This is America
Text & MP3 Files
There are 287 fifteen-minute programs. That is about 71 hours of listening.
Sections on This Page:
2012 -
2011 -
2010 -
2009 -
2008 -
2007 -
2006 -
2005
2012
2011
- 2011-12-25 - In Praise of City Living
- 2011-12-18 - 'Snoopy House' Finds a New Home, and Other Holiday Tales
- 2011-12-11 - Itzhak Perlman: A Citizen of the World, With His Violin as a Passport
- 2011-12-04 - Occupy Protests Bring Attention to Income Gap in US
- 2011-11-27 - Exploring the Art of Rhetoric
- 2011-11-21 - What It Means to Be a Good Samaritan
- 2011-11-13 - Secret to Avoiding Summer Crowds in Washington: Wait for Fall
- 2011-11-06 - Political Data Miners Really Get to Know You
- 2011-10-30 - Halloween Story: ‘She Reaps What She Sows’
- 2011-10-23 - Cohousing Offers Modern Village Living
- 2011-10-16 - Chuck Berry Still Reeling and Rocking on Stage at 85
- 2011-10-09 - A Few Steps Up From Fast Food, and Down the Road From Fine Dining, Lies the Diner
- 2011-10-03 - Letterboxing: A Modern-Day Treasure Hunt
- 2011-09-25 - Mormons and Their History in America
- 2011-09-18 - Rooftop Beehives Sweeten Hotel Offerings
- 2011-09-11 - America and the Struggle for Jobs
- 2011-09-04 - Ten Years After September 11 Attacks, How Life Has Changed
- 2011-08-28 - Joshua Abraham Norton - He Declared Himself Emperor of the USA (Rerun)
- 2011-08-21 - Young Actors Bring Portraits to Life; US Water Activist to Walk Across Africa
- 2011-08-14 - Money, Education and Marriage: The New Relationship
- 2011-08-07 - Fathers Who Cook; Food Trucks Roll Across America
- 2011-07-31 - The History of Root Beer (Put in the About Things Collection)
- 2011-07-24 - Playing in the Sun and Sea at Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket (Rerun)
- 2011-07-17 - Deep Space Is Next Aim for NASA After Shuttles (Put in the About Space Collection)
- 2011-07-10 - A Cool Place That Welcomes Geeks? Try the Public Library
- 2011-07-04 - A Visit to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina (Rerun)
- 2010-05-30 - From Traditional to 'Freak,' the Evolution in American Folk Music (Rerun)
- 2011-06-19 - A Crowd of Superheroes at the Movie Theater
- 2011-06-06 - A Legal Education, From Shakespeare; A Mixed-Race Couple Who Fought the Law
- 2010-05-30 - Six Men, a World War, a Pacific Island and an Image for All Time (Rerun)
- 2011-05-22 - Marriage: Instead of 'I Do,' More Americans Say 'Let's Wait'
- 2011-05-15 - What Drives People to Try to Get Into the Guinness Book?
- 2011-04-24 - Rahm Emanuel Gets Ready for New Job as Mayor of Chicago
- 2011-04-17 - Inside the World of Pawn Shops
- 2011-04-03 - Take Me Out to the Ball Game for Some Hits of the Musical Sort (Rerun)
- 2011-03-28 - Peace Corps at 50: Same Mission of Aid, Just Smaller
- 2011-03-20 - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Names New Members
- 2011-03-13 - Census Findings Show Changes in US Population
- 2011-03-06 - Hey, Hon, Ready to Learn How They Talk in Baltimore?
