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Science 2006: The Year in Medicine, Space and the Environment
Transcript of radio broadcast:
02 January 2007
VOICE ONE:
This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I’m Mario
Ritter.
Concerns about climate change
grew in 2006 as scientists
reported that ice was melting at
the North and South Pole
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Bob Doughty. This week, we talk about last year.
VOICE ONE:
We tell about some important science stories of two thousand six
discoveries in medicine, space and the environment.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Some of the biggest science stories last year were in health and medicine. And two of them came late
in two thousand six. First is a major finding about the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
In December, AIDS researchers announced findings about adult male circumcision. Two studies in
Africa found that circumcised men had about half the risk of getting HIV from sex with women as
uncircumcised men had. The studies took place in Kenya and Uganda.
HIV rates are generally lower in areas of the world where the removal of the foreskin from the penis is
common in babies or young boys.
The findings of the African studies were so clear that the United States National Institutes of Health
decided to end both studies early. All the men involved now are being offered circumcision.
The researchers said male circumcision could also lead to fewer infections in women where HIV is
spread through heterosexual sex. Health experts say they hope circumcision will become one of the
basic tools to fight HIV and AIDS. But they expect some cultural and economic barriers. Some
people have also expressed another concern about circumcision. They say it might make men think

they do not need to do anything else to prevent HIV infection.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Another major health story last month concerned breast cancer. The news came from cancer
researchers at the University of Texas in Houston. They had found a sharp decrease in newly found
breast cancer rates between two thousand two and two thousand three. It was the first such drop in
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seventy years. And it followed a huge decrease in the number of older women treated with
female hormones to ease conditions caused by a natural decrease in such hormones.
For years doctors treated these conditions of menopause with the hormones estrogen and
progesterone. But in two thousand two a large study showed hormone replacement therapy seemed to
increase the risk of breast cancer. The use of hormone replacement therapy then dropped by fifty
percent.
The researchers at the University of Texas say overall rates of new breast cancers dropped seven
percent the next year. And they said breast cancer that is linked to estrogen decreased by at least
twelve percent. However, health experts say the findings do not prove that hormone replacement
therapy causes breast cancer.
VOICE TWO:
There was also news about a new vaccine to prevent another cancer in women cervical cancer.
United Nations health officials called for the wide use of the vaccine against the human papilloma
virus, or H.P.V. H.P.V. causes seventy percent of all cervical cancers. It is a leading cause of cancer
deaths in women in developing countries.
The vaccine could prevent more than two-thirds of deaths from cervical cancer around the world.
Officials say the vaccine is safe and effective for females between the ages of nine and twenty-six.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Not all the science news last year was medical. In August, more than two thousand members of the
International Astronomical Union met in the Czech capital, Prague. They agreed to a new definition of
planet. They also agreed that Pluto did not meet the terms of the new definition. So, now the solar

system has eight planets instead of nine.
But do not cry for the former ninth planet. The astronomical union says we should not think we have
lost a planet but that we have gained a new kind of space object: the dwarf planet, Pluto.
VOICE TWO:
Astronomers and physicists were also interested in some information provided by the Hubble Space
Telescope last year. It provided some light on the mysterious force known as dark energy. The
Hubble examined stars that exploded billions of years ago. The findings: dark energy has been
present for most of the history of the universe.
Dark energy is a mysterious force that causes the universe to expand at an increasing rate. Scientists
do not know much about dark energy. But they say it makes up about seventy percent of the energy in
the universe. It appears to balance the force of gravity.
Most physicists consider dark energy to be the force that Albert Einstein called the cosmological
constant. It prevents gravity from pulling all matter together in a cosmic crush. This latest study
shows dark energy was present in the universe as long as nine billion years ago. Over the next four
billion years the power of dark energy grew.
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The expansion rate of the universe began speeding up about five billion years ago. That is when
scientists believe that dark energy's force overtook gravity. Adam Reiss of the Space Telescope
Science Institute and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore Maryland led this research.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Hubble also got some good news of its own last year. NASA announced it would fly a shuttle crew to
the space telescope to make repairs and add new equipment. The telescope orbits six hundred
kilometers above the Earth. The shuttle crew is expected to make the trip in May of next year. They
hope to fix Hubble so it can continue operating until two thousand thirteen.
In other news from last year, the American space agency, NASA, returned to space. Three successful
launches of the space shuttle visited the International Space Station. NASA's two Mars vehicles,
Spirit and Opportunity, continued their exploration of the red planet. They found signs of recently
flowing water on the planet.

