VOA慢速英语节目介绍

合集下载

51voa慢速英语听力

51voa慢速英语听力
51VOA慢速英语是美国之音（Voice of America）的一个特色
节目，旨在帮助非英语为母语的听众提高英语听力和阅读能力。

该
节目以慢速、清晰的语速播报国际新闻和人文故事，适合英语学习
者和听力较差的人士收听。

通过51VOA慢速英语，听众可以在愉悦
的听觉环境中了解世界各地的重要事件和文化动态，同时提高英语
听力水平。

51VOA慢速英语节目内容涵盖国际新闻、科技、健康、教育、
文化等领域，每篇报道都会以简单易懂的语言进行解说，配有重点
词汇和短语的解释，有助于听众更好地理解和吸收信息。

此外，
51VOA慢速英语还提供在线文本稿件，方便听众阅读跟读，加强对
听力材料的理解和记忆。

通过51VOA慢速英语听力，听众不仅可以增进对英语语言的了
解和掌握，还能够开阔视野，深入了解国际社会的多元文化和多样
化发展。

这对于那些希望提高英语水平、了解国际动态的人士来说，是一个非常有益的资源和工具。

总的来说，51VOA慢速英语听力节目为英语学习者和对国际新
闻感兴趣的听众提供了一个优质的学习平台，通过生动有趣的报道和专业的解说，帮助听众提高英语听力水平，丰富知识储备，增进对世界的了解。

希望这个介绍能够对你有所帮助。

VOA慢速英语听力：蒂凡尼的早餐

VOA慢速讲解附字幕:成语典故—关于HoldBOB DOUGHTY: And I'm Bob Doughty with PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today we tell about Truman Capote, one of America's most famous modern writers. He invented a new kind of book called the nonfiction novel. This literary form combined factual reporting with the imaginary possibilities of storytelling. Capote's writing ability and his wild personality captured the interest of people all over the world.(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: Truman Capote became famous for living a wild and exciting life. He traveled a great deal and divided his time between homes in New York City and Switzerland. But he started out from more common roots.Truman was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in nineteen twenty-four. His name was Truman Streckfus Persons. When he was a very young child, Truman's mother sent him to live with her family in Monroeville, Alabama. He lived with his aunts and cousins for several years.Author Truman Capote poses in sunglasses and a hatTruman rarely saw his parents. But he did become friends with the little girl who lived next door to his family. Her name was Harper Lee. She would later grow up to be a famous writer. Her book "To Kill a Mockingbird," would earn her a Pulitzer Prize. One of the characters in the book is based on Truman as a child.BOB DOUGHTY: Truman was a very lonely child. He later said that he felt very different from everyone around him. He said he felt he was much more intelligent and sensitive than others and feared that no one understood him. This helps explain why Truman began writing. Putting his thoughts on paper helped him feel less lonely. As a child he would write for about three hours a day after school.FAITH LAPIDUS: When Truman was about ten years old he joined his mother in New York City. She had remarried a Cuban-American businessman named Joseph Capote. Mr. Capote soon became the legal parent of Truman. He renamed his stepson Truman Garcia Capote.Truman did not do well in school. He was very smart but did not like classes. He stopped attending high school when he was seventeen years old. Instead, he started working for the New Yorker magazine. And, he kept on writing.BOB DOUGHTY: Truman Capote once said: "I had to be successful and I had to be successful early." He said that some people spent half of their lives not knowing what they were going to do. But Capote knew he wanted to be a writer and he wanted to be rich and famous. He succeeded.(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: In nineteen forty-five Truman Capote sold his first short story to a major magazine. This story, "Miriam", won a literary prize called the O. Henry Award. A publishing company soon gave him money to start working on a book.Capote was only twenty-three years old when he finished his first novel, "Other Voices, Other Rooms." It tells the story of a southern boy who goes to live with his father after his mother dies. The story is an exploration of identity. The boy learns to understand and accept that he loves men.BOB DOUGHTY: "Other Voices, Other Rooms" was a great success. Critics praised its clarity and honesty. But the story was also disputed. It openly deals with homosexual issues of men loving men. Truman Capote had relationships with men and was not afraid of expressing this fact to the world.The photograph on the book cover also caused a dispute. The picture of Capote is intense and sexually suggestive. Capote loved shocking the public. He liked to get all kinds of publicity.Truman Capote soon became well known in the literary world. He loved rich people from important families. Capote was as famous for his personality as he was for his writing. He attended the best parties and restaurants. His small body, boyish looks, and unusual little voice became famous.(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: Capote wrote many more short stories and essays. In nineteen fifty-eight, he published a book called "Breakfast at Tiffany's." It has become one of the most well known stories in American culture. The main character is Holly Golightly. She is a free-spirited young woman living in New York City.Holly is very beautiful and has many lovers. She runs from party to party wearing little black dresses and dark sunglasses.But she has a mysterious past that she tries to escape. At the end of the story Holly leaves New York forever. She disappears from the lives of the men who knew her. But they can never forget her colorful personality.BOB DOUGHTY: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was soon made into a movie. The film stars Audrey Hepburn. She captures Holly Golightly's spirit perfectly. Here is a scene from the movie. Holly and her friend Paul are visiting Tiffany's, a very costly jewelry store.HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: "Isn't it wonderful? You see what I mean how nothing bad could ever happen to you in a place like this? It isn't that I give a hoot about jewelry except diamonds of course -- like that! [looking at a diamond necklace] What do you think?"PAUL: "Well ...HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: "Of course, personally I think it would be tacky to wear diamonds before I am forty."PAUL: "Well, you're right. but in the mean time you should have something."HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: "I'll wait."PAUL: "No, I'm going to buy you a present. You bought me one -- a typewriter ribbon and it brought me luck."HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: "All right, but Tiffany's can be pretty expensive."PAUL: "I've got my check and ...ten dollars."HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: "Oh, I wouldn't let you cash your check. But a present for ten dollars or under, that I'll accept. Of course, I don't exactly know what we're going to find at Tiffany's for ten dollars."FAITH LAPIDUS: In the late nineteen fifties Truman Capote started developing a method of writing that would revolutionize journalism. He wanted to combine the facts of reporting with the stylistic richness of storytelling. He became interested in a short New York Times report published in November of nineteen fifty-nine.The report described the murder of a family in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas. A husband, wife and two children had been shot in their home in the middle of the night.BOB DOUGHTY: Truman Capote immediately traveled to Kansas to learn more about the killings. His childhood friend Harper Lee went with him. Together they spoke with everyone involved in the investigation. They met with police officers and people living in the town. Capote even became friends with the two killers. The writer met with them many times in jail after they were arrested.Capote spent the next few years researching what would become his next literary project. His book would give a detailed description of the murders. It would explore the effects of the killing on the town. And it would even tell the story from the point of view of the killers.FAITH LAPIDUS: But Capote became involved in a moral conflict. He could not complete his book until he knew its ending. So, he had to wait until the end of the trial to see if both killers were found guilty and put to death. As a writer he wanted to finish the story.But as a friend, it was difficult for him to watch the two men die. Capote was torn between his duty towards human life and his duty to his work.BOB DOUGHTY: Capote worked for six years to produce his book "In Cold Blood." It was finally published in nineteen sixty-six.It immediately became an international best seller. Truman Capote had invented a whole new kind of writing. He called it the non-fiction novel. He was at the top of his profession.Here is a recording of Truman Capote from a two thousand five documentary about him. Listen to Capote's small southern voice as he talks about style.TRUMAN CAPOTE: "I think one has style or one doesn't, but style is one's self. It's something that you don't, you cannot...learn.It's something that has to come from within you. And bit by bit, be arrived at and it's simply there like the color of your eyes."FAITH LAPIDUS: Truman Capote decided to celebrate his new success. In nineteen sixty-six he gave what people called the "party of the century." He invited five hundred friends for a night of eating, drinking and dancing at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Guests included famous writers, actors and important people from the media. They were told to wear either black or white formal clothing.Capote's "Black and White Ball" was one of the most famous events in the history of New York society.BOB DOUGHTY: But Truman Capote's popularity soon decreased. His drinking and drug use seriously affected his health. His writing also suffered. He published stories that insulted his rich and powerful friends. Many people no longer wanted to have anything to do with him. Capote died in ninety eighty-four. He was fifty-nine.FAITH LAPIDUS: Truman Capote's writing is still celebrated today for its clarity and style. In two thousand five the film "Capote" renewed interest in his work and personality. This little man from Alabama left an important mark on American literary culture.(MUSIC)BOB DOUGHTY: This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I'm Bob Doughty.FAITH LAPIDUS: And I'm Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English.。