- 2011-02-27 - For Company Wellness Programs, Experts Say Carrots Work Better Than Sticks
- 2011-02-20 - This Year's Oscar Choices: From 'True Grit' to True Stories
- 2011-02-13 - Websites Put New Face on Business of Seeking American Husbands
- 2011-02-06 - 'Lincoln Portrait': Music of Copland, Words of a Leader
- 2011-01-30 - A Saddle Maker and a Poet: How They Put Their Creativity to Work
- 2011-01-23 - US Housing Market Slow to Recover From Collapse in Prices
- 2011-01-16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Nearing Completion in Washington
- 2011-01-09 - Obama, Boehner and America's Newly Divided Government
- 2011-01-03 - Not Many Songs About Winter Leave You Whistling a Happy Tune (Rerun)
2010
- 2010-12-26 - Americans Develop a Taste for Cooking, Even If Just on TV
- 2010-12-19 - Christmas 2010 in America: Three Stories of Struggle, Tradition and Wonder
- 2010-12-05 - Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney Among Kennedy Center Honorees for Lifetime's Work
- 2010-11-28 - A Look Into the Life, Music and Art of American Indians
- 2010-11-22 - Americans Try to Deal With, and Even Laugh at, Economic Realities
- 2010-10-18 - The Making of One of Jazz's Most Influential Recordings
- 2010-10-10 - Make Marijuana Legal? California Leads Way in Drug Policy Debate
- 2010-09-27 - Eye Into the World of Lobbyists, Think Tanks
- 2010-09-20 - Norman Rockwell's Art Told Stories About American Life
- 2010-09-13 - Awards Ceremony to Mark Hispanic Heritage Month in US
- 2010-09-07 - Marching to the Music: Songs from the American Labor Movement
- 2010-08-16 - Fun in the Sun and Sea at Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
- 2010-08-09 - Getting Married in America: A Wedding for Every Budget
- 2010-08-02 - Music Flows at Summer Festivals, but Not as Freely in Weak Economy
- 2010-07-25 - Poker and the 'November Nine'; Steinbrenner and the Price of Winning
- 2010-07-15 - Classical Music, as Defined by Reinvention
- 2010-07-11 - Classical Music, but With a Modern Sound
- 2010-06-27 - Becoming an Explorer of Your Family History
- 2010-06-14 - The Vampires Are Back, Along With Talking Toys and a Huge Dog
- 2010-06-06 - Fighting Childhood Obesity in the US
- 2010-05-30 - Six Men, a World War, a Pacific Island and an Image for All Time
- 2010-05-23 - 'The Fantasticks' at 50
- 2010-05-16 - Record-Breaking Storm Floods "Music City"
- 2010-05-09 - Lincoln's Cottage: A Visit to a 19th Century Camp David
- 2010-05-03 - Three People Making a Difference: Heidi Kuhn, Joel Selanikio & Lisa Nesser
- 2010-04-25 - Mailing a Letter to California in the Old West
- 2010-04-18 - After 40 Years, Record Label Has Deep Roots in American Music
- 2010-04-12 - Finding Sweetness in a Cupcake
- 2010-04-04 - Celebrating National Poetry Month
- 2010-03-28 - For Many, NCAA Means Championships
- 2010-02-28 - A Crowded Field for Best Picture at Academy Awards
- 2010-02-22 - Music Spotlight: Reba, Zac Brown Band and More
- 2010-02-07 - Valentine's Day Offers a Chance to 'Refocus on What Love Is All About'
- 2010-01-31 - Reaching Out to the People of Haiti
- 2010-01-24 - How the Lomax Family Helped Save American Folk Music, Part 2
- 2010-01-17 - How the Lomax Family Helped Save American Folk Music, Part 1
2009
- 2009-12-27 - Saying Goodbye to 2009, Hoping for a Better 2010
- 2009-12-19 - Christmas 2009 in America: A Joyful Season in Not So Joyful Times
- 2009-11-22 - What Thanksgiving Day Means to People in US
- 2009-11-15 - The Biltmore Estate (Asheville, North Carolina)
- 2009-11-08 - What Is Your Favorite Song About Autumn?
