good-for-your-health/): From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. People might find it hard to set work limits or say “no” before taking on too many responsibilities. But experts say it is important for workers to learn to set such limits, or boundaries. These limits can be important in helping workers protect their physical and mental health. And as with any new skill, setting boundaries gets easier with practice. Justin Stewart is a 36-year-old who works as a news show production assistant. He told The Associated Press that in the past, he had problems setting clear limits in his work […] - [2025-02-17 Thomas Edison: Inventor and Busy Team Leader](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-17-thomas-edison-inventor-and-busy-team-leader/): The inventor Thomas Alva Edison had a major effect on the lives of people around the world. Thomas Edison is remembered most for the electric light, his phonograph, and his work with motion pictures. Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. He was mostly self-taught. His mother taught him reading, writing, and mathematics. He learned from books, and he experimented. At the age of 10, he experimented with chemicals and electricity. He built a telegraph machine and, at the age of 16, he went to work as a telegraph operator. He continued his work with electricity, making improved telegraph machines, […] - [2025-02-17 English in a Minute: Strike a Chord](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-17-english-in-a-minute-strike-a-chord/) - [2025-02-16 European Telescope Discovers ‘Einstein Ring’ in Nearby Galaxy](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-16-european-telescope-discovers-einstein-ring-in-nearby-galaxy/): Scientists say Europe’s Euclid space telescope has discovered a bright ring of light circling a nearby galaxy. The observed light is known as an Einstein ring. Researchers have estimated the ring encircles a galaxy 590 million light years away from Earth. A light year is the distance light travels in a year – about 9.5 trillion kilometers. Astronomers have long known about the galaxy where the ring was discovered. So, they were surprised that the bright ring had not been identified before. It was discovered in a well-studied galaxy called NGC 6505. It is in the constellation – a group of […] - [2025-02-16 Yellowstone: The World’s First National Park](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-16-yellowstone-the-worlds-first-national-park/): Yellowstone National Park in the western United States was the world’s first national park. Established in 1872, it is famous for its geothermal activity and wild animals. It includes beautiful mountains, deep canyons, lakes and rivers. Yellowstone is still one of the largest national parks in the U.S. It takes up almost 9,000 square kilometers. Most of the park lies within the western state of Wyoming. The park is unusual because of what lies underneath it. It sits on top of an ancient super volcano, known as the Yellowstone Caldera. The caldera remains an active volcano. A lake of hot liquid rock […] - [2025-02-15 Don't Miss a Thing With 'Eagle Eyes'](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-15-dont-miss-a-thing-with-eagle-eyes/): And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. From