VOA慢速英语20060609b

AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ - Under P-r-e-s-s-u-r-e: National Spelling Bee Goes Big Time on TV (and a German Word Decides the Winner)By Dana Demange and Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Friday, June 09, 2006

(MUSIC)

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Barbara Klein. On our show this week...

We answer a question about Hawaii...

Play some music from new bands...

And report about the latest national spelling contest.

National Spelling Bee

HOST:

Every year, expert young spellers from around the world gather to compete in Washington, D.C. For almost eighty years, the goal has been to help students improve their knowledge of English words and usage². More than two hundred and seventy boys and girls just competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Steve Ember tells us more.

STEVE EMBER:

The national spelling bee takes place over two days in a large hotel meeting room. The spellers sit together in front of a group of judges. To be part of this event, spellers must first win local competitions.

The kids each stand when their turn comes to spell a word. Spellers may ask the judges for help once they hear the word they must spell. For example, a speller can ask for the definition³ of the word or for its language root.

Students who spell the word correctly continue in the competition. If a speller makes a mistake, a bell sounds and the child must leave the group. Friends and family watch the spellers tensely.

Recently there have been movies, a book and a Broadway musical about spelling bees. As part of that popularity⁴, the last hours of this year's competition were shown at night on national television.

Three girls made it to the final moments of the event.


Katharine Close

The winner was thirteen-year-old Katharine Kerry Close from New Jersey⁵. This was her fifth year in the national spelling bee. She won by spelling ursprache -- U-R-S-P-R-A-C-H-E. This word borrowed from German is defined⁶ as: a parent language, especially one reconstructed from the evidence of later languages.

A reporter later asked a joyous⁷ Kerry to give advice to other spellers. She said to study very hard and never give up.

The eighth-grader is the first girl to win the spelling bee since nineteen ninety-nine. She won thirty thousand dollars along with a five thousand dollar college scholarship and other prizes.

Hawaii

HOST:

Our VOA listener question this week comes from Bangladesh. Munna asks if Hawaii is an American state.


State flag of Hawaii



Experts believe that Polynesian people first discovered the Hawaiian Islands about two thousand years ago. A king ruled the islands when British sea captain James Cook arrived in seventeen seventy-five.

In eighteen eighteen, the Hawaiian King Kamehameha said the group should be called the Islands of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Britain gave the islands their independence in eighteen forty-three. The king was ousted⁸ fifty years later by a group of American businessmen. Hawaii became the fiftieth state of the United States in nineteen fifty-nine.

The state of Hawaii includes eight major islands in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean. The main islands are Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai and Hawaii, also called the Big Island. The island of Niihau is privately⁹ owned. Kahoolawe has no people.


Honolulu

Hawaii is very far from other populated areas. It is more than three thousand kilometers from the state of California. It is more than six thousand kilometers from Japan.

Hot liquid rock called lava¹⁰ formed the Hawaiian Islands millions of years ago. The lava flowed up from the sea through openings in the sea floor. Visitors today can watch this process continue on the Big Island where the world's most active volcano¹¹ still produces lava.

Each of the Hawaiian Islands has a wet side and a dry side. It rains much more on the northeast sides of the islands and much more in winter than in summer. This gives each island two separate climate areas. One area is dry and desert-like. The other area has green plants, rivers and waterfalls.

More than six million people visit Hawaii each year. They enjoy the beautiful land and the warm weather. They swim, watch the whales and other marine¹² life and visit beautiful gardens. Hawaii has some of the most beautiful, interesting and unusual places on Earth.

Rolling Stone's Bands to Watch

HOST:

Every year the editors of the music magazine Rolling Stone create a list of new musicians they think are going to become popular. Mario Ritter tells us about three of the musicians Rolling Stone has chosen as this year's best.

MARIO RITTER:

Usually music listeners know about bands because they are already famous. Here is your chance to discover some new voices before they become popular. Rolling Stone listed ten musicians or groups they think are going to be important. Listen and see if you agree.

(MUSIC)

That was Young Liars¹³ by a group called TV on the Radio. The group has been performing for several years. This song is from an album released¹⁴ in two thousand three. The band has a second full album being released this month.

Another new band is called Rock Kills Kid. These five musicians have an energetic rock sound. Some critics say it is a mix between the bands U2 and The Cure. Rock Kills Kid just released a first full album called Are You Nervous? Here is the song Paralyzed¹⁵.

(MUSIC)

Nicole Atkins' first full-length album has not been released yet. This young musician started singing while in college. Her songs are often sad and poetic¹⁶. Listen to Atkins' dreamy and warm voice in this version¹⁷ of her song Skywriters.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Barbara Klein. I hope you enjoyed our program today. Our show was written by Dana Demange and Nancy Steinbach. Caty Weaver¹⁸ was our producer.

Send your questions about American life to [email protected]. Please include your full name and mailing address. Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A.

Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

1 mosaic   

n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的

参考例句：

• The sky this morning is a mosaic of blue and white.今天早上的天空是幅蓝白相间的画面。
• The image mosaic is a troublesome work.图象镶嵌是个麻烦的工作。

2 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

3 definition   

n.定义；限定，确定；清晰度

参考例句：

• The book attempts a definition of his role in world politics.该书要阐明的是他在世界政局中的作用。
• I made a definition for this word.我给这个字下了定义。

4 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

5 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

6 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。

7 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

8 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

9 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

10 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

11 volcano   

n.火山

参考例句：

• The volcano unexpectedly blew up early in the morning.火山一早突然爆发了。
• It is most risky to go and examine an active volcano.去探察活火山是非常危险的。

12 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

13 liars   

说谎者( liar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest liars talk most of themselves. 最爱自吹自擂的人是最大的说谎者。
• Honest boys despise lies and liars. 诚实的孩子鄙视谎言和说谎者。

14 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

15 paralyzed   

adj.瘫痪的

参考例句：

• He is paralyzed as the result of a would-be assassin's bullet years ago. 几年前有人对他行刺未遂，但子弹使他瘫痪了。
• But the very imminence of the emergency paralyzed his invention. Good! 常言说得好，急中生智，可汤姆这回却束手无策，对，就这么办。

16 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

17 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

18 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。