AMERICAN MOSAIC - Big Music From the American Heartland

AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ - Big Music From the American Heartland
By Nancy Steinbach, Lawan Davis and Dana Demange

Broadcast: Friday, September 02, 2005

(MUSIC)

HOST: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.

I'm Doug Johnson. On our show this week:

 
 
We hear music from groups taking part in concerts called "Big Noise From Springfield, Missouri"…

Answer a question from a listener about the Voice of America's broadcasts …

And report about the upcoming Labor² Day holiday.

Labor Day

Monday, September fifth, is Labor Day in the United States. In most nations, Labor Day is celebrated³ in May. Faith Lapidus explains.

FAITH LAPIDUS: The first day in May has been the traditional day to celebrate spring since ancient times. It also is the day to honor⁴ workers in almost every industrial country in the world except the United States and Canada. The first link between honoring⁵ workers and the ancient May Day celebration was made in eighteen thirty-three. The British social reformer Robert Owen chose that day as the date for the beginning of a period of joy and hope for the world.

In eighteen eighty-nine, the first Paris workers convention⁶ declared a great international workers demonstration⁷ on May first. Since then, the International Labor Day has been celebrated on the first or May. The United States chose another day for its labor celebration. New York labor leader Peter McGuire is said to have suggested that the first Monday in September be a holiday to honor labor. He said it was a nice time of the year for a celebration. He proposed⁸ public parades to show the strength of labor organizations. And he urged that people end the day with outdoor parties.

The first American Labor Day celebration was held in New York City on September fifth, eighteen eighty-two. About ten thousand workers marched through the streets. Then everybody went to a nearby park to eat a meal and hear speeches and a concert. The idea quickly spread throughout the country. In eighteen ninety-four, Congress⁹ approved a bill declaring Labor Day a national holiday.

For many years, the first Monday in September was a day when American workers demonstrated¹⁰ for better working conditions and pay. Over the years, however, the condition of American workers improved. Such demonstrations¹¹ are no longer common.

Now, Labor Day weekend for Americans is a time to celebrate the last days of summer. Many towns still hold special events. People throughout the country enjoy outdoor activities. And for many American students, Labor Day means it is time for school to begin again.

You can learn more about the history of the labor movement in the United States Monday on the Special English program THIS IS AMERICA.

VOA Broadcasts

HOST: We have two listener questions this week about the same subject. Nguyen Ngoc Lanh of Vietnam wants to know if Special English programs can be heard in the United States. Frank¹² Liu who is studying in Portugal wants to know about an American law called the Smith-Mundt Act and how it affects VOA.

The Voice of America broadcasts more than one thousand hours of news, information, educational and cultural programs every week. Programs are sent by shortwave, AM and FM radio, satellite radio and television and the Internet. VOA broadcasts to more than one hundred million people around the world.

Voice of America programs are meant for listeners outside the United States. In nineteen forty-eight, the United States Congress passed the Smith-Mundt Act. The main purpose of the law was to create a permanent oversees¹³ cultural and information program of the United States government. It was meant to provide information about the United States to people in other countries. The Smith-Mundt Act bars information produced by VOA from being broadcast or given out in the United States.

At that time, American news media expressed concern to Congress about having to compete with government news agencies¹⁴, including the Voice of America. By the time the Smith-Mundt Act was passed, VOA had been broadcasting for six years. People in the United States with short wave radios could listen to the programs. They still can.

The Smith-Mundt Act is still in effect. So VOA and Special English do not broadcast their radio or television programs in the United States. But what about our programs on the Internet? The law bans VOA and Special English from sharing information with listeners inside the United States. But it does not tell listeners what they may or may not do to receive our programs.

After the Internet was created, VOA began using it to reach more listeners around the world. That technology made it possible for almost anyone with a computer to log¹⁵ on, listen, read or watch Special English programs. Even people in the United States.

Big Noise From Springfield

Four groups of musicians from the state of Missouri are performing around the United States. This traveling show is called "Big Noise from Springfield, MO." These four music groups perform the rock, country and blues¹⁶ sounds that are deeply rooted in their area of Missouri. Barbara Klein has more.

BARBARA KLEIN: The area around Springfield, Missouri, is rich in musical traditions. In the nineteen fifties it was an important city for country music. Today, many musicians from all traditions still play in the area.

Four of these musical groups or bands are performing in cities across America until the beginning of October. They are the Morells, the Bel Airs, the Domino Kings and a musician named Brian Capps.

The Morells are well known in the music life of Springfield. They have been recording¹⁷ music and playing there since nineteen eighty-two. Here is a song from their latest rock album called "Think About It." It is called "Nadine."

(MUSIC)

The Domino Kings have a more country sound. Here is the song "Pain in My Past" from their album called "Some Kind of Sign."

(MUSIC)

The Bel Airs have been playing together for more than twenty years. They mix country sounds with those of the blues. We leave you with a song from their last album, "Got Love". It is called "The Blues Is Walkin'."

(MUSIC)

HOST: I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program.

Our show was written by Lawan Davis, Dana Demange and Nancy Steinbach. Mario Ritter was our producer.

Send your questions about American life to [email protected]. Please include your full name and mailing address. Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., 20237, 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 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 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。

5 honoring   

v.尊敬，给以荣誉( honor的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They sat in silence, honoring the clan Jordache for a moment. 他们默默地坐了一会儿，对乔达虚家族表示了一番敬意。 来自辞典例句
• Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check. 美国没有履行这项神圣的义务，只是给黑人开了一张空头支票。 来自辞典例句

6 convention   

n.惯例，习俗，常规，会议，大会

参考例句：

• How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到？
• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。

7 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

8 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

9 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

10 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。

11 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

12 frank   

adj.坦白的，直率的，真诚的

参考例句：

• A frank discussion can help to clear the air.坦率的谈论有助于消除隔阂。
• She is frank and outgoing.她很爽朗。

13 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

14 agencies   

n.代理( agency的名词复数 )；服务机构；（政府的）专门机构；代理（或经销）业务（或关系）

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations. 联合国有许多专门机构。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The project is funded by the World Bank and other multilateral agencies. 这项计划由世界银行和其他多国机构资助。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 log   

n.记录，圆木，日志；v.伐木，切，航行

参考例句：

• They log for a living.他们以伐木为生。
• And then what do you do with that log?然后你要拿那些记录做什么呢？

16 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

17 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。