3. 科技報導。Vietnam Threatens to Shut Facebook
4. 健康報導。Good News on Oxford’s COVID-19 Vaccine
5. 慢速新聞雜誌。
以下為聽力文檔：1. 詞彙和故事。'Once in a Blue Moon'2. 經濟報導。 US Government Ends Boeing 737 MAX Flight Ban3. 科技報導。Vietnam Threatens to Shut Facebook
4. 健康報導。Good News on Oxford’s COVID-19 Vaccine
5. 慢速新聞雜誌。In Gaza, Man Keeps Baby Lions as Pets
以下為聽力文檔。
1. 詞彙和故事。'Once in a Blue Moon' Words and their storiesBy Anna Matteo
31 October 2020
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
On this program we take an English word or expression and explore it a little deeper. Today we are talking about a lunar phenomenon – a moon event. It's called a blue moon.
In this July 31, 2015, file photo, a blue moon rises behind the torch of the Statue of Liberty seen from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J. A blue moon happens when the moon rises in its full stage twice during the same month. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart Without a love of my own Blue moon...
Experts at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) explain this lunar event. They say a blue moon is the "extra" moon in a season with four full moons.
The NASA website says that "since the 1940s, the term 『blue moon' has also been used for the second full moon in a calendar month." This usually happens only every two-and-a-half years.
The NASA experts explain that a blue moon is not actually blue in color. In fact, it looks the same as a regular monthly full moon.
What makes a blue moon different is that it does not appear in the sky that often. And this is how we use it as an English expression.
A "blue moon" is a long or seemingly long period of time.
If I say something happens "once in a blue moon," it is uncommon, infrequent, rare. It happens very seldom. These words all describe something that happens once in a blue moon.
For example, I usually keep busy. So when I'm not working, I like to take sing songs, write stories or read books. But sometimes, I just like to do nothing. So, once in a blue moon, you'll find me on the couch, watching movies and eating popcorn.
Here's another example.
Let's say you have a friend who you do not see very much anymore. You can say you see him once in a blue moon. It feels like an eternity since you have talked. It's like he has dropped off the face of the Earth! You can also say it has been forever since you have seen him.
Forever is a long time. So, forever and a day is even longer! And it has been forever and a day since you have seen your friend. You miss him! You should call.
And finally, here is our last example. If you have been busy, you may not have had time to practice your English. But just remember, if you only practice once in a blue moon, your English may not improve very quickly.
So, join us again next week for another Words and Their Stories! Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
Blue moon of Kentucky, keep on a-shining Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue, Blue moon of Kentucky, keep on a-shining, shine on the one that's gone and left me blue ...
Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. The song at the beginning of the program is Billie Holliday singing "Blue Moon." The song at the end is Patsy Cline singing "Blue Moon."
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Words in This Storylunar – adj. of or relating to the moon
phenomenon – n. something (such as an interesting fact or event) that can be observed and studied and that typically is unusual or difficult to understand or explain fully
infrequent – adj. not happening often : not frequent
rare – adj. very uncommon
seldom – adj. not often : almost never
eternity – n. time that seems to be without an end
2. 經濟報導。 US Government Ends Boeing 737 MAX Flight Ban
By George Grow
18 November 2020
After two deadly crashes and nearly two years of investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared Boeing's 737 Max jet for flight.
The U.S. air safety agency announced the move early Wednesday. It said the decision comes after a complete and methodical 20-month review process.
Air safety agencies around the world grounded the 737 Max in March 2019 following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight. That happened less than five months after another Max, flown by Indonesia's Lion Air, crashed in the Java Sea. A total of 346 people on both planes were killed.
On Wednesday, FAA chief Stephen Dickson signed an order to cancel the grounding, the longest in commercial aviation history. U.S. airlines are permitted to fly the Max after the Boeing Company changes computers and computer software on each plane. In addition, the company will offer training to pilots on how to fly the aircraft.
The FAA said its decision on the 737 Max was made in cooperation with air safety agencies worldwide. Agencies in Europe, Brazil, Canada and China are likely to announce their own approvals separately after independent investigations.
FILE - Ethiopian Red Cross workers carry a body bag with the remains of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash victims at the scene of a plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 12, 2019. (REUTERS/Baz Ratner)
Criticism of the FAA and Boeing
The U.S. move follows congressional hearings on the crashes. The hearings led to criticism of FAA officials for weak oversight and having close ties to Boeing. The company was criticized for being in a hurry to set up a software system that put profits over safety. In time, the investigation led to the dismissal of Boeing's chief executive officer.
Investigators studied anti-stall software that Boeing had developed to keep the 737 Max balanced when flying. That software pushed the nose of the aircraft down repeatedly on both of the planes that crashed. In each case, a single sensor caused the problem.
