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(单词翻译)

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC1, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Faith Lapidus. On our show this week:

We answer a question from a listener about the Great Lakes...

Play music by Bright Eyes...

And report about an event called The Big Draw.

The Big Draw

HOST:

For more than thirty years, David Macaulay has been creating books about the way buildings are made. His clear and simple architectural drawings have explained the complex mechanics2 of buildings to generations of readers. Mister3 Macaulay recently visited the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., for an event called The Big Draw. Steve Ember has more.

STEVE EMBER:


David Macaulay

The Big Draw started in Britain as a campaign to get people of all ages across the country to draw. The Big Draw had its first event in the United States last month at the National Building Museum. There were many events for children and families. Children could have their faces painted or have a drawing lesson from art educators. But the main event was David Macaulay.

He drew architectural forms on a long piece of paper that was laid out on the floor. Children and adults could add their own drawings to it. This community drawing will hang in the museum for everyone to see.

David Macaulay also gave a drawing demonstration4. He sat in the large hall of the museum and slowly drew the room around him. A video projected his large piece of paper on a screen so that everyone in the room could watch. Mister Macaulay said that he is a teacher above all else. He said he likes to write and draw about things he finds interesting and does not know a lot about.

His books have taught many people about drawing and architecture. David Macaulay's first book, Cathedral, came out in nineteen seventy-three. He describes in simple language how people in the thirteenth century built a Christian5 religious building. He explains everything from the tools they used to the way they made the tall windows.

In his book Unbuilding he explains how the Empire State Building in New York City could be taken apart and rebuilt. In two thousand three Mister Macaulay published Mosque6. It tells how an Islamic religious building was made in sixteenth century Turkey. The book explores the architectural details of a mosque as well as its important social role. David Macaulay's next book will be about the human body and how it works7.

The Great Lakes

HOST:

Our VOA Listener question this week comes from Colombia. Jack8 Ramirez asks about the Great Lakes.


The Great Lakes

The five bodies of water known as the Great Lakes are on or near the border between the United States and Canada. Lake Superior9 holds the most water. Lake Erie holds the least. Lake Michigan is the only one located totally within the United States. The other two are Lake Huron and Lake Ontario. The five Great Lakes are the largest group of fresh water lakes on Earth. Together, they contain about twenty percent of the fresh water in the world. There are about thirty-five thousand islands in the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes control much of the weather on the land that surrounds them. In the winter, moisture10 picked up by winds produces large amounts of snow, especially in the states of Michigan, Ohio and New York.

The lakes also cool the air in the summer, then slowly move the heat over the area in the fall. This makes the area good for producing grapes for wine. The lakes supply drinking water to millions of people living in both the United States and Canada. In the past, industry used the Great Lakes to move products such as iron, coal, stone, grain and salt. But the amount of shipping11 on the lakes has decreased. Newer, larger ships are too wide for the lakes. But small boats take visitors to many of the islands for vacations.

The United States and Canada work together to improve conditions in the Great Lakes area. Officials are now working to change a treaty12 about ways to slow or stop the effects of climate change. They say that less ice formation13 over the lakes in recent years has caused lower water levels.

The areas around the lakes report environmental conditions at a conference every two years. The last one took place in November of last year. The conference report said some conditions are improving while others are worsening. For example, it reported progress in reducing air pollution, but said some poisons in the air are still a concern. It also said some native plants are decreasing while more than three hundred kinds of non-native fish continue to invade14 the lakes.

Bright Eyes

HOST:

Bright Eyes is a band whose main singer and songwriter is twenty-seven-year-old Conor Oberst. This musician from the state of Nebraska has been making records since he was seventeen years old. The songs on his latest album Cassadaga deal with religion, war and love as well as personal stories. Mario Ritter has more.

MARIO RITTER:


Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes

The album was named for Cassadaga, a community in the state of Florida. For more than one hundred years, people have lived in this place to worship15 together. Conor Oberst uses his music to explore his own beliefs.

