[经济报道]非洲贸易限制阻碍经济发展

The African Union has held countless meetings and conferences on how to increase trade betweenAfrican countries, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has organizedsimilar gatherings. Yet these efforts have failed to lead to a increase in intra-Africa trade.

Currently, African countries do only 11 percent of their foreign trade with other countries on thecontinent. By comparison, Asian countries do 50 percent of their trade with Asian countries. Lastyear, the world bank reported that Africa loses billions of dollars every year because of tradebarriers.

This past July, a U.N. report urged African governments to provide more support to privatebusinesses, reduce trade barriers and expand public services. The slow progress makes it difficultfor companies to do business in surrounding countries.

Jittu Horticulture PLC is Ethiopia's biggest exporter of horticulture products. The company'sGeneral Manager Jan Prins says Ethiopia has huge possibilities for trade, but he says there are toomany difficulties when attempting to trade with neighboring countries.

"The major challenge is to reach these markets. And it can either be logistic problems like overflooded border areas, bad roads or no roads, trade barriers, political issues or security issues. ForEthiopia it is very difficult to reach the markets in the surrounding countries."

Problems getting visas, corruption and high transportation costs are some of the barrierscompanies face when they attempt to trade within the continent. A truck in Africa will travel, onaverage, just nine kilometers an hour because of the many security or inspection stations. As aresult, 40 percent of the cost of product is for transportation.

Intra-Africa trade, both imports and exports, totaled $131 billion in 2011. African Union countrieshave agreed to make the continent a free trade zone by 2017. Treasure Maphanga is the Directorof the AU's Trade and Industry Department, she says governments must make that goal of acontinental free trade area a reality.

"I see that in many countries there is political will that exists at a certain level. Intra-Afric 1

a tradedoes not just depend on one ministry, it does not just depend on the head of state. It dependson the whole government machinery. And coordinating toward a specific goal."

The African Union will hold another conference on increasing Intra-Africa trade at the end ofOctober

[农业报道]你看好转基因香蕉么？

Today, we take you to a small banana plantation near Kampala. The trees are healthy and green,but Andrew Kiggundu does not like what he sees.

"The disease on the leaves you see right now is not the wilt, it is a different disease called blacksigatoka. It is just killing off the leaves and causing significant yield loss. This is a big problem,although of course not as much as the wilt, because the wilt just destroys the whole plant."

Andrew Kiggundu works with the National Agricultural Research Organization, also known asNARO. The Ugandan government agency is developing genetically engineer bananas. The newplants are meant to resist black sigatoka and banana bacterial wilt, which has been destroying alarge amounts of the country's banana crop.

Uganda is the world's top consumer of bananas. NARO Research Director WilberforceTushemereirwe says this is why it is so important to produce healthy plants.

"The disease keeps on moving around wiping out garden after garden, so you will go to areaswhere you find they have changed from banana to annual crops. That has already introducedfood insecurity, because they are not used to handling annual crops."

The central African nation already permits testing of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.Lawmakers are considering a bill that would permit the development and distribution of suchorganisms through out the country. But some activists say genetically modified organisms wouldbe dangerous to human health and the environment.

Giregon Olupot is a soil biophysicist at Makerere University in Kampala.

"There are a range of options that risk to be wiped [out], just by this technology. With b 2

ananas,tissue culture has worked well to engineer healthy plants. You then take these plants to a cleangarden and maintain field hygiene. Why are we not giving emphasis to that technology?"

Most genetically modified seeds are patented, this means farmers must purchase them after eachplanting. Mr Olupot says, this might be possible for profitable farmers, but smaller farmers dependon their own seeds. In his opinion, selling genetically modified seeds to small farmers could trapthem.

"If you are to go commercial, it has to be on a large scale. Now the farmers we are talking about,on average, have 0.4 hectares of land. It is simply not suitable for our farmers."

A public institution is developing Uganda's genetically modified bananas. NARO says no patent lawswill restrict their use. But Mr Olupot says this would probably not be true with genetically modifiedcrops introduced to Uganda in future. Mr Kiggundu says opponents of genetically modified planshave been strong in their criticisms. He says many farmers are now afraid of GMOs.

The Ugandan parliament is expected to pass the Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill before the end ofthe year.

And that's the Agriculture Report from VOA Learning English.

[经济报道]企业知识知多少

Businesses are structured in different ways to meet different needs.

The simplest form of business is called an individual or sole proprietorship. The proprietor owns allof the property of the business and is responsible for everything.

For legal purposes, with this kind of business, the owner and the company are the same. Thismeans the proprietor gets to keep all of the profits of the business, but must also pay any debts.

Another kind of business is the partnership. Two or more people go into business together. Anagreement is usually needed to decide how much of the partnership each person c 3

ontrols.

