VOASE1027_People In America

27 October 2007

Walt Disney, 1901-1966: It All Started with a Mouse
Disney's popular cartoon movies led to huge and successful entertainment parks.

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VOICE ONE:

I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Ray Freeman with the VOA Special English program, PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Every week we tell about a person who was important in the history of the United States. Today, we tell about Walt Disney and the movie company he created.

(MUSIC: "When You Wish Upon a Star)

VOICE ONE:

Walt Disney

That was the song "When You Wish Upon a Star." It is from Walt Disney's animated movie "Pinocchio." For many people, it is the song most often linked with Walt Disney and his work. The song is about dreams -- and making dreams come true. That is what the Walt Disney Company tries to do. It produces movies that capture the imagination of children and adults all over the world.

VOICE TWO:

Millions of people have seen Disney films and television programs. They have made friends with all the Disney heroes: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan. Millions more have visited the company's major entertainment parks. There is Disneyland in California. Disney World in Florida. Tokyo Disneyland in Japan. Euro Disney in France.

Probably no other company has pleased so many children. It is not surprising that it has been called a dream factory.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois in nineteen-oh-one. His family moved to the state of Missouri. He grew up on a farm there. At the age of sixteen, Disney began to study art in Chicago. Four years later, he joined the Kansas City Film Ad Company. He helped make cartoon advertisements to be shown in movie theaters. Advertisements help sell products.

In nineteen twenty-three, Walt Disney moved to Hollywood, California to join his brother Roy. He wanted to be a movie producer or director. But he failed to find a job. So he decided to make animated movies. In them, drawings are made to move in a lifelike way. We call them cartoons. Disney the artist wanted to bring his pictures to life.

VOICE TWO:

A cartoon is a series of pictures on film. Each picture is a little different from the one before. Each shows a tiny change in movement. When we see the movie, the pictures seem to be alive. The cartoon people and animals move. They speak with voices recorded by real actors.

Disney opened his first movie company in the back of an office. For several years, he struggled to earn enough money to pay his expenses. He believed that cartoon movies could be as popular as movies made with actors. To do this, he decided he needed a cartoon hero. Help for his idea came from an unexpected place.

VOICE ONE:

Walt Disney drawing

Disney worked with Ub Iwerks, another young artist. They often saw mice running in and out of the old building where they worked. So they drew a cartoon mouse. It was not exactly like a real mouse. For one thing, it stood on two legs like a human.

It had big eyes and ears. And it wore white gloves on its hands. The artists called him "Mickey." Earlier filmmakers had found that animals were easier to use in cartoons than people. Mickey Mouse was drawn with a series of circles. He was perfect for animation.

The public first saw Mickey Mouse in a movie called "Steamboat Willie." Walt Disney himself provided the voice for Mickey Mouse. The film was produced in nineteen twenty-eight. It was a huge success.

VOICE TWO:

Mickey Mouse appeared in hundreds of cartoons during the years that followed. He became known all over the world. In Japan, he was called "Miki Kuchi." In Italy, he was "Topolino." In Latin America, he was "Raton Miquelito." Mickey soon was joined by several other cartoon creatures. One was the female mouse called "Minnie." Another was the duck named "Donald," with his sailor clothes and funny voice. And there was the dog called Pluto.

VOICE ONE:

Mickey Mouse cartoons were extremely popular. But Walt Disney wanted to make other kinds of animated movies, too. In the middle nineteen thirties, he was working on his first long movie.

It was about a lovely young girl, her cruel stepmother, and the handsome prince who saves her. It was "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." "Snow White" was completed in nineteen thirty-seven after three years of work. It was the first full-length animated movie to be produced by a studio. It became one of Hollywood's most successful movies.

VOICE TWO:

Movie experts say Walt Disney was responsible for the development of the art of animation. Disney's artists tried to put life into every drawing. That meant they had to feel all the emotions of the cartoon creatures. Happiness. Sadness. Anger. Fear. The artists looked in a mirror and expressed each emotion. A smile. Tears. A red face. Wide eyes. Then they drew that look on the face of each cartoon creature.

VOICE ONE:

Many movie experts say Disney's art of animation reached its highest point in nineteen forty with the movie "Pinocchio." The story is about a wooden toy that comes to life as a little boy.

Disney's artists drew two-and-one-half million pictures to make "Pinocchio." The artists drew flat pictures. Yet they created a look of space and solid objects. "Pinocchio" was an imaginary world. Yet it looked very real. Disney made other extremely popular animated movies in the nineteen forties and nineteen fifties. They include "Fantasia," "Dumbo," "Bambi," "Cinderella," "Alice in Wonderland," "Peter Pan," "Lady and the Tramp," and "Sleeping Beauty." These movies are still popular today.

VOICE TWO:

In addition to cartoons, Walt Disney produced many movies and television programs with real actors. He also produced movies about wild animals in their natural surroundings. Real or imaginary, all his programs had similar ideas. In most of them, innocence, loyalty and family love were threatened by evil forces. Sad things sometimes happened. But there were always funny incidents and creatures. In the end, good always won over evil. Disney won thirty-two Academy Awards for his movies and for scientific and technical inventions in filmmaking.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Walt Disney with models of Disneyland

In nineteen fifty-five, Walt Disney opened an entertainment park not far from Hollywood, California. He called it "Disneyland." He wanted it to be the happiest place on Earth. Disneyland recreated imaginary places from Disney movies. It also recreated real places -- as Disney imagined them. For example, one area looked like a nineteenth century town in the American West. Another looked like the world of the future.

Disneyland also had exciting rides. Children could fly on an elephant. Or spin in a teacup. Or climb a mountain. Or float on a jungle river. And -- best of all -- children got to meet Mickey Mouse himself. Actors dressed as Mickey and all the Disney cartoon creatures walked around the park shaking hands.

VOICE TWO:

Some critics said Disneyland was just a huge money machine. They said it cost so much money that many families could not go. And they said it did not represent the best of American culture. But most visitors loved it. They came from near and far to see it. Presidents of the United States. Leaders of other countries. And families from around the world.