VOA慢速英语听力：珍珠港事件回顾

Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in December of nineteen forty-one was one of the most successful surprise attacks in the history of modern warfare. Japanese warships, including several aircraft carriers, crossed the western Pacific to Hawaii without being seen.They launched their plannoes on a quiet Sunday morning and attacked the huge American naval and air base at Pearl Harbor.(SOUND: Pearl Harbor attack)ANNOUNCER: "We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin: The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by air, President Roosevelt has just announced."ANNOUNCER: "The attack apparently was made on all naval and military activities on the principal island of Oahu. A Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor naturally would mean war."STEVE EMBER: Many of the American sailors were asleep or at church. They were unprepared for the attack. In fact, some people outside the base thought the Japanese planes must be new types of American aircraft on training flights. The sounds of guns and bombs soon showed how wrong they were.The Japanese planes sank or seriously damaged six powerful American battleships in just a few minutes. They killed more than three thousand sailors. They destroyed or damaged half the American airplanes in Hawaii.American forces, caught by surprise, were unable to offer much of a fight. Japanese losses were very low.There was so much destruction at Pearl Harbor that officials in Washington did not immediately reveal the full details to the public.They were afraid that Americans might panic if they learned the truth about the loss of so much military power.The following day, President Franklin Roosevelt went to Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Japan.FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT: "Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives: "Yesterday, December seventh, nineteen forty-one -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor, looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific ..."No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory..."We will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us ..."I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, nineteen forty-one, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."STEVE EMBER: The Senate approved President Roosevelt's request without any opposition. In the House of Representatives, only one congressman objected to the declaration of war against Japan.(MUSIC)VOA慢速英语听⼒：珍珠港事件回顾Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. Congress reacted by declaring war on those two countries.The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ended the long American debate over whether to become involved in the Second World War.American politicians and citizens had argued for years about whether to remain neutral or to fight to help Britain and France and other friends.Japan's aggressive attack at Pearl Harbor united Americans in a common desire for military victory. It made Americans willing to do whatever was necessary to win the war. And it pushed America into a kind of world leadership that its people had never known before.President Franklin Roosevelt and his advisers had to make an important decision about how to fight the war. Would the United States fight Japan first, or Germany, or both at the same time?Japan's attack had brought America into the war. And it had severely damaged American military power. But Roosevelt decided not to strike back at Japan immediately. He would use most of his forces to fight Germany.There were several reasons for Roosevelt's decision. First, Germany already controlled much of Europe, as well as much of the Atlantic Ocean. Roosevelt considered this a direct threat. And he worried about possible German intervention in Latin America.Second, Germany was an advanced industrial nation. It had many scientists and engineers. Its factories were modern. Roosevelt was concerned that Germany might be able to develop deadly new weapons, such as an atomic bomb, if it was not stopped quickly.Third, Britain historically was one of America's closest allies. And the British people were united and fighting for their lives against Germany. This was not true in Asia. Japan's most important opponent was China. But China's fighting forces were weak and divided, and could not offer strong opposition to the Japanese.(MUSIC)Adolf Hitler's decision to break his treaty with Soviet leader Josef Stalin and attack the Soviet Union made Roosevelt's choice final.The American leader recognized that the Germans would have to fight on two fronts: in the west against Britain and in the east against Russia.He decided it was best to attack Germany while its forces were divided. So the United States sent most of its troops and supplies to Britain to join the fight against Germany.American military leaders hoped to attack Germany quickly by launching an attack across the English Channel. Stalin also supported this plan. Soviet forces were suffering terrible losses from the Nazi attack and wanted the British and Americans to fight the Germans on the west.However, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other leaders opposed launching an invasion across the English Channel too quickly. They worried that such an invasion might fail, while the Germans were still so strong. And they knew this would mean disaster.For this reason, British and American forces decided instead to attack the Italian and German troops occupying North Africa.British forces had been fighting the Italians and Germans in North Africa since late nineteen forty. They fought the Italians first in Egypt and Libya. British forces had successfully pushed the Italians across Libya. They killed more than ten thousand Italian troops and captured more than one hundred thirty thousand prisoners.But the British success did not last long. Hitler sent one of his best commanders, General Erwin Rommel, to take command of the Italians. Rommel was brave and smart. He pushed the British back from Libya to the border with Egypt. And in a giant battle at Tobruk, he destroyed or captured more than eight hundred of Britain's nine hundred tanks.(SOUND: Rommel's tanks)Rommel's progress threatened Egypt and the Suez Canal. So Britain and the United States moved quickly to send more troops and supplies to stop him.Slowly, British forces led by General Bernard Montgomery pushed Rommel and the Germans back to Tripoli in Libya.In November nineteen forty-two, American and British forces commanded by General Dwight Eisenhower landed in northwest Africa. They planned to attack Rommel from the west, while Montgomery attacked him from the east.But Rommel knew Eisenhower's troops had done little fighting before. So he attacked them quickly before they could launch their own attack.A major battle took place at Kasserine Pass in western Tunisia. American forces suffered heavy losses. But in the end Rommel's attack failed. Three months later, American forces joined with Montgomery's British troops to force the Germans in North Africa to surrender.The battle of North Africa was over. The allied forces of Britain and the United States had regained control of the southern Mediterranean Sea. They could now attack Hitler's forces in Europe from the south.(SOUND)The Allies wasted no time. They landed on the Italian island of Sicily in July of nineteen forty-three. German tanks fought back. But the British and American forces moved ahead. Soon they captured Sicily's capital, Palermo. And within weeks, they forced the German forces to leave Sicily for the Italian mainland.In late July, Italy's dictator, Benito Mussolini, was overthrown and placed in prison. The Germans rescued him and helped him establish a new government, protected by German troops. But still the Allies attacked.They crossed to the Italian mainland. The Germans fought hard. And for some time, they prevented the allied troops from breaking out of the coastal areas.The fighting grew bloodier. A fierce battle took place at Monte Cassino. Thousands and thousands of soldiers lost their lives. But slowly the allies advanced north through Italy. They captured Rome in June of nineteen forty-four. And they forced the Germans back into the mountains of northern Italy.The allies would not gain complete control of Italy until the end of the war. But they had succeeded in increasing their control of the Mediterranean and pushing back the Germans.One reason Hitler's forces were not stronger in Africa and Italy was because German armies also were fighting in Russia. That will be our story next week.(MUSIC)Our program was written by David Jarmul. You can find our series online with transcripts, MP3s, podcasts and pictures at . You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember, inviting you to join us again next week for THE MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English.点击试听：。

voa慢速英语科技报道原文及翻译

A Victory For Computers as Watson Wins ‘Jeopardy’By June Simms2011-2-27Photo: AP'Jeopardy!' champions Ken Jennings, left, and Brad Rutter, right, look on as an IBM computer called 'Watson' beats them to the buzzer to answer a question during a practice round.This is the VOA Special English Technology Report. An IBM super computer named Watson has won the latest battle of man versus machine.Watson won the first ever "Jeopardy!" quiz show competition starring a computer as a player. The show was broadcast on American television February sixteenth. The super computer defeated former "Jeopardy!" champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter during the three-day competition. The two men had been the show's most successful players until then.The IBM computer proved to be more knowledgeable in every category, including the arts, popular culture and science. The human contestants spoke about their loss after the show.KEN JENNINGS/BRAD RUTTER: "I think that we both got a taste of what it might have been like to play against us."Roger Norton is dean of the School of Computer Science and Mathematics at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The school held a Watson watch party on the final day of the "Jeopardy!" competition. They compared it to a Super Bowl for the information technology industry. Roger Norton says everyone was amazed by Watson's performance.ROGER NORTON: "It was very impressive in a number of ways. One is its ability to understand natural language."In "Jeopardy!" players are given information in the form of an answer. They must give an answer in the form of a question. Roger Norton says the very nature of the game makes Watson's performance even more extraordinary.ROGER NORTON: "The ambiguity that's in those answers is very, very difficult for humans to understand, never mind a computer to understand. And then to be able to take that, try to understand it, then go off and search its vast amount of data that it has and do the appropriate analytics and come up with not only an answer but also a confidence level associated with that answer – very, very impressive."Watson was given the answer clues by electronic texts. It then searched through some fifteen trillion bytes of information stored in its database. That is equal to about two hundred million pages of text. The machine is able to perform up to eighty trillion operations per second.And its ability to understand language is more advanced than any other computer ever developed. This opens the door to a whole new world of computer applications. From business and investment, to medicine and healthcare, the possibilities are endless.Watson is now going to medical school. It is part of an agreement among IBM, Columbia University Medical Center in New York City and the University of Maryland's School of Medicine. The researchers will help IBM identify the best way that Watson can be used to help the healthcare industry.And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report, written by June Simms. You can find transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports at . I'm Steve Ember.超级计算机沃森在“危险边缘”节目人机对战中获胜This is the VOA Special English Technology Report. An IBM super computer named Watson has won the latest battle of man versus machine.这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