One kind of partnership is called a limited liability partnership. These have full partners and limitedpartners. Limited partners may not share as much in the profits, but they also have lessresponsibility for the business.

Doctors, lawyers and accountants often form partnerships to share their risks and profits. Ahusband and wife can form a business partnership together.

Partnerships exist only for as long as the owners remain alive. The same is true of individualproprietorships.

But corporations are designed to have an unlimited lifetime. A corporation is the most complexkind of business organization.

Corporations can sell stock as a way to raise money. Stock represents shares of ownership in acompany. Investors who buy stock can trade their shares or keep them as long as the companyis in business.

A company might use some of its earnings to pay dividends as a reward to shareholders. Or thecompany might reinvest the money back into the business.

If shares lose value, investors can lose all of the money they paid for their stock. But shareholdersare not responsible for the debts of the corporation.

A corporation is recognized as an entity -- its own legal being, separate from its owners.

A board of directors controls corporate policies. The directors appoint top company officers. Thedirectors might or might not hold shares in the corporation.

Corporations can have a few major shareholders. Or ownership can be spread among the generalpublic.

But not all corporations are traditional businesses that sell stock. Some nonprofit groups are alsoorganized as corporations.

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[词汇典故]说猴

Now, the VOA Special English program Wordsand Their Stories. Monkeys are very similar to us in many ways -- most have tenfingers and ten toes, and brains much like ours. We enjoy watching them because they often actlike us. In fact, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution says that monkeys and humans share acommon ancestor.

Songwriter William Gilbert, in the musical "Princess Ida," wrote:

"Darwinian man, though well-behaved, at best is only a monkey shaved."

His words -- sung to Sir Arthur Sullivan’s music -- make listeners smile. Well, monkeys make ussmile, too, because they are creatures full of playful tricks.

This is why many monkey expressions are about tricky people or playful acts. One of theseexpressions is "monkeyshines," meaning "tricks or foolish acts." The meaning is clear if you haveever watched a group of monkeys playfully chasing each other -- pulling tails, stealing food, doingtricks. So, when a teacher says to a group of students "Stop those monkeyshines right now!,"you know that the boys and girls are playing instead of studying. You might hear that same teacher warn a student not to "monkey around" with a valuable pieceof equipment. You "monkey around" with something when you do not know what you are doing.You are touching or playing with something you should leave alone. Also, you can "monkey around" when you feel like doing something, but have no firm idea ofwhat to do. For example, you tell your friend you are going to spend the day "monkeyingaround" with your car. Well, you do not have any job or goal in mind -- it is just a way to pass thetime.

"Monkey business" usually means secret -- maybe illegal -- activities. A news report may say thereis "monkey business" involved in building the new airport, with some officials getting secretpayments from builders.

You may "make a monkey out of" someone when you make that person look foolish. Somepeople "make a monkey out of" themselves by acting foolish or silly.

If one monkey has fun, imagine how much fun "a barrel of monkeys" can have! If your friend sayshe had "more fun than a barrel of monkeys" at your party, you know that he had a really goodtime.

"Monkey suits" are common names for clothes or uniforms soldiers wear.

In earlier years in many American cities, you would find men playing musical hand organs on thestreet. Dancing to the music would be the man’s small monkey dressed in a tight-fitting, colorfuljacket similar to a military uniform. So, people began to call a military uniform a "monkey suit."

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This VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories was written by Marilyn Rice Christiano.Maurice Joyce was the narrator. I’m Shirley Griffith.

[健康报道]贫富国家妇女寿命差距扩大

From VOA Learning English, this is the HealthReport.

The World Health Organization says women aged 50 and olderare generally in better health now than they were 20 to 30 years ago. But a new study confirmsthat older women in rich countries live longer than those in the developing world and thedifferences in life expectancy are widening.

The World Health Organization says heart disease, stroke and cancers are the leading causes ofdeath of women aged 50 years and older. But it says women in developing countries can often diefrom one of these problems at an earlier age.

The study is one of the first to examine the causes of death of women aged 50 years and olderfrom several rich and poor countries. It found that many women die at a young age because theylive in places that lack for money to prevent, identify and treat non-communicable diseases.

Colin Mathers is head of the WHO Mortality and Burden of Disease Unit. He says developedcountries have the money and health systems to reduce and control heart disease. He sayscancer of the cervix is one of the leading cancers among African women. He says the disease islargely preventable, but African countries have fewer resources to treat it. "There is simply not enough money to provide high quality health care to everyone that isaccessible. And, also a matter of human resources, that there often are not enough traineddoctors and nurses and other health professionals in the country."

Dr. Mathers says donors give comparatively little money to fight non-communicable diseases inAfrican. He says most of the money goes instead toward reducing the number of women dyingduring child birth. This has helped to bring down maternal mortality rates, but death rates amongolder women have increased.

