米娜桑，给大家介绍我们公众号几个神奇的功能：
1、签到打卡。进入公众号→左下角键盘→输入“签到”两个字，系统会回复你一张粉丝卡片链接。点进链接，右上角可以直接分享到朋友圈。
2、搜索我们过去做过的新闻：进入公众号→左下角的菜单→号内搜→识别图中二维码→输入关键字。
3、在第1项里如果输入的不是签到会是怎么样呢？微信公号接入了AI智能小冰，大家可以找她聊天哦。如果你需要在后台联系我们，编辑“你的信息@管理员”。
4、我们的文稿会尽快呈现全文听译并提炼出【tips】，音频选自VOA官方的Learning English完整版，适用于随时热爱学习的你，欢迎你的加入。
Welcome to “Learning English”A daily 30 minutes program from the Voice of America. I am JonsonEvans. And I am Ashley Thompson. This program is aimed at English learners, so we speak a little slower and we use words and phrases especially written for people learning English. Today on the program, you will hear from Mario Ritter and Anna Matteo, later Steve Ambour will bring us American history series and making of nation . But first here's Mario Ritter...
1South Korea Looks to Compete with China in the Philippines
1
Development projects in the Philippines may increase competition between South Korea and China.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is seeking partners to develop his country, which is in need of improved roads, ports and railways to attract investment.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in appealed to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this month at its meeting in Manila. He told members, including The Philippines, that his country was “the best partner to share the experience” of economic growth.
South Korea is offering to help with technology projects, railways, clean energy development and water management.
The Philippines wants to attract development assistance. Since Duterte took office last year, the country has increasingly turned to China.
China promised $24 billion in aid in October of 2016. Earlier this month, China and the Philippines signed 14 economic cooperation agreements including one on railways.
In October, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced $8.8 billion in economic support.
South Korea does not want to lose ground in the Southeast Asian nation of more than 100 million people.
Herman Kraft is with the University of the Philippines Diliman. He says that the United States, Japan and South Korea traditionally have worked together in the region.
“I think one of the things that Korea might actually be concerned about right now is of course, in a similar groove with Japan, they’d like to make sure that the Philippines doesn’t just turn around in terms of its relationship with the United States.”
Duterte improved relations with China last year. He eased tensions with China after about four years of disputes related to territory in the South China Sea.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea as its territory. The Philippines claims many land formations and islands in the eastern part of the sea.
At the same time, Duterte appeared to seek less American support of his country’s armed forces.
Korea extends aid to The Philippines
This month, local media reported that South Korea offered $1.7 billion in credit and financial aid to help the Philippines. The money, the report said, was aimed at developing transportation and energy projects.
Duterte is seeking $167 billion to build public infrastructure, such as roads, rail lines, ports and power centers. But The Philippines needs foreign investment.
Manila’s seaport, for example, is crowded. Electricity costs in the country are high for the region.
Also, the Philippines has few railways to link cities on its larger islands.
The Philippine National Economic and Development Authority keeps records of development aid in the country. The agency says that South Korea provided more than $600 million dollars in aid to the Philippines in 2013.
Song Seng Wun is an economist specializing in Southeast Asia with the internet banking group CIMB in Singapore. He said South Korea wants its aid efforts to lift its national “brand.”
Chinese brands could become competitors in the Philippine market where South Korean electronic household machines and other products are popular.
Consumer spending is an increasingly important part of the Philippine economy which grew 6.9 percent in 2016.
The total value of trade between South Korea and the Philippines increased from $10 billion in 2011 to $13.4 billion in 2014.
South Korean leaders hope to increase ties with Southeast Asian countries to avoid investing too much in China. Problems with over-investing in China became clear earlier this year. South Korean companies faced boycotts and other problems in China and the number of Chinese travelers dropped sharply.
The trade difficulties took place as South Korea permitted the U.S. to deploy the missile defense system known as THAAD. South Korea and the U.S. have said the system is to guard against missile attacks from North Korea. But China, strongly opposes deployment of the system on the Korean Peninsula.
Jonathan Ravelas is a market expert with Banco de Oro UniBank in Manila. He says The Philippines probably welcomes the help from South Korea as a way to diversify economic support without angering anyone.