Disneyland was so successful that Disney developed plans for a second entertainment and educational park to be built in Florida. The project, Walt Disney World, opened in Florida in nineteen seventy-one, after Disney's death.

The man who started it all, Walt Disney, died in nineteen sixty-six. But the company he began continues to help people escape the problems of life through its movies and entertainment parks.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Ray Freeman. Join us again next week for another PEOPLE IN AMERICA program in Special English on the Voice of America.

VOASE1026_In the News

26 October 2007

How the Job Description for US President Has Gotten Longer Over Time
A listener in Cambodia asks about the duties and responsibilities of the president.

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The White House

A listener in Cambodia heard our recent call for questions about the process of electing an American president. Tath Sok in Phnom Penh wants to know about the duties and responsibilities of the president.

This question touches on a continual debate in American society. The separation of powers in the federal government was designed to create a system of checks and balances. Experts could argue for hours about the limits to the powers of the president, Congress and the courts. But we just wanted a few facts, so we looked in the World Book Encyclopedia.

The Constitution gives the president the duties of chief administrator of the nation and commander of the armed forces. But developments including court decisions, laws and customs have expanded those duties. Today the president has seven major areas of responsibility.

First, as chief executive, the president is responsible for enforcing federal actions and developing federal policies. The president is also responsible for preparing the national budget and appointing federal officials.

The president nominates cabinet members, Supreme Court justices and other officials who must be confirmed by the Senate. There are other jobs in government agencies that the president can fill without Senate approval.

As commander in chief, the president shares some military powers with Congress. Under the Constitution only Congress has the power to declare war.

The president also serves as foreign policy director, as the encyclopedia calls it. For this job, the Constitution gives the president the power to appoint ambassadors, make treaties and receive foreign diplomats. Treaties and appointments of ambassadors require Senate approval.

As legislative leader, the president has influence over many laws passed by Congress. The president has the power to veto any bill. But if a vetoed bill is passed again, this time by a two-thirds majority in both houses, the bill can still become law.

The president is also the head of a political party and has responsibilities as popular leader and chief of state.

So these are the main duties of the president. But our listener in Cambodia would also like to know how much the president earns. The job currently pays four hundred thousand dollars a year.

Just this week, in a blog at washingtonpost.com, political reporter Peter Baker wrote about the current debate over presidential powers. He noted criticisms of President Bush's claims of powers by Hillary Clinton, the Supreme Court and others.

But he also wrote about the long history of battles over presidential powers, or what is known as "executive privilege." Presidents have expanded their powers during wartime and also during times of peace. Peter Baker noted that before Thomas Jefferson was president, he was an activist for limited central government. But then he more than doubled the size of the country on his own with the purchase of the Louisiana territory.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOASE1024_Education Report

24 October 2007

Weighing the Idea of a Year Off Before College
Some students use the time to explore professional interests. Others see a 'gap year' as a chance to recover after high school.

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This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

In Britain and other countries, young people sometimes take a "gap year," a year off between high school and college. This idea never gained a big following in the United States. Recent news reports have suggested that interest may be growing, though there are no official numbers.

Charles Deacon is the dean of admissions at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He estimates that in the current first-year class of one thousand six hundred students, only about twenty-five decided to take a year off. He says this number has not changed much over the years.

Mister Deacon says the most common reason is to have a chance to travel. But he says international students may take a gap year to meet requirements at home for military duty.

Some high school graduates see a year off as a chance to recover after twelve years of required education. But it can also give students a chance to explore their interests. Students who think they want to be doctors, for example, could learn about the profession by volunteering in a hospital for a year.

Many colleges and universities support gap-year projects by permitting students to delay their admission. Experts say students can grow emotionally and intellectually as they work at something they enjoy.

The Harvard admissions office has an essay on its Web site called "Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation." It praises the idea of taking time off to step back, think and enjoy gaining life experiences outside the pressure of studies. It also notes that students are sometimes admitted to Harvard or other colleges in part because they did something unusual with that time.

Of course, a gap year is not for everyone. Students might miss their friends who go on directly to college. And parents might worry that their children will decide not to go to college once they take time off.

Another concern is money. A year off, away from home, can be costly.

Holly Bull is the president of the Center for Interim Programs. Her company specializes in helping students plan their gap year. She notes that several books have been written about this subject. She says these books along with media attention and the availability of information on the Internet have increased interest in the idea of a year off.

And she points out that many gap-year programs cost far less than a year of college.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Dana Demange. I'm Jim Tedder in Washington.

VOASE1025_Economics Report

25 October 2007

Microsoft, the EU and Facebook
Software maker ends appeals of European orders to share information with competitors. Separately, Microsoft is buying a small interest in social site Facebook, which it values at $15 billion.

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This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

This week, Microsoft agreed to end its fight against European Union competition officials. The world's largest software company withdrew its remaining appeals at a European court.

European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes negotiated the agreement with Microsoft

Microsoft has faced record European Union fines and may still owe more. But it says it wants to put its energies into meeting its legal duties and strengthening its relationship with the European Commission.

In two thousand four, the commission ordered Microsoft to share information with competitors. This information would help them develop software for server computers to "interoperate," or work easily, with Windows.

Windows is the Microsoft operating system found on more than ninety percent of personal computers. The company argued that it needed to protect trade secrets.

But now, Microsoft has agreed to share secret information with developers for a one-time payment of ten thousand euros. That is about fourteen thousand dollars at current exchange rates.

Microsoft also wanted to charge competitors almost six percent of the sales from products that use its information. But in the end it agreed to charge less than half a percent for worldwide use.

The European Union began to investigate Microsoft in nineteen ninety-eight after Sun Microsystems accused the company of being anti-competitive. Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, fought back. But last month, it lost a big ruling. The second-highest court in the European Union agreed that Microsoft abused its market position.

In a separate case, Microsoft decided last week not to appeal a thirty-four million dollar fine by the Fair Trade Commission in South Korea.

But Microsoft could at least claim a victory in one of its efforts to expand its Internet business. This week it won the right to invest in Facebook and to expand an advertising partnership with the social networking site. Facebook chose Microsoft over Google, the leading Internet search company.

