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VOA慢速英语2013 Cancer Survivors Share Sisterhood and Support on Dragon Boat Race Teams

时间:2013-06-24 09:21:26

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Cancer Survivors2 Share Sisterhood and Support on Dragon Boat Race Teams

Welcome to American Mosaic3 from VOA Learning English.

I’m Faith Lapidus.

On the show today, we play music from Queens of the Stone Age.

We also go to Los Angeles, to see how and why its growing its green spaces.

But first, we visit with a team of dragon boat racers in Washington, DC.

Dragon Boat Racers

Dragon boating is a team sport that has its roots in ancient China. The boats are decorated with a dragon head and tail. In recent years, cancer survivor1 groups have gotten involved in the sport to help make friends and help rebuild their lives. Avi Arditti has our story.

On a Saturday morning, a group of 20 women were on a boat in the Anacostia River in Washington, DC. They move their paddles in rhythm to the call of a coach. The women belong to the dragon boat race team Go Pink! DC. Lydia Collins joined five years ago after finding out she had breast cancer.

“I love the team spirit, I just love everything about it. It is like a floating support group on the water.”

The paddlers are breast cancer survivors and their supporters. Annette Rothemel helped establish the group in 2006. She is a researcher with the National Institutes of Health as well as a breast cancer survivor.

“It is sort of an easy entry sport because in the same boat people at different levels can be doing the same sport.”

But Ms. Rothemel says dragon boating can be physically4 demanding, especially for someone who is sick and getting treatment for cancer. Rhonda Hartzel receives chemotherapy drugs every three weeks.

“It's hard but I think you have to challenge yourself in life. This is something I look forward to. I get to be out here with my sisters and supporters and they understand what I am going through and they help motivate me. So it makes me stronger and it makes me feel better.”

Dragon boating began about 2,000 years ago in China. The modern form of racing5 started in the 1970s. Since then, it has become a fast-growing international competitive7 sport. Breast cancer survivor teams have competed around the world.

“I am sure it is in the multiples of hundreds. That must be three hundred, four hundred teams around the world.”

Lydia Collins says there is a healthful result from the sport.

“When I’m paddling, it helps with my lymphedema, which is swelling8 of the lymphatic fluid. When you have a mastectomy, sometimes you wind up with this condition.”

Go Pink! DC trains weekly. It also races against other breast cancer survivor teams in dragon boat festivals. A pink carnation9 ceremony takes place at each event to honor those who have died from cancer.

“Unfortunately that is a sad part of having a team of breast cancer survivors. One passed away several years ago and another one this past January. She had been with us for a year.”

At a recent Washington dragon boat festival, Go Pink! DC won medals.

“We earned two silver medals, one in the 250 meter and one in the 500 meter [race].”

Annette Rothemel says the cancer survivors feel a sense of sisterhood and share good times when they paddle together. She says both feelings are treasured by the team.

Urban Parks

Public parks are important to city life, but green spaces and play areas are rare in many cities. In Los Angeles, several organizations and some volunteers are trying to change that.

At the Environmental Charter10 Middle School in the Los Angeles community of Gardena, several hundred volunteers recently built a play area. They sanded down benches, set up equipment like swings and slides, and added green plants, like shrubs11 and bushes.

Parent Jennifer Briseno says outdoor spaces are important.

 “Everyone needs a place to play, no matter how old they are.”

School leader Kami Cotler says outdoor play gives kids get a chance to connect with the world.

“They don't have those opportunities to play with sticks in the mud, and to learn the really powerful lessons you learn when you get to do that.”

The remodeled Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has also taken learning experiences outdoors. Exhibits now show insects, birds and reptiles12 in their natural environment. The new green space is a former parking lot. It represents a new direction for the museum, says landscape architect Mia Lehrer.

“You can enjoy the gardens, but also learn something, if you are inspired to.”