适合少儿的voa英语

适合少儿的voa英语VOA（Voice of America）是美国国际媒体机构，其英语节目涵盖了各个领域的新闻、故事、文化等内容，对于少儿学习英语也有一些适合的节目。

以下是我从多个角度给出的回答：1. VOA Learning English: VOA Learning English是专门为学习英语的非母语人士设计的节目，包括新闻、故事、词汇、语法等方面的内容。

它使用简单的词汇和语言结构，适合少儿学习。

这些节目通常会提供课文、音频和练习，帮助孩子们提高听力、阅读和口语能力。

2. VOA News for Kids: VOA News for Kids是专门为儿童设计的新闻节目，内容包括国内外的时事新闻、科学技术、环境等领域。

这些节目使用简单明了的语言，通过有趣的方式向孩子们介绍世界各地的新闻事件，帮助他们了解和关注国际事务。

3. VOA Special English: VOA Special English是一种特殊的英语授课方式，使用简单的词汇和慢速语速，适合非母语人士学习。

这些节目通常涵盖各个领域的主题，包括科学、历史、文化等，对于少儿学习英语也很有帮助。

4. VOA Kids' Time: VOA Kids' Time是一档面向儿童的广播节目，内容包括故事、音乐、游戏等。

这些节目使用简单的语言，以儿童喜欢的方式呈现，帮助孩子们培养英语听力和表达能力。

5. VOA English in a Minute: VOA English in a Minute是一系列短小精悍的英语学习视频，每个视频介绍一个常用短语或表达方式。

这些视频以简洁明了的方式解释词组的含义和用法，对于扩大孩子们的词汇量和提高口语表达能力很有帮助。

总结起来，VOA提供了一系列适合少儿学习英语的节目，包括VOA Learning English、VOA News for Kids、VOA Special English、VOA Kids' Time和VOA English in a Minute等。

voa慢速英语短篇新闻

voa慢速英语短篇新闻VOA慢速英语短篇新闻通常包含一些简短的故事和新闻，旨在帮助英语学习者提高语言水平。

这些新闻通常涉及日常生活、文化、历史和社会事件等方面，通过慢速的语速和简单的语言，使学习者更容易理解和学习。

以下是一个典型的VOA慢速英语短篇新闻示例：Title: The Power of FriendshipOnce upon a time, there was a young girl named Alice who had a best friend named Bob. They met at school and quickly became inseparable. Alice and Bob shared a love of music and spent many hours playing their guitars together.One day, Alice learned that she would be leaving the city for a few months to visit family. She was very sad and didn't want to leave her friend behind. Before she left, she gave Bob a special gift - an acoustic guitar with their initials on it.When Alice returned, she found that Bob had learned to play theguitar and they could now play together even more than before. The power of their friendship had brought them closer together and made their bond even stronger.这个短篇新闻讲述了一个关于友谊的故事，通过慢速的语速和简单的语言，使学习者能够更容易地理解和学习。

VOA慢速英语：蛇形机器人像真蛇一样

VOA慢速英语：蛇形机器人像真蛇一样Snake Robot Acts Like Real SnakeFive years ago, the Mars Rover Spirit got stuck in sandon the red planet. Spirit is one of the American space agency’s two motorized vehicles on Mars. Recently, the other vehicle – Curiosity -- had to go a long way to avoid another sandy area. These incidents led some scientists to develop ways to keep the costly robots from being trapped in the sand. These scientists looked to nature for their ideas.The researchers flew deadly snakes to Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. The snakes, called sidewinder rattlers, are native to the southwestern United States.The creatures were put in a specially designed sandbox with inclines that could be raised up or lowered. The scientists used high-speed video cameras to record the position of the snakes as they moved sideways up different inclines. Their movement is called sidewinding.Daniel Goldman teaches physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He says the snakes moved easily in the sand -- even when the sand began moving.“They were quite go od at climbing angles, even close to the angle where the sand begins to cascade.”Mr. Goldman and other researchers wrote about their findings in the journal Science. They are said to be thefirst to explain this kind of snake movement.“We noticed tha t the animals were in fact sidewinding, using the same kind of pattern of sidewinding they use on hard ground, but laying instead of only a few points of contact on the body contacting the ground, they were essentially laying more and more snake body down on the hill as the incline angle increased.”Researchers then performed experiments with a robot developed at CarnegieMellon University in Pennsylvania. The robot is called MOD-Snake. It is one meter long, and has 16 parts or modules. Each module is 6 centimeters wide. Daniel Goldman says the robot has a long history of getting in and out of tight places."It turned out they had actually been using the sidewinding gait in their robot for many years to traverseall kinds of ground, but always had trouble on sandy dune inclines."Researchers wanted to get the MOD-Snake to climb in the same way as the sidewinder rattlers.“And those same waves existed in the robot and allowed it to make its maneuvers and allowed us to modify those waves to make the kind of maneuvers that the snake did on sand dunes of different inclines -- that is, laying down more robot as the hill angle increased.”The researchers performed the same experiment with other snakes closely related to the rattlers. But all of those creatures failed to slide up the inclines.Joe Mendelson is research director at Zoo Atlanta. He says the robot model helped explain why those snakes have trouble climbing.“We found a really fascinating system where the snake informs what the robot can do, and then we can manipulate the robot to do the things that either the snake won’t do or can’t do. And so we have this self-informing system that has really opened up new parameters within snake biology and robotics.”Mr. Mendelson adds that the next generation of Mod-Snake may be used to save lives or explore unexplored areas on Earth or even in space.“Robots are expensive. And a robot gets stuck in the sand, that’s a problem, especially if that sand happens to be, say, on one or another planet, or very distant from an exploration post. And you realize, part of going into this, we realize that sidewinders never ever, ever get stuck on sand!”The researchers hope the new sidewinder robot will travel up and down sand dunes just as well.I’m Jonathan E vans._____________________________________________________________Words in this Storyincline – n., a slanting surface ; slopemodule – n., one of a set of parts that can be connected or combined to build or complete somethingrattler - n., an informal name for an American snake with a group of hard, loose pieces called scales at the end of its tail that it shakes to make a noisesidewinding - n., the movement of something, especially the movement of some types of snakes, along its side across a surface。

voa慢速英语短篇

VOA慢速英语短篇Voice of America (VOA) Slow English 是一个为英语学习者提供的节目，它通过简短的故事和新闻，帮助学习者提高英语水平。

下面是一个典型的VOA Slow English 短篇，供您参考：Title: The Gift of Giving.Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Tim who lived in a small village. Tim's family was very poor, and he often went hungry. One day, Tim heard about a charity organization that provided food and clothes to people in need.Tim decided to visit the organization and ask for help. When he arrived, he met a kind woman named Mrs. Smith. She welcomed Tim warmly and asked him about his situation. Tim told her about his family's poverty and how difficult it was to find food and clothes.Mrs. Smith felt sorry for Tim and decided to help him. She gave him a bag of food and some clothes. Tim was so grateful and thanked Mrs. Smith. As he left the organization, he felt a sense of joy and happiness.Days went by, and Tim felt better. He had enough food to eat, and he could wear warm clothes. But he also felt guilty because he knew that there were other people in his village who were also in need of help.One day, Tim decided to do something to help others. He gathered some food and clothes from his family and friends and brought them to the charity organization. Mrs. Smith was so touched by Tim's kindness and generosity. She thanked him and accepted the gifts.Tim felt happy knowing that he had made a difference in someone else's life. He realized that the gift of giving was more important than receiving. From that day on, Tim continued to help others in his village, and his kindness and generosity became famous throughout the community.这个故事告诉我们，给予比接收更重要的道理。