above, birds must have a wonderful view of the world below. Flying over everything at such a height gives them a rare ability to see many things. In English, we use the term “bird’s eye view” to describe a view from above as if seen by a bird in flight. It is also described as an “overall view” or “big picture view.” For example, when I start a project, I first like to get a bird’s eye view. I ask myself several important questions: What is the overall goal? Who is the main focus? […] - [2025-02-15 Monarch Butterfly Count Nears 30-Year Low](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-15-monarch-butterfly-count-nears-30-year-low/): An American nonprofit group says the number of monarch butterflies spending the winter in the western United States has dropped to its second-lowest mark in nearly 30 years. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, based in Oregon, said the causes for this include the use of chemicals to kill insects, known as pesticides. The group also blames reductions in habitat and climate change. The survey began in 1997 Monarch butterflies are known for their clear orange-and-black markings. They live across North America. Monarchs in the eastern United States spend the winter in Mexico. The World Wildlife Fund, a non-profit based in Switzerland, counts […] - [2025-02-14 Visitors Laugh Away Troubles at the HaHaHouse Museum](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-14-visitors-laugh-away-troubles-at-the-hahahouse-museum/): A new museum of laughter in Croatia is offering to help people deal with the negativity of modern life. Visitors to the HaHaHouse in the Croatian capital Zagreb walk into a little cloud of white smoke when they step inside. Its purpose is to blow away their worries before they climb into a “giant washing machine”. Then they move down a twisting slide into a space filled with little white balls where their trip to a happier place starts. Forty-three-year-old Andrea Golubic is the museum’s creator. Golubic said she got the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, many people were feeling down, depressed and […] - [2025-02-14 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' by Edgar Allan Poe, Part Three](https://voa-story.com/2025-02-14-the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-by-edgar-allan-poe-part-three/): We present the last of three parts of the short story “The Fall of the House of Usher,” by Edgar Allan Poe. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State. I was visiting an old friend of mine, Roderick Usher, in his old stone house, his palace, where a feeling of death hung on the air. I saw how fear was pressing on his heart and mind. Now his only sister, the lady Madeline, had died and we had put her body in its resting place, in a room inside the cold walls of the palace, […] ## Pages - [VOA慢速英语节目介绍](https://voa-story.com/voa%e6%85%a2%e9%80%9f%e8%8b%b1%e8%af%ad%e8%8a%82%e7%9b%ae%e4%bb%8b%e7%bb%8d/): 美国之音（以下称VOA）的英语节目，按播音速度可分为两种：Standard English（标准英语）和 Special English（特别英语）。 Special English 又叫“慢速英语”，是VOA 专为全世界非英语国家初学英语的听众安排的一种简易、规范的英语广播节目。该节目创始于50年代末期，是VOA 的专家们研究如何与世界各地的英语学习者进行交际的产物。它正式开播于1959年10月。