An orbiting spacecraft gave the world extraordinary images of the planet Saturn and its rings. NASA
also announced important plans for the future. It will update the design of the space shuttles. And it
is planning an international permanent base on the moon by the year twenty twenty.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Global warming remained a hot subject of earth science last year. Scientists declared that the ice at
both the North and South Poles was melting. A long-term study showed that Greenland lost one
hundred billion metric tons of ice between two thousand three and two thousand five.
Antarctica at the South Pole contains almost seventy percent of the world’s fresh water. The continent
is almost all ice. In some areas that ice is close to two thousand meters thick. Scientists said the
Antarctic ice sheet is losing as much as one hundred fifty-two cubic kilometers of ice every year.
One study suggests that melting ice from both poles could cause sea levels in the world to rise by
several meters by the end of this century. As a result, low-lying areas of land could be under water.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Some international ecology scientists and economists gave a serious warning about the future for fish.
They reported that seafood supplies from the world's oceans could be almost gone within fifty years
because of overfishing.
The researchers reported their findings in Science magazine in November. They said there had
already been a collapse in wild populations of almost one-third of currently fished seafoods. The
study says that means the catch has fallen by ninety percent from the highest levels. The scientists
said that species have recently been disappearing from oceans at increasing speed.
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The scientists said it is not too late to repair the damage done to the oceans from overfishing, climate
change and other forces. They said governments and industries must work together to establish shared
fishing, pollution and species protection controls.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Caty Weaver and produced by Brianna Blake. I'm Bob

Doughty.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Mario Ritter. For more science news, MP3 files and transcripts of our programs, go to
voaspecialenglish.com. And join us again next week for more news about science in Special English
on the Voice of America.
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Ever Wonder Where Seedless Fruits Come From?
An explanation of grafting. Transcript of radio broadcast:
02 January 2007
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This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
These days, if we hear about two different plants being combined, the first thing we think of is modern
biotechnology. But the low-technology process of grafting remains an extremely important form of
genetic engineering in agriculture.
Many kinds of plants are grown not from seeds but from pieces cut from
existing plants. Farmers cut branches or buds, young growths, from one
plant and place them on a related kind of plant.
The branch or bud that is grafted is called a scion [pronounced SY-uhn].
The plant that accepts the graft is called the root stock.
Over time, the parts from the two plants grow together. The grafted plant
begins to produce the leaves and fruit of the scion, not the root stock.
A graft can be cut in several ways. A cleft graft, for example, requires a
scion with several buds on it. The bottom of the scion is cut in the shape
of the letter V. A place is cut in the root stock to accept the scion.
The scion is then securely placed into the cut on the root stock. Material
called a growth medium is put on the joint to keep it wet and help the
growth.

