VOA慢速英语2012 THIS IS AMERICA - New Ways to Save With Coupons; Turning Eggs into Art; Antigravity Yoga

 

THIS IS AMERICA - New Ways to Save With Coupons²; Turning Eggs into Art; Antigravity Yoga

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Christopher Cruise.

FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. As the American economy continues to struggle, a growing number of people are seeking ways to save on household expenses. One way is collecting and redeeming³ coupons when they shop for goods and services. Coupons have been around for one hundred twenty-five years. This week, we take a look at the current trends in couponing in the United States. And later, we learn about an artist who carves eggshells, and also a popular kind of yoga that has people hanging upside down.

(MUSIC)

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Laura Harders does her family’s grocery shopping on Fridays. She arrives at the store with a shopping list and coupons.

LAURA HARDERS: "I try to get my coupons up front that I know I am going to use.”

Ms. Harders started using coupons about six years ago, when she was expecting her first baby. She was planning to quit her job and needed to find a way the family could live on one income.

LAURA HARDERS: “So instead of having to go back to work, I was able to stay at home and almost bring an income just by what I’m able to save. Fifty cents off any one corn flakes⁴, I’m going to get that.”

By using coupons, Ms. Harders is usually able to cut her grocery bill in half. But on this day, she saved even more.

LAURA HARDERS: “Before the sale price, before coupons, my total went up to eighty dollars. After coupons and the sale items, I brought it down to twenty dollars.”

She collects coupons from different places.

LAURA HARDERS: “Most of my coupons I get from Sunday newspaper inserts. I also get a lot of coupons online. There's incredible sites such as coupons.com. smartsource.com and others as well as manufactures' web sites.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: But not all shoppers use coupons. Mariam Sindy does not even like the idea.

MARIAM SINDY: “I really think it’s really time consuming. And a lot of times I find that if I do find a coupon¹, for example if it comes with a cereal box, I leave it there, I forget it and when I remember, it’s expired.”

LAURA HARDERS: “Hopefully everybody in this room is interested in couponing or, at least, ready to save some money.”

But clipping coupons does not have to be time consuming. Ms. Harders explains in the workshops she leads on coupon shopping.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: The first coupons were given out in eighteen eighty-seven in Atlanta, Georgia. They were given out by a man who wanted to build excitement and influence customers to try a new beverage⁵, Coca-Cola.

One hundred-twenty-five years later, that is still why businesses issue coupons. What has changed, says marketing⁶ consultant⁷ Ferris Kaplan, is the way they are issued.

FERRIS KAPLAN: “More young people are actually using coupons because it goes directly to their cell phones, then when they go to the store of their choice, they walk into the store, they automatically use while right there without a printer, without paper, without having to look at a newspaper.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: The website Certifikid creates digital coupons for more than one thousand businesses, and e-mails them to about fifty-five thousand customers. Certifikid founder⁸ Jamie Ratner also profiles one of the businesses each day.

JAMIE RATNER: “You’re the star of that one day in these people’s e-mails. So they’re reading about you, learning about your business, and then having the opportunity to purchase the coupon.”

With more young people going online to find deals and save money in this tough economy, Jamie Ratner expects digital coupon services to expand in the future. 

(MUSIC)

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: It is common to paint or dye eggs, especially during the Christian⁹ Easter observance, but few people have ever seen carved eggshells. These have no relationship to eggs that are painted or decorated with gems¹⁰ or other jewels, like Faberge's famous eggs, which were not actual eggs.

Carving¹¹ and sculpting¹² eggshells, with a dental drill and sanding disk, is not a job for the heavy handed. For Washington area artist Tina Kannapel, it is a passion.

TINA KANNAPEL: “Because an egg is a continuous arch, it has a lot of natural strength. You will see eggshells where I have taken out so much that it looks like lace. And the whole trick to that is having regular connections between the different pieces of the lace, so the eggshell stays intact.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: Tina Kannapel carves, sculpts¹³ and sells about one thousand six hundred eggshells a year. She buys infertile¹⁴ eggs that have already been emptied -- from bird breeders.

TINA KANNAPEL: “The ostrich¹⁵ eggshell is very hard. It's like China.”

She uses all kinds of eggs, including Emu, goose, pheasant and parrot eggs.

The process begins with designs printed on paper and then glued to the eggshell.