Microsoft will invest two hundred forty million dollars to buy a one and one-half percent interest. Microsoft values Facebook at fifteen billion dollars. Facebook reportedly expects about one hundred fifty million dollars in revenue this year. The company will be four years old in February and says the site has almost fifty million active users.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online with transcripts at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Jim Tedder.

VOASE1025_American Mosaic

25 October 2007

Day of the Dead Honors Loved Ones Who Died, and Celebrates the Living
Also: A listener in Egypt would like to know more about actress Julianne Moore. And songs from the latest album by British singer Annie Lennox.

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Correction attached

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Bob Doughty. On our show this week:

We listen to some music from Annie Lennox …

Answer a question about an American actress …

And report about a holiday that honors the dead.

Day of the Dead

HOST:

An altar at the National Museum of the American Indian

On October thirty-first, many Americans will celebrate Halloween. On that night, people dress up in special clothing to look like scary creatures such as monsters, witches or ghosts. Many children will go door to door in their neighborhoods to “trick or treat” and collect sweets. But for people from Mexico and Central America, this day marks the beginning of celebrations for “Dia de Los Muertos”, or “Day of the Dead.” Barbara Klein tells us about it.

BARBARA KLEIN:

Day of the Dead honors the memory of loved ones who have died while also celebrating the continuation of life. The ancient tradition started among the native cultures of Mexico. It has its roots in an Aztec tradition of honoring and remembering the dead.

When the Spanish came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they celebrated the Christian holiday of All Saint’s Day in which dead loved ones are also honored. Day of the Dead developed into a combination of both traditions.

People celebrate Day of the Dead on November first and second. Families visit the burial places of their loved ones and make their graves beautiful. They place orange marigold flowers and lighted candles. They bring special food and drinks and spend the night celebrating and telling stories with other members of their community.

Traditional food includes tamales and “pan de muerto,” a sweetened bread formed in the shape of a person. Friends and family exchange presents such as “calaveras," sugar candies in the form of a skeleton head. Families have special places in their homes called altars. Here they place flowers, candles and photographs of the loved one being remembered.

Many families from Mexico and Central America keep the tradition alive in the United States. For example, in San Francisco, California, a large community celebration will take place November second. Local artists will create five large public altars. People from around the city will place flowers, photographs and food on the altars.

The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona will also celebrate the day with Mexican music and an altar. And, across the street from VOA in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of the American Indian will hold Day of the Dead celebrations this weekend. There will be food, storytelling and music and dance performances.

Julianne Moore

HOST:

Our listener question this week comes from Egypt. Ashraf Yusif Ewiss wants to know about the American actress Julianne Moore. She has become famous for her skillful acting, good looks and striking red hair.

Julianne Moore was born Julie Anne Smith in nineteen sixty. Because her father worked for the United States military, Julie and her brother and sister moved often when they were young. Julie graduated from the American High School in Frankfurt, Germany before attending Boston University in Massachusetts.

Julianne Moore

Moore first found work as an actress in the daily television series “As the World Turns.” Several years later, she started to appear in movies. She had supporting roles in popular movies such as “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”, “Benny and Joon” and “The Fugitive.”

In nineteen ninety-three she had a small role in “Short Cuts” directed by the famous American director Robert Altman. Her performance received great critical praise. Soon, she started getting roles in larger Hollywood movies. These include “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and “Hannibal.” Julianne Moore has appeared in more than forty movies. They include large expensive movies as well as smaller independent art films.

Moore has been nominated four times for the Academy Award. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “Boogie Nights” and “The Hours.” She received Best Actress nominations for “The End of the Affair” and “Far From Heaven.”

Julianne Moore lives in New York City with her husband, the movie director Bart Freundlich. They met ten years ago during the filming of his movie “The Myth of Fingerprints.” The couple has two young children, a son and a daughter. Moore is also one of the busiest American actresses. She will be appearing in three movies this year -- "Next," "I'm Not There" and "Savage Grace."

Julianne Moore is currently making the movie “Blindness," directed by Fernando Meirelles. It is based on the book by Brazilian writer José Saramago. “Blindness” is expected to be released next September.

Annie Lennox

HOST:

Annie Lennox

The British singer Annie Lennox has been making records for over twenty-five years. She started her musical career with the famous band the Eurythmics. Now she has been recording on her own. Lennox made her latest album, “Songs of Mass Destruction,” to honor all the humanitarian workers and peace activists around the world. Faith Lapidus has more.

(MUSIC: "Coloured Bedspread")

FAITH LAPIDUS:

That was the song “Coloured Bedspread.” It gives a good example of Annie Lennox’ strong and emotional voice. “Songs of Mass Destruction” is the last album Lennox will make under her record deal with Sony BMG Music Entertainment. She says she is very glad to have had the record deal. She says in the past, musicians needed record contracts to guarantee future business.

But now she can make any kind of music she wants. She says she might like to work with other singers or maybe even make an album of folk or Latin music.

This fall, Annie Lennox will be performing her new songs in sixteen concerts across North America. Here is the energetic beat of “Ghosts in My Machine." It tells about how painful memories are hard to forget.

(MUSIC)

Annie Lennox wrote one song on the album to bring attention to preventing pregnant women with HIV/AIDS from spreading the disease to their babies. If you listen carefully, you can hear the voices of twenty-three famous female performers. They include Madonna, Faith Hill and Bonnie Raitt. Annie Lennox says she asked the women to join her to make a strong political statement. By writing the song, she says she is empowering those women who do not have an international voice. We leave you with “Sing”.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Bob Doughty. I hope you enjoyed our program today.

It was written and produced by Dana Demange. To read the text of this program and download audio, go to our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.

Send your questions about American life to mosaic@voanews.com. 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.

---

Correction: This program describes writer José Saramago as Brazilian. He is Portuguese.

VOASE1024_The Making of a Nation

24 October 2007

American History Series: Buffalo, 'Mystery Dogs' (Horses) and the Lives of the Plains Indians
Native people believed that the bison offered everything they needed. Nothing went to waste. But hunting them was difficult -- until the Spanish brought horses to North America in the 1500s.

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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 tell about early Native Americans.

