VOA慢速英语-AMERICAN MOSAIC - Meet Raheem DeVaughn, an 'R&B, Hip

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson.

Today, we play music by Raheem DeVaughn …

Answer a question about how to become a doctor in the United States …

And tell about the "World's Longest Yardsale."


(MUSIC)

Long Yard Sale

HOST:

If you cannot find what you want at the yard sale we are about to tell you about, then maybe what you want just does not exist. Because this yard sale runs all the way from the Midwestern state of Ohio to the Southern state of Alabama. That is more than one thousand kilometers of goods for sale along US Route One Twenty-Seven. Faith Lapidus has our story.

FAITH LAPIDUS:

It seems like almost everyone buys or sells goods at yard sales in the United States. People place used personal or household goods for sale outside their homes.
　

Last year's sale

The US One Twenty-Seven Corridor Sale is known as the World's Longest Yardsale. It began in nineteen eighty-seven. The event's headquarters is in Jamestown, Tennessee. A former local official, Mike Walker, came up with the idea. He thought it would bring people to the area and show them that small country roads have a lot to offer. Others agreed. They wanted people to consider traveling on these roads instead of the popular interstate system.

Every year, the four-day sale begins on the first Thursday in August. So August seventh marks the opening of the twenty-first World's Longest Yardsale. The event now crosses five states --- Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.

Tens of thousands of sellers take part. Some people who live along or near Route One Twenty-Seven simply place their goods for sale in front of their house. Others use nearby public spaces, like parks. People sell everything and anything at the sale: furniture, clothing, toys, books and music. You can also find sporting goods, farm equipment, tools and art. And, lots of other things. Tens of thousands of people from across the country drive along the road in search of interesting things to buy. Route One Twenty-Seven becomes crowded with vehicles.

Leeann Hustonis the director of tourism and membership³ at the Fentress County Chamber⁴ of Commerce in Jamestown, Tennessee. She says last year she came close to buying one of strangest looking pieces of furniture she has ever seen --- a big, old, round bed. She said it had a complex design on the shiny, smooth, light blue and white material that covered it. Miz Huston says the bed was made in the nineteen thirties or forties. She said it looked like something that should be at Elvis Presley's home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee. She says she thinks it sold for more than one thousand dollars.

Medical Education

HOST:

Our listener question this week comes from Ethiopia. Solomon Mengist Gardie wants to know how a person becomes a medical doctor in the United States.
　

Medical students Paul Haun and Elizabeth Schulz attend class at the Medical College of Georgia in February

It is not easy to become a doctor in the United States. Students must attend a college or university and do well in their studies. Students who want to become doctors usually study large amounts of biology and chemistry in college. Some students work for a year or two in a medical or research job before they attempt to enter medical school.

More than one hundred twenty American schools offer study programs for people seeking to become a doctor. Competition to enter these medical schools is strong. About thirty-five thousand people compete for sixteen thousand openings in American medical schools each year.

Students must take the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT. The Association of American Medical Colleges provides the test by computer. Applicants⁵ for medical school need to do well on the MCAT.

Once in medical school, students spend their first two years mainly in classroom study. They learn about the body and all its systems. They also begin studying how to recognize and treat disease.

By the third year, students begin working with patients in hospitals. Experienced doctors who have treated many patients guide them as they work.

During the fourth year, students begin applying to programs in hospitals for the additional training they will need after medical school. Competition to work at a top hospital can be fierce.

Doctors-in-training in hospitals are called interns⁶ or residents. They treat patients while guided by experienced doctors, medical professors and other experts.

Some doctors work a long time in hospitals before they are fully⁷ trained in a specialty⁸. Neurosurgeons are a good example. They operate on the brain, neck and back. Some neurosurgeons spend six years or more as residents in hospitals before beginning private practice and treating patients on their own.

The American Association of Medical Colleges reports that last year there were over seven hundred thousand active doctors practicing in the United States.

Raheem DeVaughn

HOST:

Raheem DeVaughn sings and writes songs that include several musical influences. He describes himself as an "R-and-B, hippie, neo-soul, rock star." Barbara Klein tells more about the singer and plays some of his music.

BARBARA KLEIN:
　

Raheem DeVaughn

Raheem DeVaughn has loved music since a very early age. But he did not begin his musical career until he was in college. He attended Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Raheem joined a singing group and began writing and recording⁹ songs. He soon left the university and the singing group to begin singing on his own in nightclubs in Washington, D.C.

DeVaughn's first album, "The Love Experience," was released in two thousand five. The songs are influenced by soul music made popular in the nineteen seventies. Here is the hit song "Guess Who Loves You More" from that album.

(MUSIC)

Raheem DeVaughn's latest album is called "Love Behind the Melody¹⁰." Music critics praise his singing and song writing. They say his smooth voice and the important messages in his songs are a welcome addition to the music industry. His hit song "Woman" honors women for the many important parts they play in life.

(MUSIC)

We leave you with another song from Raheem DeVaughn's new album "Love Behind the Melody." This is "Butterflies."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program today.

It was written by Lawan Davis, Elizabeth Stern² and Caty Weaver¹¹, who was also the producer. To read the text of this program and download audio, go to our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.

Send your questions about American life to [email protected]. And please include your full name and where you are from. 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 stern   

adj.严厉的，严格的，严峻的；n.船尾

参考例句：

• The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。
• The headmaster ruled the school with a stern discipline.校长治校严谨。

3 membership   

n.成员资格，会员全体，从属关系

参考例句：

• I must renew my membership of the sailing club.我必须延续我的航海俱乐部会员的资格。
• He made up his mind to apply for membership in the Party.他决心申请入党。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

6 interns   

n.住院实习医生( intern的名词复数 )v.拘留，关押( intern的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Our interns also greet our guests when they arrive in our studios. 我们的实习生也会在嘉宾抵达演播室的时候向他们致以问候。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• The interns work alongside experienced civil engineers and receive training in the different work sectors. 实习生陪同有经验的国内工程师工作，接受不同工作部门的相关培训。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

9 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

10 melody   

n.旋律，曲调，悦耳的音乐

参考例句：

• She struck up a folk melody on the piano.她开始用钢琴演奏那首民歌。
• After she wrote the melody,she asked us for criticisms.她做好曲之后，请我们提意见。

11 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。