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VOA慢速英语2010年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - On the Web, a Site f

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(单词翻译)

DOUG JOHNSON:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC1 in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson. Today on our program, we listen to music from Norah Jones ...

And we answer a question about George Washington.

But first, we tell you about a Web site for children too young to even use a mouse.

(MUSIC)

DOUG JOHNSON:

The Internet is filled with web sites offering all kinds of games for children in school to adults in retirement2. But now there is a Web site with games designed for the youngest members of the family. Faith Lapidus has our report about Kneebouncers.com.

(SOUND)

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Two-year-old Lilianna Robinson is sitting on her mother's lap. Lilianna is busy with one of her favorite activities -- playing Kneebouncers on the computer.

Her father, Jim Robinson, was one half of the team that developed the Web site.

Characters from Kneebouncer

JIM ROBINSON: "I do all of the drawings and the characters and the silly little games, and Kurt brings them to life."

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Kurt Dommermuth is the other half of the development team.

KURT DOMMERMUTH: "That's my passion is the Web, and what I love. So it's natural that we complement3 each other very well that way."

FAITH LAPIDUS:

The two men first had the idea for Kneebouncers seven years ago. They both had baby girls at the time.

JIM ROBINSON: "Mine was six months old and Kurt's was nine months old, and I had two older kids, too. They could play on older sites, the Disney.com and PBS.com, but their little sister couldn't use the mouse and she was getting frustrated4."

FAITH LAPIDUS:

With Kneebouncers, touching5 any part of the computer keyboard effects an action on the screen. Jim Robinson says many of the eighteen games on the Web site are designed for very young children.

JIM ROBINSON: "A lot of the games came from just the simple games we play with our kids when they are babies – peekaboo, bubbles. Who doesn't like bubbles? Balloons, popping balloons, popping bubbles, jumping on the bed, splashing6 in puddles7, even playing musical instruments."

FAITH LAPIDUS:

News of the Web site spread beyond the Robinson and Dommermuth families and friends. More than one million people from more than one hundred eighty countries have visited Kneebouncers.com.

The Web site has added educational games to teach babies shapes, letters, colors and numbers. The two fathers say they are developing programs for the Internet and television based on Kneebouncers.com characters.

But Kneebouncers remains8 free. And, Jim Robinson says the Web site is important in another way.

JIM ROBINSON: "We have created a safe environment, too. There is no advertising9 on the site. They're not going to hit a banner ad that will take them somewhere else. There is nothing to download. There is no sign up, you just to Kneebouncers.com, you pick a game and you start Kneebouncing."

(MUSIC)

DOUG JOHNSON:

Our question this week comes from Rwanda. Mutangana Herman wants to know about George Washington, America's first president.

This is a good time to answer the question. Monday is Washington's Birthday, the federal holiday that honors the former leader.

George Washington has a special place in American history. He is known as the father of the country. General Washington commanded the forces that won American independence from Britain. He served as president of the conference that wrote the American Constitution. And, he was the first President of the United States.

George Washington was born in the British colony of Virginia in seventeen thirty-one. He grew up in a wealthy farming family. He enjoyed that life, but was strongly interested in the military.

In seventeen fifty-nine, he married Martha Dandridge Custis. She had been married, but her husband had died. She owned many slaves and lots of land.

George and Martha Washington took care of their property around Mount10 Vernon, Virginia. George Washington also served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. However, he felt used by British businessmen and found British laws too restrictive.

George Washington

George Washington was named Commander-In-Chief of the Continental11 Army in May of seventeen seventy-five. Two months later, he was leading troops into battle against British forces. The war lasted six years. But in seventeen eighty-one, Britain surrendered. The American Revolution was won.

General Washington wanted to return to Mount Vernon and his farmland along the Potomac River. But, his country still needed him. In seventeen eighty-seven, he was elected President.

George Washington retired12 at the end of his second term as president. He spoke13 to Americans before leaving office. He urged them to take care in forming overly strong party alliances14.

George Washington died of a throat infection only three years after leaving office.

