VOA慢速英语20060618a

PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Milton Hershey Created a Successful Business and Built A Sweet TownBy Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:00:00 UTC

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember with the V.O.A. Special English program PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Today we tell about Milton Hershey. He built one of the sweetest towns in the United¹ States.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:


Milton S. Hershey

Milton Snavely Hershey was born in eighteen fifty-seven in central Pennsylvania. His mother was a member of the Mennonite Church. The religious² group valued self-denial and community service. His father worked at many different jobs.

The Hershey family moved several times during Milton's childhood. His parents did not have a happy marriage. They lived separately³ for much of their lives. Missus Hershey finally rejected her husband after a daughter died in eighteen sixty-seven.

VOICE TWO:

Milton Hershey stopped attending school when he was twelve years old. He first went to work as an assistant for a man who published a German language newspaper. Milton did not like the job. He was dismissed⁴ after dropping his hat into a machine.

Milton then got a job with a candy and ice cream maker⁵ in the town of Lancaster. There, he learned⁶ how to mix sugar and water to make candy products. At the time, American candy makers⁷ used chocolate mainly to cover candies. Reports say it was bitter⁸ tasting and not at all like the taste of chocolate today.

VOICE ONE:

Milton moved to the city of Philadelphia when he was eighteen years old. He had already learned all he could about candy production. His mother and her family offered to help him set up a candy store. But the business failed after six years.

Milton decided⁹ to join his father in the western state of Colorado. The younger Hershey found a job with a candy maker in Denver. There, he worked with a kind of sticky¹⁰ candy: caramel. He also learned the importance of using fresh milk in making good caramel.

Milton later attempted candy businesses in Chicago and New York City. But like before, each business failed.

VOICE TWO:

Milton returned to Lancaster. Most family members considered him a failure. But he continued to receive help from his mother's sister and a man who had worked at the Philadelphia store. Milton began making caramels his own way 鈥?with fresh milk. His caramels were softer than others being sold and less sticky.

One day, an English importer tasted Hershey's caramels and placed a large order. Soon the Lancaster Candy Company was a success. Hershey became one of Pennsylvania's top businessmen. He was selling his candies all across the United States and Europe.

VOICE ONE:

Things began changing for Hershey after he visited the Chicago World's Fair in eighteen ninety-three. At the World's Fair, he saw chocolate making machines from Germany. He decided that chocolate was the future of the candy business, and bought the machines. He had them moved to Pennsylvania, and sold the Lancaster Candy Company. He was developing¹¹ an unusual plan -- to build a large chocolate factory and a town to support it.

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VOICE TWO:

Michael D'Antonio wrote a book about Milton Hershey. It says Hershey got the idea for his town from the Cadbury family in Britain. The Cadburys made chocolates. They also built a factory surrounded by a town.

The book says Hershey decided to do the same. He paid for many buildings in his town. He wanted to create a place where his factory's workers could own their own houses. In this way, he prevented Hershey, Pennsylvania from becoming a factory town in which the workers were forced to pay their employers¹² for a place to live.

Hershey's town was modern. It had nice houses, large public buildings, and an electric railway system for easy transportation¹³. Nearby farms provided¹⁴ the chocolate factory with fresh milk for its products.

VOICE ONE:

Milton Hershey and his company found a way to make large amounts of milk chocolate. The secret was using fat free milk with the seeds of cacao trees and heating¹⁵ them slowly. The Hershey Candy Company was on its way to success.

Most of the company's workers loved Milton Hershey. He made it possible for them to earn good wages and live well. The book Hershey says he sometimes shared the company's financial success with them.

Yet Milton Hershey was not always fair. Writer Michael D'Antonio says not everyone was happy living in a place where one man and his company attempted to control so much.

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VOICE TWO:

Milton Hershey did not marry until he was over forty years old. He surprised his family when he married Catherine Sweeney in eighteen ninety-eight. Some members of his family did not approve of her. She was a Roman Catholic¹⁶ from New York State. Milton called her, Kitty. The Hersheys first lived in Lancaster. They later moved to a large house near the factory. The land around the house was known¹⁷ for its many flowers and plants.