TINA KANNAPEL: “You need the paper to stabilize¹⁶ the face of the eggshell, so if you are going to have to carve through paper, you may as well have your design on the paper.”

Eggshells have hard and soft spots. The paper reduces the chance of chipping.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Ms. Kannapel has more than three hundred designs that include animals, portraits and geometric forms.

But whatever the design, carving always has to start at the most difficult part of it. So if the eggshell breaks, hours have not been lost.

TINA KANNAPEL: "When you are working with cats and dogs and human beings, the most difficult thing is the eyes so you always start with the eyes. Because if you mess up the eyes, you mess up the design."

As Ms. Kannapel works, her three Abyssinian cats keep her company.

TINA KANNAPEL: “They walk all around the carved eggshells and they don’t bother them at all, in fact, he’s loving them.”

Once the carving is finished, the eggshell is cleaned - first in warm water to release the paper and then in bleach¹⁷.

TINA KANNAPEL: “What the bleach does is it eats all of the organic material in the eggshell and when it is completely sterilized¹⁸, there won’t be any bubbles coming up.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: In the historic town of Occoquan, near Washington DC, the Artists' Undertaking¹⁹ Gallery includes some of Ms. Kannapel's carved eggshells.

An egg with a heron on it looks painted. But there is no paint. The colors emerged during the carving.

TINA KANNAPEL: “This is an emu eggshell. It has three layers. The outside is such a dark green it looks black. The layer underneath²⁰ that is teal or blue and the layer underneath that is a paper thin white and I carved between the three layers.”

Ms. Kannapel's eggshells cost between thirty and four hundred dollars apiece. 

(MUSIC)

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: A growing number of health clubs around the world offer exercise that allows people to stretch and strengthen their bodies while hanging in the air, often upside down. It is called AntiGravity Yoga. VOA visited a workout studio in Los Angeles, California to see what the exercise is all about.

FAITH LAPIDUS: The image of students hanging upside down on hammocks made of silk cloth connected to the ceiling looks more like acrobatics²¹ than yoga. Marie Bice is a student of Antigravity Yoga.

MARIE BICE: “When I first saw people hanging upside down from hammocks and calling it yoga I thought they were crazy. But it ended up being a lot of fun and just swinging it felt very playful.”

Ms. Bice says AntiGravity Yoga is not all play. It is also hard work, with benefits.

MARIE BICE: “I don’t have a lot of flexibility²² in my back and doing this work has really helped my back with that.”

Instructor²³ Heather Blair says hanging upside down helps the body in a way that regular yoga does not offer.

HEATHER BLAIR: “You actually have spinal²⁴ decompression so when you’re upside down your vertebrae actually open up so the space in between the vertebrae opens naturally and gently.”

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Student Chris Meierhans has done traditional forms of yoga. But this is his first AntiGravity class.

CHRIS MEIERHANS: “I would like to increase flexibility. Of course, I’m a guy, a runner, so my hamstrings are very tight.”

Ms. Blair says when Belief Fitness Studio first started offering AntiGravity classes over a year ago, people became interested very quickly.

HEATHER BLAIR: “You literally²⁵ can be of any fitness level. You can have injuries. It doesn’t matter how old you are -- anyone can take the class. So it’s been a huge draw for us.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: AntiGravity Yoga creator Christopher Harrison is a dancer, choreographer²⁶ and gymnast.

CHRISTOPHER HARRISON: "I created it so even my mother can do it.

Mr. Harrison first created this form of yoga for athletes. He made some changes and started teaching it to the public in the United States in two thousand nine. Since then, it has gained international attention. Several countries, including China, Indonesia, Russia and Brazil, now offer AntiGravity Yoga classes.

HEATHER BLAIR: “AntiGravity Yoga is a combination of pilates, a little bit of yoga, aerial arts and suspension training so it’s not just yoga.”

The fusion²⁷ of stretch and strengthening exercises allows students to achieve movements that traditional yoga does not have. They include flying while suspended on the hammock and using the hammock to hang like a bat. It is also more of a cardio-vascular workout than first time student Chris Meierhans expected.

CHRIS MEIERHANS: “I had no idea that it was that much work.”

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: But creator Christopher Harrison says the yoga philosophy is still at the core of this workout.

CHRISTOPHER HARRISON: “You can expect still to be studying yoga because it is a practice of awareness²⁸, of body, mind and spirit.”