VOA慢速英语(翻译+字幕+讲解)80%城镇居民呼吸的空气不安全

WHO: 80% of Urban Residents Breathe Unsafe AirFrom VOA Learning English, this is the Health and Lifestyle report.A new study finds that more than 80 percent of people living in cities are breathing unsafe air. The World Health Organization study on urban air quality says those most affected live in the world's poorest cities. The study finds urban air pollution has nearly doubled in 3,000 cities over the past two years. The cities are in 103 countries.The study also shows that almost all cities with populations over 100,000, and in developing countries, have air pollution levels that do not meet WHO guidelines.The WHO warns that as air quality worsens the risk increases for many diseases. These include stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and breathing diseases such as asthma. Poor air quality is also responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths every year.Flavia Bustreo is WHO Assistant-Director General of Family, Women and Children's Health. In the report, she says that dirty air in cities most affects the youngest, oldest, and poorest people. However, her colleague, Maria Neira, says there are effective measures to deal with the problem. Neira leads the WHO's Public Health and Environmental Policy."You will see that in those cities where measures have been put in place, you can see a decrease on the levels of air pollution and, therefore, on the health risks caused by air pollution."Neira agrees in the report that "urban air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate" and severely affects human health. But she says the study shows improvements too. In her words, "awareness is rising and more cities are monitoring their air quality."This includes increased monitoring of particulate matter in the air."Particulate matter," also known as particle pollution, is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particulate matter is made up of a number of parts, including acids, organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust. The WHO study finds a reduction in air pollutants could lessen deaths from particulate matter by 15 percent.Carlos Dora is Coordinator of WHO's Department of Public Health and Environmental Policy. He says there are low-cost ways to improve air quality for even the poorest cities. These methods include using renewable power sources, such as solar and wind, and sustainable public transportation."If you have clean transportation means, like cycling, walking or rapid transit systems -- where you have a lot of people being carried with a few vehicles -- then you have less air pollution. Or, if you have cities like New York, which have cleaned the fuel to heat and cool the buildings in a major way ... then you have important improvements in air pollution."The report says the areas with the poorest air quality are in the Eastern Mediterranean and South East Asia.I'm Anna Matteo.。

VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》第1课（有关easy的表达）

VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》第1课（有关easy的表达）英语翻议讲解：Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故节目。

Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Some of these expressions are easy to understand. The words create a picture in your mind.每个人都有自己特定的表达方式和词语。

其中有些词语易于理解，能在你脑中形成鲜明的形象。

“As easy as falling off a log” is one such expression. It describes a job that does not take much effort."As easy as falling off a log"（像从圆木上滚落下来一样容易，借指轻而易举，易如反掌。

）就是这样一个词语。

它用于形容一项毫不费力的工作。

If you ever tried to walk on a fallen tree log, you understand what the expression means. It is easier to fall off the log than to stay on it.如果你曾经试着在平放的圆木上行走，你就能理解这个词语的含义。

从圆木上掉落下来比在上面行走容易得多。

The expression is often used today. For example, you might hear a student say to her friend that her spelling test was “as easy as falling off a log.”这个词语今天也常常被用到。

voa慢速英语短篇 -回复

voa慢速英语短篇-回复标题：VOA慢速英语短篇：探索美国草地保护引言：VOA慢速英语短篇经常报道世界各地的环境和自然保护相关话题。

在本文中，我们将以"VOA慢速英语短篇"为背景，探索美国草地保护的问题。

草地是地球上最广泛的生态系统之一，对于碳循环、气候稳定和生物多样性都起着重要作用。

美国草地以其壮丽的景观和丰富的物种而受到国际关注。

然而，由于过度开发和不可持续的农业实践，美国草地正面临着严重的威胁。

本文将深入研究这一问题，并探讨保护草地所需的关键措施。

第一部分：了解美国的草地资源[400字左右]美国拥有不同类型和规模的草地，包括天然草原、温带草原和草原森林。

它们分布在各个州以及阿拉斯加和夏威夷等非洲地区。

这些草地覆盖了美国约30的土地面积，扮演着维持生态系统健康的关键角色。

它们不仅是许多珍稀濒危动植物和动物的栖息地，还为当地经济和社区提供了重要的资源和服务。

第二部分：草地保护面临的挑战[500字左右]然而，美国草地正面临着严重的威胁。

过度的农业发展导致了大量草地退化和土壤侵蚀问题。

常见的农业实践，如大规模喂养牲畜和过度灌溉，对草地生态系统造成了巨大压力。

此外，城市化和工业化的不可持续增长也导致了草地破坏。

气候变化对草地的生态平衡产生了深远的影响，包括干旱、火灾和物种失调等。

第三部分：草地保护的重要性[500字左右]草地保护至关重要，对于人类和大自然的福祉都具有重要意义。

首先，草地拥有巨大的碳吸收和储存能力，对缓解气候变化起着关键作用。

其次，草地提供了丰富的饮用水资源，并减少了土壤侵蚀的风险。

此外，它们还为野生动物提供了栖息地和丰富的食物资源，促进了生物多样性的保护。

最后，草地旅游和再生能源等可持续经济活动为当地社区提供了就业和收入机会。

第四部分：保护草地的关键措施[500字左右]为了保护草地，需要采取综合措施。

首先，加强土地规划，限制过度开发和不可持续的农业实践。

第二，提高公众的环保意识，加强教育和宣传，促进可持续的生活方式。

VOA(Chinese)

Section one这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目，我是Phil Murray。

我们将讲述一些美国英语中的常用短语Leatherneck（海军陆战队）或grunt（步兵）听起来都不像是一个对他人的合适称呼，然而美军服役人员都引以为傲。

如果你认为这些名称听上去很怪，那就想想步兵（doughboy）和特种部队（GI Joe）这两个名称。

19世纪60年代美国内战之后，一家名为Beadle’s Monthly的刊物的作者使用doughboy这个词来称呼美国内战中的士兵。

但词汇专家查尔斯·芬克(Charles Funk)表示，那位很久以前的作者无法解释这个名称的由来。

大约20年后，有人做出了解释，这个人就是美国著名将领乔治·卡斯特(George Custer)的妻子。

伊丽莎白·卡斯特（Elizabeth Custer）写道，doughboy是供应给海军士兵的一种甜点，它得名于士兵军装上的大领扣。

伊丽莎白·卡斯特认为，随着时间的推移，这个名称演变成指代士兵本身。

如今，我们可能更多地认为doughboys是指第一次世界大战中的盟军士兵。

到了第二次世界大战，士兵们有了其它名称。

最常听到的名称就是GI，或GI Joe。

很多人说，GI这两个字母是general issue或者government issue的缩写。

这个名称有多种意思，它可以指士兵，也可以指士兵参军后所发的物品，如武器，装备或服装。

另外，由于某种原因，它也可以是整理或者清理的意思。

士兵们常说，“我们控制了（清理了）这个地方。

”当某个区域看上去正常，士兵们通常说该区域是“安全的”。

然而奇怪的是，GI也可以指做得不好的工作。

有些军事词汇学者对GI有另一种解释。

他们说GI既不是指government issue，也不是general issue，GI源于galvanized iron这个词。

美国士兵被说成是像白铁皮，这是一种用于特殊强度需求的物质。

voa慢速英语文稿

voa慢速英语文稿Title: VOA Slow English Transcript (Creating and Expanding on the Title)VOA (Voice of America) offers a valuable resource for language learners with their Slow English program. This program features news articles and audio recordings that are specifically designed to help English learners improve their listening comprehension skills.The slow-paced delivery of the news articles allows learners to follow along more easily and grasp the meaning of the text. The articles cover a wide range of topics, including current events, science, technology, health, culture, and much more. This diversity allows learners to broaden their vocabulary and general knowledge while enhancing their language skills.Each Slow English transcript includes not only the text but also the audio recording, making it a comprehensive learning tool. Learners can read the transcript while simultaneously listening to the recording, helping them to connect the written and spoken forms of the language. This practice is particularly helpful for learners who struggle with understanding native English speakers due to differences in pronunciation orspeaking speed.Moreover, the Slow English program offers an ideal platform for learners to practice their listening skills at their own pace. Learners can listen to the audio recordings repeatedly until they feel comfortable understanding the content without relying heavily on the transcript. This gradual improvement builds confidence and encourages learners to explore more advanced materials as they progress.One of the notable advantages of the Slow English program is that it caters to learners of all proficiency levels. Beginners can benefit from the slower pace and simpler vocabulary, while more advanced learners can challenge themselves with the content and vocabulary used in the articles. This flexibility ensures that learners of all levels can find suitable material to practice and enhance their English skills. In conclusion, the VOA Slow English program provides an excellent resource for English learners to improve their listening comprehension skills. The program's slow-paced news articles, combined with audio recordings and comprehensive transcripts, offer learners an effective way to connect written and spoken English. The program caters to learners of all levels and covers a wide range of topics, making it a valuable toolfor language learners worldwide.。

