VOA慢速英语2009年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - Pets2Vets Group Is H

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson.

Today, we play music from a new album by Animal Collective …

And answer a question about funeral traditions in the United States …

But first, we tell about a new organization that is finding homes for animals and helping² American soldiers at the same time.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

The United States military is dealing³ with more cases of post traumatic stress disorder⁴ among is soldiers than ever before. People with the condition often suffer continual frightening thoughts, feelings of anger and unease. They also may feel disconnected from people, especially family and close friends. PTSD often causes severe sleep problems.

One soldier with PTSD recently found an unlikely source of healing for his condition -- his dog Cheyenne. So he started an organization to share his hope with other veterans. Mario Ritter has our story on the group Pets2Vets.

MARIO RITTER:

The Washington Animal Rescue League center is modern, clean and bright. Classical music plays throughout the building. Water streams down the windows on the roof over every dog's room. The water and music are supposed to calm the dogs. But they still bark and jump up happily as people pass by.

(SOUND)

The center seems to have almost every kind of dog imaginable. There is even a dog that is half-wolf. She and about one hundred other dogs were rescued from a dog sled operation in Quebec, Canada. The center in Washington took in thirteen of them.

But today at the shelter, there is one very little dog with a big job ahead of her. Xena is a Jack⁶ Russell mix puppy. She is recovering from a broken leg.

Will Acevedo and Xena

Will Acevedo, or Ace⁷, is a retired⁸ United States Army veteran from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was identified as having post traumatic stress disorder when he returned from service in Iraq. A new organization called Pets2Vets has brought these two together. Will Acevedo will give Xena a home and help heal her leg. Xena will help heal Will Acevedo's heart and mind.

WILL ACEVEDO: "Interacting with the puppy's going to be great. I guess, you know, it will give me that feeling of closeness. And, sometimes animals can fill that void that human beings can't fill. Like the dog will love you unconditionally¹⁰ no matter what. You know, people, we judge each other because we're human. But pets, they don't judge you. They love their masters."

Dave Sharpe is the founder¹¹ of Pets2Vets. He had a terrifying experience serving in the United States Air Force in Saudi Arabia and suffered PTSD in silence for years after. His friends and family noticed the change in him. He had trouble controlling his anger. His easy going personality disappeared. He would have terrible experiences at night. He would wake up scared or angry and get out of bed. He would start hitting and kicking the walls or furniture.

But then he got a puppy, Cheyenne. He had to take care of her. He says he woke up in the middle of the night as usual. He felt angry. He started hitting and kicking the refrigerator.

DAVE SHARPE: "And then I turn around and I see this little puppy dog looking up at me, wagging her tail, and uh, everything just left. I got calm. So I picked her up and I took her to the couch and I just started talking to her about what happened. Playing it in my head. Did I do enough, or did I not do enough? Should I have shot the guy?

I know I wasn't being judged. So, talking to Cheyenne, I got a lot of this out. And I cried in front of her. Didn't feel any type of vulnerability. I started getting better. My friends noticed a change in my attitude. My leadership noticed a change in my attitude at work. She's done a lot for me."

Dave Sharpe established Pets2Vets as a result of his experience with his own dog. The organization is based in Arlington, Virginia. It has been hugely popular. It officially opened in October. Already it is connecting pets with two to three veterans each week. The Washington Animal Rescue League does not charge the usual adoption¹² fees for the vets⁵. And Pets2Vets provides a start-up kit¹³ of pet equipment.

Dave Sharpe sees even bigger things for the group. There are Veterans Affairs hospitals and animal rescue centers in every state. He also thinks the group could be expanded to include other victims of post traumatic stress disorder.

But right now just taking care of his fellow soldiers is a lot. Dave Sharpe says the veterans have sacrificed so much. And, the dogs and cats have so much to give. So everybody wins.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

Soldiers carry the casket of Michael Grant Cahill, a physician's assistant killed in the shooting November 5 at the Army base at Fort Hood¹⁴, Texas. He was the only civilian¹⁵ among the 13 dead.

A college student in China wants to know about common burial practices in the United States. American families have several decisions to make when a loved one dies. The first, and perhaps most important, is whether to bury the body or cremate¹⁶ it.