A study by the non-profit Trust for Public Land says Los Angeles is far behind such cities as Minneapolis, New York and San Francisco, in public park space. The group's Jodi Delaney agrees that outdoor spaces are important, especially for children.

 “Many of them spend one percent of their time in parks, and 27 percent of their time watching television.”

She says parks are also important for adults, places where they can find calm, do exercise and get in touch with nature.

She says Los Angeles ranked 34th in the national study of cities and their parks. The study ranked 50 cities by such things as level of investment, size of parks and the availability of parks in all neighborhoods.

“Where we could do better is a little bit on access, and the Trust for Public Land is actually working shoulder to shoulder with city and county officials to improve that.”

An aid group called KaBOOM! built this school playground in the city of Gardena. The charity has built hundreds of other playgrounds around the United States.  

Getting the community involved seems to be making a difference. Vaughn Sigmon is with CarMax, a seller of used cars. He brought 170 volunteers from his company. His company and its workers have promised to build a total of 30 playgrounds.

 “It's the best place to go make friends, get fresh air, get some exercise.”

Queens of the Stone Age

The rock band Queens of the Stone Age has been making music for fifteen years.  But the group’s newest album, “...Like Clockwork,” is its first recording13 to reach the top of the American record charts. “...Like Clockwork” is the band’s sixth album and was six years in the making. VOA Learning English intern6 Madeline Smith plays some of the new songs.

Queens of the Stone Age dealt with many problems and delays producing the album. The lead singer, Josh Homme, had some serious health problems. He also dismissed drummer Joey Castillo, who had been with the band for ten years. Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl filled in temporarily.

“...Like Clockwork” includes other famous guest appearances, including pop star Elton John. Some people were surprised he agreed to work with Queens of the Stone Age because his musical style is very different. He performs on the song “Fairweather Friends.”

Critics are praising “...Like Clockwork.” Several reviews note Josh Homme’s mysterious lyrics14 and strong singing voice. And, fans are happy just to have something new from Queens of the Stone Age after years of silence.

We leave you with Queens of the Stone Age performing “My God is the Sun,” the first single from “...Like Clockwork.”

I’m Faith Lapidus. Our program was written by June Simms, Madeline Smith and Caty Weaver15. Madeline Smith and Caty Weaver were the producers. Mike O’Sullivan and June Soh provided additional reporting.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 survivor hrIw8     
n.生存者,残存者,幸存者
参考例句:
  • The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
  • There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。
2 survivors 02ddbdca4c6dba0b46d9d823ed2b4b62     
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
  • survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者
3 mosaic CEExS     
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。
4 physically iNix5     
adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律
参考例句:
  • He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服,心绪也很乱。
  • Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。
5 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
6 intern 25BxJ     
v.拘禁,软禁;n.实习生
参考例句:
  • I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
  • The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。
7 competitive yOkz5     
adj.竞争的,比赛的,好竞争的,有竞争力的
参考例句:
  • Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
  • These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。
8 swelling OUzzd     
n.肿胀
参考例句:
  • Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
  • There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。
9 carnation kT9yI     
n.康乃馨(一种花)
参考例句:
  • He had a white carnation in his buttonhole.他在纽扣孔上佩了朵白色康乃馨。
  • He was wearing a carnation in his lapel.他的翻领里别着一枝康乃馨。
10 charter HrvzK     
n.特许状,执照,宪章;v.特许,发给特许执照
参考例句:
  • This new law amounts to a tax evader's charter.这项新法律简直成了为逃税者开的许可证。
  • We will charter a steamer to convey the goods.我们将租一艘船运送这批货物。
11 shrubs b480276f8eea44e011d42320b17c3619     
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
  • These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。
12 reptiles 45053265723f59bd84cf4af2b15def8e     
n.爬行动物,爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
13 recording UktzJj     
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。
14 lyrics ko5zoz     
n.歌词
参考例句:
  • music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
  • The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。
15 weaver LgWwd     
n.织布工;编织者
参考例句:
  • She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快,而且布的质量很好。
  • The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

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