VOA慢速英语听力：伊利运河促进美国发展

VOA慢速英语听⼒：伊利运河促进美国发展 MARIO RITTER: And I'm Mario Ritter with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. In the early eighteen hundreds, traveling in the United States was dangerous. Business and trading were limited. Then came the waterway called the Erie Canal. It helped build America.(MUSIC) BOB DOUGHTY: Two adventurers recently traveled the more than five hundred eighty kilometers of America's Erie Canal in kayaks. Then the two, Richard Harpham of Britain and Glenn Charles of the United States, paddled into the Hudson River to complete their trip to the Statue of Liberty in New York City.A tour boat passes Lock 2 on the Erie Canal in Waterford, New York, in 2008. They piloted their light, small boats more than eight hundred kilometers in about twenty-one days. That time also included stops for cultural and historic activities along the way. The event was called the "The New York State Spare Seat Expedition." Harpham and Charles invited others to join them for parts of their travels. The "guests" rode in the additional seat in the boats. Many kayaks have a single seat. MARIO RITTER: The two men call themselves "expeditionary kayakers" – explorers on the water. One goal of their trip was to honor the struggles that built the Erie Canal. It became America's first national waterway in eighteen twenty five. At that time, the Erie Canal crossed the state of New York from the city of Buffalo on Lake Erie to Albany and Troy on the Hudson River. The Hudson River flowed into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. So the canal joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal made New York City a major port. The difficulty of traveling through the Appalachian Mountains had kept many people from going west. The mountains also prevented people in the west from sending their wood and farm products east. But the canal overcame the natural barrier of those mountains. It helped open the American West. The Erie Canal made the United States a richer and stronger young nation. BOB DOUGHTY: Politicians, businessmen, farmers and traders had talked about creating a canal connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean for one hundred years. A lawyer and politician named De Witt Clinton finally succeeded in getting the canal built. As early as eighteen-oh-nine, Clinton saw the need for the canal. Then he had to defend his idea against people who laughed at him. Some critics called the canal "Clinton's Folly" -- a stupid project. In eighteen twelve, the federal government rejected a proposal to provide money for the canal. But five years later, the New York State legislature provided more than seven million dollars for the project. The lawmakers named Clinton to head a committee to supervise the development of the canal. De Witt Clinton was elected governor of New York that same year. MARIO RITTER: The Erie Canal was five hundred eighty-four kilometers long, more than eight meters wide and one and one-half meters deep. It could not have been completed without the hard and dangerous labor of many workers. Historians say about one-third of the workers had recently moved to the United States from Ireland. They received about fifty cents a day for building the Erie Canal. The men used explosives to break the rocky earth. Many workers were injured. Many were infected with the disease malaria. Twenty-six workers died of smallpox. Some were buried in unmarked graves along the canal. (MUSIC) BOB DOUGHTY: Big guns were fired in October, eighteen twenty-five in Buffalo, New York. The cannons were part of a celebration to observe the completion of the Erie Canal. Governor De Witt Clinton and his wife left Buffalo on a barge called the Seneca Chief. The boat moved at the rate of less than five kilometers per hour. It reached the Hudson River nine days later. To mark the arrival, Governor Clinton dropped some water from Lake Erie into the Hudson River. MARIO RITTER: Within ten years, the Erie Canal had repaid the cost of building it. Transportation of products by canal was less costly than other methods.The waterway carried barges. Most of these boats had flat bottoms for carrying goods. The barges measured up to twenty-four meters long and about four and a-half meters wide. Mules and horses on land pulled the barges through the canal using ropes. Eighty-three devices called locks raised the barges on the canal by more than one hundred seventy meters from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. Men and animals worked hard to pull the barges. BOB DOUGHTY: Over time, the canal grew. Many improvements were made between eighteen thirty-five and eighteen sixty-two. But a few years later, the canal began to lose importance. Trains were becoming an easier and more profitable way to transport goods. As the Erie Canal was losing business, some of its levees began to break. Levees normally hold back the water, preventing floods. The breaks damaged the towpaths next to the canal and stopped travel. Age or heavy rains often caused the levees to break. But the breaks were not always an accident. Forestport, New York, had been suffering from the closing of businesses. Then, in the last years of the eighteen hundreds, several area levees broke under suspicious conditions. MARIO RITTER: Breaks in the levees should have been bad news for Forestport. Difficult repairs were needed. But few people in the town seemed sad about the breaks. Instead, many were pleased. Almost two thousand men were brought in to repair the damage. That was more than the normal population of Forestport. People crowded into places to eat, drink and play games of chance. The town had money again. Life became as profitable and wild as it had been during the best days of trade on the canal. BOB DOUGHTY: The administration of New York Governor Theodore Roosevelt grew suspicious. Officials investigated. State officials charged several men from Forestport with plotting to damage canal property. Michael Doyle is a newspaper reporter who writes about legal issues for California newspapers. In two thousand four, he published a book called "The Forestport Breaks." For the book, he did research about his ancestors who had lived in Forestport. Mister Doyle said he learned that his great-grandfather took part in the wrongdoing. At the beginning of the story, a farmer sees water flooding over a levee in Forestport. He warns local officials. His warning prevents more severe damage. But some of the townspeople give no praise to the farmer for his action. Instead, Mister Doyle writes that they want to kill him. (MUSIC) MARIO RITTER: By nineteen-oh-three, some businesses were pressuring New York to build a whole system of canals. These people did not want the railroads to completely control the transport of goods. So the state formed the New York State Barge Canal System in nineteen eighteen. The Erie Canal became the largest part, linked to three shorter canals. The canal system stayed busy until nineteen fifty-nine. At that time, the United States and Canada opened the Saint Lawrence Seaway.This waterway permitted ocean ships to sail up the Saint Lawrence River and through the Great Lakes. The Erie Canal lost a lot of its business. BOB DOUGHTY: But the Erie Canal and the other parts of the New York canal system got help. In nineteen ninety-one, people who cared about the historic canal held a big public event. The group is called Erie's Restoration Interests Everyone. It made the same trip that had celebrated completion of the Erie Canal in eighteen twenty-five. As Governor and Missus Clinton had done, the group traveled from Buffalo, New York to the Hudson River. A man playing the part of De Witt Clinton dropped water from Lake Erie into New York Harbor. A few days later, citizens voted to take measures to re-develop the canal system. Today, barges still use the system to transport heavy goods. One estimate says the canal system carries more than four hundred thousand tons of goods each year. More than one hundred fifty thousand pleasure boats also use the system each year. MARIO RITTER: Today, an area called the Canalway National Heritage Corridor contains parts of the Erie Canal of the eighteen hundreds. You can walk, run or ride a bicycle in this area. You may want to be adventuresome and paddle along in a small boat, like Harpham and Charles. Or, you can take a historic Erie Canal boat trip. Thousands of people do this every year. The boat moves slowly along the water. You listen to guides tell about the animals and the men who pulled the barges. And, musicians play songs of the days when the Erie Canal was helping a young nation grow. (MUSIC) BOB DOUGHTY: This program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by Mario Ritter. I'm Bob Dougthy. MARIO RITTER: Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.。

VOA慢速英语：火鸡：错误的定义

★⽆忧考英语听⼒频道为⼤家整理的VOA慢速英语: ⽕鸡：错误的定义。

更多阅读请查看本站频道。

Turkey: A Case of Mistaken Identity ⽕鸡：错误的定义And now another edition of Words and Their Stories, a VOA Learning English program about American expressions.这⾥是词语掌故的另⼀个节⽬，美国之⾳英语学习的美语表达。

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest American holidays. And Thanksgiving dinner is the center of the holiday.感恩节是美国⼀个盛⼤的节⽇，感恩节⼤餐是这个节⽇的重中之重。

And at the center of Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey.感恩节⼤餐的关键是⽕鸡。

Our listeners may be wondering why the word “turkey” describes both a country and a bird that Americans eat for Thanksgiving dinner.我们的听众也许好奇为什么“turkey”既是⼟⽿其——⼀个国家名字，⼜是⼀种鸟类——美国⼈感恩节⼤餐的⾷物。

Many think the bird comes from the nation of Turkey. But turkey is not from Turkey.许多⼈认为这种鸟来⾃⼟⽿其，但是⽕鸡不是来⾃⼟⽿其。

In fact, the fact that the turkey bird is called by that name is one big mistake. We could say it is a case of mistaken identity.实际上，⽕鸡这个名字是个错误的叫法。