The FAA required Boeing to change the software program so it does not repeatedly point the nose of the plane down. Boeing says the new software does not override, or ignore, the pilot's controls like it did in the past. The company also must add new display systems for pilots and change wiring inside the plane.
The decision on the 737 Max comes in the middle of a health crisis that has frightened away passengers and hurt the aviation industry. Air travel in the United States alone is down about 65 percent from a year ago.
Boeing sales of new planes have dropped because of the 737 Max crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 400 Max jets were in service worldwide when they were grounded. Boeing has built and stored about 450 more since then.
Reuters news agency estimates the company has lost about $20 billion in expected sales.
Reaction to the decision
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor John Hansman teaches classes on the science of flight. He noted that people generally avoid airplanes for a few months after there are problems. The Max case is unusual, but Hansman said he would feel safe flying on a Max.
"The whole thing has had more scrutiny than any airplane in the world," he said. "It's probably the safest airplane to be on."
Boeing still faces legal action from families of crash victims.
Families of the Ethiopian crash victims said in a statement that they felt renewed grief after the FAA's decision to return the aircraft to service.
Naoise Ryan's husband was on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which crashed on March 10, 2019. "Our family was broken," she said on Tuesday. "We are suffering and we'll most likely continue to suffer for a very long time, if not for the rest of our lives."
I'm Jonathan Evans.
Reuters news agency reported this story. George Grow adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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Words in This Storyreview – n. an examination of something; a report on something
commercial – adj. involving or concerned with business
software – n. the programs and other operating information used by a computer
stall – v. to stop or cause to stop
display – n. an event or performance; something meant to be seen
grief – n. deep sadness
3. 科技報導。Vietnam Threatens to Shut Facebook
By Bryan Lynn
19 November 2020
Vietnam is reportedly threatening to shut Facebook in the country if the company does not accept government demands to restrict local content.
A Facebook official told Reuters that it has obeyed a government request from April to increase its censorship of "anti-state" posts for local users. But in August, Vietnam asked the social media service to increase restrictions on posts seen as critical of the government.
"We made an agreement in April. Facebook has upheld our end of the agreement," said the official, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject. "And we expected the government of Vietnam to do the same."
The official said the government had attempted to get Facebook "to increase the volume of content" it restricts in Vietnam. "We've told them no. That request came with some threats about what might happen if we didn't."
The threats included a complete shutdown of Facebook in Vietnam, where the company serves about 60 million users. Two sources told Reuters that Facebook is believed to earn yearly income of nearly $1 billion in Vietnam.
FILE - An internet user browses through the Vietnamese government's new Facebook page in Hanoi, Vietnam December 30, 2015. REUTERS/Kham/File Photo
Facebook has faced growing pressure from governments over its content policies, including threats to create new rules and enforce fines. But it has avoided a complete ban in all but the few places where it has never been permitted to operate, such as China.
Vietnam has enacted major economic reforms and shown increasing openness to social change. But the country's ruling Communist Party keeps strict control over media and permits little opposition. The country sits near the bottom of a list that rates nations on press freedoms.
When asked about the reported dispute, Vietnam's foreign ministry said in a statement to Reuters that Facebook should obey the country's laws. The company should also stop "spreading information that violates traditional Vietnamese customs and infringes upon state interests," the statement said.
A Facebook spokeswoman said the company had faced additional pressure from Vietnam to censor more content in recent months.
Reuters reported in April that Facebook's local servers in Vietnam were taken offline early this year until it accepted all the government's demands.
Facebook has long faced criticism from rights groups for giving in too easily to government censorship requests.
When asked about Vietnam's reported threat to shut Facebook, an Amnesty International official said the fact that it had not already been banned shows the company could do more to resist government demands.
"Facebook has a clear responsibility to respect human rights wherever they operate in the world and Vietnam is no exception," said Amnesty's Ming Yu Hah. "Facebook is prioritizing profits in Vietnam, and failing to respect human rights," she said.
I'm Bryan Lynn.
Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in This Storycensorship – n. the process of removing opinions from books, movies, letters and other media
uphold – v. to agree with and support a decision, principle or law
volume – n. the number of amount of something
source – n. person who gives information to the police, newspapers, etc.
infringe – v. to limit someone's rights or freedom
prioritize – v. decide which of a group of things are the most important so they can be dealt with first
4. 健康報導。Good News on Oxford’s COVID-19 Vaccine
By Hai Do
19 November 2020
Scientists at the University of Oxford say their experimental COVID-19 vaccine shows a strong immune response among older people. The early results raise hopes that the vaccine can protect the people most at risk of getting severely ill from the new coronavirus.
Dr. Andrew Pollard leads the University of Oxford study. He told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Thursday that he was "delighted" that early results show a strong immune response "even in those over 70 years of age."
