VOA慢速英语2011--One DC Newspaper Is All About the Homele

DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)
I'm Doug Johnson.
This week we play music by Gorillaz.
And answer a question from Vietnam about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
But first, we tell about a Washington, D.C., newspaper of the homeless, by the homeless and for the homeless.
(MUSIC)
Street Sense
DOUG JOHNSON: Street Sense is a newspaper in Washington, D.C. about homeless people and issues that affect them. Homeless, or formerly² homeless, Washingtonians write many of the articles. The newspaper’s business model is based on homeless vendors⁴ who sell the newspaper. You can hear them call out “Street Sense for Sale” near subway entrances, lunch places and other areas around the city.
Mario Ritter has more.
Veeda Simpson (on scooter) has been selling Street Sense for four years. Before becoming a vendor³, she was homeless.
MARIO RITTER: The Street Sense newspaper is housed in an office in a Christian⁵ church in Washington. Every other Wednesday about fourteen thousand copies are printed. The newspaper expresses the thoughts and experiences of people who call the streets home.
Four staff members work at Street Sense. Two of them are paid. The staff members write the first two pages of the paper. Interns⁶ -- students working as part of their studies -- and volunteers help. Homeless writers provide the rest of the material. This includes poems, stories and essays.
Mary Otto is the editor of Street Sense. She came to the paper from the Washington Post newspaper. She had won a year-long fellowship at Harvard University for writing about the homeless.
MARY OTTO: “Some people are homeless for a few days and some are homeless for most of their lives.”
Mary Otto says severe mental disorders⁷ prevent many homeless people from seeking shelter. Such problems can also block them from having close relationships with other people.
The homeless have a voice in the newspaper, Street Sense, which publishes essays and poems they contribute.
Street Sense provides training to the homeless people who want to become part of the sales team. After the training, each student is given ten free copies of Street Sense. Once those are sold, trainees⁸ become real sales people. They buy papers for thirty-five cents each and sell them for a dollar.
Lisa Gillespie is the managing editor of Street Sense. She says the newspaper plays a part in homeless people’s lives that other media can not.
LISA GILLESPIE: “The mainstream⁹ media does not usually cover poverty or homelessness too much, unless someone dies or there’s a big rally or something.”
(NATURAL SOUND/Veeda Singing)
Veeda Simpson has been selling Street Sense for four years. She has a group of usual buyers.
The people like the paper and Ms. Simpson’s voice. Now, she and her eight cats have a home.
Critics say Street Sense is an excuse for the homeless to remain homeless. But the sales people say it permits them to be active and earn money while being their own employer.
Hillary Clinton
Our listener question this week comes from Vietnam. Twenty-three year old Nguyen Thanh Do wants to know about the political life of Hillary Clinton.
Hillary Diane Rodham began her political career as a student in Park Ridge¹⁰, Illinois, near Chicago. It was there that she served as class president of her high school. She was also a member of the student council, the debate team and the National Honor Society.
Hillary continued to be interested in politics as a student at Wellesley College for women in Massachusetts. She began college as a Republican. She even served for a short time as President of the College Republicans.
But, she soon resigned her position after realizing that many of her beliefs were not in agreement with Republican principles. She became a loyal Democrat¹¹ soon after.
Hillary Rodham was president of her graduating class at Wellesley in nineteen sixty nine. She was the first student ever to give the school’s graduation speech. Hillary went on to study law at Yale Law School in Connecticut. It was there that she met Bill Clinton. The two were married in nineteen seventy five.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton has been a strong supporter of women’s rights and issues involving children and families. She has also been a champion of health care reform.
In the seventies, she was a member of the presidential impeachment¹² committee in the Watergate corruption¹³ investigation¹⁴ of President Richard M. Nixon.
She went on to become a successful lawyer and an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas, School of Law. Mrs. Clinton served as First Lady of the Arkansas for twelve years after Bill Clinton became governor.
During that time, she worked to improve the education system in Arkansas and served on the Children’s Defense¹⁵ Fund and the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, an organization that she helped create.
She became the First Lady of the United States in nineteen ninety-three. In nineteen ninety seven she helped launched the Vital Voices Democracy Initiative to promote the leadership of women as a foreign policy goal.
In two thousand, Hillary Clinton became the first First Lady ever elected to the United States Senate. And, in two thousand eight, she carried out an historic campaign for president.
President Obama later nominated Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. The Secretary has traveled the world spreading the message of democracy and human rights for all, but especially women. She says women’s rights are human rights are one in the same.
Gorillaz ‘The Fall’
DOUG JOHNSON: Gorillaz is a band led by British musician Damon Albarn. All of the songs on their newest album “The Fall” were recorded using Apple’s iPad device. The album was recorded during the band’s North American tour, October third to November second. Many of the songs reflect the place where the music was recorded.
Shirley Griffith tells us more.
(MUSIC)
SHIRLEY GIRIFFITH: That was the song “Revolving Doors.” It was recorded in Boston, Massachusetts. Damn Albarn is the only permanent member of Gorillaz. He created the band with the comic book artist Jamie Hewlett. Other band members change periodically depending on the album performance.
The Fall is unusual because it was not recorded using a sound studio. Gorillaz used an iPad and about twenty iPad programs, or “apps,” to make the album. Some songs also include tradition instruments such as the guitar, piano and several kinds of electronic instruments.
“The Parish of Space Dust” was recorded in Houston, Texas. It includes recordings¹⁶ of several local radio stations.
(MUSIC)
Imaginary characters are an important part of Gorillaz performances. When the band performs, images of cartoon characters are shown on huge screens. These characters are considered the band’s virtual band members. They include Noodle, 2D, and Murdoc Niccals. Fans can explore the lives of these characters on the Gorillaz website.
Bobby Womack, left, and Damon Albarn of Gorillaz at the Coachella music festival in California in April 2010
We leave you with “Bobby in Phoenix¹⁷.” Soul musician Bobby Womack sings and plays the guitar in this song recorded in Phoenix, Arizona.
(MUSIC)
DOUG JOHNSON: I’m Doug Johnson. Our program was written by June Simms, Dana Demange and Caty Weaver¹⁸ who was also the producer.
If you have a question about American life, write to [email protected]. We might answer your question on this show. So please include your name and country.
Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA’s radio magazine in Special English.

1 mosaic   

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 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

3 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

4 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 interns   

n.住院实习医生( intern的名词复数 )v.拘留，关押( intern的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Our interns also greet our guests when they arrive in our studios. 我们的实习生也会在嘉宾抵达演播室的时候向他们致以问候。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• The interns work alongside experienced civil engineers and receive training in the different work sectors. 实习生陪同有经验的国内工程师工作，接受不同工作部门的相关培训。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

7 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

9 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

10 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

11 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

12 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

13 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

14 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

16 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

17 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

18 weaver   

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。