VOA慢速英语2009年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - Diane Birch's Youthful V

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson. This week on our program, we play some new music by Diane Birch …

And answer a question about a well known children's doctor ..

But first, we report about how young people across the United States are going green.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

Young people across the United States are taking part in the "Go Green" revolution. From Wisconsin to Washington, D.C., they are helping² to make the world a more environmentally friendly place. Some young people are taking care of local parks. Others are helping to build green housing³. Barbara Klein has more.

BARBARA KLEIN:

More than eight hundred young people in Washington, D.C., spent the summer learning⁴ about their environment. They were part of the city's Green Summer Job Corps⁵, a project of the District Department of the Environment.
　
Students in the Green Summer Job Corps remove invasive plants along the Anacostia River

The Green Summer program provided⁶ young people with hands-on experience and education on issues of environmental importance. They were able to choose from a number of different projects. Some helped to rid the city of troublesome invasive plants, or cared for trees at city parks and schools. Others carried out energy studies of city school buildings to make sure the equipment and systems work effectively. Still others performed community outreach services to help educate people on the importance of going green.

Officials said it was a "win-win" situation. The communities were improved by the work. The young people got a chance to make a difference in their communities. And they got meaningful on-the-job training for what is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing careers of the future. This was the second year of the Green Summer Job Corps in Washington. There were twice as many students taking part as last year.

There are similar programs in states around the country. Many American lawmakers, including President Obama, believe the green industry will become a way out of poverty for economically troubled communities. The demand for employees with green skills will continue to grow as the world seeks to become more earth friendly. And, programs like D.C.'s Green Summer Job Corps will help to fill the need.

HOST:

Our listener question this week comes from Abdullahi Farah, who wants to know about the life and work of Doctor Benjamin Carson.
　
Ben Carson discusses an operation to separate twins joined at the head in 2003

Doctor Carson is an internationally recognized neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been the director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the hospital for twenty-five years. At the age of thirty-three, he became one of the youngest doctors in the United States to hold that position. And he was the first African-American to have that position at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Ben Carson is known for his extraordinary work as a brain surgeon for children. He has created operating methods used by other surgeons and performed historic⁷ brain operations.

For example, in nineteen eighty-seven, he led a team of seventy doctors and nurses in an operation to separate two babies joined at the head. Earlier attempts by other surgeons on other babies had failed. Doctor Carson successfully performed the operation. Both babies were able to survive independently.

Doctor Carson is also known for performing other complex operations on children, including one called a hemispherectomy. He removes part of the brain to stop severe, uncontrollable seizures⁹. A seizure⁸ is like an electrical storm in the brain.

Doctor Carson has written four books. His first book, "Gifted Hands," tells the story of his life. Benjamin Carson was born in nineteen fifty-one in Detroit, Michigan. His parents ended their marriage when he was eight years old. His mother, Sonya Carson, raised Ben and his older brother on her own. She had very little education. She could not read well. And she worked at two or three jobs to support her family. The family was poor and lived in a neighborhood of crime and violence.
　
Doctor Carson receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush last year

As a boy, Ben was not a good student. In fact, he was the worst in his class. When his mother learned¹⁰ of his failing grades she required her sons to read two library books every week. She limited the amount of time they watched television. And she told them to reject racial discrimination.

Ben Carson soon became the top student in his class. He went on to study at Yale University, one of the best universities in the country, and later to medical school at the University of Michigan.

Doctor Carson has received many awards and honors¹². Last year he received the nation's highest civilian¹³ honor¹¹. Former President George W. Bush presented Benjamin Carson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony at the White House.

HOST:

Diane Birch is a young singer whose music takes listeners back to the soul and pop music of the nineteen seventies. Born in the United States, she grew up in Africa and Australia with her family. Critics say her first album, "Bible¹⁴ Belt," shows she has a very promising¹⁵ career ahead of her. Mario Ritter tells us more.

(MUSIC)

MARIO RITTER:
　
Diane Birch

That was the song "Valentino." Diane Birch writes all of her songs and plays the piano and organ. She started learning to play the piano when she was about seven years old.

Diane Birch's father was a religious worker. She grew up in a very restrictive religious community. When she moved back to the United States, she did not know much about popular culture. She only knew classical music and religious songs. She learned all kinds of music, including jazz, rock and folk.

And she taught herself to play these kinds of music. Here is the song "Fire Escape."

(MUSIC)

Diane Birch moved to Los Angeles, California when she was old enough to live independently. She found work as a pianist and played in hotels. She later decided¹⁶ to take a singing class so she could perform the music she had been writing. The songs she posted on her MySpace page caught the attention of the music industry and led to a record deal.

We leave you with "Nothing but a Miracle¹⁷" from the album "Bible Belt."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Dana Demange, Lawan Davis and June Simms. Mario Ritter was our producer. For transcripts¹⁸, MP3s and podcasts of our programs, go to voaspecialenglish.com. You can also comment on our programs.

Do you have a question about people, places or things in America? You can send it to [email protected] we may answer it on this show.

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 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 housing   

n.房屋，住宅；住房建筑；外壳，外罩

参考例句：

• Do you think our housing sales will turn around during this year?你认为今年我们的住宅销路会好转吗？
• The housing sales have been turning down since the summer.入夏以来，房屋的销售量日趋减少。

4 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

5 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• 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。

6 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。

7 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

8 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

9 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

11 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

12 honors   

n.礼仪；荣典；礼节； 大学荣誉学位；大学优等成绩；尊敬( honor的名词复数 )；敬意；荣誉；光荣

参考例句：

• He aims at honors. 他力求名誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We did the last honors to his remains. 我们向他的遗体告别。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

14 bible   

n.《圣经》；得到权威支持的典籍

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• This dictionary should be your Bible when studying English.学习英语时，这本字典应是你的主要参考书。

15 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

16 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。

17 miracle   

n.奇迹，令人惊奇的人或事

参考例句：

• The doctors said that his recovery was a miracle. 医生们说他的复原是件奇事。
• It is simply a miracle that rice should grow in such a place.稻子竟能在这样的地方生长，这实在是个奇迹。

18 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句