VOA慢速英语听力：60年代改变了美国

VOA慢速附字幕:60年代改变了美国STEVE EMBER: Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember. Today, we tell about life in the United States during the nineteen sixties.The nineteen sixties began with the election of the first president born in the twentieth century -- John Kennedy. For many Americans, the young president represented a spirit of hope for the nation. When Kennedy was murdered in nineteen sixty-three, many felt that their hopes died, too. This was especially true of young people, and members and supporters of minority groups.A time of innocence and hope soon began to look like a time of anger and violence. More Americans protested to demand an end to the unfair treatment of black citizens. Many more protested to demand an end to the war in Vietnam. And many protested to demand full equality for women.By the middle of the nineteen sixties, it had become almost impossible for President Lyndon Johnson to leave the White House without facing protesters against the war in Vietnam.In March of nineteen sixty-eight, Johnson announced that he would not seek another term in office.In addition to President Kennedy, two other influential Americans were murdered during the nineteen sixties. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Junior was shot in Memphis, Tennessee, in nineteen sixty-eight. Several weeks later, Robert Kennedy -- John Kennedy's brother -- was shot in Los Angeles, California. He was campaigning to win his party's nomination for president.The two murders resulted in riots in cities across the country. The unrest and violence affected many young Americans. The effect seemed especially bad because of the time in which they had grown up.By the middle nineteen fifties, most of their parents had jobs that paid well. They expressed satisfaction with their lives. They taught their children what were called middle class values. These included a belief in God, hard work and service to their country.Later, many young Americans began to question these beliefs. They felt that their parents' values were not enough to help them deal with the social and racial difficulties of the nineteen sixties. They rebelled by letting their hair grow long and by wearing unusual clothing. Their dissatisfaction was strongly expressed in music.Rock and roll music had become very popular in America in the nineteen fifties. Some people, however, did not approve of it. They thought it was too sexual. These people disliked the rock and roll of the nineteen sixties even more. They found the words especially unpleasant.The musicians themselves thought the words were extremely important. As singer and song writer Bob Dylan said, "There would be no music without the words." Bob Dylan produced many songs of social protest. He wrote anti-war songs before the war in Vietnam became a violent issue in the United States. One was called "Blowin' in the Wind."(MUSIC)In addition to songs of social protest, rock and roll music continued to be popular in America during the nineteen sixties. The most popular group, however, was not American. It was British -- the Beatles -- four rock and roll musicians from Liverpool. (MUSIC)The Beatles' song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" went on sale in the United States at the end of nineteen sixty-three. Within five weeks, it was the biggest-selling record in the country.(MUSIC)Other songs, including some by the Beatles, sounded more revolutionary. They spoke about drugs and sex, although not always openly.(MUSIC: "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds")In the nineteen sixties, "do your own thing" became a common expression. It meant to do whatever you wanted, without feeling guilty.(MUSIC: Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock)Five hundred thousand young Americans did their own thing at the Woodstock music festival in nineteen sixty-nine. They gathered at a farm in New York state. They listened to musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez, and to groups like The Who and Jefferson Airplane.(MUSIC: "Volunteers"/Jefferson Airplane)Woodstock became a symbol of the young peoples' rebellion against traditional values. Many young people called themselves hippies. Hippies believed there should be more love and personal freedom in America.In nineteen sixty-seven, poet Allen Ginsberg helped lead a gathering of hippies in San Francisco. No one knows exactly how many people considered themselves hippies. But twenty thousand attended the gathering.Another leader of the event was Timothy Leary.TIMOTHY LEARY: "Now, energy comes ... "He was a former university professor and researcher. Leary urged the crowd in San Francisco to "tune in and drop out." This meant they should use drugs and leave school or their job. One drug that was used in the nineteen sixties was lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD. LSD causes the brain to see strange, colorful images. It also can cause brain damage.(MUSIC: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds")Some people say the Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was about LSD.(MUSIC: "The Andy Griffith Show"/Andy Griffith)As many Americans were listening to songs about drugs and sex, many others were watching television programs with traditional family values. These included "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Beverly Hillbillies."At the movies, some films captured the rebellious spirit of the times. These included "The Graduate" and "Doctor Strangelove."DOCTOR STRANGELOVE (PETER SELLERS): "Deterrence is the art of producing, in the mind of the enemy, the fear to attack.And so, because of the automated and irrevocable decision-making process, which rules out human meddling, the Doomsday Machine is terrifying and simple to understand, and completely credible and convincing."GENERAL BUCK TURGIDSON (STERLING HAYDEN): "Gee, I wish we had one of them Doomsday Machines." (MUSIC: "Goldfinger"/Shirley Bassey)Others offered escape through spy adventures, like the James Bond films.Many Americans refused to tune in and drop out in the nineteen-sixties. They took no part in the social revolution. Instead, they continued leading normal lives of work, family, and home. Others, the activists of American society, were busy fighting for peace, and racial and social justice.(MUSIC: "I Am Woman"/Helen Reddy)Women's groups, for example, were seeking equality with men. They wanted the same chances as men to get a good education and a good job. They also demanded equal pay for equal work.A widely popular book on women in modern America was called "The Feminine Mystique." It was written by Betty Friedan and published in nineteen sixty-three. The idea known as the feminine mystique was the traditional idea that women have only one part to play in society. They are to have children and stay at home to raise them. In her book, Ms. Friedan urged women to establish professional lives of their own.In the early nineteen sixties, a committee was appointed to investigate the condition of women. It was led by Eleanor Roosevelt. She was a former first lady. The committee's findings helped lead to new rules and laws. The nineteen sixty-four Civil Rights Act guaranteed equal treatment for all groups. This included women. After the law went into effect, however, many activists said it was not being enforced. The National Organization for Women -- NOW -- was started in an effort to correct the problem.The movement for women's equality was known as the women's liberation movement. Activists were called "women's libbers." They called each other "sisters." Early activists were usually rich, liberal white women. Later activists included women of all ages, women of color, rich and poor, educated and uneducated. They acted together to win recognition for the work done by all women in America.You can find our series online with transcripts, MP3s, podcasts and pictures at . You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember, inviting you to join us again next week for THE MAKING OF A NATION --American history in VOA Special English.。