Catherine Hershey was sick for much of her married life. She died in nineteen fifteen at the age of forty-two.

VOICE ONE:

The Hersheys were unable to have children, so they decided to help needy¹⁸ children by creating a school for them. Milton Hershey said the school had been his wife's idea. She reportedly wanted to provide a safe place for those in need of a good home and a better chance in life.

In nineteen-oh-nine, the Hersheys created the Hershey Industrial School for boys who had lost one or both parents. They established a special legal¹⁹ agreement, or trust, to provide money for the school. They gave nearly two hundred hectares²⁰ of farmland²¹ to the trust.

At first, ten white boys attended the school. But more and more boys attended as time went on. The school provided the boys with a good education and farming²² skills.

VOICE TWO:

After his wife died, Hershey gave Hershey Chocolate Company stock²³ shares with a value of sixty million dollars to the trust. This money made it possible for the school to expand.

After Hershey died, the name of the school was changed to the Milton Hershey School. Later, the school opened its doors to boys and girls of all races and religions.

Today, the Milton Hershey School has more than one hundred student homes. Each has the latest technological²⁴ equipment, including computers. A man and his wife live in each house. They serve as parents to eight to ten students.

In two thousand-six, the Milton Hershey School educated²⁵ about one thousand three hundred students. And, the gift first made by Milton Hershey has grown to more than five thousand million dollars.

VOICE ONE:

Many Americans experienced²⁶ economic hardship²⁷ during the Great Depression²⁸ of the nineteen thirties. But Milton Hershey put many people to work in the town by building a large hotel and a sports center.

He also created a not-for-profit organization to provide education and culture to the local townspeople. This organization continues to support the Hershey Theater and other cultural centers in the area.

In the early nineteen sixties, the Milton Hershey School Trust gave money and land to the Pennsylvania State University for a medical center. The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center opened in nineteen sixty-seven. Today, it has five thousand employees²⁹.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Milton Hershey died in nineteen forty-five. He left behind the company, the town, the school and the trust that supports it. At the time of his death, the company he built is said to have produced about ninety percent of all the milk chocolate made in the United States.

In two thousand two, officials of the Milton Hershey School Trust announced plans to sell the company. They said they wanted to help protect the finances³⁰ of the school.

Townspeople and others in Pennsylvania demonstrated³¹ against the sale. They said it would destroy the town Hershey had worked so hard to create. Former students at the Milton Hershey School also worked against the sale. In the end, the sale was not completed.

VOICE ONE:

Today, Hershey, Pennsylvania is unlike³² any other town in the United States. The streetlights are shaped like the candy called Hershey's Kisses. The air there often smells like chocolate. Millions of people come every year to stop at a visitor's center near the factory, stay at the Hershey Hotel, and enjoy the Hershey Amusement Park.

Milton Hershey was not a perfect man. But he may always seem that way to thousands of people in Pennsylvania. They say they live in the sweetest town in the country.

VOICE TWO:

This Special English program was written by Nancy Steinbach. Lawan Davis was our producer. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Barbara Klein inviting³³ you to join us next week at this time for another PEOPLE IN AMERICA program on the Voice of America.

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

3 separately   

adv.单独地，分开地

参考例句：

• Bulky items will be collected separately.大件物品将分开收集。
• Text and graphics are prepared separately and then combined.文字和图分别编排后再进行混排。

4 dismissed   

v.解雇( dismiss的过去式和过去分词 )；（使击球员或球队）退场；使退去；驳回

参考例句：

• Vegetarians are no longer dismissed as cranks. 素食者不再被视为有怪癖的人。
• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。