Grafting still holds an
important place even in an age
of high-tech agriculture
Grafting can join scions with desirable qualities to root stock that is strong and resists disease and
insects. Smaller trees can be grafted with older scions.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency says producing stronger plants by grafting can
reduce the need to use pesticides.
Agriculture could not exist as we know it without grafting. Many fruits and nuts have been improved
through this method. Some common fruit trees such as sweet cherries and McIntosh apples have to be
grafted.
Bing cherries, for example, are one of the most popular kinds of cherries. But a Bing cherry tree is not
grown from seed. Branches that produce Bing cherries must be grafted onto root stock. All sweet
cherries on the market are grown this way.
And then there are seedless fruits like navel oranges and seedless watermelons. Have you ever
wondered how farmers grow them? Through grafting.
The grapefruit tree is another plant that depends on grafting to reproduce. Grapes, apples, pears and
also flowers can be improved through grafting.
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In an age of high-technology agriculture, grafting still holds an important place.
And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Mario Ritter. You can learn more
about agriculture, and download MP3 files and transcripts of our reports, at voaspecialenglish.com.
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A Musical Exploration of Time
We present some popular songs about time. Transcript of radio broadcast:
01 January 2007
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(MUSIC)
ANNOUNCER: This is Shirley Griffith with a Special English program for the New Year. We
present fifteen minutes of music about . . . time.
(SOUND)
ANNOUNCER: We celebrate the New Year with a few examples of music about time. You just heard
a song called "Syncopated Clock." American music writer Leroy Anderson wrote it in the nineteen
forties.
In nineteen fifty-four, the group Bill Haley and His Comets provided musical proof that any time on
the clock is a good time to dance.
(MUSIC)
In nineteen sixty-five, a group named the Byrds recorded a song that seemed modern. But the words
are old. They are from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament of the Bible.
(MUSIC)
Countless songs have been written about time. Many songs are also about two other forces that seem
just as unstoppable love and desire. This song by Jim Croce captures these emotions.
(MUSIC)
Jim Croce did not have much time to live. The singer died in an airplane crash in nineteen seventy-
three. He was thirty years old.
Another song about love and time is sung by one of the most famous groups of our time, the Rolling
Stones. In this song, time is an ally.
(MUSIC)
Americans sing a traditional Scottish song at New Year's celebrations. It is "Auld Lang Syne."
Eighteen century Poet Robert Burns wrote the words. It is about keeping alive the memory of old
friends.
A bandleader named Guy Lombardo helped make "Auld Lang Syne" a modern tradition. The song has
become a well- known signal of the beginning of another year.
(MUSIC)
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This Special English program was written by Avi Arditti and produced by Caty Weaver. I'm Shirley
Griffith wishing everyone a very Happy New Year.
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The New Year Begins With Some Resolutions
Two popular ones are to lose weight or stop smoking. Transcript of radio broadcast:
01 January 2007
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(MUSIC)
Now, a VOA Special English holiday program.
(MUSIC)
January first. The beginning of a new year. As far back in history as we can tell, people have
celebrated the start of a new year. The people of ancient Egypt began their new year in summer. That
is when the Nile River flooded its banks, bringing water and fertility to the land.
Today, most people celebrate New Year’s Day on January first. People observe the New Year’s
holiday in many different ways.
The ancient Babylonians celebrated by forcing their king to give up his crown and royal clothing.
They made him get down on his knees and admit all the mistakes he had made during the past year.
The idea of admitting mistakes and finishing the business of the old year is found in many cultures at
New Year’s.
So is the idea of making New Year’s resolutions. A resolution is a promise to change or do something
different in the coming year.
Making New Year’s resolutions is a common American tradition. Today, popular resolutions might
include the promise to lose weight, stop smoking, or be more productive at work.
Some of our Special English writers and announcers offered New Year’s resolutions of their own.
One person decided to get a new cat to replace a beloved one that recently died. Another promised to
stop telling stories about other people. And another staff member promised to spend more time with
his family.

Other people use New Year’s resolutions to make major changes in their lives. One such resolution
might be to “stop and smell the flowers.” This means to take time to enjoy simple pleasures instead of
always being too busy and in a hurry.
Another resolution might be “don’t sweat the small stuff.” This means not to worry or get angry about
unimportant things. Another resolution might be to be happy now and to forget about bad things that
happened in the past. Or, to be thankful for the most important things in life, like family and friends.
Our resolution is to wish all of our listeners a happy, healthy and productive New Year!
I'm Mario Ritter for VOA Special English.
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Remembering Five Special People Who Died in 2006
Hear about the lives of Robert Altman, Ann Richards, R.W. Apple, William Styron and Ruth Brown. Transcript of
radio broadcast:

30 December 2006
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VOICE ONE:
I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Barbara Klein with People in America in VOA Special English. Today we tell about five
special people who died during the past year. We start with the movie director Robert Altman. During
his fifty-year career, he made some of the most influential movies of modern times.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Robert Altman’s films were different from the usual methods of
Hollywood movie storytelling. He started his film career in the nineteen
forties directing industrial movies in his hometown of Kansas City,
Missouri. Later, he moved to Hollywood, California, to make television

shows.