(MUSIC)

DOUG JOHNSON:

Norah Jones has released her fourth studio album, "The Fall." Critics say it is different from her earlier best-selling albums in many ways. Barbara Klein plays some examples.

BARBARA KLEIN:

Norah Jones is one of the most successful singers of recent years. She has sold more than thirty-five million albums. Critics have always praised her warm, deep, jazz-influenced style since her first big hit, "Don't Know Why."

"The Fall" is her first solo15 album without Lee Alexander, her former boyfriend, bass16 player, songwriter and producer. Most of the songs on her new album are about loneliness and the difficult end of a relationship. "Back to Manhattan" is about having two lovers on opposite sides of New York City.

(MUSIC)

A new group of well-known musicians play drums, keyboards and electric guitar on "The Fall." Jones also plays electric guitar on some of the songs. She played piano on her earlier albums.

Critics say "The Fall" represents a new sound for Norah Jones. But they say fans of her earlier albums will not be disappointed. She continues her deep, jazzy sound while adding more pop and rock influences. "It's Gonna Be" is an example of this new sound with electric keyboard and pounding drums.

(MUSIC)

Norah Jones begins a tour in March; she will be performing in thirty-six American cities. We leave you now with Norah Jones choosing to be with her dog in "Man of the Hour."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Shelley Gollust, Susan Logue Koster and Caty Weaver17, who was also our producer. For transcripts18, MP3s and podcasts of our programs, go to voaspecialenglish.com. You can also post comments.

Do you have a question about people, places or things in America? Send it to us through our Web site -- Write to [email protected]. We may answer your question on our show.

Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

 


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 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。
2 retirement TWoxH     
n.退休,退职
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
3 complement ZbTyZ     
n.补足物,船上的定员;补语;vt.补充,补足
参考例句:
  • The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
  • They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。
4 frustrated ksWz5t     
adj.挫败的,失意的,泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧
参考例句:
  • It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
  • The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
6 splashing de13ae58d5efba954190454601e0b385     
v.使(液体)溅起( splash的现在分词 );(指液体)溅落;击水声
参考例句:
  • Water was splashing down from a large hole in the roof. 雨水从房顶上的一个大洞里倾泻下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The children love splashing water over each other. 儿童喜欢互相泼水。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 puddles 38bcfd2b26c90ae36551f1fa3e14c14c     
n.水坑, (尤指道路上的)雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The puddles had coalesced into a small stream. 地面上水洼子里的水汇流成了一条小溪。
  • The road was filled with puddles from the rain. 雨后路面到处是一坑坑的积水。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
9 advertising 1zjzi3     
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
参考例句:
  • Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
  • The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。
10 mount 6Fixv     
n.山峰,乘用马,框,衬纸;vi.增长,骑上(马);vt.提升,爬上,装备
参考例句:
  • Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
  • She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。
11 continental Zazyk     
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的
参考例句:
  • A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
  • The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。
12 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
13 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
14 alliances 70f560d324adc576f4bdced5c8b46009     
(国家、政党等的)结盟( alliance的名词复数 ); 同盟国; 结盟的社会; 联姻
参考例句:
  • Our alliances will be sundered if they appear as obstacles to peace. 我们的同盟如果成为和平的障碍,就会瓦解。
  • Inevitably this produced a challenge to our previous predominance in our alliances. 这不可避免地形成了对我们从前在联盟中的支配地位的挑战。
15 solo ywpw8     
n.独奏,独唱;adj.单独的;adv.单独地;v.放单飞,单独表演
参考例句:
  • Tara is currently working on a solo album.塔拉眼下正忙着制作个人专辑。
  • There's wonderfully lyrical flute solo in the middle of this symphony.在交响乐中间有一段奇妙的抒情长笛独奏。
16 bass APUyY     
n.男低音(歌手);低音乐器;低音大提琴
参考例句:
  • He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
  • The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。
17 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。
18 transcripts 525c0b10bb61e5ddfdd47d7faa92db26     
n.抄本( transcript的名词复数 );转写本;文字本;副本
参考例句:
  • Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样,都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
  • You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书,你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

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