This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. As we told you last week, the United States has about seventy thousand foundations for charitable giving. They are required to give away at least fiv

This is the VOA Special English Health Report. The first treatment for H.I.V. in the form of one pill taken once a day is going to market in the United States. A spokesman for the drug company Bristo

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. America's leading food crop is corn. Most of that corn comes from the middle of the country. Recently, farmers in the Corn Belt states of the Midw

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. This week -- making music under the sky. Steve Ember and Faith Lapidus tell you about two of America’s best known open-air music parks. (MUSIC) It

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim organization formed in Lebanon after the Israeli invasion in nineteen eighty-two. The name means “Party of God." Hezboll

This is the VOA Special English Health Report. Scientific evidence has been building about the dangers to people who do not smoke from those who do. Now the top doctor in the United States says the e

This is the VOA Special English Education Report. Almost half of new American teachers leave the profession within five years. Some get tired of large class sizes, limited planning time and support,

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. Carrots are grown on farms and in family gardens throughout the world. Carrots are easy to raise and easy to harvest. They taste good. And they con

I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. The European Commission ruled Wednesday that Microsoft is still using its powerful market position illegally. The top European Union of

This is the VOA Special English Development Report. The world has more than six thousand million people. Almost half are under the age of twenty-five. This year's World Population Day on July eleven

VOICE ONE: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I’m Bob Doughty. VOICE TWO: And I’m Faith Lapidus. This week, we tell about some health problems linked to extreme heat. We also tell

This is Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. Veterinarians are a first line of defense not only for diseases that affect animals, but also those like bird flu that can spread

(MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. On June twenty-ninth, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a public works bill. The act of Congress provided federal aid to b

I’m Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.This week, the space shuttle Discovery flew to the International Space Station as NASA struggles to meet an important date. A plan to complete

I'm Jim Tedder with the VOA Special English Education Report. Everyone knows about exchange and visitor programs that give students a chance to study in another country. But today we are going to ta

I’m Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Health Report. Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. The risk increases in summer because ultraviolet rays from the sun are the main c

I’m Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Health Report. Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. The risk increases in summer because ultraviolet rays from the sun are the main c

I’m Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.We have an e-mail from Phan Tan Hien, who wants to know about the jojoba [ho-HO-ba] plant and the uses for its oil. Jojoba is a woody

(MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus. VOICE TWO: And I'm Steve Ember. July Fourth is America's birthday. This year is the two hundred thirtieth a

(MUSIC) VOICE ONE: I'm Shirley Griffith. VOICE TWO: And I'm Rich Kleinfeldt with the VOA Special English program, PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Today we tell the story of Todd Duncan -- a concert singer and m

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I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. Japan agreed last week to import beef from the United States again. But first, Japanese officials will inspect American meat processo

I’m Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Development Report.A new report says an increase in development aid has improved health and education levels in some of the world's poorest countries.

(MUSIC)VOICE ONE: I'm Ray Freeman. VOICE TWO: And I'm Shirley Griffith with the Special English program People in America. Every week we tell about a person who was important in the history of the

I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report.Stocks, bonds, land -- people invest in different things and for different reasons. But all investors share the same goal. They want to

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.There is a lot of discussion in the United States about differences between boys and girls in school. Lately that discussion has centere

I’m Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Health Report.Some of the most commonly used medicines for high blood pressure are drugs called ACE inhibitors. Doctors have given these drugs to patien

(MUSIC)VOICE ONE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Barbara Klein. VOICE TWO: And I’m Steve Ember. This week, explore the biggest city in Texas. Houston is home to cowboy cultu

I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report.Many people know that hedge funds are investments for the wealthy. But what exactly are they? A hedge fund is an investment group often

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.A college education can be very costly in the United States, especially at a private school. Rising costs have led more and more familie

(MUSIC)VOICE ONE: This is Phoebe Zimmermann. VOICE TWO: And this is Steve Ember with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we tell about one of the most famous national parks in the United Stat

This is Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.Rabbits are easy to raise. The long-eared animals are clean and quiet. They do not need a lot of room. And you do not have to spen

I'm Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.On Thursday, Iraqi and American officials announced the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq is blamed for hundreds o

(MUSIC)VOICE ONE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember. VOICE TWO: And I'm Barbara Klein. This week -- weddings in America. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Australian model Narelle

I’m Mario Ritter with the VOA Special English Education Report.Many young people in the United States never finish high school. Exactly how many drop out is another issue. Recent studies of dropout

(MUSIC)VOICE ONE: THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a program in Special English. (MUSIC)As we have seen in recent programs, the administrations of President Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge were a time of

This is Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.A major study has looked at efforts to save the tropical forests that remain in the world. Researchers found that less than five p

I'm Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Development Report.This Friday, the World Cup opens in Germany. Teams from thirty-two countries will compete in sixty-four games. The champion of the w

I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report.President Bush has named Henry Paulson Jr. to replace John Snow as the secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Paulson is the chairman and chief

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.A new committee of experts will look for the best ways to improve math education in the United States. The effort is part of the America

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA special English Development Report.The World Health Organization says, half of the world's population burns wood, coal, animal waste or other solid fuels. More than 3,00

(MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA, in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein. VOICE TWO: And I'm Steve Ember. The last Monday in May is a national holiday. Memorial Day honors those who

I'm Bob Doughty with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Fannie Mae, the mortgage-finance company, agreed this week to pay a fine of four hundred million dollars. The United States government w

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report. Lawmakers in Florida have taken a step to add a college tradition to high schools in their state. The Florida Legislature has approved a

I’m Bob Doughty with the VOA Special English HEALTH REPORT. Women who have problems with artificial knee implants may get some help soon. The United States Food and Drug Administration recently appro

I'm Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. Two influential thinkers of the 20th century have died. John Kenneth Galbraith, the economist, died on April 29th at the age of 97. Jane Jaco

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report. Some of America's best universities have accepted an unusually low percentage of students for admission this fall. For example, the Wa

I’m Doug Johnson with the VOA Special English Economics Report. The credit card was a revolutionary idea. Today, a small plastic card lets people charge purchases in millions of places. The sellers