VOICE ONE:

Scientists believe that the native peoples of America came here thousands of years ago during the last ice age. These people settled the land from the cold northern areas to the extreme end of South America.

As the groups of people settled different parts of the land, they developed their own languages, their own cultures and their own religions. Each group's story is important in the history of the Americas. However, it is perhaps the tribes of the central part of the United States that are most recognized. They will be our story today.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Merriwether Lewis and William Clark

In eighteen-oh-four, Merriwether Lewis and William Clark led a group of explorers to the Pacific Ocean. They were the first educated Americans to see some of the native tribes of the Great Plains.

And they were the first white people these Native American people had ever seen.

When the group of explorers neared the eastern side of the great Rocky Mountains, they met with a tribe of Indians called the Shoshoni. Merriwether Lewis was the first to see them.

Let us imagine we are with Merriwether Lewis near the Rocky Mountains almost two hundred years ago. Across a small hill, a group of sixty Shoshoni men are riding toward us.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The first thing we see is that these men are ready for war. Each is armed with a bow and arrows. Some carry long poles with a sharp knife on the end.

They are riding very fast. Some horses seem to be without riders. But a closer look shows that the men are hanging off the sides, or under the horse’s neck. They are using the horses' bodies as protection.

The horses are painted with many different designs that use blue, black, red or other colors. Later we learn that each design has a special meaning for the man who owns the horse. Each one tells a story.

For example, the man riding one horse is a leader during battle. Another has killed an enemy in battle. One of the designs protects the horse and rider.

VOICE TWO:

As they come nearer, the Shoshoni group sees that we are not ready for war. They slow their horses but are still very careful. Merriwether Lewis holds up a open hand as a sign of peace. The leader of the Shoshoni does the same. They come closer.

The Shoshoni are dressed in clothes made from animal skin. Most of these skins are from deer or the American buffalo. The shirts they wear have many designs, and tell stories like the designs on the horses. One shows a man has fought in a battle. Another shows a man has been in many raids to capture horses. Still another shows the man saved the life of a friend.

VOICE ONE:

Captain Lewis smiles at these men. He again makes a hand sign that means peace. The signs are now returned. Lewis and the Shoshoni chief cannot speak each other's language. They can communicate using hand signs.

VOICE TWO:

One young Shoshoni man comes near. He drops to the ground from his horse. He is tall and looks strong. His hair is black in color and long. He wears one long bird feather in the back of his hair. Some of his hair is held in place by animal fur.

His arms have been painted with long lines. We learn that each line represents a battle. There are many lines. But we leave the Shoshoni without him adding another one.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The Shoshoni were only one of many tribes of native people who lived in the Great Plains area. The life, culture and society of these tribes developed because of the land that was their home.

The Great Plains today is still huge. Even in a car, traveling at one hundred kilometers an hour, it can take two long days of driving to cross the Great Plains. The plains reach from several hundred kilometers north in Canada across the middle of the continent to Mexico in the south.

In the East, the Great Plains begin near the Mississippi River and go west to the huge Rocky Mountains. It is the center of the United States. There are big rivers here, deserts and mountains. Other areas are so flat that a person can see for hundreds of kilometers. Millions of kilometers of this land were once covered by a thick ocean of grass.

VOICE TWO:

'Buffalo Lancing in the Snow Drifts -- Sioux' by artist George Catlin

The grass provided food for an animal that made possible the culture of the Indians of the Great Plains. The grass fed the bison, the American buffalo.

The buffalo was the center of native Indian culture in the Great Plains. The huge animal provided meat for the Indians. But it was much more than just food. It was an important part of the religion of most of the native people in the Great Plains.

The Lakota tribe is one of the people of the Great Plains. The Lakota are sometimes called the Sioux. They believed that everything necessary to life was within the buffalo. Another Plains tribe, the Blackfeet, called the animal "My home and my protection."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The back of the huge buffalo provided thick skin that was used to make homes for the Plains Indians. Other parts were made into clothing. Still other parts became warm blankets. Buffalo bones were made into tools. Nothing of the animal was wasted.

No one knows how many buffalo were in North America when Merriwether Lewis first met the Shoshoni. But experts say it was probably between sixty million to seventy-five million.

VOICE TWO:

Another animal also helped make possible the Indian cultures of the Great Plains. Native Americans first called these animals mystery dogs, or big dogs. They had no word for this animal in their language. We know it as the horse.

No horses existed in North America before the Spanish arrived in the fifteen hundreds in what is now the southern part of the United States. Native peoples hunted, moved and traveled by foot. Traveling long distances was difficult, so was hunting buffalo.

The horse greatly changed the life of all the people of the Great Plains. It gave them a method of travel. It provided a way to carry food and equipment. It made it easier and safer to follow and hunt the buffalo. The horse made it possible to attack an enemy far away and return safely. The number of horses owned became the measure of a tribe's wealth.

VOICE ONE:

Spanish settlers rode horses to the small town of Santa Fe in what is now the southwestern state of New Mexico. They arrived there in about the year sixteen-oh-nine.

It is not known how native peoples in Santa Fe got the first horses in the country. Perhaps they traded for them. Perhaps they captured them in an attack. Many tribes soon were trading and capturing horses.

By the seventeen fifties, all the tribes of the Great Plains had horses. They had become experts at raising, training and riding horses. They became experts at horse medicine.

Each Indian of the Great Plains could ride a horse by the age of five. As an adult, a young man would have a special horse for work. Another horse would be trained for hunting. And another would be trained for war. An Indian warrior's success depended upon how closely he and his horses worked together.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

William Fisk painted this picture of George Catlin in 1849

George Catlin was an artist who traveled a great deal in the early American west. He painted many beautiful pictures of American Indians. Mister Catlin said the Plains Indian was the greatest horse rider the world has ever known. He said the moment an Indian rider laid a hand on his horse he became part of the animal.

VOICE ONE:

The buffalo and horse were extremely important to the Plains Indian. Because the horse made hunting easier, more time could be spent on things like art. The Plains Indians began to make designs on their clothing, and on special blankets their horses wore. Even common objects were painted with designs.