VOA慢速英语听力：第一位独自飞越全世界的飞行员

[导读]VOA慢速英语听⼒：第⼀位独⾃飞越全世界的飞⾏员Wiley Post:The First Pilot to Fly Around the World AloneMARY TILLOTSON: Now the VOA Special English program, Explorations. Today Shirley Griffith and Doug Johnson tell about pilot Wiley Post. He set new records when he flew his own airplane around the world in nineteen thirty-three. (MUSIC)SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: It was nineteen thirty-three. Only six years earlier Charles Lindburgh became famous around the world as the first person to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean. Now, a young pilot was trying to fly across Russia. He had left Moscow several hours before. All he heard was the sound of the one engine that powered his plane. Hour after hour the same sound. Now the weather was bad. He could not see much ahead, only the fog. Flying in fog is very dangerous. Yet the sound of the engine made everything seem warm and safe. Then, out of the fog he saw a mountain. He had only seconds to bring the airplane up. It was a narrow escape, one of many he would have during his long flight.DOUG JOHNSON: The young pilot was Wiley Post. He was trying to fly around the world by himself. He made the trip in less than eight days. He stopped eleven times for fuel, food and a little sleep.Wiley Post made his famous flight in July, nineteen thirty-three. Not many flight instruments existed that could help him find his way. He was alone, fighting against sleep. If he fell asleep he would die.(MUSIC)SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Nothing in Wiley Post's early years suggests that he would become a famous pilot. He was born in Grand Saline, Texas, in eighteen ninety-eight. His family were farmers. In nineteen thirteen, Wiley saw something that forever changed his life -- an airplane. After watching the plane fly, young Wiley waited until most people had left the area. He then began inspecting and studying the plane. He measured different parts of the plane with his hands. Many years later, Wiley Post would say that first airplane was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen.DOUG JOHNSON: Wiley Post began to study everything he could find about flying. He began to educate himself about subjects such as mathematics, radio and machinery. His self-education would continue the rest of his life. Post finally rode in an airplane in nineteen nineteen. At the time, many people believed all pilots were special people. They believed it took special skills and courage to fly an airplane. But after his first ride, Wiley Post knew that flying was something he could learn to do.SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Wiley Post began his career in flying, not as a pilot, but as a performer who jumps from airplanes using a parachute. He did this with a group that performed flying tricks to earn money. He jumped ninety-nine times in two years with the flying show. When he was not jumping with a parachute, he was being taught how to fly by pilots in the air show. But he could not fly as often as he liked.DOUG JOHNSON: Wiley Post then decided the only way to become a good pilot was to buy an airplane of his own. He needed more money than he earned in the flying show. He went to work in the oil-producing areas of Texas. But he damaged his left eye in an accident. Doctors had to remove his eye. At first, Post thought his days as a pilot were ended. A pilot needs to be able to judge distance. Judging distance is difficult without two eyes. It seems impossible to tell how big objects are and how far away. Wiley Post began teaching himself to judge distance with only one eye. He worked hard at training his eye and brain to tell the correct distance. It took a long time, but he succeeded. He continued to fly and soon became a very good pilot.SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: In nineteen twenty-eight, he got a job flying the plane that belonged to a rich oil producer from Oklahoma. The man's name was F.C. Hall. He bought a new airplane for Post to fly. Mister Hall named the airplane the "Winnie Mae" after one of his daughters.F.C. Hall told Post he could use the plane to enter flight competitions. Post did. In nineteen thirty, he entered the National Air Races. The race called for flying without stopping from Los Angeles in the western state of California, to the city of Chicago, in the middle western state of Illinois. Post won the race. He defeated several well known pilots. It was the first time the public heard the name Wiley Post.DOUG JOHNSON: Post was not really interested in racing airplanes. He wanted to be the first person to fly around the world. Many pilots had talked about trying to make such a flight. But no one had done it.Post believed he would need someone to help him in the effort. He chose an Australian man, Harold Gatty, to do the mathematics that decided the plane's direction. Post would fly the plane. On June twenty-third, nineteen thirty-one, Post and Gatty took off from Roosevelt Field in New York. They returned to Roosevelt Field eight days, fifteen hours and fifty-one minutes later. They had flown around the world.SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: At first everyone was very happy. Wiley Post and Harold Gatty were heroes. Then many people began to say that Post was nothing more than an airplane driver because he had no real education. They said Gatty was the real hero. He had guided the flight. Both men knew they had made the flight as a team. Others did not recognize this. This hurt Post. Wiley Post began to plan another flight around the world. This time he would go alone.(MUSIC)DOUG JOHNSON: Wiley Post knew that any effort has a good chance of success if the person planning the task is well prepared. So he worked hard to prepare well. He used the most modern equipment possible. He made sure the engine on the "Winnie Mae" was perfect. And to prepare himself, he went without sleep for long periods of time.On July fifteenth, nineteen thirty-three, Post took off from Floyd Bennett Field in New York. His first stop would be Berlin, Germany. He landed in Berlin twenty-six hours later. He became the first person to fly from New York to Berlin without stopping.SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: After a little food for himself and fuel for the "Winnie Mae," Post was once again in the air. This time he was headed for Russia. For long hours he flew, listening only to the sound of his engine. Often, the weather was so bad he could not see where he was. At one point he came so close to running out of gas he considered using his parachute. But at the last minute he found a place to land and get gas. The flight across the huge width of Russia was difficult. He made several stops for gas and a few hours rest before flying across the Bering Sea to Alaska.DOUG JOHNSON: By now, he was very tired. To keep himself awake as he flew east during the long night, Post tied a piece of string to one finger. The other end of the string was tied to a heavy aircraft tool. He held the tool in his hand. If he started to fall asleep, the tool would fall from his hand. The string would pull his finger and wake him.From Fairbanks, Alaska, he flew to Edmonton, Canada and then on toward New York. More than fifty thousand people waited at Floyd Bennett Field. Wiley Post gently landed the "Winnie Mae" long after dark. He had flown around the world in seven days, eighteen hours and forty-nine minutes.Thousands of excited people rushed toward the plane. Wiley Post was a hero. He had become the most famous pilot in America.(MUSIC)SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: In nineteen thirty-five, only two years after his around the world record flight, Wiley Post was killed in a flying accident in Alaska. Post and the famous American humorist Will Rogers were killed when Post's plane crashed on takeoff near Point Barrow.Before Post's death, the government of the United States had bought the "Winnie Mae." The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. owns the plane. You can see it at the museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.DOUG JOHNSON: Many pilots have flown around the world since Wiley Post made his famous flight. His record was first broken only a few years after his death. Since that time many records for the trip have been made and broken. Yet Wiley Post was the first to fly around the world ... alone.(MUSIC)SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: This program was written by Paul Thompson and produced by Mario Ritter. I'm Shirley Griffith. DOUG JOHNSON: And I'm Doug Johnson. Transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our programs are all available -- free of charge -- at . Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.。

VOA慢速英语：加利福尼亚遭遇严重干旱

VOA慢速英语：加利福尼亚遭遇严重干旱Hundreds of California Homes in Need of WaterSevere drought has struck California for a third year.The lack of water is affecting farms, cities and small communities. California's Central Valley is usually fertile. But the lack of rainfall has left hundreds of homes without water.The Porterville Area Coordinating Council provides food and other help to needy families. But right now, the families badly need water. Some of the land has not been planted because of lack of water. A man drives up to an old food-package house. The building serves as the headquarters of the Porterville Area Coordinating Council. The man's pick-uptruck is loaded with plastic barrels. A volunteer fills these containers with water. Nearby people are loading cars andother vehicles with cases of drinking water.Debbie Martinez lives on a ranch, a large farm that isnot connected to the local water system. She has a water well. But she says it is dry."Yes, it's been (dry) three years. My neighbor had given me water, but their wells are going dry, too."California's system of aqueducts carries water to cities and small towns. But this part of Tulare County is far from any city. A lower than normal amount of water under theground has left some wells with little or no water. Council volunteer Fred Beltran says this situation has affected more than 300 homes in this neighborhood."And these are all individual wells that are drying up or they're pumping poor quality of water, which is either sand, dirt or high nitrates."California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed bills to regulate ground water to prevent shortages. He ordered delivery of emergency drinking water for people who have none.Tulare County water expert Denise England says people need clean water for drinking and cooking."But the bigger challenge we're facing now is what we're calling sanitation water, so water that's not potable, that's not drinkable, but you can take a shower with it or do your dishes with it or bathe."Elva Beltran directs the Porterville Area Coordinating Council. She says her group has provided large open-air water tanks for many people. She says, "We have 54 tanks right now."The Council gets its money from area residents and religious groups.Much of the work here involves giving water to peoplelike Michael Burrough."I don't know what else to do. All the water we can getis from the sources like right here. Other than that, I have to buy water and I don't really have the extra money to buy cases of water."Officials say providing these families with water is highly important. But for now, the people depend on theirneighbors, local government and private agencies to get the water they need to survive.I'm Anna Matteo.This report was based on a story from VOA reporter MikeO'Sullivan. Jeri Watson wrote the story for Learning English. The editor was George Grow._____________________________________________________________ Words in This Storyright now – idiom, immediatelywell – n., a deep hole in the ground through which water can be removedranch – n., a large farm for raising horses, beef cattle or sheepdelivery – n., the act of taking something to a person or place; something taken to a person or placeregulate – v., to make regulations (rules) foraqueduct – n., an artificial channel for conveying waterresident – n., a person who lives somewhere permanently or on a long-term basis。

VOA Special English 广播节目简介

VOA Special English 广播节目简介美国之音（以下称VOA）的英语节目，按播音速度可分为两种：Standard English （标准英语）和Special English（特别英语）。

Special English 又叫“慢速英语”，是VOA专为全世界非英语国家初学英语的听众安排的一种简易、规范的英语广播节目。

该节目创始于50年代末期，是VOA的专家们研究如何与世界各地的英语学习者进行交际的产物。

它正式开播于1959年10月。

当时只面向欧洲和中东，但由于这个节目适合许多国家英语学习者的需要，所以它的广播对象不久就扩大到世界其他地区，并很快在全世界范围内产生了广泛的影响。

现在这个节目对欧洲、非洲和拉丁美洲每晚广播一次，对加勒比地区每晚广播一次（星期天除外），对东南亚广播次数最多，每天上午两次，晚上三次。

30多年来，VOA为了办好Special English节目，进行了大量的调查研究工作，对播音速度、内容及用词范围都作了具体规定，基本上达到了既能为英语学习者提供信息，又不损害英语本身风格的目的，使之成为VOA独具特色，拥有最大量听众的节目。

美国著名词汇学家S. B. Flexmer 指明了Special English的三条标准，也就是它所“特别”的地方：1、它是一种由美国人最常用的1500个基本单词为主体构成的美国英语；2、它用简短、明晰的句子写作和广播；3、它以每分钟90个单词的速度，即2/3的Standard English（标准英语）速度进行广播。

Special English的节目可分为两大类：一类是新闻节目；一类是专题节目。

1．新闻节目VOA Special English 的新闻广播向听众提供世界范围内的政治、经济、军事、外交、国际关系、宗教、天气以及各种重大事件和珍闻奇事等各个方面的信息，每天向东南亚地区广播五次，早上两次，晚上三次，每逢半点播出。

Special English新闻节目每次长约十分钟，大都播出十条左右新闻，近一千个单词，每条新闻多为一分钟，但偶尔也有长达两分钟的要闻。

1、下载文档前请自行甄别文档内容的完整性，平台不提供额外的编辑、内容补充、找答案等附加服务。
2、"仅部分预览"的文档,不可在线预览部分如存在完整性等问题,可反馈申请退款(可完整预览的文档不适用该条件!)。
3、如文档侵犯您的权益，请联系客服反馈,我们会尽快为您处理(人工客服工作时间：9:00-18:30)。

