口语中，说话人可能考虑不周，句子未必都是很规范的。例如：

During the pandemic,work,school,visiting the doctor, staying close to friends and family, 

for better or worse, it's been a year for technology to showcase how it can play an even

bigger part in people's lives.

这个句子中，并列的名词词组即动名词短语work,school,visiting the doctor, staying close to friends and family 在句中无成分可作，显然是语法错误。但你照样可以理解说话人试图表达什么，即人们照样去上班、上学、看病、朋友和家人照样聚会。it‘’s been a year 应改为 it's taken a year. 后接不定式。做某事花了多少时间。VOA是练习听力的，听懂大意即可，不要纠结语法。这种节目中出现语法错误一点都不奇怪。中国人说话也会出现语法错误的。你要抓听力，而不是从这个节目中学语法结构。