- 2009-11-01 - Donations Likely to Face Slow Recovery in US
- 2009-10-26 - A Scary Story to Get You Into the Halloween Spirit
- 2009-10-18 - A Musical History of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 2009-10-11 - The National Book Festival Celebrates Reading for Everyone
- 2009-10-04 - Maurice Sendak's Books Have Helped Redefine Children's Literature
- 2009-09-27 - National Parks: An Idea That Began in the US
- 2009-09-20 - Secret to Avoiding Summer Crowds in Washington: Wait for Fall
- 2009-09-13 - How We Are Connecting With Social Networks
- 2009-09-06 - Marching to the Music: Songs From the American Labor Movement
- 2009-08-30 - Beyond 'Law & Order': The US Jury System
- 2009-08-23 - Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Girl Detective
- 2009-08-16 - America's 'Lost Colony': A Story Whose Ending Remains to Be Written
- 2009-08-09 - 40 Years Later, Taking Stock of Woodstock
- 2009-08-03 - How a Housing Bubble Burst Into a Global Financial Crisis
- 2009-07-26 - From Traditional to 'Freak,' the Evolution in American Folk Music
- 2009-07-19 - Beyond Country Roads: The Wild and Wonderful in West Virginia
- 2009-07-12 - City of Pittsburgh Enjoys Its Days in the Sun
- 2009-07-05 - More US Parents Think Beyond Most Popular Names for Babies
- 2009-06-27 - Celebrating July Fourth at the Statue of Liberty
- 2009-06-21 - What Is Your Favorite Song About Summer?
- 2009-06-14 - What Modern America Expects of Its Dads
- 2009-06-07 - Summer Brings Out the Music at US Festivals
- 2009-06-01 - Cape May, a Beach Town With Waves of History
- 2009-05-22 - On Memorial Day, Honoring Military Service and Sacrifice
- 2009-05-17 - Beaders Form Jewelry, and a Circle of Friends
- 2009-05-10 - Motown: Celebrating 50 Years of American Music
- 2009-05-03 - Mothers Through the Eyes, and the Years, of TV and Movie Makers
- 2009-04-27 - The Spoken Word is Still Heard After 35 Years At Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City
- 2009-04-19 - How the Web Could Save Newspapers, or Kill Them
- 2009-04-09 - Nine New Members Enter Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 2009-04-04 - Barbie Not the Only Thing Turning 50
- 2009-03-28 - Follow the Santa Fe Trail to Oldest US Capital City
- 2009-03-21 - Two Art Exhibits in Washington Tell Stories About American Culture
- 2009-03-14 - Irish in America: Remembering Three Who Made Their Mark
- 2009-03-07 - Kids, Before the Age of TV There Was a Funny Thing Called Radio
- 2009-02-28 - Alaska and Hawaii Mark 50 Years as States
- 2009-02-21 - The Truth About Cats and Dogs
- 2009-02-16 - Mountain and Cowboy Culture Meet in Jackson Hole
- 2009-02-07 - The Complex Story of Abraham Lincoln and How He Saved the Union
- 2009-02-02 - For Fans of Edgar Allan Poe, a Happy 200th Birthday
- 2009-01-26 - Songs About Winter Are Lovely but Sad
- 2009-01-20 - Barack Obama Becomes 44th US President
- 2009-01-12 - Change in Washington Has Special Meaning to People in Chicago
- 2009-01-03 - Exploring the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain
2008
- 2008-12-24 - Music for a Day When Memories and Hopes Meet at Midnight
- 2008-12-15 - Coming to Town for the Inaugural? Add These Sights to See
- 2008-12-08 - Trying to Live With a Recession in the World's Largest Economy
- 2008-12-01 - Kennedy Center Honors Six Artists for Life's Work
- 2008-11-24 - Batman, Spider-Man Face a Growing Crowd in Comics, Graphic Novels
- 2008-11-17 - The Making of One of Jazz's Most Influential Recordings
- 2008-11-10 - Election 2008: 'At This Defining Moment, Change Has Come to America'
- 2008-10-27 - What Is Your Favorite Song About Autumn?