VOICE TWO:

The coming of white settlers to the Great Plains was the beginning of the end of the buffalo and horse culture of the American Indians. Settlers did not want buffalo destroying their crops. The buffalo were killed. By the year eighteen eighty-five, the Indians of the Great Plains were mostly restricted to area of land called reservations.

VOICE ONE:

Many of the Great Plains tribes that survive today work hard to keep their traditional cultures. They produce art, music, and clothing. They keep alive the memory of these people who added greatly to the history of America.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This MAKING OF A NATION program was written by Paul Thompson. 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.

VOASE1023_Health Report

23 October 2007

Children's Health: New Polio Worries in Africa | US Committee Urges Limits on Cough and Cold Drugs
Sudan has its first new polio case since 2005, while Nigeria suffers rare cases of vaccine-caused infection. In the U.S., drug-safety advisers say cold products should not be used in children under 6 years old.

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Today we have two reports, both about children. We start in Sudan. Health officials are launching a campaign to vaccinate eight million children after a case of polio was reported there.

A nurse prepares a polio vaccination for a baby in the Otash refugee camp in South Darfur

United Nations and Sudanese agencies will carry out the campaign this week and again in November. Sudan had been polio-free since two thousand five. The new case of wild polio virus was confirmed last month in South Darfur.

Health officials also announced last month that Nigeria has had almost seventy new cases of polio since two thousand five. Those cases, however, were caused by the polio vaccine itself.

There are two kinds of polio vaccine. The one given by injection contains killed virus, which cannot cause polio. The one given by mouth contains live but weakened virus. In very rare cases the virus can change and cause polio.

The way to stop the spread now is more vaccinations. But officials worry that people in northern Nigeria may, once again, fear the vaccine. In recent years, local leaders spread stories that Western nations had poisoned the vaccine with the virus that causes AIDS.

Now, an update to our story last month about popular medicines to treat coughs and colds in children. The United States Food and Drug Administration had told parents not to give them to children under age two unless a doctor says to use them.

The F.D.A. gave the advice as it announced a meeting of experts to discuss cold medicines for children. That advisory committee met last week -- and voted that these drugs should not be given to children under the age of six.

Members said there is not enough evidence to show that these drugs work in children. They called for more research.

The committee also said that liquid medicines should all use the same measurement terms. This could reduce the risk of parents giving their children too much. In rare cases, deaths have been reported from overdoses.

The drug industry says its products are safe and effective for children. But it says parents need to be better educated about how to use them. A week before the meeting, the industry decided to end sales of cold products for children under two.

The F.D.A. does not have to follow the recommendations of its advisers. Even if the agency restricts use of the drugs, that would not necessarily lead to a ban.

And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. Our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Steve Ember.

VOASE1023_Explorations

23 October 2007

Green Festival: A Party With a Purpose
Thirty thousand people attended the Washington event to celebrate and learn about renewable energy, fair trade and improving the environment.

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Barbara Klein with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we tell about the Washington, D.C. Green Festival that took place earlier this month. An estimated thirty thousand people attended this two-day event. They learned about businesses, organizations and communities that support renewable energy, fair trade and improving the environment.

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VOICE ONE:

For the past four years, the Green Festival in Washington, D.C., has brought together people from around the country who are interested in the environmental movement. The event is a joint project between two nonprofit organizations, Global Exchange and Co-op America. The groups call the festival a “party with a purpose.” They say the goal of the Green Festival is to create a fair and inclusive economy in which natural resources are used in a way that does not destroy the environment. To the people who organize the event, “green” means having a safe and healthy community and a strong local economy.

VOICE TWO:

The Green Festival was held at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center. Over one thousand people volunteered to help the festival run smoothly. Four hundred businesses and organizations showed their products and projects. But not everyone can be an exhibitor. Green Festival organizers create a list of green requirements that all exhibitors must follow to be able to attend. Visitors can find everything from naturally made organic food to clothing made from bamboo plants. There are even companies that help people put their money in environmentally safe investments.

VOICE ONE:

Throughout the two-day event, there were over one hundred fifty speakers and discussion groups. For example, you could learn how to be an environmentally friendly traveler. You could also watch several movies about political and environmental issues. Then you could listen to some live music performances. After sitting for so long, visitors could take a yoga exercise class. There was even an area for children. Younger visitors could enjoy fun games and lessons on subjects like protecting the rainforest and creating fairly traded chocolate sweets.

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VOICE TWO:

This “party with a purpose” is not limited to the Washington, D.C. area. There are also yearly Green Festivals in San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and Chicago, Illinois.

You might be wondering about the environmental effect of holding such large and crowded events. The Green Festival organizers set out large containers at all events to collect materials to be used again, or recycled. All forks, knives, spoons and plates used for eating food at the event are made from fiber from the sugarcane plant. At the San Francisco gathering last year, organizers said they recycled ninety-six percent of the waste produced by exhibitors and visitors. This included over seventeen hundred kilograms of recycled cardboard paper material. And, festival organizers say they recycled over four thousand kilograms of plant waste into compost soil fertilizer.

VOICE ONE:

Many organizations at the D.C. Green Festival work on different community action issues. The Rachel Carson Council works to educate the public about the harmful effects of chemicals used for killing insects. It was created to continue the efforts of the scientist and writer Rachel Carson. In nineteen sixty-two she published “Silent Spring”. This important book brought public attention to the usage of deadly pesticides.

The Nuclear Policy Research Institute works to educate the public about the dangerous effects of the nuclear industry. Its goal is to create a world free from nuclear power and weapons. Other groups work on animal rights issues. Friends of Animals and the Farm Animal Reform Movement teach people to respect animals. They both work to end cruelty to animals and actively support a meat-free vegetarian diet.

VOICE TWO:

Green building was another important subject at the festival. Many companies and organizations aim to create environmentally safe buildings. They design structures with reduced energy use, fewer chemicals and recycled materials.

The Loading Dock is an organization based in Baltimore, Maryland. Its message is that “a person could build a house with what others throw away.” The Loading Dock collects donations of used building materials such as flooring, lighting, doors, and windows. These materials would otherwise end up in a landfill trash center. Then, the group resells the materials. This way, the materials are recycled. This form of recycling provides entire families and neighborhoods with low cost solutions for rebuilding their communities.