Robert Altman
His first major film, "M*A*S*H", was released in nineteen seventy. It
tells about a group of American medical workers in a temporary military
hospital in Korea during the Korean War in the nineteen fifties. The movie
was a great success. It questions the rules of the military establishment in
a way that was sharply funny and intelligent.
Robert Altman continued to make movies with strong political and social commentary. His next major
movie, “Nashville,” came out in nineteen seventy-five. This movie provides a complex look at
changes in the country music industry.
VOICE TWO:
Robert Altman's movies have a very special style. Often, his actors speak so naturally it is hard to
believe they are performing. Altman liked his actors to be free to make up their own lines. He often
layered different recordings of actors talking at once. Altman wanted to copy the way people talk and
act in real life. And he was willing to fight with movie studio businessmen to make sure he had total
creative control over his work.
Even as an old man, Robert Altman continued to make movies. Many of his thirty-three films were
nominated for Academy Awards, including “The Player” and “Gosford Park.” Robert Altman died in
November in Los Angeles, California. He was eighty-one years old.
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(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Ann Richards was a famous Democratic party politician from the southern
state of Texas. She served as the governor of Texas for four years. Richards
was known for her big white hair, big smile, and sharply funny comments.
She was also known for forming what she called a “New Texas” during her
time as governor. She created a government in which women, Hispanics, and
African-Americans played important roles.

Ann Richards
Ann Richards did not always have a career in public service. As a young
woman, she worked as a teacher and raised four children. She and her
husband were very involved in local politics. Richards began working hard to
help Democratic Party candidates win seats in the Texas legislature.
VOICE TWO:
Then one day, she decided to run for office herself and she won. She served first as country
commissioner, then as Texas state treasurer. In nineteen ninety she was elected governor. She fought
for equal rights, environmental protection and laws to restrict guns. After losing a second term as
governor to George W. Bush, Richards worked in public relations.
She died in September at the age of seventy-three. At her funeral service, leaders from around the
country gathered to celebrate her life. Former President Bill Clinton spoke at the service. He said Ann
Richards helped create a world where young girls could be scientists, engineers and police officers. He
said she was a great woman with a big heart and big dreams.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
The journalist R.W. Apple, known as Johnny, wrote about many subjects,
from politics and war to food and drink. During his forty-three years writing
for the New York Times newspaper, he enjoyed a rich and eventful career.
He was the paper’s chief reporter in cities like London, Moscow, Lagos and
Nairobi. He covered events such as the Vietnam War, the Iranian revolution
and the Gulf War. He reported on ten presidential elections. And, Johnny
Apple’s opinions on fine food, travel and the world’s best restaurants were
very influential.

R. W. Apple
VOICE TWO:
Raymond Walter Apple was born in nineteen thirty-four in Akron, Ohio. His father owned several
food stores and wanted his son to take over the business. But the young man fell in love with

journalism instead. He began as a reporter for his high school and then college newspaper. He later
wrote news stories for the Wall Street journal and the NBC news television network. But it was his
years at the New York Times that established him as one of the greatest political and cultural writers
of his time.
VOICE ONE:
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Johnny Apple died in October at the age of seventy-one. Earlier this month his friends and family
gathered in Washington, D.C. for a large memorial service. Famous writers, politicians, and cooks
told about his warm personality, sharp intelligence, and extraordinary energy. After the service, guests
enjoyed fine foods provided by some of the best cooks in the area.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
William Styron wrote intense books about tragic periods in history. His
stories are filled with rich language and complex moral questions. Many of
his books try to understand the evil actions of people. His first novel, “Lie
Down in Darkness,” was published in nineteen fifty-one when he was only
twenty-five. It is about a troubled young woman who kills herself. It
established him as a great new voice in American literature. The book
received the Rome Prize, which required him to live in Italy for a year. He
soon became friends with many famous American writers including James
Baldwin and Norman Mailer.
William Styron
VOICE ONE:
William Styron was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia. He quit college to join the Marines
during World War Two. He later continued his studies in English literature. After briefly working in
publishing, he started to write.
Styron wrote “The Confessions of Nat Turner” in nineteen sixty-eight. It told about a nineteenth
century slave revolt in the southern state of Virginia. Critics praised the book and it was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize. But African American writers strongly criticized the story.