I’m Mario Ritter.
Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
region –n. a large, separate area of the
world or a country
groove –n. a ways of doing things or a
way of thought
brand –n. something, like a product, that
is easily recognizable and causes people
to seek it out
diversify –v. to make something more
diverse, to increase the number of
possibilities available
Prince Harry to Marry American Actress Meghan MarkleThis is What’s Trending Today…
Britain's Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle are getting married.
Harry's father, Prince Charles, made the announcement in a statement Monday.
It read: "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle."
The statement said the wedding will take place next spring. It added that Harry, who is 33, and Markle, who is 36, became engaged in London earlier this month.
Markle is best-known for her work in the television show Suits. She is also a Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada, which campaigns for better education, food and health care for children around the world. Along with her humanitarian work, she is known for campaigning for gender equality.
Markle was married to film producer Trevor Engleson from 2011 to 2013.
Markle's parents released a statement, saying "We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents."
Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose for photographers during a photocall in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, Monday Nov. 27, 2017.
Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose for photographers during a photocall in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, Monday Nov. 27, 2017.
Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife Kate welcomed Markle to the royal family. They said in a statement, “We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”
Prince Harry will become the first member of the British royal family to marry an American actor.
The prince and Markle briefly appeared before photographers Monday at Kensington Palace.
Harry said he was “thrilled” and said details about how he asked Markle to marry him will come out later. When asked if the proposal was romantic, he answered, “of course it was!”
Markle said she was “so happy” and wore her new engagement ring for the first time in public.
The ring includes two diamonds that belonged to Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997. Royal officials say Prince Harry designed the ring himself. The diamonds from his late mother’s collection sit on either side of a diamond from Botswana. The prince has visited the African country many times, and has spent time there with Markle.
And that's What's Trending Today.
Words in This Story
wedding - n. a ceremony at which two people are married to each other
engaged - adj. promised to be married
incredibly- adv. extremely good, great, or large
joy - n. a feeling of great happiness
royal - adj. of or relating to a king or queen
thrilled- adj. very excited and happy
romantic - adj. making someone think of love
03The Autistic Child: 'Different, Not Less'
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
One in every 160 children worldwide has some form for autism spectrum disorder, also called ASD. This estimate comes from the United Nations’ World Health Organization.
The National Institutes of Health in the United States says the term ASD is the name “for a group of developmental disorders.” It includes a wide mix of symptoms, skills and levels of disability.
People with ASD often have:
social problems that include difficulty communicating and interacting with other people;
repetitive behaviors, as well as limited interests or activities;
symptoms that are often recognized in the first two years of life;
symptoms that hurt the individual’s ability to deal with others socially, at school or work, or in other areas of life.
Experts at the National Institutes of Health also explain that ASD begins in childhood and usually continues into adulthood.
In order to make the best decisions for an autistic child, parents must sort through a large amount of clinical research. Even with all that information, there are many unanswered questions about the causes of ASD and how to treat it.
Betsy Fields is a mother of two sons with autism. She plans each day with them down to the minute. Even a short walk is a rare chance to think and gather strength to continue raising two boys considered "special" or "different" by society.
Fields says her boys may be different from other people, but they are no less important. This is the idea behind a book called “Different, Not Less.” The writer is a woman who has autism.
"Different, Not Less" is a saying from a really famous autistic woman, Temple Grandin. She became famous because of autism and that’s one of her sayings in her book – "different, not less.”
In both of her sons, Fields discovered they had autism when they were two years old. For her first child, Hunter, doctors gave her hope. They thought a delay in his ability to speak resulted from the fact that Hunter was learning two languages -- English and Spanish -- at the same time.
"He had some signs of autism but not all of them. Like, he didn’t line up things; his eye contact was good; he was happy. It didn’t seem like it was autism. It seemed like more of a delay. And then with my other son, I kind of knew what to look for. Even though you know it’s there, you are like, ‘Oh my gosh, how are you going to deal with it?’"
In the United States, millions of parents face the same question. Researchers estimate that in the U.S. one in 68 children has autism. Boys are more likely than girls to have ASD.
Many states employ therapeutic and inclusion experts in public school systems. They work with children with ASD, and help them to become part of the school community.
