VOA慢速英语 2008 1212b

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson. This week:

We listen to music from the Cold War Kids …

Answer a listener question about basketball superstar Michael Jordan …

And, report about a grand old flag's new home.

Star-Spangled Banner

(MUSIC)

HOST:

Ten years ago, first lady Hillary Clinton launched the Save America's Treasures campaign. America's famous flag, the Star-Spangled Banner, was at the center of the effort. The flag flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, Maryland, in eighteen fourteen. The United States was at war with Britain. The sight of the flag still flying in the early morning after the battle led Francis Scott Key to write his famous poem, "The Star Spangled Banner," to celebrate the American victory. The poem later became America's national song. Shirley Griffith tells about the flag's history, how it was repaired and where it is now.

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH:

The commander of Fort McHenry, George Armistead, said he wanted a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance.

A local flag maker³, Mary Pickersgill, was chosen for the project. Four teenage girls -- her daughter, nieces and a servant -- helped sew the giant flag. It measured about nine by thirteen meters. A year later, it flew as bombs and rockets burst over Baltimore Harbor.

In nineteen twelve, the flag was given to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. One hundred years of wear and tear showed on the flag. Restoration expert Amelia Fowler sewed a material backing onto the flag to make it stronger for hanging.

The flag was hung in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in nineteen sixty-four. Then in nineteen ninety-eight officials removed it for a major restoration.

The Star-Spangled Banner went to a special conservation laboratory. A wide moving bridge was built. It floated right above the flag. Restorers could lie on the bridge to work on every part of the flag.

Experts also studied the cloth and condition of the flag to decide exactly what environment would be best for it. When all the repairs were complete, the Star-Spangled Banner was moved to its new home. The flag no longer hangs but lies on a table in a partly darkened room. A huge glass window provides a good view.

Brent Glass, director of the museum, said: "The Star-Spangled Banner is one of our nation's most treasured objects." He said its new surroundings are part of a plan to guarantee the long-term protection of the flag and help future generations experience what it means to be an American.

Visitor Scott Cook of Burke, Virginia, praised the flag project:

SCOTT COOK: "The Star-Spangled Banner was getting in really bad shape hanging up there vertically⁴ all those years. It was falling apart. That's a great exhibit. It's very nicely done."

Michael Jordan

(MUSIC)

HOST:

Our listener question this week comes from Turkey. Erkut wants to know more about the basketball star Michael Jordan. Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. He is most famous for playing for the Chicago Bulls, but later in his career he played briefly⁵ for the Washington Wizards.

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born in the Brooklyn area of New York City in nineteen sixty-three. He went to high school and college in the state of North Carolina. He played basketball in college for the North Carolina Tar² Heels before being chosen to play for the Chicago Bulls in nineteen eighty-four.
　

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan played for the Bulls for thirteen years. During this time, the team won six championships. Jordan became one of the highest scoring players in the National Basketball Association. He averaged thirty points a game during the regular season. He was recognized as the NBA's most valuable player five times during the regular season.

Michael Jordan became famous for the way he jumped through the air to score points. This skill earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness." Jordan also became known around the world for appearing in advertisements for companies including Nike, Gatorade and Coca Cola. Michael Jordan also won gold medals in nineteen eighty-four and nineteen ninety-two representing the United States basketball team during the summer Olympic Games.

Jordan retired⁶ from the Chicago Bulls in nineteen ninety-four to play minor⁷ league baseball for one season. He retired from the team permanently⁸ in nineteen ninety-nine. He played briefly for the Washington Wizards starting in two thousand one.

Michael Jordan is currently an owner of the Charlotte Bobcats professional basketball team. He has given his name to many other businesses. There are several Michael Jordan restaurants. There is also a Michael Jordan Motor Sports group that races motorcycles.

Michael Jordan has given large amounts of money to many groups that help young people. These include the James R. Jordan Boys and Girls Club and Family Life Center in Chicago, Illinois. This community center was named in honor of his father, who was murdered in nineteen ninety-three.

The Jordan name is not leaving the basketball court anytime soon. Michael Jordan's twenty year old son Jeffrey now plays basketball for the University of Illinois.

Cold War Kids

(MUSIC)

HOST:

Cold War Kids is a young rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Their popularity has grown mainly on the Internet and from many live performances. Bob Doughty⁹ tells about the group and plays some of its music.

BOB DOUGHTY:

Nathan Willett is the lead singer for Cold War Kids. He also plays guitar and piano. Jonnie Russell sings, plays guitar and percussion¹⁰ instruments. Matt Maust plays bass¹¹ guitar and Matt Aveiro is the drummer.
　

Cold War Kids

The band's first album, "Robbers and Cowards," was released in two thousand six. Here is "Hang Me Up To Dry," from that album.

(MUSIC)

Nathan Willett has said that the British band Radiohead was a big influence on Cold War Kids. Other reported influences include The Velvet¹² Underground, Bob Dylan and Billie Holiday.

Maybe you can hear some of their sounds in this next song from "Robbers and Cowards." It is called "Robbers."

(MUSIC)

Cold War Kids has been performing in Europe for several months. They released their second album, "Loyalty¹³ to Loyalty," in September. We leave you now with a song from that recording¹⁴. Here is "Mexican Dogs."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program today.

It was written by Caty Weaver¹⁵ and Dana Demange, who was also the producer. To read the text of this program and download audio, go to our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.

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 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 vertically   

adv.垂直地

参考例句：

• Line the pages for the graph both horizontally and vertically.在这几页上同时画上横线和竖线，以便制作图表。
• The human brain is divided vertically down the middle into two hemispheres.人脑从中央垂直地分为两半球。

5 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

6 retired   

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。

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

8 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

9 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

10 percussion   

n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响

参考例句：

• In an orchestra,people who play percussion instruments sit at the back.在管弦乐队中，演奏打击乐器的人会坐在后面。
• Percussion of the abdomen is often omitted.腹部叩诊常被省略。

11 bass   

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。

12 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

13 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

14 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

15 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。