VOA标准英语2010年-Boy Scouts Seek to Trade Patches at Na

Boy Scouts² trading patches at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia

The Boy Scouts of America's National Jamboree wraps up on August 5 after a 10 day run at a U.S. Army base in northern Virginia, not far from Washington. The Scouts hold their Jamboree every four years and this time nearly 45,000 Scouts ages 11 to 18 from around the world came together to celebrate 100 years of Scouting³. There is a very popular pastime at the jamboree.

It is called patch trading. And it is the most popular hobby for thousands of Boy Scouts.

 

Scouts spend countless⁴ hours making deals for these colorful clothing patches. James Coon says many act like Wall Street stock traders.

"Some people think their patches are worth more," said James Coon. "Then they will trade them to someone for a good deal and then it will eventually escalate⁵ from there until people are trading whole sets for one patch.

The Boy Scout¹ Jamboree has become the place to trade the decorative⁶ patches that are worn on shirts and other clothes. But most Scouts just collect them. Many designs illustrate⁷ the location of various Scout Councils and come in sets.

Scout Jeb Butler is an avid⁸ patch trader.

"It's just fun and I can see some exotic and different kinds of patches," said Jeb Butler. "This isn't even my Council's trips patch but its really fun. And then you can get different patches like here is one from Chicago."

Many Boy Scouts browse⁹ around looking for patches, creating a trading frenzy¹⁰ at times and a whole barter¹¹ economy. Trader Luke Christiansen explains why Scouts like trading patches.

"I think it is just popular because a lot of them [patches] have different images on them and a lot of different things I guess we like or are unique like a lot of the popular ones the Soviet¹² Union Patch and the Mavel super heroes," said Luke Christiansen.

The competition of collecting patches can be fierce. Andy Scull says the most popular ones are those with pop culture references or others that are simply unique.

Andy Scull: "A patch says a lot about the place it is from."
Reporter: "And this patch tell us about it?"
Andy Scull: "This patch is from Iraq."

Most of these Boy Scouts say a patch is a patch. It just comes down to what's it worth to someone. But mostly they believe its all about getting your hands on some nice keepsakes.

 

1 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

2 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

3 scouting   

守候活动，童子军的活动

参考例句：

• I have people scouting the hills already. 我已经让人搜过那些山了。
• Perhaps also from the Gospel it passed into the tradition of scouting. 也许又从《福音书》传入守望的传统。 来自演讲部分

4 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

5 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

6 decorative   

adj.装饰的，可作装饰的

参考例句：

• This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。
• The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽，而且装饰效果很好。

7 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

8 avid   

adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的

参考例句：

• He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
• She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。

9 browse   

vi.随意翻阅，浏览；(牛、羊等)吃草

参考例句：

• I had a browse through the books on her shelf.我浏览了一下她书架上的书。
• It is a good idea to browse through it first.最好先通篇浏览一遍。

10 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

11 barter   

n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。

12 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。