VOA常速英语2019--辩论课提高思辨能力

Classes are over for the day at this Washington DC school, but these kids are in no hurry to go home. They are preparing to take part in a debate over U.S. immigration policy. That’s not what I’m saying at all. What I was, what I was saying was that immigrant¹, migrant labor² is usually cheaper than labor from people that are born in the country. Participants have to be well prepared. At the start of the debate, their coach decides what side of the question they will argue. Topic like immigration was really hard for some kids to argue against the plan, because it’s so personal.

华盛顿特区学校今天的课程结束了，但学校的孩子们并不急于回家，因为他们正在准备一场关于美国移民政策的辩论。对方辩友所说的并非我方论点。我方论点是：移民以及移民劳动力的性价比比本国劳动力更高。所有辩手必须准备充分。辩论一开始，教练会判定每一方的立场。像移民这样的主题对于一些孩子来说太难了，因为这个主题因人而异。

It’s so heartfelt. In some cases, it’s my own life, right? And so getting to a place where you can use that emotion, but do it in a rational⁴ way that makes a stronger argument. Although it’s difficult to stay rational, one needs to make an effort to understand different points of view. Listening, students agree, is a key. I need to be able to argue my point, but I also need to make sure that I’m respectful⁵ to these to these other individuals. The secret to winning a debate is to be able to understand your opponents⁶, and so you’re able to figure out what things that you need to address that’s arguing. Stamina⁷, discipline and organization are just a few of the skills students learned⁸ during these mock⁹ debates, says Hauk. Most of the students you saw are sixth or seventh grade, and so getting that kind of vocabulary in front of them leads to better SAT scores. It leads to better understanding of the news.

这是感同身受的问题。有些人可能本身就是移民，对吗？所以，当在某个场合可以抒发这种感情的时候，却要以有理有据的方式来加强论证。虽然时刻保持理智有些困难，但一个人一定要努力在观点上有兼容性。学生们都认同一点：倾听是关键。我需要有能力表达我的观点，但同时我也要确保在表述时不会伤害到其他人。辩论获胜的秘诀在于能够充分了解自己的对手，这样就能知道需要什么利器才能获得当下讨论点的胜利。耐力、自律、组织能力只是学生们在模拟辩论期间习得的一部分技能而已，奥克如是说道。大家看到的大部分学生都是六七年级大，辩论让他们习得的词汇能帮助他们在学业能力倾向测验（SAT）中取得高分，对时事也能有更好的了解。

It leads to better debate, and it just leads them to continue to be some of the best students in the school. Debate classes are held in most private schools, but there are fewer in public schools. David Tribble is with the Washington urban debate league, a nonprofit organization that promotes class debates. The area that the United States still paces the rest of the world is in this idea of creativity and critical thinking, and I think that debate which forces you to think quickly on the spot is one of the key tools that helps develop those skills. Ukraine is a very close ally³ to NATO. It’s not a member yet since Russia won’t, does not want, Ukraine in NATO. From international politics to domestic¹⁰ issues, for these school kids class debates are a way to learn and promote understanding.

这能增强他们的辩论能力，让他们成为尖子生。辩论课在大多数私立学校都有开设，但是在公立学校开设的就少一些。大卫任职于华盛顿城市辩论联盟，这是一家非盈利组织，旨在提升课堂辩论能力。美国领先于世界上世界其他国家的地方在于创造力和批判性思考的能力。我认为，辩论能促使人在某个点上做快速的思考，这是一种关键性的工具，能帮助人培养创造力和批判性思考的能力。乌克兰是北约的亲密盟友。乌克兰目前不是北约成员国，因为俄罗斯不会允许、也不希望乌克兰加入北约。从国际政治到国内时事，这些学生们以辩论作为一种学习和提高理解能力的方式。

1 immigrant   

adj.(从国外)移来的，移民的；n.移民，侨民

参考例句：

• Life in the USA was very hard for almost every new immigrant.美国的生活几乎对每一个新移民都很艰难。
• I'd like to obtain some information about applying for an immigrant visa.我想取一些申请移民签证的资料。

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 ally   

n.同盟者，同盟国；vt.使结盟，与...有关联

参考例句：

• In that war England was not an ally,she was neutral.在那场战争中，英国不同任何一国结盟，保持中立。
• She felt she needed an ally so badly.她感到她极需一个支持者。

4 rational   

adj.合理的，理性的，能推理的；n.有理数

参考例句：

• It was a rational plan and bound to succeed.这是一个合理的计划，肯定会成功。
• The reasoning seems rational.这论据似乎是合乎情理的。

5 respectful   

adj.恭敬的，对...表示尊敬的

参考例句：

• He is respectful to his elders.他对长辈很尊敬。
• She received guests with a respectful attitude.她恭恭敬敬地接待了客人。

6 opponents   

n.对手，敌手( opponent的名词复数 )；反对者

参考例句：

• Somehow he always manages to outwit his opponents. 他反正总能设法智胜对手。
• to use strong-arm tactics against your political opponents 用强制手段对付政敌

7 stamina   

n.体力；精力；耐力

参考例句：

• I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。
• Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。

8 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。

9 mock   

n.嘲笑，戏弄，模仿；adj.假的，伪造的；vt.嘲弄，模仿，轻视；vi.嘲弄

参考例句：

• Those who mock history will be mocked by history.嘲弄历史的人必将被历史所嘲弄。
• The students have done mock A levels at school.学生们在学校参加过模拟高级考试。

10 domestic   

adj.家里的，国内的，本国的；n.家仆，佣人

参考例句：

• This is domestic news.这是国内新闻。
• She does the domestic affairs every day.她每天都忙家务。