VOA慢速英语节目介绍美国之音（以下称VOA）的英语节目，按播音速度可分为两种：Standard English （标准英语）和Special English（特别英语）。

Special English 又叫“慢速英语”，是VOA 专为全世界非英语国家初学英语的听众安排的一种简易、规范的英语广播节目。

该节目创始于50年代末期，是VOA 的专家们研究如何与世界各地的英语学习者进行交际的产物。

它正式开播于1959年10月。

30多年来，VOA 为了办好Special English节目，进行了大量的调查研究工作，对播音速度、内容及用词范围都作了具体规定，基本上达到了既能为英语学习者提供信息，又不损害英语本身风格的目的，使之成为VOA 独具特色，拥有最大量听众的节目。

Special English的节目可分为两大类：一类是新闻节目；一类是专题节目。

Special English新闻节目每次长约十分钟，大都播出十条左右新闻，近一千个单词，每条新闻多为一分钟，但偶尔也有长达两分钟的要闻。

除头条新闻外，每条新闻都由一个电头引导，这样显得结构分明，条理清晰，适宜初学英语的人收听。

在节目结束之前，播音员常常用三四句话重播其中三条新闻的提要以加深听众对要闻的印象。

Special English新闻中70%左右的内容与同时整点播出的Standard English新闻相同，但相同新闻的先后次序有所变动。

每次节目的开头和结尾大同小异，格式比较固定。

2．专题节目（一）Special English的专题节目（Feature Programs）,从时间上看，可分为两大类：一是每五分钟一次的专题，二是每十五分钟一次的专题。

本节先介绍每项五分钟一次的专题材节目。

Special English五分钟一次的专题材节目安排在Special English新闻节目之后和（或）每十五分钟一次的专题材节目之前播出，每星期播七次。

根据内容，可分为三个小类，即：Science Report（科学报道），逢星期一、三、五播出，每天播六遍；Agriculture Report（农业报道），逢星期二、四播出，每天播六遍；Words And Their Stories（词语掌故），逢星期六和星期天播出，每天播五遍。

这三个专题材各具特色，具有相对的独立性，听众每听完一个节目，都会获得一个完整的印象。

Science Report（科学报道）这一专题材节目每周向听众介绍三篇有关现代科学技术最新发展情况的报道，涉及物理、化学、天文至高无上理、生物、环卫、心理、教育、医学和计算机等方面。

适宜理工科大学生和科技工作者收集信息，积累资料，学习科技英语。

Agriculture Report（农业报道）Agriculture Report是为农业科技工作者和生产者安排的一个专题。

它专门报道世界各国，特别是美国现代农业生产的最新成文汇报总务科学家对农业生产某一方面的研究进展，以及他们对影响农业生产的某一自然现象进行分析和研究的近况。

此外，它还经常向听众介绍发展中国家家业生产的一些有益经验等内容。

Words And Their Stories（词语掌故）这一专题节目，旨在向学习英语的听众介绍美国英语中生动有趣的词语和惯用法，并从科学研究和通俗词源学的角度来解释它们的含意、产生的背景及其在使用过程中的演变情况等。

它通过讲故事的形式讲解每一个词语。

这是VOA Special English中的优秀节目之一，是学习美国英语的极好材料。

通过收听这一节目，听众不仅能学到娓娓动听的掌故和地道的美国英语，而且能增加美国的社会文化背景知识，历史传统与现状的了解。

VOA 为了更好地办好这个节目，便于听众收听学习，于1978年编辑出版了一本名为Words And Their Stories的书，共收集一百篇故事，作者是Herbert Sutcliffe, Harold Bermen 及VOA 该节目的部分编辑人员。

在每次的实际广播中，播音员都以此书为蓝本，再根据需要对原稿进行适当增删。

按每周两个故事计算，此书的一百个故事还不能满足一年的播音需要。

于是编辑们就是重播部分词语掌故的同时，不断增加许多新的词语掌故，及时将词源学家的最新研究成果和不断增加的新词汇介绍给听众。

收听实践证明，初学者在收听过程中必然会遇到许多人名、地名和一些较难的句子，有时甚至在听完之后还很难理解所播词语的确切含义及其汉语意思，为此，听众可参看1983年由中国对外翻译出版公司出版的该书英汉对照本中的有关部分。

3．专题节目（二）VOA Special English的专题节目，除上节谈的五分钟一次的以外，还有本节要介绍的每十五分钟一次的节目。

这类节目共有七个不同的小专题，以星期为单位循环，每天分四次复播出一个专题，但星期日和星期六的两个专题材每晚只播三遍，每次节目约十分钟，继每次五分钟的专题节目之后播出。

这类专题节目的基本结构是，在特定的伴声中先报告当次节目的名称，并扼要介绍其主要内容，然后播送节目正文。

最后，在伴乐声中报告节目主持人和撰稿人的姓名，以邀请听众在下周的这个时间继续收听该节目而结束。

People in America（美国人物志）这是有关美国历史名人的一个专题节目，每逢星期天晚上播出。

它向听众介绍在美国历史上产生过重大影响、起过重要作用、作出了突出贡献的科学、文学、政治、或其他各方面的历史人物。

节目一般都对他们的生平事迹进行简要的叙述，对其贡献作出评介，类似人物小传。

有的重要人物事迹很多，必须用两次或几次的节目时间进行联播。

对这样的节目要坚持收听，才会获得完整的印象。

This Is America（今日美国）This Is America向听众介绍美国人民的生活、学习、工作和娱乐情况，是英语学习者解美国社会的一条渠道。

该专题大都一个节目一个整体，每逢星期一晚播出。

Science in the News（科学新闻）这一专题材主要对新近的科学技术新闻进行综述或摘要广播。

向听众介绍世界各国在自然、医学、疾病、原子能、航天等方面的科研动态、成果、突破性进展及存在的困难。

涉及当今世界人们普遍关心的重大问题，如核事故、航天飞机爆炸、自然灾害、环境污染和爱滋病等等。

每逢星期二播出，每次播一到五条新闻摘要。

Explorations（自然探索）每逢星期三晚上，听众可以收听到Explorations这一专题节目。

该专题既涉及人类遨游太空、探索原子、研究自身、改造自然的现代技术，也报道发展中国家开发新资源，利用新工艺改善人民生活等方面的成就，其侧重点在各种科技实验和简易实用技术方面。

该节目一般安排一段时间播一个系列，每次播出一个主题，以便能将某项新技术的研究和应用的全过程介绍给听众，电台还乐意为感兴趣的听众提供所需的文字材料。

The Making of a Nation（建国史话）这一专题节目向听众介绍美利坚合众国从十三个殖民地区域到现代工业国的孕育、诞生以及形成超级大国的历史过程，并以历史为线索，特定的历史时期为单位，以重大的历史事件为主题材来叙述各个党派、各届总统和政府的历史作用与贡献。

这是每个英语学习者都应了解的基本知识。

The Making of a Nation每逢星期四播出。

这是个系列节目，坚持收听，则有助于系统了解美国的历史概况。

American Mosaic（美国万花筒）American Mosaic是一个radio magazine（广播杂志）节目。

该节目题材广泛、内容丰，展示着美国社会文化生活中比较轻松愉快的生活画面；听众收听该节目就如同在阅读一本图文并茂的杂志。

它每次有三到五个小节目，涉及音乐、图书、技术和教育等方面的内容。

我们既可以从中欣赏到著名歌唱的优秀歌曲，对美国音乐有所了解，又可以获取一些生动有趣的现代美国社会生活知识，随着播音员那亲切悦耳的声音步入美国风景如画的大好河山；同时还能听到世界各地的听众提出的有关英语语方文学等方面的问题和电台的解答。

American Stories（美国故事）这一专题材节目安排在每星期六晚上播出。

这样能使听众在学习和工作之余，得以轻松一下头脑。

我们可以通过这一美国文学的“窗口”，接触各种流派、各类名家的文学作品。

了解美国英语的时代特色，欣赏、学习美国人民运用语方的技巧，并从那些佳作名篇中获得艺术享受。

该节目对短篇故事采取一次播一篇的方式，对中、长篇小说则先进行简写加工，再分几次播出全文。

在播出故事正文之前，播音员常常先介绍故事的主要情节。

对需要分几次节目时间播出的中长篇，在播第二或以后各部分之前，主持人还先重述已播部分的故事梗概，以唤起听众的回忆，使故事听起来更加连贯。