Cremation¹⁷ is the act of burning the body until only the ashes are left. The ashes are placed in a container called an urn⁹. The urn is often put on display during the memorial service. After the ceremony, the family may keep the ashes in their home. Or they may bury them in the earth, place them in a tomb or scatter¹⁸ them in a special place.

The Cremation Association of North America says cremations were used in almost thirty-five percent of funerals in two thousand seven.

This was an eleven percent increase from nineteen ninety-seven. The group says the cremation rate is expected to increase to almost fifty-nine percent by two thousand twenty-five.

While cremation has grown in popularity, most families in the United States still choose to bury their loved ones.

After death, the person's body is usually embalmed¹⁹ to preserve it until the funeral is held. A traditional full service funeral usually includes a public viewing. This is called a wake. The body is placed in a special burial box called a casket or coffin²⁰. Then a memorial service is held. The service may include music and comments about the loved one by family members and friends. A religious leader may also talk about the person and offer spiritual comfort to the family. After the service, family members and friends go to the gravesite where the body is buried or placed in a tomb.

American funerals can be quite costly²¹. A traditional full service funeral averages about six thousand dollars. Flowers, funeral cars and special burial requests can increase the cost to more than ten thousand dollars. Cremations usually cost thousands of dollars less.

HOST:

Animal Collective is a music group made up of four friends who met in Baltimore, Maryland. They have been playing together since high school. Animal Collective just released a new album, "Fall Be Kind." June Simms plays some of its songs and some older music.

JUNE SIMMS:

David Portner goes by the stage name Avey Tare²². Noah Lennox is Panda Bear. Brian Weitz is Geologist²³ and Josh Dibb is Deakin.

Animal Collective

Animal Collective has a sound all its own. The band mixes the sounds of psychedelic music with pop, indie rock and "freak folk." "My Girls," from the album "Merriweather Post Pavilion," is a good example.

(MUSIC)

Noah Lennox, or Panda Bear, says the name Animal Collective came from the first recording²⁴ he and Josh Dibb put together. It was on a tape cassette and Lennox drew panda bears all over the cover. As a result, he got the idea for "Animal Collective."

Here is "Bleed" from the new album, "Fall Be Kind."

(MUSIC)

Animal Collective has recorded eight studio albums since the band's first in two thousand. The group has also recorded five EPs, or extended plays, and two live albums.

We leave you with Animal Collective performing "On A Highway" from their latest album, "Fall Be Kind."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by June Simms and Caty Weaver²⁵, who was also the producer.

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 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

5 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

6 jack   

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。

7 ace   

n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的

参考例句：

• A good negotiator always has more than one ace in the hole.谈判高手总有数张王牌在手。
• He is an ace mechanic.He can repair any cars.他是一流的机械师,什么车都会修。

8 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。

9 urn   

n.（有座脚的）瓮；坟墓；骨灰瓮

参考例句：

• The urn was unearthed entire.这只瓮出土完整无缺。
• She put the big hot coffee urn on the table and plugged it in.她将大咖啡壶放在桌子上,接上电源。

10 unconditionally   

adv.无条件地

参考例句：

• All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
• It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分

11 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

12 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

13 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

14 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

15 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

16 cremate   

v.火葬，烧成灰

参考例句：

• She wants Chris to be cremated.她想把克里斯的尸体火化。
• Laowang explains: "Combustion is cremate, degenerating is inhumation. "老王解释道：“燃烧就是火葬，腐朽就是土葬。”

17 cremation   

n.火葬，火化

参考例句：

• Cremation is more common than burial in some countries. 在一些国家，火葬比土葬普遍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Garbage cremation can greatly reduce the occupancy of land. 垃圾焚烧可以大大减少占用土地。 来自互联网

18 scatter   

vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散

参考例句：

• You pile everything up and scatter things around.你把东西乱堆乱放。
• Small villages scatter at the foot of the mountain.村庄零零落落地散布在山脚下。

19 embalmed   

adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气

参考例句：

• Many fine sentiments are embalmed in poetry. 许多微妙的情感保存于诗歌中。 来自辞典例句
• In books, are embalmed the greatest thoughts of all ages. 伟大思想古今有，载入书中成不朽。 来自互联网

20 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

21 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

22 tare   

n.皮重；v.量皮重

参考例句：

• Please tell me the cargo the tare and the size?请告诉我货物的包装重量和尺寸？
• Weight includes tare weight and net weight.重量包括皮重与净重。

23 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

24 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。

25 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。