VOA标准英语2011--Discounts Boost US Holiday Sales

Discounts Boost US Holiday Sales American consumers may be feeling a little more upbeat about the economy. The nation's Consumer Confidence Index rose almost 10 points in December to 64.5, the highest level since April. The renewed optimism appears t

VOA标准英语2011--US Presidential Candidates Struggle Ahead of Iowa Caucus

US Presidential Candidates Struggle Ahead of Iowa Caucus The United States elects its president in just a little more than 11 months. But before the general election, the Republican party must first select a nominee, who will run against current Pres

VOA标准英语2011--Music Store Sets Beat for Austin Music Scene

Music Store Sets Beat for Austin Music Scene Music thrives in Austin, Texas, where the industry brings in around $1 billion to the city every year. Musicians flood the city in droves and nearly every night there are live performances. Over the past t

VOA标准英语2011--Silent Movie Speaks of Romance

Silent Movie Speaks of Romance Hollywood's finest offerings often appear during the holiday season. This year, one of them is Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist, a black-and-white homage to the silent films of the 1920s. The Artist, a silent film itself

VOA标准英语2011--Elephant Leaves Alaska for Warmer Home

Elephant Leaves Alaska for Warmer Home 大象玛姬离开阿拉斯加前往温暖新家 As we write this story, the temperature in Anchorage, Alaska, is minus-8 degrees Celsius. Bitter cold, in other words, as you might expect on an early-winter day

VOA标准英语--2011 Saw Challenges of Hunger and Poverty

2011 Saw Challenges of Hunger and Poverty The Worldwatch Institute said in 2011 far too many people were living with less than they needed. It says, for example, nearly one billion people were hungry and just as many were illiterate. Worldwatch Insti

VOA标准英语2011--Iraqi Women Fear Violence, Erosion of Rights

Iraqi Women Fear Violence, Erosion of Rights Women in Iraq often bear the brunt of war. After three wars since 1980, sectarian conflicts and terrorist attacks, many have lost at least one close relative. Women are concerned about their future under t

VOA标准英语2011--Chinese Goods Top Christmas Wish List In Cameroon

Chinese Goods Top Christmas Wish List In Cameroon 中国商品在喀麦隆圣诞节愿望清单中成为抢手货 For many in predominantly Chrisian Cameroon, Christmas without new dresses, playthings and extraordinary food is unthinkable. Family bre

VOA标准英语2011--Rare Violins Play Starring Role in Concert

Rare Violins Play Starring Role in Concert Stradivarius instruments, especially Stradivarius violins, are known the world over for their exquisite beauty, unparalleled craftsmanship and extraordinary sound. Six of the rare instruments are owned by th

VOA标准英语2011--Cameroon-Nigeria Border Demarcation Due

Cameroon-Nigeria Border Demarcation Due to be Finished Next Year An agreement between Cameroon and its western neighbor, Nigeria, is serving as a model for the peaceful resolution of border disputes. The Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission was created

VOA标准英语2011--G8 Backs Away From Libya 'No-Fly' Zone

France failed Tuesday to get support for a no-fly zone over Libya from the Group of Eight nations meeting in Paris. A two-day meeting of the G8 foreign ministers ended without agreement on establishing a no-fly zone against Libya, with reservations e

VOA标准英语2011--Fears of Suicide Surge in Japan's Tsunam

Fears of Suicide Surge in Japan's Tsunami Zone [ti:Fears of Suicide Surge in Japan's Tsunami Zone] [ar:Voice of America] [al:VOA News English] [00:00.00] [00:00.79]The physical impact of the tsunami [00:02.59]is still clear to see. [00:04.37]But as r

VOA标准英语2011--Jazz Album Features Newly-Released Collection of Miles Davis Quintet Concerts

Jazz Album Features Newly-Released Collection of Miles Davis Quintet Concerts Trumpeter Miles Davis led some of the greatest bands in jazz history, including the so-called Second Great Quintet. The group soars on a newly-released collection of live c

VOA标准英语2011-South Sudan Officials Prepare for Referen

As vote tabulation proceeds in southern Sudan's independence referendum, its leaders are preparing for the day when the final results are in. Officials say whether the region chooses to separate or remain part of Sudan they face vast challenges. The

VOA标准英语2011--Undersea Cable Could Revolutionize Ocean

UnderseaCableCouldRevolutionizeOceanography This past April, there was a big volcanic eruption in Americas Pacific Northwest. If you missed it, you're not alone. It happened under the ocean off the northern Oregon coast. Since then, several research

VOA标准英语2011--US Bridge Loses Main Claim to Fame

US Bridge Loses Main Claim to Fame Several years ago, the U.S. automobile-rental company Avis came up with an imaginative, if not exactly boastful, advertising slogan. We're Number Two! in number of rentals, it went. We Try Harder. The folks in south

VOA标准英语2011--A Dinner Where Turkeys Are Guests, Not Entrees

A Dinner Where Turkeys Are Guests, Not Entrees Thanksgiving in the United States is a holiday that emphasizes roast turkey as the traditional meal. The National Turkey Federation reports that more than 45 million of the birds meet their doom in Novem

Jailed Cameroonian Musician Fights for Freedom of Expression

One of Cameroon's best known and most controversial musicians, Lapiro de Mbanga, is spending this year's fifth annual International Music Freedom Day at a Douala courthouse not far from his jail cell. Lapiro is citing wrongful imprisonment for a song

VOA标准英语2011--Maternal Health Practioners Advocate Sav

Maternal Health Practioners Advocate Saving Lives at Birth The World Health Organization estimates that every minute, a woman dies during pregnancy and millions of others suffer from infections and disease associated with childbearing. To combat this

Microcredit Pioneer Yunus Loses Appeal in Bangladesh Supreme

In Bangladesh, the Supreme Court has upheld an order dismissing microcredit pioneer Mohammad Yunus from Grameen Bank, which he founded. Following international pressure, however, the government has been in talks with the Nobel laureate to reach a com