Like traditional yoga, each class ends with meditation²⁹. But in AntiGravity Yoga, meditating³⁰ means resting in the air while cocooned³¹ in a hammock.

(MUSIC)

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Our program was produced by Brianna Blake, with reporting by Faiza Elmasry, Zulima Palacio and Elizabeth Lee. I'm Christopher Cruise.

FAITH LAPIDUS: And I'm Faith Lapidus. You can find videos about today’s program on our website, www.voanews.cn. You can also find transcripts³² and MP3s of our programs, along with podcasts and activities for learning English. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

1 coupon   

n.息票，配给票，附单

参考例句：

• The coupon can be used once only.此优惠券只限使用一次。
• I have a coupon for ten pence off a packet of soap.我有一张优惠券买一盒肥皂可以便宜十便士。

2 coupons   

n.礼券( coupon的名词复数 )；优惠券；订货单；参赛表

参考例句：

• The company gives away free coupons for drinks or other items. 公司为饮料或其它项目发放免费赠券。 来自辞典例句
• Do you have any coupons? 你们有优惠卡吗？ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

3 redeeming   

补偿的，弥补的

参考例句：

• I found him thoroughly unpleasant, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. 我觉得他一点也不讨人喜欢，没有任何可取之处。
• The sole redeeming feature of this job is the salary. 这份工作唯其薪水尚可弥补一切之不足。

4 flakes   

小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人

参考例句：

• It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
• It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

5 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

8 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 gems   

growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长

参考例句：

• a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

11 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。

12 sculpting   

雕刻( sculpt的现在分词 )； 雕塑； 做（头发）； 梳（发式）

参考例句：

• The quality of the result is determined by a Craft( sculpting) check. 由手艺（刻）定决定结果质量如何。
• Another difficulty in the process of ice sculpting is time control. 冰雕过程中的另一项困难是时间的掌控。

13 sculpts   

雕刻( sculpt的第三人称单数 )； 雕塑； 做（头发）； 梳（发式）

参考例句：

• The Tennessee River sculpts the east side of the Cumberland Plateau. 田纳西河刻蚀着坎伯兰高原的东部边缘。
• Stress sculpts the brain to exhibit various antisocial, though adaptive, behaviors. 压力陶铸下的大脑，虽能表现出各种适应性的行为，但却有碍人际关系。

14 infertile   

adj.不孕的；不肥沃的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• Plants can't grow well in the infertile land.在贫瘠的土地上庄稼长不好。
• Nobody is willing to till this infertile land.这块薄田没有人愿意耕种。

15 ostrich   

n.鸵鸟

参考例句：

• Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物。
• The ostrich indeed inhabits continents.鸵鸟确实是生活在大陆上的。

16 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

17 bleach   

vt.使漂白；vi.变白；n.漂白剂

参考例句：

• These products don't bleach the hair.这些产品不会使头发变白。
• Did you bleach this tablecloth?你把这块桌布漂白了吗？

18 sterilized   

v.消毒( sterilize的过去式和过去分词 )；使无菌；使失去生育能力；使绝育

参考例句：

• My wife was sterilized after the birth of her fourth child. 我妻子生完第4个孩子后做了绝育手术。 来自辞典例句
• All surgical instruments must be sterilized before use. 所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。 来自辞典例句

19 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

20 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

21 acrobatics   

n.杂技

参考例句：

• Acrobatics is hard to learn but beautiful to watch.杂技不好学，但很好看。
• We watched a performance which included a puppet show and acrobatics.我们观看了一场演出，内容有木偶和杂技。

22 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

23 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

24 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

25 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

26 choreographer   

n.编舞者

参考例句：

• She is a leading professional belly dancer, choreographer, and teacher. 她既是杰出的专业肚皮舞演员，也是舞蹈设计者和老师。 来自辞典例句
• It'stands aside, my choreographer of grace, and blesses each finger and toe. 它站在一旁，我优雅的舞蹈指导，并祝福每个指尖与脚尖。 来自互联网

27 fusion   

n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc. 黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• This alloy is formed by the fusion of two types of metal.这种合金是用两种金属熔合而成的。

28 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

29 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

30 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

31 cocooned   

v.茧，蚕茧( cocoon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The doctors cocooned the patient in blankets. 医生们将病人紧包在毯子里。 来自辞典例句
• I cocooned in my own kingdom. 我完全沉迷在我自己的王国中。 来自辞典例句

32 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