VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-03-22 The UN Celebrates Agriculture! 联合国庆祝农业生产

 

AS IT IS 2014-03-22 The UN Celebrates Agriculture! 联合国庆祝农业生产

Hello and welcome to As It Is from VOA Learning¹ English!  I’m Anna Matteo in Washington. 

On today’s As It Is, we will hear two agricultural stories that have something in common.  The United Nations celebrates them both.  The UN named 2013 the “International Year of the Quinoa.” 

For 2014, they celebrate “The International Year of Family Farming.”  Many call family farming the main form of farming worldwide.  We will hear more about that later in the show.

But why celebrate quinoa?  Why does a tiny, ancient grain deserve² a UN celebration?  Here’s agricultural reporter Christopher Cruise³ to explain.

Quinoa

When a grain becomes popular worldwide, there are two main effects.  Farmers who grow the grain earn more in profits.  And people who use it for food pay more. 

Quinoa, a grain native to South America, has become popular in many areas in recent years.  In fact, the United Nations’ General Assembly⁴ approved a declaration⁵ making 2013, “The International Year of the Quinoa.” 

Quinoa is a traditional food crop in the Andes Mountains.  The plant grows in an area near Lake Titicaca, along the border of Peru and Bolivia.  Historical evidence shows that local people were growing quinoa as far back as five thousand to seven thousand years ago.  During this period, they used both the seeds and leaves of this wild plant.  

There are many kinds of quinoa.  The plant can be grown in different climates.  And it does not require a lot of water.  Both the seeds and leaves can be used as food.  The seed is the most commonly used part. 

Quinoa can be ground into flour or cooked whole.  It is used in cereals⁶, drinks and fresh salads.  It can also be mixed with vegetables or beans for a full meal.  The leaves and stems⁷ can also be used for medicinal purposes.  Some people use them to reduce pain, heal⁸ wounds and even keep insects away.

Quinoa is full of amino acids⁹ and minerals.  Amino acids are organic¹⁰ compounds¹¹ that form protein.  The body needs them to help break down food, and to grow and repair tissue¹². 

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization believes that quinoa can be used to fight hunger and feed a growing world population.  The reason is the high value of protein provided¹³ by quinoa.  The crop has also become popular among those seeking healthier ways to eat.  The center of the seed contains up to 45 percent protein.

Quinoa is currently¹⁴ grown in more than 70 countries.  Peru and Bolivia together produce 92 percent of the crop.  The rest comes mainly from the United States, Ecuador, Canada and Argentina.

Starting about 10 years ago, the popularity¹⁵ of Quinoa caused its price to rise quickly.  Many Bolivian farmers have gained from this increase by earning more.  They have been able to buy vehicles and other goods with the increased profits. 

However, other Bolivians have had to give up their main food because it costs too much.  Instead they are buying and cooking with other foods that are not as rich in healthy minerals and proteins.

I’m Christopher Cruise.

And I’m Anna Matteo in Washington.  You are listening to VOA Learning English. 

Now we move on to another United Nations celebration.  The UN has declared 2014 the “International Year of Family Farming.”  Family farms are the main form of agriculture around the world.  But keeping a farm operating is not easy.

Milagros Ardin reports.

UN Declares 2014 International Year of Family Farming

Family farming has been called the main form of agriculture around the world.  The United Nations has declared 2014 the “International Year of Family Farming.” 

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization says the year-long campaign is designed to increase public understanding of farms owned and operated by families.  It says farm families are important producers of food for growing populations.

But many family farms do not provide the same worker benefits as large company farms.  Many family farms cannot provide retirement¹⁶ plans, health care or child care.  So, the FAO wants to get family farming included in national policies that support agriculture.  The goal is to create a balanced and equal environment so family farmers can succeed. 

Weather problems, price drops and weak world economies can hurt family farmers.  For many, a single crop can mean failure or survival¹⁷.

It is difficult for many family farmers around the world to gain the land, water and other resources needed to farm.  The UN has helped establish more than 50 national committees to deal with these issues.  The committees are made up of representatives of family farm communities. 