Kryss Lacovaro is one such expert. She says that the symptoms of autism can differ greatly from person to person. Lacovaro notes that many people with autism have difficulty communicating with others.
“The communication is difficult. Socialization is difficult. So, those are the most typical things about individuals with autism, but again the characteristics can really range. You and I right now are hearing each other. An individual with autism might hear this light that’s on. They might hear the rotating of that camera and the fan that’s on, and me shaking my foot sometimes and someone walking out there -- all at the same noise level. That’s got to be very overwhelming."
Betsy Fields says she does not want her children to attend too many after school therapy programs. She told VOA they get all the development classes they need within the school.
"Just because they're autistic, I do not think that we should stop living. We go swimming. I try to get them involved with that...do typical things of what other kids do."
Today in the United States, most children with autism study in schools with other children. Depending on their abilities, an autistic child attends special needs classes or traditional classes with other children.
Betsy Fields says she is happy with the quality of education. Her sons study with other neighborhood children at the local public school.
John Donvan wrote the book, “In a Different Key: The Story of Autism.” He says there is no simple solution for treating autism and the causes of the disorder remain unclear.
He adds that for many parents, the most important thing is to not try to change a child. It is important to accept the child as he or she is.
“Parents I know who have had children with autism for a long time have usually reached a point where they have accepted who their child is as that child is. When the children are younger a lot of them -- it's not that they don't recognize it, although some don't want to go for a diagnosis, they're scared to. It’s more that they say 'I'm going to save my child from this.' It really does change a parents' life. Not every parent wants their life to be changed right away. But in time, I've seen many come to accept it."
Fields calls these years the most difficult in her life. But her rule as a parent of autistic sons is to never compare them to others. She says she accepts them as they are.
And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report.
I’m Anna Matteo.
Words in This Story
symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present
interact – v. to act upon one another
repetitive – adj. happening again and again : repeated many times
therapeutic – adj. of or relating to the treatment of illness
typical – adj. normal for a person, thing, or group : average or usual
range – n. a sequence, series, or scale between limits
diagnosis – n. the act of identifying a disease from its signs and symptoms
US History: How Britain’s Defeat at Saratoga Marked a Turning Point
After the American victory at Saratoga, the French decided to enter the Revolutionary War on the American side. Transcript of radio broadcast:
VOICE ONE:
This is Rich Kleinfeldt.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Sarah Long with THE MAKING OF A NATION, a VOA Special English program about the history of the United States. Today, we complete the story of the American Revolution against Britain in the late seventeen seventies.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
It is December, seventeen seventy-six. British General William Howe has decided to stop fighting during the cold winter months. The general is in New York. He has already established control of a few areas near the city, including Trenton and Princeton in New Jersey.
General George Washington and the Continental Army are on the other side of the Delaware River. The Americans are cold and hungry. They have few weapons. Washington knows that if Howe attacks, the British will be able to go all the way to Philadelphia. They will then control two of America's most important cities. He decides to attack.
His plan is for three groups of troops to cross the Delaware River separately. All three will join together at Trenton. Then they will attack Princeton and New Brunswick. Washington wants to surprise the enemy early in the morning the day after the Christmas holiday, December twenty-sixth.
VOICE TWO:
On Christmas night, two thousand four hundred soldiers of the Continental Army get into small boats. They cross the partly-frozen Delaware River. The crossing takes longer than Washington thought it would. The troops are four hours late. They will not be able to surprise the enemy at sunrise.
Yet, after marching to Trenton, Washington's troops do surprise the Hessian mercenaries who are in position there. The enemy soldiers run into buildings to get away. The Americans use cannons to blow up the buildings. Soon, the enemy surrenders. Washington's army has captured Trenton. A few days later, he marches his captured prisoners through the streets of the city of Philadelphia.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
Washington's victory at Trenton changed the way Americans felt about the war. Before the battle, the rebels had been defeated in New York. They were beginning to lose faith in their commander. Now that faith returned. Congress increased Washington's powers, making it possible for the fight for independence to continue.
Another result of the victory at Trenton was that more men decided to join the army. It now had ten thousand soldiers. This new Continental Army, however, lost battles during the summer to General Howe's forces near the Chesapeake Bay. And in August, seventeen seventy-seven, General Howe captured Philadelphia.