Several companies such as Helicon Works and the Sustainable Design Group are experts in designing environmentally friendly homes. Companies like these represent a growing market in the United States and around the world for building green structures.

Solar Household Energy also attended the festival. This organization applies energy-saving methods to a smaller part of the home, the cooking area.

CAMILLE MCCARTHY: “My name is Camille McCarthy and I work with Solar Household Energy. We are a non-profit that tries to bring solar cooking to the developing world.

It is a solar oven. It’s a panel type solar oven. It is made of aluminum reflector. Then,

An example of a solar cooker

there is a glass pot with an enamel steel pot inside of it. Heat has really nothing to do with the ability to cook. It is all based on the solar radiation. So, anywhere there is sun, you can cook. We are working on programs in Central America, in Guatemala and El Salvador and then in West Africa also, in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cameroon.”

VOICE ONE:

In many countries around the world, people burn wood or waste from animals and crops in order to cook meals. The smoke from these fires contains poisons that are very harmful to humans and the environment. Cutting down trees for firewood creates additional environmental problems. Solar ovens powered by heat from the sun give families a cooking method that is safe, environmentally friendly, and low in cost.

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VOICE TWO:

Better World Books is a group that gives used books a second home. This group has gathered millions of books during collection programs at libraries and over one thousand universities. They sell the books to help raise money for reading programs around the world, including India, Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Two college students came up with the idea for Better World Books. They wanted to sell their books at the end of the school year to raise some money. The two realized many other students had used textbooks to sell that might otherwise be thrown away. So, the two young men created a book-selling business that would also be socially and environmentally responsible.

Another group at the festival was Solar Publishing, based in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Zaccai Free

ZACCAI FREE: "My name is Zaccai Free and I am with Solar Publishing. We do children’s books with an environmental theme. Right now I have two titles, one is called 'Mbutu’s Mangos' which is about a little boy who loves mangos so much he wants to save them all and he ends up learning a lesson about having to giving back and being in harmony with nature. And the other is called 'My Mom Loves Trees.' It’s about a tree-hugging nature loving mom and her skeptical, embarrassed daughter and how the daughter learns to appreciate the mom’s way of life a little bit better by the end of the book."

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VOICE ONE:

One area of the festival had exhibitors who make natural health and body products. We met with a skin care expert who works only with natural and handmade products.

SARA DAMELIO:

Sarah Damelio

"My name is Sara Damelio and I am a licensed aesthetician from Washington, D.C. I am representing Derma Hair Care, which is an organic med spa, one of the few in the country that is certified by Co-op America. All of the products that we sell in our spa are completely eco-friendly, non-toxic, organic. Skincando is another product line that we sell. I make it myself, actually. It’s handmade. It’s completely organic, a hundred percent natural. It’s very, very healing."

VOICE ONE:

One of Miz Damelio's skin care products is called “Combat-Ready Balm.” It has been used by American soldiers in Iraq. They say the cream helps heal sun damage and insect bites.

VOICE TWO:

The Green Festival also had many healthful food choices. Companies like Clif Bar, LÄRABAR, and Bumble Bar make natural high-energy food products with dried fruit, nuts and chocolate. Or, you could buy a hot meal from Gail’s Vegetarian Catering or Great Sage Restaurant. These food sellers offer healthful natural foods that do not contain meat. You could also drink natural tea and organic wine alcohol.

Spending a day at the Green Festival showed people many solutions for improving the health of our planet. Being green extends from the things people buy to the ways people eat, think, and live. The Green Festival connects a wide community of people who care deeply about, and are working to improve, our shared environment.

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VOICE ONE:

This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m ­­­Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m ­­­­­Barbara Klein. You can learn more about the green movement on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.

VOASE1022_Agriculture Report

22 October 2007

World Bank Urges More Farm Aid; Is Criticized on Own Africa Record
Lender uses its latest World Development Report to call for more investment in agriculture in developing countries. Earlier, the bank faced criticism from its Independent Evaluation Group.

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This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

The fall meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund just took place in Washington. Earlier, the bank used its latest World Development Report to call for more investment in agriculture in developing countries.

World Bank Group Chief Economist Francois Bourguignon and Kathy Sierra, vice president of sustainable development, release the World Development Report

The World Bank says agriculture must be at the center of development issues if international goals are to be met. These goals are to cut extreme poverty and hunger in half by two thousand fifteen.

The report says agricultural and rural areas have suffered from underinvestment over the past twenty years. Seventy-five percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas. But the bank says only four percent of official development assistance goes to agriculture in developing countries.

Africa south of the Sahara depends on agriculture for economic growth. The World Bank says public spending there for farming is also just four percent of total government spending and taxes are high.

Recently the World Bank has faced criticism of its assistance to agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. That criticism comes in a new report from the bank's own Independent Evaluation Group.

In the nineteen eighties and nineties African governments faced severe financial problems. As a result, the bank urged them to reduce their support for agriculture.

The idea was that market forces would push agricultural growth. But the report says private business failed to replace government support for agriculture. The result? High fertilizer prices, reduced credit and lack of improved seeds.

The report compares agricultural performance between nineteen eighty-seven and two thousand one with levels in South Asia and Latin America. Cereal production in South Asia, for example, increased while poverty levels decreased. But cereal production and poverty levels in southern Africa were unchanged. Cereal production was only one-third the level of Latin America.

In many sub-Saharan nations, more than sixty percent of the people work in agriculture. Yet slow agricultural growth combined with fast population growth means that most countries are still trying to get enough food.

World Bank officials differed with some of the observations in the report. But they say the bank is already investing more in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. For links to the report and the management response, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Steve Ember.

VOASE1022_Science In the News

22 October 2007

Musical Training Found Important for Communications Skills
Also: How sleeping for a few minutes during the day can improve your health.

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VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

Researchers believe cello music can help improve communications skills

And I'm Pat Bodnar. This week, we will tell about a new finding about the value of musical training. We will also tell how a short rest during the day can help your heart. And, we tell about an American law that protects all kinds of plants and wildlife.