VOICE TWO:
Styron's book “Sophie’s Choice” won the American Book Award in nineteen eighty. It is a tragic
story about a woman and her children who are sent to a Nazi death camp in Poland during World War
Two. The book was made into a movie starring Meryl Streep.
Later in life William Styron suffered from severe depression. After recovering, he wrote honestly and
bravely about his experience in “Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness.” He received great praise
for educating people about the difficulties of mental illness. William Styron died in November at the
age of eighty-one.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Did you recognize that powerful voice? It is Ruth Brown singing “Lucky Lips.” Brown recorded
many rhythm and blues hits in the nineteen fifties. Her popular songs helped build the Atlantic
Records company.
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Ruth Brown was born in Portsmouth, Virginia in nineteen twenty-eight. She
learned to sing traditional music at her Christian religious center. But she
liked the popular jazz and rock music of the time even more. She left home
at a young age to build a career in music. One night the jazz expert and
broadcaster Willis Conover heard her perform in Washington, D.C. He
helped her meet the owners of Atlantic Records. By nineteen forty-nine she
was recording albums. Soon, she became known as “the girl with the tear in
her voice” because of her emotional way of singing.

Ruth Brown
VOICE TWO:
In the early nineteen sixties Brown married and led a more private life. But by the nineteen seventies
and eighties, she started singing again in musicals and performed on television and in movies. She
also started to fight for musicians’ rights. Many musicians recorded hit songs that made their record
companies very rich. But the musicians themselves rarely received fair payment later.

Ruth Brown worked hard to make these companies change their policies. In nineteen eighty-eight,
Atlantic Records agreed to pay her and thirty-five other musicians the money they owed them for
using their songs for twenty years. Ruth Brown continued performing for the rest of her life. She died
in October.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Barbara Klein. You can read and listen to this report on our Web site,
voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for People in America in VOA Special English.
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War in Iraq Voted Top News Story of 2006
US midterm elections are second on Associated Press list of top 10 stories of the year. Transcript of radio broadcast:
29 December 2006
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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
Each year, the editors and news directors of the Associated Press choose what they believe are the top
ten news stories of the year.
They chose the war in Iraq as the number one news story this year.
Two thousand six was a difficult year in Iraq with increasing violence,
clashes between religious groups and many civilian deaths. Thousands
of Iraqis have been killed. Almost three thousand members of the
American military have been killed since the war began in two
thousand three. Iraq's elected officials struggled to keep control of the
country.
The midterm elections in the United States November seventh was next
on the list of the AP's top news stories for this year. Many Americans

voted to express their unhappiness with the situation in Iraq.

Conflict grew in Iraq in 2006
The Democratic Party gained a majority of seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
As a result, Nancy Pelosi of California will become the first woman to serve as speaker of the House.
These were the other top stories of the year. The United States and its allies worked unsuccessfully to
halt nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran. North Korea tested a nuclear weapon in October.
And Iran moved forward with plans to bring its first nuclear center into operation by the end of next
year.
In Washington, the United States Congress tried to deal with the problem of illegal immigration from
Latin America. But deep divisions prevented Congress from approving legislation. Supporters of
rights for immigrants held several demonstrations.
Also in Washington, several congressmen from the Republican Party were involved in cases of
wrongdoing. One was former House majority leader Tom DeLay who resigned after being charged
with campaign finance crimes. Another was former representative Mark Foley. He resigned after he
was found to have sent sexual messages to male students working for Congress.
Another top story was former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein being found guilty of ordering the killing
of one hundred forty eight Shi'ite Muslims. He was sentenced to death by hanging.
In the Middle East, Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militia fought a month-long war during
the summer. More than nine hundred people were killed. Much of southern Lebanon was severely
damaged.
American Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld resigned one day after the nation's midterm elections.
Robert Gates was approved as the new defense secretary.
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In August, officials in Britain said they prevented a terrorist plot to bomb several passenger airplanes
over the Atlantic Ocean. This led to new restrictions on what passengers can carry on planes.
And in Sudan, violence worsened in the country's Darfur area. Fighting between rebels and
government forces has killed more than two hundred thousand people.
IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English, was written by Brianna Blake. Our reports can be found on

our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Steve Ember.
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The Housing Market Slows, Charity Gains and Economics Loses Two
Great Thinkers
The slow housing market has experts worried. Warren Buffett gives billions away. And two influential thinkers are
gone.
Transcript of radio broadcast:

29 December 2006
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This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
This week, we look back at a few of the year's biggest economic stories.
In recent years, home building and buying have increased, helping
expand the American economy. But this year, the housing market has
cooled. New home building dropped by more than twenty-five
percent since last November.