Dr Maheshi Ramasamy of the Oxford Vaccine Group added that the next step will be to see if the immune response means protection from the disease itself.
The results came from a Phase 2 study of 560 volunteers, including 240 people aged 70 or older. One group of the volunteers was given two treatments of the vaccine, called ChAdOx1. The other group was given a placebo – a shot with an inactive substance.
Findings from the study were published Thursday in the medical paper The Lancet for scientific review.
The Oxford vaccine uses a harmless, weakened adenovirus to carry genetic material from the new coronavirus into the body. The human cells will then create proteins to develop antibodies against the coronavirus. These so-called adenovirus vector vaccines are not known to cause any serious health concerns.
FILE - A health worker talks to a vaccine trials' volunteer in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27, 2020. (REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)
Working with drug-maker AstraZeneca, Oxford is currently carrying out its Phase 3 study. The study includes 60,000 volunteers from Britain, the United States, Russia and Brazil, among other countries.
The Oxford study was briefly suspended in September because of an unexplained illness in a volunteer. Pollard said he expects to release all data from the Phase 3 study by late December.
Earlier this week, two American drug-makers announced that their separate COVID-19 vaccine candidates were 95 percent effective against the disease. The companies, Moderna and Pfizer, have said they will seek emergency use authorization for their vaccines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pfizer developed its vaccine with German partner BioNTech.
Moderna and Pfizer have not yet published results from their studies in medical papers for review.
Pollard said there was "no competition" with other vaccines. He said, "We will need all of them to protect people around the globe."
I'm Jonathan Evans.
Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words in This Storyimmune - adj. not capable of being affected by a disease
response - n. a reaction to something
delighted - adj. very happy
review - n. an act of carefully looking at or examining something
adenovirus - n. a common virus that can cause illness in human
globe - n. the earth
5. 慢速新聞雜誌。In Gaza, Man Keeps Baby Lions as Pets
By Anna Matteo19 November 2020
On the roof of an apartment building in one of Gaza's most crowded cities live some unusual occupants – two baby lions.
The babies, or cubs, walk among the water tanks and eat chicken for food. Children play with the animals and some take selfies with them.
A Palestinian youth plays with one lion cub at his family house in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on November 9, 2020.
One is male, the other female. The lion cubs have become pets for a 27-year-old bakery owner Naseem Abu Jamea. They have become popular playthings for many people in the neighborhood.
And this has animal welfare experts concerned.
However, as children in his family and from the neighborhood played with the animals, Abu Jamea dismissed the risks.
"When you raise them as babies, he said, "a harmony will grow between both of you." This harmony, he added, would keep the lions from hurting him and others.
Abu Jamea said he got the cubs from a local zoo but would not give more details. He did, however, share a dream of his.
"It is my hobby. I was attached to them and I love to have them," he told Reuters. He said he hopes one day to have his own zoo.
One animal doctor, Amir Khalil, has a different opinion. He has led several trips to Gaza with the animal welfare organization Four Paws to rescue mistreated zoo animals. Khalil said he was concerned to hear about the cubs.
"I advise the Gaza authorities to take away those lions," he told Reuters by phone from Pakistan. "At the age of six months a lion becomes more dangerous as his size gets bigger and his muscles become stronger."
Animal welfare
Khalil also fears for the cubs' own welfare. The doctor said lions raised in a home may not get the food and medical care they need. This could result in long-term health problems, especially difficulties with muscles, joints, and bones.
During the coronavirus pandemic, zoos in Gaza have experienced a drop in the number of visitors. Without paying visitors, they are struggling to feed and care for the animals.
Hassan Azzam is an official with Gaza's agriculture ministry. When asked about the lion cubs, he said the ministry does not know about any public objections to the animals. But he said the ministry would investigate.
"Palestine law does not permit raising wild animals in people's homes," he told Reuters. "Wild animals must be kept in proper zoo houses."
Back at the apartment building, the neighbors seemed untroubled to be living so close to a wild animal.
"I am not afraid," said one neighbor. "On the contrary, we are proud that we have lions in our area."
I'm Anna Matteo.
Nidal al-Mughrabi reported this story for Reuters from Gaza. In Jerusalem, also for Reuters, Stephen Farrell wrote it. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.
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Words in This Storyroof – n. the upper covering part of a building
pet – n. a tame animal kept as a companion rather than for work
welfare – n. the state of being or doing well especially in relation to happiness, well-being, or success
harmony – n. a pleasing combination or arrangement of different things
hobby – n. an interest or activity engaged in for pleasure
contrary – n. just the opposite
proud – adj. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related to, etc. : feeling pride
文章、音頻、視頻、圖片來源：VOA
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