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VOICE ONE:

American scientists say musical training seems to improve communication skills. They found that developing musical skills involves the same process in the brain as learning how to speak. The scientists say that could help children with learning disabilities.

Nina Kraus is a neurobiologist at Northwestern University in Illinois. She says musical training involves putting together different kinds of information. She says the process involves hearing music, looking at musical notes, touching an instrument and watching other musicians. She says the process is not much different from learning how to speak. Both involve different senses.

VOICE TWO:

Professor Krauss says musical training and learning to speak each make us think about what we are doing. She says speech and music pass through a structure of the nervous system called the brain stem. The brain stem controls our ability to hear.

Until recently, experts have thought the brain stem could not be developed or changed. But Professor Krauss and her team found that musical training can improve a person's brain stem activity. Their study was reported in the Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences.

VOICE ONE:

The study involved individuals with different levels of musical ability. They were asked to wear an electrical device that measures brain activity. The Individuals wore the electrode while they watched a video of someone speaking and a person playing a musical instrument -- the cello. Professor Krauss says cellos have sound qualities similar to some of the sounds that are important with speech.

The study found that the more years of training people had, the more sensitive they were to the sound and beat of the music. Those who were involved in musical activities were the same people in whom the improvement of sensory events was the strongest.

Professor Kraus says the study shows the importance of musical training to children with learning disabilities. She says using music to improve listening skills could mean they hear sentences and better understand facial expressions.

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VOICE TWO:

Medical experts say most Americans do not get enough sleep. They say more Americans need to rest for a short period in the middle of the day. They are advising people to sleep lightly before continuing with other activities.

One study earlier this year found that persons who sleep for a few minutes during the day were less likely to die of heart disease. The study followed more than twenty-three thousand Greek adults for about six years. Adults who rested for half an hour at least three times a week had a thirty-seven percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who did not nap.

Study organizers said the strongest evidence was in working men. The organizers said naps might improve health by reducing tension caused by work.

VOICE ONE:

Some European and Latin American businesses have supported the idea of napping for many years. They urge people to leave work, go home and have a nap before returning. In the United States, some companies let workers rest briefly in their offices. They believe this reduces mistakes and accidents, and also increases the amount of work a person can do.

Sleep experts say it is likely that people make more mistakes at work than at other times. They say people should not carry out important duties when they feel sleepy. And they say the best thing to do is to take a nap. About twenty minutes of rest is all you need. Experts say this provides extra energy and can increase your effectiveness until the end of the day.

But experts warn that a nap should last no more than twenty to thirty minutes. A longer nap will put the body into deep sleep. Waking up will be difficult.

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VOICE TWO:

Scientists have known for years that human life on Earth depends on the continued survival of many different kinds of plants, animals and other organisms. That is one reason why governments make laws to protect the environment.

In the United States, a major environmental law is the Endangered Species Act of Nineteen Seventy-Three. Earlier laws provided only limited ways to protect native animals considered in danger.

A conference in nineteen seventy-three led to a treaty that restricted international buying and selling of plants and animals believed to be harmed by trade. Later that year, the United States Congress approved the Endangered Species Act.

VOICE ONE:

The law expanded America's list of threatened animal species to include foreign animals. It defined the words endangered and threatened. The law extended protection to plants and other organisms. It also required federal agencies to carry out programs to help guarantee the survival of endangered and threatened species. Federal agencies were also barred from taking any step that would harm a listed species or destroy or change its living area.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service calls the Endangered Species Act one of the most far-reaching wildlife conservation laws ever approved. Its purpose is to protect endangered and threatened species and their environments. It also requires the government to take action to help such species.

VOICE TWO:

To get this protection, a plant or animal species must be added to the Federal list of wildlife and plants said to be in the greatest need of help. Each species is listed as either endangered or threatened. The two words describe two levels of threat. An endangered species is one that is close to disappearing from all or much of its living area. One that is threatened will likely become endangered if nothing is done.

A species is added to the list when scientists have confirmed that its survival is threatened. The threats may include the destruction of its environment, disease and too much hunting or fishing.

Government action is taken within one year of the proposal. The final listing of each proposed species may be published, withdrawn or extended.

VOICE ONE:

After a species has been added to the list, it can receive government protection. This includes prevention of harmful activities and restrictions on taking, transporting or selling a species. Officials say they want to increase the population of the listed species to a level where federal protection is no longer required.

One recent success story took place earlier this year. In June, the Department of the Interior announced that it was removing the bald eagle from the list.

Federal protection has helped the bald eagle population increase in the United States

Officials say the bald eagle was one of the first species protected under the Endangered Species Act. But action was taken to help it much earlier. Beginning in nineteen-forty, federal laws made it illegal to kill a bald eagle. But continued use of the insect poison DDT after World War Two made the birds' eggs unable to produce young. This reduced the number of bald eagles in the wild.

VOICE TWO:

The government banned the use of DDT in nineteen seventy-two. And federal agencies began other efforts to save the bald eagle. The results were so good that in nineteen ninety-five, officials lowered the threat level for the bald eagle from endangered to threatened.

In nineteen sixty-three, only four hundred seventeen breeding pairs of bald eagles were known to exist in the lower forty-eight United States. Each breeding pair consisted of a fully-grown male and a female. Today, the forty-eight states are home to more than nine thousand pairs. Officials say the bald eagle in Alaska has never needed protection. They say between fifty and seventy thousand bald eagles live there.

The bald eagle will continue to enjoy federal protection under the Bald Eagle Protection Act of Nineteen Forty. That law makes it illegal to kill, sell or in any other way hurt eagles, their nests or eggs. But American officials say they are now sure about the future security of the bald eagle.

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VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by SooJee Han and Nancy Steinbach. Brianna Blake was our producer. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Pat Bodnar. Read and listen to our programs at voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again at this time next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

VOASE1021_This Is America

21 October 2007

Dancers, Artists and Merry-Go-Round Lovers Can All Enjoy This Park
Each year a half-million people visit historic Glen Echo Park along the Potomac River in Maryland.