A house for sale in September in
New York
Many experts blame the housing market for the slow economic
growth of two percent in the three-month period ending in October. In
response, the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged. Banks
followed the Federal Reserve's decisions on interest rates.
While housing declined, giving money to good causes increased. Businessman Warren Buffett
announced a gift of about thirty-seven billion dollars to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Mister Buffett, an investor, is chief of Berkshire Hathaway. He is the world's second richest man.
Bill Gates is the richest. Mister Gates helped start and remains the top shareholder of Microsoft, the

world's biggest computer software maker. He started his foundation with his wife in two thousand. It
gives money to health and educational causes around the world.
Mister Buffett's gift to the Gates Foundation was one and one half billion dollars this year. And
finally, the United States lost two influential economic thinkers this year. They were on opposite
sides of most economic arguments.
John Kenneth Galbraith died in April at age ninety-seven. He not only influenced economists, but
was a political force. He advised President John F. Kennedy in the nineteen sixties. And he opposed
President Lyndon Johnson on the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War.
The Harvard professor considered economics to be moral as well as mathematical. He thought
government must intervene in the economy to guarantee fairness in society.
Milton Friedman did not trust government to solve problems of joblessness or high prices. But he did
believe it should control the money supply to fight inflation.
Mister Friedman advised President Richard Nixon and President Ronald Reagan in the nineteen
seventies and eighties. He played a part in pulling the United States out of a period of high
unemployment and inflation in the nineteen seventies.
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For his work, he received the Nobel Prize in Economics in nineteen seventy-six. He died in
November at age ninety-four.
And that's the VOA Special English ECONOMICS REPORT. I'm Mario Ritter.
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2006: Expanding Ways to Communicate and Have Fun on the Net
A look back at some fast-growing Internet activities. Also: musical trends, and remembering the "Godfather of Soul."
Transcript of radio broadcast:
29 December 2006
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HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)
I'm Bob Doughty. Two thousand six is almost over. On this special show, Shirley Griffith and I look
back at some trends from the past year.
VOICE ONE:
The dictionary says a trend is a kind of movement or direction. People around the world used their
computers to buy goods, communicate with others, listen to music, see pictures and learn about
different places and ideas.
In two thousand six, more people around the world used new ways to communicate and connect with
each other through the Internet. We take a look at some kinds of technology that became more
popular this year.
HOST:
The blog is one form of communication that increased in popularity.
Blog is a short way of saying Web log. Through these personal Web
sites, people can share their lives, ideas and opinions with anyone on
the Internet. Millions of people throughout the world are creating and
reading blogs. There are reportedly thirteen million blogs in the United
States alone.

A blogger in a Chicago coffee
shop
People of all ages have their own blogs. For young people, they are a
way to show their writings and other forms of self-expression. Blogs
also connect people with other people who have the same interests. For
example, teachers use blogs to share ideas, experiences and concerns
about their work with other teachers.
Many Web sites offer free services to create personal Web pages and fill them with writings and
pictures. These sites include MySpace, used mainly by teenagers and young adults. MySpace is an
online community that lets people share messages and pictures with an increasing number of friends.
About one hundred twenty million people use MySpace. It is the most popular social networking site

on the Web.
VOICE ONE:
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YouTube is another Internet site that became more popular this year. This Web site lets anyone create,
share and watch short videos. People can watch almost anything on YouTube: news, sports and
entertainment events. Music videos. And videos made by people in their own homes. These include
videos of people singing or dancing, or animals doing funny things.
YouTube says that people watch at least one hundred million videos on the site every day. Three
young men created YouTube almost two years ago as a personal video sharing service. They recently
sold it to Google for more than one and one half billion dollars.
HOST:
Games and entertainment also became a larger part of the Internet this year. One Internet social site is
called Second Life. It is an online world in which computer users create a new self and live a different
life. They get married, build homes, operate businesses, buy and sell goods, work, play and attend
school. About two million people take part in Second Life.
People also take part in fantasy sports leagues with the help of the Internet. A fantasy sport is a game
in which each member of a group acts as the owner of a team. Each owner creates a team of real-life
professional players to compete against other teams in the league.
Fantasy players get a chance to make the same decisions professional
owners and managers do. The fantasy teams compete against each
other using points earned by the real players of the professional sport.