- 2008-10-18 - Tombstone, Arizona: 'The Town Too Tough to Die'
- 2008-10-11 - When Mailing a Letter to California Meant 25 Days in a Stagecoach
- 2008-10-05 - Another World, Underground: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- 2008-09-27 - The Color of Money: Bureau of Engraving and Printing Produces Millions of Dollars a Day
- 2008-09-20 - White Sands National Monument: A Wonder of Nature, in New Mexico
- 2008-09-14 - When Songwriters Leave Their Heart in a City, San Francisco or Any Other
- 2008-08-30 - Schools Feel Effects of Weak Economy, High Fuel Prices as Classes Begin
- 2008-08-24 - Democrats Gather in Denver to Nominate Obama and Biden
- 2008-08-10 - C.F. Martin Guitar Company Still Making Music and Money at 175 Years Old
- 2008-08-03 - The Drive That Separates a Biker From a Motorcyclist
- 2008-07-27 - US Supreme Court: When Society Needs Answers, if Only on a 5-to-4 Vote
- 2008-07-13 - How Mississippi River, Budweiser Beer Flow Through St. Louis' Spirit
- 2008-07-06 - 'The Migration Series' by Jacob Lawrence Shows an Important Period in American History
- 2008-06-29 - 'New Birth of Freedom' Guides New Museum of Gettysburg Battle
- 2008-06-23 - --- - In 1968, Americans Kept Wondering: What More Could Happen Next?
- 2008-06-12 - From Folk Music to Rock, Bob Dylan Has Always Followed His Own Path
- 2008-06-08 - Bob Dylan: His Musical Roots, and His Education in Greenwich Village
- 2008-06-01 - If You Love Lucy and the Three Stooges, These Museums Are for You
- 2008-05-25 - Six Men, a World War, a Pacific Island, and an Image for All Time
- 2008-05-18 - Inside the Complex Worlds of Deafness and Deaf Culture in America
- 2008-05-11 - Coming Down to the Finish Line for a Race That Is About to Begin
- 2008-04-27 - All That Jazz, From a Man Named Dave Brubeck
- 2008-04-20 - So What's the Story? News Museum Hopes Crowds Care to Find Out
- 2008-04-13 - New York Yankees Leaving Famed Ballpark, but Won't Be Moving Far
- 2008-04-06 - Philadelphia: A City at the Heart of American History
- 2008-03-30 - Want to Be a Foreign Exchange Student? First Do Some Homework
- 2008-03-23 - Songs About Spring Can Be Happy or Sad
- 2008-03-17 - President Lincoln's Cottage: A Visit to a 19th Century Camp David
- 2008-03-09 - With All the Talk About Illegal Immigration, a Look at the Legal Kind
- 2008-03-02 - A Nation of Immigrants, Divided Over the Subject of Immigration
- 2008-02-24 - Snow Business in US: Skiing Into the World of Winter Wonderlands
- 2008-02-17 - A House Big and White, and About to Get New Occupants in January
- 2008-02-10 - Cormac McCarthy and Thomas McGuane Write Stories Set in the American West
- 2008-02-03 - On Super Tuesday, Presidential Candidates Aim for a Huge Prize
- 2008-01-20 - The American Library of Congress Has Chosen 25 More Films for Its National Film Registry Collection
- 2008-01-13 - Kids, Before the Age of TV There Was a Funny Thing Called Radio
- 2008-01-07 - Annie Leibovitz Has Been Photographing Famous People for 35 Years
2007
- 2007-12-23 - From Traditional to Modern, Sampling This Year's Christmas Records
- 2007-12-09 - A Quilt Exhibit Pieces Together a Story About American History
- 2007-12-02 - How a Chemist Gets a Reaction From a Class of English Learners
- 2007-11-25 - Every Year the Kennedy Center Honors Five Artists for a Lifetime of Excellence
- 2007-11-18 - American Civics: Law, History and Political Science Combined
- 2007-11-11 - North to Alaska: Call of the Wild Leads Visitors to the Last Frontier
