VOA慢速英语 2007 1227a

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

Today we have the second of two reports about the education of college athletes in the United States. Millions of Americans follow college sports, mainly football and basketball. Schools with good teams are under pressure to win. But now they are also under pressure to do more to make sure their players get a complete education.

 
Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman throws a pass during a game against Kent State in Columbus, Ohio in October
On January seventh, the two top college football teams will play in New Orleans for the national championship. Ohio State, rated number one, will play number two Louisiana State.

Privacy¹ laws limit what schools can say about academic performance. Still, we wondered how these two universities support their football players off the field as well as on.

Stan Jefferson directs player development for the football program at Ohio State University. He says all the players can receive the same academic help. This includes, in their first year of school, required meetings of what is known as the Interactive² Study Table.

This is a program in which players meet with a tutor before classes to discuss their work. Stan Jefferson tells us that players also meet with counselors³ who make sure they are progressing toward their degrees.

L.S.U. says on its Web site that football players there also receive extra help. It says one hundred tutors are available and can provide help in every subject.

We noted⁴ last week that the organization that governs college sports is paying closer attention to academic performance. Schools now receive an academic progress rate, or APR, from the National Collegiate Athletic⁵ Association. This number represents graduation rates for athletes on scholarships in each sport.

An APR of nine hundred twenty-five equals a graduation success rate of about sixty percent. So how are the top schools doing? Nine hundred fifty was the average APR for all the male sports teams in Division One in the last report in May.

Football teams had a lower average -- nine hundred thirty-one. Louisiana State had an APR of nine hundred forty-one. And the Ohio State football team had an APR of nine hundred twenty-eight.

Teams below nine hundred twenty-five must develop plans to improve their athletes' academic performance.

Good athletes often get a free education on a scholarship. Critics say it is only fair to these young players to invest in their minds as much as their bodies.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. The first part of our report can be found at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.  

 

1 privacy   

n.私人权利，个人自由，隐私权

参考例句：

• In such matters,privacy is impossible.在这类事情中，保密是不可能的。
• She wept in the privacy of her own room.她在自己房内暗暗落泪。

2 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

3 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。