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VOA慢速英语2010年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - New Museum to Honor

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(单词翻译)

DOUG JOHNSON:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC1 in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson.

This week on our program we listen to music from singer/songwriter Jason Mraz.

And answer a question about Americans' favorite winter sports .

But first, a report on the anniversary of the Greensboro sit-in and the opening of a civil rights museum to honor it.

(MUSIC)

Greensboro Sit-In

DOUG JOHNSON:

Monday marks the fiftieth anniversary of a very famous civil rights protest in the United States --- the Greensboro sit-in. On February first, nineteen sixty, four black college students took seats at a restaurant counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. The counter was for white people only.

The young men were refused service but they refused to leave. They returned to the store with other protesters day after day. Their sit-ins brought police and national attention. Now a new museum opens to remember and celebrate the event. Faith Lapidus has our story.

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Their names were Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair, Jr. and David Richmond. They were first-year students at North Carolina A&T University. The young men asked for coffee at the F.W. Woolworth store lunch counter. They were asked to leave the store. The young men refused. They remained seated until the store closed.

Lunch counter and stools2 that the four protesters in Greensboro sat on

When they returned to the university, the four students called on others to join them the next day at Woolworth's. They returned to the lunch counter with four black women. They sat there for four hours. No one would serve them. Some white customers made angry comments. Newspaper and television reporters appeared. So did the local police.

The next day more than sixty black students took every seat at the lunch counter. Some of the protesters were from a local high school. The protesters demanded that the Woolworth Company permit blacks and whites to eat at its lunch counters.

By the end of March, similar sit-ins were taking place in fifty-five cities in thirteen states.

Sit-ins are a powerful form of non-violent resistance. The Greensboro sit-in was not the first in the United States. But it was the most influential3 at the time. President Dwight Eisenhower announced his sympathy for the protesters. He said they were acting4 for the "equality that they are guaranteed by the Constitution."

The sit-ins were successful. Within the next year or two many lunch counters and other public places permitted blacks and whites together in many southern towns. And the protests helped pass the Civil Rights Act of Nineteen Sixty-Four.

On Monday in Greensboro, officials will open the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The museum is in the former F.W.Woolworth store. The sixteen exhibits include a film recreation of the sit-in story as well as the four counter seats used by the first four protesters.

(MUSIC)

Americans' Favorite Winter Sport

DOUG JOHNSON:

Our listener question this week comes from Kerala state, India. Muhammad wants to know Americans' favorite winter sport.

We are not sure if Muhammad means the favorite sport to watch or to play so we will include both.

Several popular professional sports, including football, are played in winter. The National Football League will hold its championship game on February seventh. The Indianapolis Colts will play the New Orleans Saints5 in the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Members of the New Orleans Saints doing exercises Thursday in Louisiana

Most sports experts believe football is the favorite sport to watch in the United States. Since nineteen ninety-four, the sports broadcasting network ESPN has been studying the subject. Their experts ask tens of thousands of Americans what sporting events they like to watch best. This includes attending the event and watching it on television at home. National Football League competition has finished in first place for many years.

However, both professional and college basketball always rates in the top five. Basketball competition starts in autumn and continues throughout the winter into spring.

One of America's favorite spectator6 sports takes place almost all year long. NASCAR, the National Association of Stock Car Auto7 Racing8, has huge live and television audiences. The races take place mainly in the warm southern states. Probably the most famous NASCAR race is the Daytona Five Hundred. It takes place every February in Daytona Beach, Florida. About two hundred thousand people attend the race. Millions more watch it on television.

The winter sports Americans like to take part in often depend on where they live. Many Americans love to downhill ski, for example. But only people who live near snowy mountainous areas can ski a lot.

Ice skating and the game of ice hockey are also popular winter sports. There are many indoor ice rinks in America. So skaters can be active all year round.

The same is true of many sports normally thought of as warm weather activities. Indoor tennis courts, soccer fields and rock climbing centers permit people to take part in these sports in all seasons.

(MUSIC)

Jason Mraz

DOUG JOHNSON:

Other listeners have asked about American singer and songwriter Jason Mraz. Fritzi Bodenheimer tells about him and plays some of his music.

FRITZI BODENHEIMER:

Jason Mraz grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia. He performed in musical theater in high school. He went on to study musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. But he dropped out one year later after someone gave him a guitar. He learned to play the instrument and began writing songs.

Jason Mraz

He is known for writing meaningful songs. His relaxed, easy sound includes influences of pop, folk and hip-hop music. And when he performs he connects with his audience. He sings a strong message of being thankful.

In two thousand two, he released his first album, "Waiting for My Rocket to Come." It included the hit song "Remedy (I Won't Worry.)"

Jason Mraz became very popular following the release of his third studio album in two thousand eight. It is called "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." Two songs on the album received Grammy nominations9. Music critics say Jason Mraz sings with a pure and clear tone10 on the song "Make it Mine."

(MUSIC)

"Lucky" is another hit song from "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." Jason Mraz performs the song with singer Colbie Caillat.

(MUSIC)

Jason Mraz has gained a huge international following with his song "I'm Yours." It has been played millions of times on the Internet. It is a happy song about being open to love and life's possibilities. You may find yourself singing along.

(MUSIC)

DOUG JOHNSON:

I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Lawan Davis and Caty Weaver11, who was also the producer. For transcripts12, 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 [email protected] and we may answer it on this 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 stools cf4fe235d168a6ac73def455013f9ddc     
n.凳子( stool的名词复数 );大便,粪便
参考例句:
  • If you don't make your choice in time, you are likely to fall between two stools. 如果你不及时作出决定,就会两头落空。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • 48 Between two stools one goes to the ground. 48脚踏两条船,迟早要落水。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
3 influential l7oxK     
adj.有影响的,有权势的
参考例句:
  • He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
  • He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。
4 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
5 saints 719f2410fe5e3f59fe35defade8b4b0a     
圣人般的人(指特别善良、仁爱或有耐性的人)( saint的名词复数 ); 圣…(冠于人名、地名之前); (因其生死言行而被基督教会追封的)圣人; 圣徒
参考例句:
  • The children were all named after saints. 这些孩子都取了圣徒的名字。
  • In 1461, the bishop of Saints, Louis de Rochechouart, saw only a plain wall. 1461年Saints主教,LouisdeRochechouart主教看到只剩一堵朴质的墙。
6 spectator nv9wi     
n.观众,目击者,旁观者
参考例句:
  • A spectator threw the ball back to the players.一个观众把球掷回给球员。
  • He was content to stand by as an impassive spectator.他满足于站在旁边做一个冷漠的旁观者。
7 auto ZOnyW     
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车
参考例句:
  • Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
  • The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。
8 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
9 nominations b4802078efbd3da66d5889789cd2e9ca     
n.提名,任命( nomination的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句
10 tone bqFyP     
n.语气,音调,气度,色调;vt.(up)增强
参考例句:
  • There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
  • Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。
11 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。
12 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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