当时只面向欧洲和中东，但由于这个节目适合许多国家英语学习者的需要，所以它的广播对象不久就扩大到世界其他地区，并很快在全世界范围内产生了广泛的影响。现在这个节目对欧洲、非洲和拉丁美洲每晚广播一次，对加勒比地区每晚广播一次（星期天除外），对东南亚广播次数最多，每天上午两次，晚上三次。 30多年来，VOA 为了办好Special English节目，进行了大量的调查研究工作，对播音速度、内容及用词范围都作了具体规定，基本上达到了既能为英语学习者提供信息，又不损害英语本身风格的目的，使之成为VOA 独具特色，拥有最大量听众的节目。 美国著名词汇学家S. B. Flexmer 指明了Special English的三条标准，也就是它所“特别”的地方： 1、它是一种由美国人最常用的1500个基本单词为主体构成的美国英语； 2、它用简短、明晰的句子写作和广播； 3、它以每分钟90个单词的速度，即2/3的Standard English（标准英语）速度进行广播。 Special English的节目可分为两大类：一类是新闻节目；一类是专题节目。 1．新闻节目 VOA Special English 的新闻广播向听众提供世界范围内的政治、经济、军事、外交、国际关系、宗教、天气以及各种重大事件和珍闻奇事等各个方面的信息，每天向东南亚地区广播五次，早上两次，晚上三次，每逢半点播出。 Special English新闻节目每次长约十分钟，大都播出十条左右新闻，近一千个单词，每条新闻多为一分钟，但偶尔也有长达两分钟的要闻。除头条新闻外，每条新闻都由一个电头引导，这样显得结构分明，条理清晰，适宜初学英语的人收听。在节目结束之前，播音员常常用三四句话重播其中三条新闻的提要以加深听众对要闻的印象。 Special English新闻中70%左右的内容与同时整点播出的Standard English新闻相同，但相同新闻的先后次序有所变动。每次节目的开头和结尾大同小异，格式比较固定。 2．专题节目（一） Special English的专题节目（Feature Programs）,从时间上看，可分为两大类：一是每五分钟一次的专题，二是每十五分钟一次的专题。本节先介绍每项五分钟一次的专题材节目。 Special English五分钟一次的专题材节目安排在Special English新闻节目之后和（或）每十五分钟一次的专题材节目之前播出，每星期播七次。根据内容，可分为三个小类，即：Science Report（科学报道），逢星期一、三、五播出，每天播六遍；Agriculture Report（农业报道），逢星期二、四播出，每天播六遍；Words And Their Stories（词语掌故），逢星期六和星期天播出，每天播五遍。这三个专题材各具特色，具有相对的独立性，听众每听完一个节目，都会获得一个完整的印象。 Science Report（科学报道）这一专题材节目每周向听众介绍三篇有关现代科学技术最新发展情况的报道，涉及物理、化学、天文至高无上理、生物、环卫、心理、教育、医学和计算机等方面。适宜理工科大学生和科技工作者收集信息，积累资料，学习科技英语。 Agriculture Report（农业报道） Agriculture Report是为农业科技工作者和生产者安排的一个专题。它专门报道世界各国，特别是美国现代农业生产的最新成文汇报总务科 学家对农业生产某一方面的研究进展，以及他们对影响农业生产的某一自然现象进行分析和研究的近况。此外，它还经常向听众介绍发展中国家家业生产的一些有益经验等内容。 Words And Their Stories（词语掌故）这一专题节目，旨在向学习英语的听众介绍美国英语中生动有趣的词语和惯用法，并从科学研究和通俗词源学的角度来解释它们的含意、产生的背景及其在使用过程中的演变情况等。它通过讲故事的形式讲解每一个词语。这是VOA Special English中的优秀节目之一，是学习美国英语的极好材料。通过收听这一节目，听众不仅能学到娓娓动听的掌故和地道的美国英语，而且能增加美国的社会文化背景知识，历史传统与现状的了解。 VOA 为了更好地办好这个节目，便于听众收听学习，于1978年编辑出版了一本名为Words And Their Stories的书，共收集一百篇故事，作者是Herbert Sutcliffe, Harold Bermen 及VOA 该节目的部分编辑人员。在每次的实际广播中，播音员都以此书为蓝本，再根据需要对原稿进行适当增删。按每周两个故事计算，此书的一百个故事还不能满足一年的播音需要。于是编辑们就是重播部分词语掌故的同时，不断增加许多新的词语掌故，及时将词源学家的最新研究成果和不断增加的新词汇介绍给听众。收听实践证明，初学者在收听过程中必然会遇到许多人名、地名和一些较难的句子，有时甚至在听完之后还很难理解所播词语的确切含义及其汉语意思，为此，听众可参看1983年由中国对外翻译出版公司出版的该书英汉对照本中的有关部分。 3．专题节目（二） VOA Special English的专题节目，除上节谈的五分钟一次的以外，还有本节要介绍的每十五分钟一次的节目。这类节目共有七个不同的小专题，以星期为单位循环，每天分四次复播出一个专题，但星期日和星期六的两个专题材每晚只播三遍，每次节目约十分钟，继每次五分钟的专题节目之后播出。 这类专题节目的基本结构是，在特定的伴声中先报告当次节目的名称，并扼要介绍其主要内容，然后播送节目正文。最后，在伴乐声中报告节目主持人和撰稿人的姓名，以邀请听众在下周的这个时间继续收听该节目而结束。 People in America（美国人物志） 这是有关美国历史名人的一个专题节目，每逢星期天晚上播出。它向听众介绍在美国历史上产生过重大影响、起过重要作用、作出了突出贡献的科学、文学、政治、或其他各方面的历史人物。节目一般都对他们的生平事迹进行简要的叙述，对其贡献作出评介，类似人物小传。有的重要人物事迹很多，必须用两次或几次的节目时间进行联播。对这样的节目要坚持收听，才会获得完整的印象。 This is America（今日美国） This Is America向听众介绍美国人民的生活、学习、工作和娱乐情况，是英语学习者解美国社会的一条渠道。该专题大都一个节目一个整体，每逢星期一晚播出。 Science in the News（科学新闻） 这一专题材主要对新近的科学技术新闻进行综述或摘要广播。向听众介绍世界各国在自然、医学、疾病、原子能、航天等方面的科研动态、成果、突破性进展及存在的困难。涉及当今世界人们普遍关心的重大问题，如核事故、航天飞机爆炸、自然灾害、环境污染和爱滋病等等。每逢星期二播出，每次播一到五条新闻摘要。 Explorations（自然探索） 每逢星期三晚上，听众可以收听到Explorations这一专题节目。该专题既涉及人类遨游太空、探索原子、研究自身、改造自然的现代技术，也报道发展中国家开发新资源，利用新工艺改善人民生活等方面的成就，其侧重点在各种科技实验和简易实用技术方面。该节目一般安排一段时间播一个系列，每次播出一个主题，以便能将某项新技术的研究和应用的全过程介绍给听众，电台还乐意为感兴趣的听众提供所需的文字材料。 The Making of a Nation（建国史话） 这一专题节目向听众介绍美利坚合众国从十三个殖民地区域到现代工业国的孕育、诞生以及形成超级大国的历史过程，并以历史为线索，特定的历史时期为单位，以重大的历史事件为主题材来叙述各个党派、各届总统和政府的历史作用与贡献。这是每个英语学习者都应了解的基本知识。The Making of a […] [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)