The study found on average, women over 50 live at least 3.5 years longer than they did 20 yearsago. Older women in Japan now can expect to live 88 years. In Germany, the life expectancy ratefor older women is 84. Women in many other developed countries can expect to live to age 83 or84. But women in poorer countries die about 10 years earlier. Dr. Mathers says major risks for older women include smoking, the harmful use of alcohol, andbeing overweight or obese.

The World Health Organization says the number of long-lasting diseases can be cut through cost-effective methods to stop common diseases. These include prevention, early identification andcontrol of high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.

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And that's the Health Report from VOA Learning English. I'm Milagros Ardin.

[农业报道]全球变暖下的农业危机

VOA Learning English, this is the AgricultureReport.

Insects and diseases that attack food crops are moving as risen temperatures bring changes tothe environment. Plant diseases alone destroy an estimated 10 to 16 percent of the world's cropsin the field, experts say, plant diseases destroy another 6 to 12 percent after harvest.

A new study examines the movement of crop pests and diseases, and how it will affect agriculturalproduction worldwide.

Dan Bebber is a senior research fellow at the University of Exeter in Britain. He says research hasshown that wild plants and animals are moving toward Earth's North and South poles as the planetwarms.

Mr Bebber wanted to know if the same thing was happening with organisms that attackagricultural crops. He examined reports of first sightings of new insects and diseases around theworld. The records came from CABI - the Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International. He saysthe group began collecting information from developing and industrialized countries years ago.

Dan Bebber and his research team studied 612 different organisms - from viruses and bacteria toinsects like beetles and butterflies. They found that since 1960, crop pests and diseases have beenmoving toward the poles at an average rate of about 3 kilometers each year. Mr Bebber says thisputs the most productive farmland in the world in danger.

"As new species of pests and diseases evolve and potentially the environment for them becomesmore amenable at higher latitudes, the pressure on the breadbaskets of the world is going toincrease."

Farmers face other threats. Invasive species passed through trade are also causing problems.Gene Kritsky is an Entomologist at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Ohio. He specializes in thestudy of insects. He says climate change may improve conditions for some invasive species.

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"It means that species in other parts of the world that might do well in warmer temperatures cannow do well in the breadbasket of America."

Another Entomologist Christian Krupke of Purdue University says the effects of these changes willdepend very much on the crop, the insect and the disease. But he says the research is a warningsign that people should care about climate change and do something about it.

[科技报道] 3D打印服务进入美国商店 From VOA Learning English, this is theTechnology Report.

Imagine having an idea, drawing it on paper, bringing it to astore and seeing it turned into a physical object. This is now possible with the help of 3D printers.Such machines were once used just by universities and big companies, but now, stores with 3Dprinting services are appearing around the United States.

Bryan Jaycox and his wife opened The Build Shop LLC in Los Angeles two years ago. The store isfilled with tools like a laser cutter, an industrial sewing machine and 3D printers. The Jaycoxs offer3D printing classes and services for anyone who is interested.

"I think 3D printing is going to be huge. It's going to make a huge impact on society as a whole."

One of the students in a recent class was KiChong Tran. He plans to open a 3D printing business inCambodia.

3D printing services are becoming available for American consumers. The UPS Store is anationwide retailer that provides shipping, copying and other services. The UPS Store recently put3D printers in three of its independently-owned stores. Burke Jones owns one of the stores in SanDiego.

"The demand has been amazing. It's been much more than I would have imagined." The UPS Store plans to add 3D printers in three more stores.

For $11, Jonathan Netter used a 3D printer to produce two small plastic parts as part of a knucklefor a hand. He works for a medical device company, the company is testing finger prosthetics. Hesays the same-day or next-day printing services will speed up testing of parts and get the devicesto patients faster.

An office supply company, Staples is selling 3D printers on its website for as low as about $1,300.A cartridge of color plastic costs $50. As with any technology -- experts expect the printing speedand price to improve.

Bryan Jaycox requires $15 an hour to print an object, he also charges a fee depending on the sizeof the object and up to $50 an hour for design and labor services.

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At The UPS Store, the cost of the object depends on the amount of materials used. The storecharges up to $95 an hour to design the object with computer software that creates a digital fileto guide the printer.

Mr Jaycox predicts that within five years,

3D printing technology could become more consumerfriendly. But KiChong Tran says even current technology can make a difference in a developingcountry like Cambodia.

"With 3D printing you can give them tools, you put it in their hands so they are responsible morefor their own development and they learn skills beyond just like learning English and becoming atour guide or something like that or working at a bank you can actually create things that givevalue to the world."

He says it's not just Cambodia but anywhere where there is a 3D printer, it can turn a good ideainto reality.

And that's the Technology Report from VOA Learning English.

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