Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, cottontail, and Peter.

They lived with their Mother in a sandbank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree. They lived with their mother in a Sandbank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.

“Now, my dears,” said old Mrs. “Now, my Dears,” said Mrs old. Rabbit one morning, “you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden – your Father had an accident there, he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.” Rabbit one morning, “you may go into the fields or down the lane, but do not go into Mr. McGregor’s garden – your Father had an accident there, he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.”

“Now run along, and don’t get into mischief. I am going out.” “Now run along, and do not get into mischief. I am going out.” ...

This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.

Falling prices are fueling growth in high-speed Internet services, especially in developing countries. Last week the International Telecommunication Union released its “Measuring the Information Society 2011″ report. The ITU, part of the United Nations, compared access, use and skills in one hundred fifty-two countries.

The report says South Korea has the world’s most developed economy in information and communication technology, or ICT. Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and Finland were also among the top five in the ICT Development Index. The index compares two thousand eight and two thousand ten scores.

Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Vietnam and Russia had some of the biggest improvements between those years.

Susan Teltscher is head of the ICT Data and Statistics Division at the International Telecommunication Union in Switzerland. She says most of the growth in this industry has come from one source...

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

There are schools of fish, and there are schools for fishermen. The Cod Academy is a year-long program in Maine, one of the New England states in the American Northeast.

The academy is new. The idea is to train current or former ocean-going fishermen to become fish farmers.

Sebastian Belle is director of the Maine Aquaculture Association. That group launched the Cod Academy with the University of Maine and other partners. Mr. Belle says the academy teaches all about managing a floating farm ...

This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.

It has been ten years since terrorists used hijacked airplanes to attack the United States. In the years since then, much has been done to improve security in the country.

Intelligence sharing and cooperation between federal, state and local government agencies is said to be at an all-time high. There also have been improvements in airport security.

But a new report says the United States is not as safe as should be. It says America “is not yet prepared for a truly catastrophic disaster.” ...

Most terribly cold it was, it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening – the last evening of the year. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was the good of that? When she left home she had slippers on, it is true, but what was the good of that? They were very large slippers, which her mother had hitherto worn; so large were they; and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast. They were very large slippers, which her mother had hitherto worn; so large they were, and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffle away across the street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast.

One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by an urchin, and off he ran with it; he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he some day or other should have children himself...

Briar Rose (Part 1+2)

A king and queen once upon a time reigned in a country a great way off, where there were fairies in those days. Now this king and queen had plenty of money, and plenty of fine clothes to wear, and plenty of good things to eat and drink, and a coach to ride out in every day: but though they had been married many years they had no children, and this grieved them very much indeed. Now this king and queen had plenty of money, and plenty of fine clothes...