Dec 16, 2008

VOA Special English - Weekly Report


How to Recognize the Warning Signs of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
On SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: Any device that burns fuels such as coal, oil or wood can create the gas. And experts say the leading cause of injury and death is damaged equipment or a lack of knowledge about the correct use.

Getting Enough Food a 'Distant Dream' for Almost a Billion
On AGRICULTURE REPORT: A U.N. report shows an increase of 40 million undernourished people in 2008, mainly because of higher food prices.

Coming to Town for the Inaugural? Add These Sights to See
On THIS IS AMERICA: A visit to Congress' new, $600 million Capitol Visitor Center and the Smithsonian's renewed National Museum of American History.

Zimbabwe's Cholera Epidemic
On DEVELOPMENT REPORT: Condoleezza Rice is expected to urge southern African countries at the U.N. this week to increase pressure on President Robert Mugabe.

Short Story: 'Feathertop' by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Written by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hobson's Choice: When There Is Really No Choice at All
Making choices is necessary, but not always easy.

Shirley Horn, 1934-2005: One of the Great Jazz Singers of '50s and '60s
On PEOPLE IN AMERICA: When she sang a song, she wanted the audience to feel it in the same way she did. She had a small voice. But her songs had a big effect.

US State of Illinois Opens New Chapter in Its Corruption History
On IN THE NEWS: Federal agents arrested the governor, Rod Blagojevich. One accusation is that he tried to profit from making an appointment to President-elect Obama's former Senate seat.

Tribune, a Big US Media Group, Goes Bankrupt
On ECONOMICS REPORT: Sam Zell borrowed heavily to buy the company. Now, a year later, it becomes the victim of a weak economy and decreasing newspaper readership.

Oh, Say, You Can See the Star-Spangled Banner Again in Washington
On AMERICAN MOSAIC: The famous flag on which the national anthem is based gets a new display. A question from Turkey about Michael Jordan. And music by Cold War Kids.

American History Series: Trouble Grows Deep in the Heart of Texas
On THE MAKING OF A NATION: The territory was part of Mexico. But American settlers who moved there for the low-priced land objected to learning Spanish or accepting Mexican traditions.

Foreign Student Series: The SAT and the ACT
On EDUCATION REPORT: In part 14, we talk about the two competing college-admissions tests in the U.S., and about schools that require neither.

Scientists See Progress on a Dengue Vaccine
On HEALTH REPORT: The disease may cause 50 million infections worldwide each year, and it is spreading to new areas.

Carl Sagan Helped People Understand Our Planet and the Universe
On EXPLORATIONS: He spent much of his life helping to make space travel to the outer universe possible.

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