Cameron Ferroni operates
fantasy football software for
Microsoft
More than fifteen million American adults play fantasy sports. The
industry earns more than one billion dollars each year on publications,
memberships and other costs.
(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:
There were also some new trends in music this year. Many singers expressed a serious side with
performances and songs that had a clear political message.
For example, during her international concert tour, Madonna showed her support for helping poor
people in Africa. The country music group the Dixie Chicks wrote songs about standing strong for
their political beliefs in their album “Taking the Long Way.” Some fans praised the album while
others rejected it.
Another example is this song from Bruce Springsteen, “How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and
Live.” He recorded it in honor of the people of New Orleans and their struggle after hurricane
Katrina.
(MUSIC)
HOST:
Music groups that are part of the "independent" or “indie” rock style remained very popular this year.
These groups are called indie because they often choose smaller record companies over major ones in
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order to protect their artistic independence. Death Cab for Cutie and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are two
bands that received great praise this year.
Another is My Morning Jacket. Here the band performs their song “ It Beats 4 U.”
(MUSIC)
Many bands were created this year as a result of new musical projects. For example, Jack White sings
with the rock band called the White Stripes. He recently formed another band called the Raconteurs,
which has become very popular.
Another new group called Gnarls Barkley was formed by the producer Danger Mouse and the singer
Cee-Lo Green. Their song "Crazy" has become one of the biggest hits of the year.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Finally, some sad music news this year. James Brown, one of the most influential American singers
during the past fifty years, died Monday at the age of seventy-three.
James Brown was known as the “Godfather of Soul" and "the hardest

working man in show business." Experts say he turned rhythm and
blues music into soul music. And he turned soul music into the music
known as funk in the late nineteen sixties and early nineteen seventies.
Brown also influenced the development of disco and rap music. He sold
millions of records. And he was known for his electrifying performances
on stage.
James Brown was among the first group of musicians welcomed into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in nineteen eighty-six. In nineteen ninety-
two, he received a Grammy Award for his lifetime work. One of his
most popular songs is "Say it Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud.)" It was a
statement of racial pride in nineteen sixty-eight. We leave you with the James Brown song "I Got
You (I Feel Good.)"

James Brown, the "Godfather of
Soul"
(MUSIC)
HOST:
I'm Bob Doughty. I hope you enjoyed our program today. It was written by Brianna Blake, Dana
Demange and Nancy Steinbach. Caty Weaver was our producer. To read the text of this program and
download audio, go to our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.
Send your questions about American life to Please include your full name
and mailing address. Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., two-
zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A.
Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA’s radio magazine in Special English. And
Happy New Year from all of us in Special English!
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College Costs in US: Tuition, Housing and Health Care
Schools want to know that all of their students can pay for their medical needs. Transcript of radio broadcast:

28 December 2006
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This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
We talked last week about the costs of higher education for students who want to study in the United
States. Today, as our Foreign Student Series continues, we discuss a cost that students may not
always consider: health insurance.
Medical care can be very costly if a person has an accident or gets sick.
Health insurance might pay for most or all of it. Students might already
be covered under their parents' health plan. If not, many schools offer
plans of their own.
Most American colleges and universities have student health centers.
Some have hospitals where students can go for more serious problems.
Our example this week is the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It
has more than four thousand six hundred international students this
year.