- 2007-11-04 - For Veterans, Pride in Service, and Health Systems Pushed to Limits
- 2007-10-21 - Dancers, Artists and Merry-Go-Round Lovers Can All Enjoy This Park
- 2007-10-14 - Going the Distance, Coast to Coast and Border to Border, on America's Highways
- 2007-10-07 - A Few Steps Up From Fast Food, and Down the Road From Fine Dining, Lies the Diner
- 2007-09-30 - Seeing the Sights (the Ones Above Water, at Least) for an Afternoon on the Chesapeake Bay
- 2007-09-23 - 'West Side Story': Love, Hate and the Immigrant Experience
- 2007-09-16 - How 'West Side Story' Gave Romeo and Juliet a New Home in America
- 2007-08-26 - Two Years After Katrina, Revisiting New Orleans, and Its Struggles
- 2007-08-19 - Chicago: Some Big Places to See in the 'City of the Big Shoulders'
- 2007-08-12 - Hot Dogs and Apple Pie: Just Some of America's Favorite Foods
- 2007-07-29 - Critics Praise Three American Playwrights
- 2007-07-22 - New Movie Musical 'Hairspray' Takes You Back to the 1960s
- 2007-07-15 - A High School Reunion in Chicago Brings a Meeting of the Minds
- 2007-07-08 - Crayola Crayons Have Been Helping Children Color for Generations
- 2007-07-01 - Ooh! Ah! Sis-Boom-Bah! Some Music to Go With the Fireworks on the Fourth of July
- 2007-06-25 - Valerie Wilson Has a Story to Tell and a Book to Sell, if CIA Will Let Her
- 2007-06-10 - Reaching for the Ball: NBA Finds More Players and Fans Overseas
- 2007-06-03 - Philip Roth: Writing Award-Winning Books for Almost 50 Years
- 2007-05-27 - Remembering Troops Who Died, and Worrying About Those About to Be Sent Into Harm's Way
- 2007-05-20 - Washington Has Six of Top 10 of 'America's Favorite Architecture'
- 2007-05-06 - Playing in the Sun and Sea at Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
- 2007-04-29 - Queen to Return to Jamestown to Mark 'America's 400th Anniversary'
- 2007-04-15 - Put on Your Travel Shoes: Down the West Coast and to Points East
- 2007-04-08 - From Bob Marley to Franklin Roosevelt, History in Sound
- 2007-04-01 - Sports Programs Where a Disability Is No Barrier to Having Fun
- 2007-03-25 - A Visit to the Florida Keys: Beautiful Islands in Southern Florida
- 2007-03-18 - Farm Life in the 21st Century: 'You Can Eat an Old Cow, but You Can't Eat an Old Computer'
- 2007-03-11 - Setting Out for a Day on the Lake, or Maybe a Trip Around the World
- 2007-03-04 - How Technology Can Help Disabled People Live More Normal Lives
- 2007-02-25 - In Charleston, Southern Friendliness Meets American History
- 2007-02-18 - Academy Awards: The Night When the Stars Come Out in Hollywood
- 2007-02-11 - Young, Strong-Willed, a Revolutionary. Meet George Washington
- 2007-02-04 - Living With a Disability in America -- and Trying to Earn a Living
- 2007-01-28 - Heroes: When the Worst of Events Bring Out the Best in People
- 2007-01-21 - Hillary Clinton Enters Race for Prize As-Yet Unclaimed by a Woman
- 2007-01-14 - Life With a Disability in America: Educating the Young
2006
- 2006-12-24 - Christmas in America: Music and Traditions of a Merry Season
- 2006-12-17 - Traveling Through Vermont
- 2006-12-10 - Coming to America: Writers and the Immigrant Story
- 2006-11-27 - More Americans Take on the Physical Test of Marathon Races
- 2006-11-19 - Thanksgiving Day: Filled With Family Traditions and, Oh Yes, Food
- 2006-11-12 - Democrats Plan a Busy First 100 Hours When They Take Control of Congress in January
- 2006-11-05 - Like Madonna, More and More Americans Turn to Foreign Adoptions