5 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

7 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 bitter   

adj.激烈的，苦涩的，辛酸的，厉害的，悲痛的；n.辛酸，苦味，苦酒

参考例句：

• The bitter winter was coming.寒冬到了。
• The two countries fell out in a bitter wrangle over imports.这两个国家在有关进口问题的激烈争吵中闹翻了。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 sticky   

adj.粘的，闷热的，困难的，令人不满意的

参考例句：

• This paste is not sticky enough.这糨糊不黏。
• Here is a sticky business!这事真难办！

11 developing   

adj.发展中的

参考例句：

• Transport has always been the key to developing trade.运输一直是发展贸易的关键。
• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。

12 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

13 transportation   

n.运输，运输系统，运输工具

参考例句：

• The transportation of goods by air costs a lot.航空运输货物花费很高。
• He finally solved the difficulty of transportation.他终于解决了运输的困难。

14 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

15 heating   

n.加热，供暖，暖气装置；adj.加热的，供暖的

参考例句：

• They will install a heating and lighting system in our house.他们将在我们家装上供热供电系统。
• If the pressure is too low,the heating system will act up.如果压力太低，供暖系统就会出毛病。

16 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。

17 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

18 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

19 legal   

adj.法律的，依照法律的，合法的，法定的，正当的

参考例句：

• He is my legal adviser.他是我的法律顾问。
• This is partly a political and partly a legal question.这个问题部分是政治问题，部分是法律问题。

20 hectares   

n.公顷（等于2。471英亩）( hectare的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Thousands of hectares of forest are destroyed each year. 每年都有几千公顷的森林遭到破坏。
• There sugar-beet plantation areas were expanded to 176000 hectares. 他们的甜菜种植面积增加到176000公顷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 farmland   

n.农田，乡间的土地

参考例句：

• They own 200 acres of farmland.他们拥有200英亩的农田。
• If this wet land was drained,it would be good farmland.如果把这块湿地的水排干，这块地就会成为良田。

22 farming   

n.农事；耕作

参考例句：

• He lives by farming.他靠务农过活。
• He is farming in Africa.他在非洲经营农场。

23 stock   

n.存货，储备；树干；血统；股份；家畜；adj.存货的；平凡的，惯用的；股票的；畜牧的；vt.进货，采购；储存；供给；vi.出新芽；进货

参考例句：

• The shop takes stock every week on Friday mornings.这家商店每星期五早晨盘点存货。
• Experts have forecast an upturn in the stock market.专家已预测股票市场价格有上升趋势。

24 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

25 educated   

adj.受过教育的，有教养的

参考例句：

• She was well educated in literature at a university.她在大学里受到良好的文学方面的教育。
• Children should be educated in a correct way.教育孩子要得法。

26 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

27 hardship   

n.受苦，吃苦；苦难，困苦

参考例句：

• He was willing to face any hardship in fulfillment of his duty.他愿意面对任何困难去履行他的职责。
• If other people can endure hardship,why can't I?人家能吃苦，我就不能？

28 depression   

n.压抑，抑制，沮丧；萧条，衰退

参考例句：

• During a depression money circulates slowly.在商业萧条时期，货币流通滞缓。
• He suffers from acute depression.他患有严重的忧郁症。

29 employees   

n.雇工，雇员( employee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She is always polite and considerate towards her employees. 她对待雇员总是客客气气，关心体谅。
• The company has a strict dress code—all male employees are expected to wear suits. 公司有严格的着装规定—所有男职员都要穿西服。

30 finances   

n.(pl.)财源，资产

参考例句：

• I need a professional to sort out my finances. 我需要专业人士为我管理财务。
• The company's finances are looking a bIt'shaky. 这个公司的财政情况看来有点不稳定。

31 demonstrated   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• All of those demonstrated the correctness of his analysis. 这一切都证明了他分析的正确性。
• The fireman demonstrated great courage in saving the child. 那位消防队员在抢救孩子的过程中，表现了极大的勇气。

32 unlike   

adj.不同的，不相似的；prep.不像，和...不同

参考例句：

• She's very unlike her mother.她一点也不像她母亲。
• It's unlike him to be late;he's usually on time.他不是会迟到的那种人，他通常很准时。

33 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。