VOICE TWO:
Following these losses, Washington led the army to the nearby area called Valley Forge. They would stay there for the winter. His army was suffering. Half the men had no shoes, clothes, or blankets. They were almost starving. They built houses out of logs, but the winter was very cold and they almost froze. Many suffered from diseases such as smallpox and typhus. Some died.
General Washington and other officers were able to get food from the surrounding area to help most of the men survive the winter. By the spring of seventeen seventy-eight, they were ready to fight again.
VOICE ONE:
General Howe was still in Philadelphia. History experts say it is difficult to understand this British military leader. At times, he was a good commander and a brave man. At other times, he stayed in the safety of the cities, instead of leading his men to fight. General Howe was not involved in the next series of important battles of the American Revolution, however. The lead part now went to General John Burgoyne. His plan was to capture the Hudson River Valley in New York State and separate New England from the other colonies. This, the British believed, would make it easy to capture the other colonies.
The plan did not succeed. American General Benedict Arnold defeated the British troops in New York. General Burgoyne had expe
58 38597 58 22586 0 0 8206 0 0:00:04 0:00:02 0:00:02 8204cted help from General Howe, but did not get it. Burgoyne was forced to surrender at the town of Saratoga.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
The American victory at Saratoga was an extremely important one. It ended the British plan to separate New England from the other colonies. It also showed European nations that the new country might really be able to win its revolutionary war. This was something that France, especially, had wanted ever since being defeated by the British earlier in the French and Indian War.
The French government had been supplying the Americans secretly through the work of America's minister to France, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was popular with the French people and with French government officials. He helped gain French sympathy for the American cause.
VOICE ONE:
After the American victory at Saratoga, the French decided to enter the war on the American side. The government recognized American independence. The two nations signed military and political treaties. France and Britain were at war once again.
The British immediately sent a message to America's Continental Congress. They offered to change everything so relations would be as they had been in seventeen sixty-three. The Americans rejected the offer. The war would be fought to the end.
In seventeen seventy-nine, Spain entered the war against the British. And the next year, the British were also fighting the Dutch to stop their trade with America.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
The French now sent gunpowder, soldiers, officers, and ships to the Americans. However, neither side made much progress in the war for the next two years.
By seventeen eighty, the British had moved their military forces to the American South. They quickly gained control of South Carolina and Georgia, but the Americans prevented them from taking control of North Carolina. After that, the British commander moved his troops to Yorktown, Virginia.
The commander's name was Lord Charles Cornwallis. Both he and George Washington had about eight thousand troops when they met near Yorktown. Cornwallis was expecting more troops to arrive on British ships.
What he did not know was that French ships were on their way to Yorktown, too. Their commander was Admiral Francois Comte de Grasse. De Grasse met some of the British ships that Cornwallis was expecting, and he defeated them. The French ships then moved into the Chesapeake Bay, near Yorktown.
VOICE ONE:
The Americans and the French began attacking with cannons. Then they fought the British soldiers hand-to-hand. Cornwallis knew he had no chance to win without more troops. He surrendered to George Washington on October seventeenth, seventeen eighty-one.
The war was over. American and French forces had captured or killed one-half of the British troops in America. The surviving British troops left Yorktown playing a popular British song called, "The World Turned Upside Down."
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
How were the Americans able to defeat the most powerful nation in the world? Historians give several reasons:
The Americans were fighting at home, while the British had to bring troops and supplies from across a wide ocean. British officers made mistakes, especially General William Howe. His slowness to take action at the start of the war made it possible for the Americans to survive during two difficult winters.
Another reason was the help the Americans received from the French. Also, the British public had stopped supporting the long and costly war. Finally, history experts say America might not have won without the leadership of George Washington. He was honest, brave, and sure that the Americans could win. He never gave up hope that he would reach that goal.
VOICE ONE:
The peace treaty ending the American Revolution was signed in Paris in seventeen eighty-three. The independence of the United States was recognized. Western and northern borders were set.
Thirteen colonies were free. Now, they had to become one nation.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Today's MAKING OF A NATION program was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Sarah Long.
VOICE ONE:
And this is Rich Kleinfeldt. Join us again next week for another VOA Special English program about the history of the United States.