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AS IT IS 2013-08-01 AARP Experience Corps Teaches Children to Read

时间:2013-08-07 12:11:03

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AS IT IS 2013-08-01 AARP Experience Corps1 Teaches Children to Read

Hello, and welcome back.  I’m Jim Tedder2 in Washington.  On today’s program, encouraging news about some older American citizens who are making a special effort to help young people.  And then we turn to Central Europe, where, after a long struggle, Croatia has finally joined the European Union.  We’ll have some thoughts on how well the move will work, and hopes for the future.  As It Is, a chance for you to learn English, is on your computer, and on the air.

The lack of literacy3 is a problem in many of the world's poorest countries. Even in wealthier nations like the United States, many children struggle to read and write. But in 19 cities across America, about 2,000 volunteers with an organization called AARP Experience Corps are helping4 children learn to read. The volunteers work with students in low-income areas.

AARP Experience Corps combines the capabilities5 of two long-established groups. AARP is a nonprofit organization that represents the needs and interests of older citizens. The Experience Corps was founded to provide reading help for children from kindergarten age to third grade. In 2011, AARP joined the Experience Corps to help match the volunteer services of older adults with the needs of children trying to gain literacy. For example, eight-year-old Kenasia Howard is reading about Native Americans. She enjoys the story. But she says some words are difficult for her.

“Big words, and sometimes small words, I forget.”

She‘s reading with Sandy Morgan, who joined the corps three years ago after retiring. Ms. Morgan has been meeting Kenasia twice a week for six months at Miner Elementary School in Washington, D.C.  She says they have built a trustful relationship and made reading fun. Ms. Morgan says the children feel comfortable with their over-50 adult helpers.  

“Most of us are parents and grandparents. We get through to them.  We just talk to them calmly.  But we definitely have patience.  But we have learned that over the years through experience.”

When the children are reading, they may have problems centering their attention on the words.  They may mix up letters or add words that are not there. 

Dajah Staton, who is nine years old, faces those problems. Volunteer Linda Nelson is working with Dajah, who reads at the level of a beginner.

Ms. Nelson says she encourages Dajah when the girl feels like giving up. Ms. Nelson tells the child that the whole world will open for her if she can read a story and understand it.

Dajah’s mother, Florita Staton, is grateful for the help from Experience Corps.  Ms. Staton says without the corps, her daughter might be farther behind than she is.

The adult literacy rate in the United States is more than 97 percent.  But a national reading test shows that almost 40 percent of seven- and eight-year-olds do not have basic reading skills.  Studies have shown that those children are more likely to drop out of school in the future.  And children from poor families are even more likely to leave. 

AARP says research shows that the program helps not only the children. It also improves the skills and lives of many adults who take part.

The E.U. has a new member

Croatia recently joined the European Union.  The country’s inclusion in the EU comes after a long effort.  Croatia has struggled to overcome the economic and social effects of war during the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Christopher Cruise6 provides details.

The sounds of celebration marked the raising of the Croatian flag as it joined the 27 other member flags at EU headquarters on July first.  So how will life change for Croatians? James Ker-Lindsay is from the London School of Economics7 and Political Science. He says new laws passed as part of gaining EU membership8 have already affected9 daily life.                                                                          

 “But, of course, it is that sense of actually being there, being part of the club, having that freedom of movement across the European Union.”

Full membership means that Croatia will be able to sell its products across the EU without paying export taxes. Nadan Vidosevic is the president of the Croatian Chamber10 Of Commerce. He says the country is joining the EU with its eyes open.

 “We will jump in the cold water and start swimming, you know. But, we decide to jump in the water, because we believe it will be at the end, something that will make pleasure to us. What is the meaning of pleasure, it is the welfare for the citizens of my country."

But after five years of economic crisis11 in Europe, public opinion studies show Croatians lack excitement about belonging to the EU. Mr. Ker-Lindsay says there is little confidence in EU governance.

“Polls show in actual fact, trust in European institutions is lower in Croatia than even in the United Kingdom, which is really saying something.”

Croatia is suffering through its own economic crisis. The EU has already set aside $855 million to help support Croatia this year. The EU money will aid in rebuilding cities like Dubrovnik. In 1991, the Croatian city came under attack from the Yugoslav army and navy.

Croatia’s former enemy Serbia and five other Balkan nations also want to be included in the EU. The EU has called for talks on Serbian membership to begin by January.

Croatia will gain availability to the EU market.  But EU will also have the Croatian market available.  Many observers say uncompetitive businesses will struggle with the competition.

Mr. Ker-Lindsay said many people in southeast Europe were unhappy when the EU won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. He said they believed EU had not done nearly as much as it could have done in the 1990’s. But he added that a lot of the area’s peace and security currently12 resulted directly from the process of EU’s increased size. He says that is encouraging other candidates for membership, like Serbia.  I’m Christopher Cruise.

And I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.  Thank you for spending some time with us on this Thursday, the first day of August.  From an historical viewpoint, this day is remembered as the birth date of Martha Burk.  She was a professional gun shooter, entertainer, and close friend of cowboy Wild Bill Hickok.  She was born on this day in 1903.  The world knew her as Calamity13 Jane!

Also, Francis Scott Key was born on this date in 1779.  He is famous for writing our National Anthem14.

The original “dead head,” Jerry Garcia of “The Grateful Dead” was born on this date in 1942.  Jerry left us in 1995, but some members of the band are still performing.

Stay with us.  More Learning English programs are straight ahead, and there’s world news at the beginning of the hour, on V-O-A! 


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 corps pzzxv     
n.(通信等兵种的)部队;(同类作的)一组
参考例句:
  • The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
2 tedder 2833afc4f8252d8dc9f8cd73b24db55d     
n.(干草)翻晒者,翻晒机
参考例句:
  • Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆?特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
  • Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆?泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网
3 literacy L3tyN     
n.识字,有文化,读写能力
参考例句:
  • I can't believe that he failed the literacy test.我无法相信他识字测试不及格。
  • The literacy rate there is the highest in Central America.那里的识字率居中美洲之首。
4 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
5 capabilities f7b11037f2050959293aafb493b7653c     
n.能力( capability的名词复数 );可能;容量;[复数]潜在能力
参考例句:
  • He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大,自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
  • Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为,标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
6 cruise 2nhzw     
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。
7 economics grzxZ     
n.经济学,经济情况
参考例句:
  • He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学,该学科是很重要的。
  • One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。
8 membership ECnx7     
n.成员资格,会员全体,从属关系
参考例句:
  • I must renew my membership of the sailing club.我必须延续我的航海俱乐部会员的资格。
  • He made up his mind to apply for membership in the Party.他决心申请入党。
9 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
10 chamber wnky9     
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所
参考例句:
  • For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
  • The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
11 crisis pzJxT     
n.危机,危急关头,决定性时刻,关键阶段
参考例句:
  • He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明,在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
  • The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。
12 currently SvMzI2     
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。
13 calamity nsizM     
n.灾害,祸患,不幸事件
参考例句:
  • Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
  • The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。
14 anthem vMRyj     
n.圣歌,赞美诗,颂歌
参考例句:
  • All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
  • As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上,唱起了国歌。

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