Together, they decided¹⁸ on five goals to reach during 2014.  One is to establish policies to make equal the rights of men and women farmers.  They also want to guarantee that nations have the right to develop their own food production. 

The committees hope to require governments to accept and follow certain environmental guidelines¹⁹.  And, they want governments of mainly agricultural populations to provide financial support to farmers.  Finally, the committees agreed to work to support young people in agriculture.      

 

I’m Milagros Ardin.

1 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。

2 deserve   

vt.应受，值得；vi. 应受报答，值得受赏

参考例句：

• You really deserve a good beating,you naughty boy.你这个调皮孩子真该打。
• I do not deserve all the praises bestowed upon me.我不配得到这些赞扬。

3 cruise   

v.巡航，航游，缓慢巡行；n.海上航游

参考例句：

• They went on a cruise to Tenerife.他们乘船去特纳利夫岛。
• She wants to cruise the canals of France in a barge.她想乘驳船游览法国的运河。

4 assembly   

n.集会(不可数)；会议(可数)，装配(不可数)

参考例句：

• He took his seat in an unobserved corner of the assembly room.他在会议室一个不为人注意的犄角坐下来。
• It was very quiet in the assembly hall.会场里静悄悄的。

5 declaration   

n.宣布，宣告，宣言，声明（书），申报

参考例句：

• We read the declaration posted on the bulletin board.我们读了贴在布告板上的声明。
• At the recent convention a declaration was adopted.在最近举行的大会上通过了一项宣言。

6 cereals   

n.谷类食品，谷类；麦片粥

参考例句：

• By cereals we mean wheat,oats,rye,barley,and all that.谈到谷物，我们指的是小麦、燕麦、黑麦、大麦之类的东西。
• Wheat and rice are cereals.小麦和水稻是谷类植物。

7 stems   

n.（花草的）茎( stem的名词复数 )；词干；（高脚酒杯的）脚；烟斗柄v.遏制[阻止]（液体的流动等）( stem的第三人称单数 )；封堵；遏止

参考例句：

• The present wave of strikes stems from discontent among the lower-paid. 当前的罢工浪潮起因于低工资雇员们的不满情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her interest in flowers stems from her childhood in the country. 她对花卉的兴趣产生于她在乡下度过的童年时代。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 heal   

v.使愈合，治愈，使康复；平息(争吵等)；消除，解决(分支等)

参考例句：

• Time helped heal the old wounds.时间有助于治愈旧创伤。
• This wound will soon heal if yon keep it clean.如果你保持伤口清洁，它很快就会痊愈。

9 acids   

n.酸( acid的名词复数 )；酸味物质

参考例句：

• Some acids are strong enough to burn the wood. 有些酸的酸性强得可以烧坏木头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are many amino acids that the body cannot synthesise itself. 有许多种氨基酸人体自身不能合成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 organic   

adj.有机的，有机物的；有组织的

参考例句：

• Organic farming is expanding everywhere.有机农业正在各地迅速发展起来。
• The organic fertilizer shall keep the soil in good heart.这有机肥一定会使土壤保持肥沃。

11 compounds   

n.场地( compound的名词复数 )；复合物；（筑有围墙的）院子；复合词v.调和( compound的第三人称单数 )；使混合；使严重；调停

参考例句：

• Nouns join to form compounds. 名词和名词结合构成复合词。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That simply compounds the offence. 那只会加重罪过。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 tissue   

n.组织；薄纱，薄纸，手巾纸

参考例句：

• As we age we lose muscle tissue.肌肉组织会随着我们日趋衰老而萎缩。
• Athletes have hardly any fatty tissue.运动员几乎没有什么脂肪组织。

13 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。

14 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

15 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。

16 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

17 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

18 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。

19 guidelines   

n.指导方针，准则

参考例句：

• The government has drawn up guidelines on the treatment of the mentally ill. 政府制订了对待精神病人的指导方针。
• Planners seem a little uncomfortable with the current government guidelines. 规划师似乎不太接受现行的政府指道方针。