- 2006-10-22 - Two Special Places in New Mexico Connect With Native History
- 2006-10-15 - Crossing Borders, With Books by Four Authors in the United States
- 2006-10-08 - Service Groups Offer All Ages a Chance to Help Those in Need
- 2006-09-24 - Halls of Fame Mean Sports Stars' Best Days Never Have to End
- 2006-09-17 - Great-Grandma Did What? Becoming a Family-History Explorer
- 2006-09-10 - Plans for Ground Zero Slow to Take Shape in Glass and Steel
- 2006-09-02 - Cooking in the Great Outdoors (Fireplace Included)
- 2006-08-27 - One Year After Katrina, Uneven Progress Marks Efforts to Rebuild
- 2006-08-20 - MTV at 25: How 'Music Television' Changed Its Tune With the Times
- 2006-08-13 - White House Pressroom Getting a Makeover
- 2006-08-06 - Take Me Out to the Ball Game, for Hits of the Musical Sort
- 2006-07-30 - American Clergy: Still Mostly a Man's World, but Women Make Gains
- 2006-07-23 - Making Beautiful Music Under the Stars at Ravinia and Tanglewood
- 2006-07-16 - Fresh Look for Two Art Museums in Washington
- 2006-07-02 - Celebrating July Fourth With Fireworks, Music, Picnics and Parades
- 2006-06-26 - Route 66 at Age 80: Taking a Drive on the Historic 'Mother Road'
- 2006-06-18 - A Visit to Houston, Where Cowboys, Astronauts and Culture Meet
- 2006-06-11 - Planning a Wedding Becomes a Marriage of a Million Details
- 2006-06-04 - They Sing in English, Put on American Works, and Redefine Opera
- 2006-05-21 - Issues of Economics, Fairness Shape Debate on Working Mothers
- 2006-05-07 - Chicago: Some Big Places to See in the 'City of the Big Shoulders'
- 2006-04-23 - From Donald Duck to Biting Commentary, Cartoons in America
- 2006-04-02 - National Poetry Week: When Words Take Flight
- 2006-03-26 - Library of Congress Presents 'Song of America' Tour
- 2006-03-20 - Podcasts: When Students Speak in Class, the World Can Listen
- 2006-03-12 - Six Months After Storm, New Orleans Tries to Reclaim Famous Spirit
- 2006-03-05 - Ballroom Appeal Gives Americans Dancing Feet, in Step With Times
- 2006-02-26 - Hollywood Presents a Serious Side in Oscar Hopefuls
- 2006-02-19 - Coming Face-to-Face With the History of Slavery in New York City
- 2006-02-12 - After Safest Year on Record, Coal Mining Deaths Raise Concerns
- 2006-02-05 - Jamestown Gets Ready to Celebrate Its 400th Anniversary
- 2006-01-29 - Ride 'em, Cowboys and Cowgirls! Rodeos Keep Old West Spirit Alive
- 2006-01-22 - Telecommuting: Going to Work Without Ever Leaving Home
- 2006-01-08 - 'Phantom of the Opera' Rewrites Broadway History After 18 Years
- 2006-01-01 - Diners: A Taste of the Past Stays Fresh in Minds, and Stomachs
2005
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About
- These are good for people studying English because it is possible to read along while listening.
- These are in VOA's Special English.
- These will print very cleanly (without printing the MP3 player and menu.)
- The source of the original pre-edited material is http://voanews.com/specialenglish/.
- "All text, audio and video material produced exclusively by the Voice of America
is public domain. However, some images and graphics are licensed for use and
covered by all applicable copyright laws."
- Though the source material was in the public domain, I have done some editing. If you need the public domain version of any of these stories, please visit http://voanews.com/specialenglish/.
Other VOA Material on This Web Site
This page is part of Interesting Things for ESL Students.