Here is the song I Must Belong Somewhere. Conor Oberst sings about how every person and thing seems to have a place in the world.

(MUSIC)

Conor Oberst may be young, but he has already made more than six records. In two thousand five alone Bright Eyes came out with two records. By two thousand six the singer was tired and cancelled his performance tour to have time to rest and think. Cassadaga is the product of this time off.

Critics say that the music of Bright Eyes seems to be growing up. Some have even compared Oberst's musical skills to the famous American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan. Here is the song Classic16 Cars. It tells about a man who falls in love with an older woman.

(MUSIC)

We leave you with another love song. Make a Plan to Love Me tells about a man who wants the busy woman he loves to make more time for him. He notes that life is short and they should be together now.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Faith Lapidus. I hope you enjoyed our program today. It was written by Dana Demange and Nancy Steinbach. Caty Weaver17 was our producer. To read the text of this program and download audio18, go to our Web site, www.unsv.com.

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 mechanics SorzBH     
n.力学,机械学;结构
参考例句:
  • The mechanics of fixing a car are very long.修理一部汽车的过程很长。
  • The mechanics of the machine are very old.这台机器的机件非常老。
3 mister rnQzwB     
n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生
参考例句:
  • Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
  • He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。
4 demonstration 9waxo     
n.表明,示范,论证,示威
参考例句:
  • His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
  • He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。
5 Christian KVByl     
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 mosque U15y3     
n.清真寺
参考例句:
  • The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
  • Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前,清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。
7 works ieuzIh     
n.作品,著作;工厂,活动部件,机件
参考例句:
  • We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
  • The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。
8 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
9 superior LsqwV     
n.上级,高手,上标;adj.上层的,上好的,出众的,高傲的
参考例句:
  • This machine is superior in many respects to that.这台机器在很多方面比那台好。
  • He acted in obedience to the orders of his superior.他是遵照他的上级指示行动的。
10 moisture 36Azp     
n.水分;降雨量;水气;湿气
参考例句:
  • This tree drank up more moisture than that one.这棵树吸收的水分比那棵树多。
  • The moisture in the air makes it humid today.今天空气中水气大,天气很潮湿。
11 shipping WESyg     
n.船运(发货,运输,乘船)
参考例句:
  • We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
  • There's a shipping charge of £5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。
12 treaty nmlwj     
n.条约;协议,协定
参考例句:
  • Hungary has indicated its readiness to sign the treaty.匈牙利已表示愿意签订该条约。
  • I believe this treaty will pave the way to peace in Europe. 我相信这个条约将为欧洲的和平铺平道路。
13 formation Mi4xb     
n.形成,组成;形成物,结构;队形,排列
参考例句:
  • This is the formation of a new government.这是新政府的构成。
  • The aircraft are flying in formation.飞机编队飞行。
14 invade 84exh     
v.侵略,侵犯;闯入,侵扰
参考例句:
  • I don't want to invade your private life unnecessarily.我不想过多地干涉你的私生活。
  • He ordered the army to invade at dawn.他命令军队在拂晓入侵。
15 worship qMjzD     
n.崇拜,礼拜;v.崇拜,敬仰;做礼拜
参考例句:
  • The Greeks used to worship several gods.过去,希腊人崇奉好几种神。
  • Blind worship must be ended.盲目崇拜必须停止。
16 classic gVpyK     
n.经典作品;adj.经典的,一流的;古典的
参考例句:
  • The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。
  • The football match was a classic.那场足球比赛堪称典范。
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 audio 9yOziJ     
n./adj.音频(响)(的);声音(的),听觉(的)
参考例句:
  • Often,the meeting is recorded on audio or video media for later reference.通常这种会议会以视频或者音频形式记录下来,供以后查阅。
  • You don't even have to pay for audio programs.你大可不必为自己听这些节目付费。

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