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VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. This week on our program we explore the history of Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, Maryland.

(SOUND)

VOICE ONE:

Merry-go-round at Glen Echo

On a warm autumn day, men and women of all ages are gathered in the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park near Washington, D.C. Some are dressed like professional dancers. Others are in blue jeans. A few have taken off their shoes.

Social dancing is a favorite activity at the park. As the LaSalle Dance Orchestra plays, dancers turn and swing their partners. Some people look as if they have been dancing forever. Others are learners. A few look a little uneasy.

Men make a bridge with their arms and their partners step underneath. Some women have on wide skirts that make a swooshing sound as they pass under the bridge. Colors fade and mix as the beat goes on.

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VOICE TWO:

Most of the people brought a partner -- their husband or wife or a friend. A woman is dancing with her young daughter. The woman is beautiful and wears a floor-length dress and long white gloves. The little girl also wears a floor-length dress. She is smiling and laughing. Once or twice the child sits down on the dance floor.

VOICE ONE:

A man steps away from the dance floor to take a break for a few minutes. He explains that he always comes to dance at Glen Echo. But he says he will never compete on any of those dancing shows that have become popular on American television.

Beginners in Spanish Ballroom can get help. There are teachers who give lessons. And there are people known as "dance buddies." These are volunteers who can help newcomers keep in step.

VOICE TWO:

Dance bands at Glen Echo play foxtrot, waltzes and tangos.

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There is also square dancing and contra dancing. These are group dances that involve changing partners. And bands often play zydeco, Cajun, rock and roll and salsa.

(MUSIC)

This New Year’s Eve, twenty-five dollars will buy a lesson, a night of swing dancing and light refreshments. George Gee and the Jump, Jivin’ Wailers will perform.

VOICE ONE:

The Spanish Ballroom has been restored. But with a little imagination, you can still hear the famous musicians who performed long ago. Bandleaders like Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. Bill Haley and His Comets appeared during the early days of rock 'n' roll.

(MUSIC)

Dance bands at Glen Echo also play in the Bumper Car Pavilion. This was where drivers crashed little cars into each other during Glen Echo’s amusement park days.

VOICE TWO:

Today the arts are a driving force at Glen Echo Park. Visitors can paint, make pottery or improve their photography. Families enjoy children’s plays at the Adventure Theatre and the Puppet Company. There are also seasonal festivals like "Fall Frolic." This day of crafts, theater performances, Halloween activities and dance is set for October twenty-seventh.

Glen Echo Park sits on about four hectares of land along the Potomac River. Each year a half-million people come to the park for events and programs. But some visitors just like to sit in the sun and feed the squirrels.

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VOICE ONE:

Two wealthy brothers, Edward and Edwin Baltzley, provided the land for Glen Echo in the nineteenth century. They wanted it to be an education center called a Chautauqua.

Chautauqua was a popular movement in the United States at the time. It gave working people in crowded cities a chance to learn and to experience nature.

The Glen Echo Chautauqua opened in eighteen ninety-one. There were classes in languages, science and other subjects.

VOICE TWO:

A year later, Glen Echo became a home for traveling shows. Then it grew into a small amusement park, and later a bigger amusement park. But not all of its history was fun and games.

For years the park did not admit black people. In nineteen sixty, civil rights activists demonstrated at the park. The next year, Glen Echo opened to everyone.

VOICE ONE:

Five years later, in nineteen sixty-six, there was violence at the park on the day after Easter. Some people called it a race riot.

Whatever it was, it did nothing to help a little park that had been losing popularity anyway. In nineteen sixty-eight, the park closed. Many rides and attractions were sold or destroyed.

VOICE TWO:

The federal government became the owner of the Glen Echo land in nineteen seventy. The government along with neighbors of the park wanted to limit development near the Potomac River.

The National Park Service now operates Glen Echo in cooperation with a group called the Glen Echo Partnership for Arts and Culture. The park is in Montgomery County, Maryland. The county created the nonprofit group.

The partnership manages Glen Echo’s programs, fund raising and marketing. The National Park Service takes care of historical presentation, safety, security, resource protection and grounds keeping.

VOICE ONE:

A good way to picture the early days of Glen Echo is to walk around its historic area. The Spanish Ballroom and the Bumper Car Pavilion are part of that area. But there is also the Yellow Barn, now a center for artists.

The Picnic Grove is a popular place for outdoor meals. The Arcade now houses photography projects, art exhibits and theaters instead of games.

And there is the historic Clara Barton House. Clara Barton was the nurse who established the American Red Cross.

VOICE TWO:

The Crystal Pool at Glen Echo Park was big enough to hold three thousand people. Now, instead of water and swimmers, the pool is filled with dirt. Weeds and some wildflowers grow out of the top.

A tall woman wearing sunglasses remembers that as a small child, she would always ask her mother to let her swim in the pool. But that was at a time when many children were getting sick from polio. Doctors were advising parents to keep their children away from crowds. So her mother always said no.

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VOICE ONE:

Organ music leads visitors to the Dentzel Carousel. Neighbors of Glen Echo Park worked hard to keep it after the park closed. People called it the jewel of the park. A Glen Echo town councilwoman named Nancy Long led a successful drive to buy it back.

Supporters organized to restore the carousel. That project took many years and a lot of money. Now it operates on weekends from May through September.

On an early fall day, the line for this merry-go-round is not too long. Most of the people waiting are little children. But older riders are excited too. The ticket-taker smiles and says not to worry. She says carousels were really created for adults.

VOICE TWO:

There are four ostriches on the carousel. The birds are finely carved and painted. They share the merry-go-round with horses, rabbits, a giraffe, a deer, a lion and a tiger.

The ostriches go up and down as the carousel turns. A few horses away, another adult is riding a rabbit. On a carousel, grabbing the brass ring as you pass it is supposed to win you a prize and a happy future. The man on the rabbit tries to pull the small brass ring but he cannot reach it.

You also try. No one can reach it. It is there only for show. But then, you think maybe the visit to Glen Echo Park is the real brass ring.

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VOICE ONE:

Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by Caty Weaver. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. You can learn more about Glen Echo Park by clicking on a link at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.