A college student in Iowa receives
an immunization
All University of Michigan students pay a health service fee. This fee is included in the cost of tuition
at the school. It pays for some kinds of medical care and examinations through the University Health
Service. It also pays for health education, physical therapy, X-rays and most laboratory tests.
But the health service fee does not pay for everything. For example, it does not pay for medicines or
eyeglasses or routine eye exams. It also does not pay for hospital care.
University officials say international students are required to have health insurance.
The University of Michigan offers its students a choice of plans. One is especially for international
students. This plan is designed to pay for medical care in emergencies.
It does not pay for things like dental care. And it generally does not pay for treatment of conditions
that existed before the student arrived at school.
Students can also buy private insurance policies from independent companies, but the university must

first approve them.
Whatever the plan, schools want to know that all of their students can pay for their health care needs.
Our series on higher education in the United States continues next week with a report on financial aid.
Our Foreign Student Series is available on the Internet with MP3 files and transcripts at
voaspecialenglish.com.
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And foreign students can get information from the State Department at educationusa.state.gov. And
that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.
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American History: Life in the US After World War Two
The United States experienced major changes as many Americans had become dissatisfied with their way of life.
Transcript of radio broadcast:
28 December 2006
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VOICE ONE:
THE MAKING OF A NATION a program in Special English by the Voice of America.
(MUSIC)
World War Two ended finally in the summer of nineteen forty-five. Life in the United States began to
return to normal. Soldiers began to come home and find peacetime jobs. Industry stopped producing
war equipment and began to produce goods that made peacetime life pleasant. The American
economy was stronger than ever.
Some major changes began to take place in the American population. Many Americans were not
satisfied with their old ways of life.
They wanted something better. And many people were earning enough money to look for a better life.
Millions of them moved out of cities and small towns to buy newly-built
homes in the suburbs. Our program today will look at the growth of

suburbs and other changes in the American population in the years after
World War Two.

Big housing developments
took root after World War
Two
VOICE TWO:
The United States has always counted its population every ten years. The
government needed to know how many people lived in each state so it
would know how many congressmen each state should have.
The first count was made two-hundred years ago. At that time, the country had about four million
persons. One hundred years later, the population had increased to about sixty-three million persons.
By nineteen fifty, there were more than one hundred fifty million persons in the United States.
In the early years of America, the average mother had eight to ten children. Living conditions were
hard. Many children died at an early age. Families needed a lot of help on the farm. So it was good to
have many children.
This changed in the years that followed. Families began to have fewer and fewer children. By nineteen
hundred, the average woman only had three or four children and by nineteen thirty-six, during the
great economic depression, the average American mother gave birth to only two children.
VOICE ONE:
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This changed immediately after World War Two. Suddenly, it seemed, every family started having
babies. Parents were hopeful about the future. There were lots of jobs. And people everywhere felt the
need for a family and security after the long, difficult years of the war. So the birth rate increased
suddenly.
The number of children between the ages of five and fourteen increased by more than ten million
between nineteen fifty and nineteen sixty.
VOICE TWO:
Many of the new parents moved to homes in the new suburbs. The word suburb comes from the word

urban, or having to do with cities. A suburb was sub, or something less than, a city.
It usually was created on an empty piece of land just outside a city. A businessman would buy the land
and build houses on it. Young families would buy the houses with money that they borrowed from
local banks.
Life was different in the suburbs. There were all sorts of group activities.
VOICE ONE:
There were boy scout groups for the boys. Girl scout groups for the girls. The parent-teachers
association at the school. Barbecue parties where families gathered to cook and eat outside. Historian
William Manchester described life in the suburbs in this way: "The new suburbs were free, open, and
honestly friendly to anyone except black people, whose time had not yet come."
Manchester wrote, "Families moving in found that their new friends were happy to help them get
settled. Children in the suburbs exchanged toys and clothes almost as though they were group
property. If little Bobby out-grew his clothes, his mother gave them to little Billy across the street.
Front doors were not locked. Friends felt free to enter without knocking or asking permission."
VOICE TWO:
Parents did everything they could to make life good for their children. The number of boys playing on
Little League baseball teams increased from less than one million to almost six million between
nineteen fifty and nineteen sixty. During the same period, the number of Girl Scouts increased by two-
million. And twice as many bicycles were sold.
Parents also tried to improve their children's education. In nineteen sixty, parents bought almost three
times more educational books for children than ten years earlier.
Parents also bought millions of dollars' worth of pianos, violins, and other musical instruments for
their children. Families in the suburbs wanted a new life, a good life, for their children.
VOICE ONE:
It was true that the average number of children per family was increasing. But the total population of
the United States did not increase as much during this period as one might have expected.
The reason for this was that fewer immigrants were coming from foreign countries. In fact, the
number of immigrants to the United States had been dropping for many years. In nineteen ten, eleven