VOA慢速英语2015 美军或修改网军体重规定_

 

AS IT IS 2015-01-19 Army May Change Weight Rules for New Cyber Warriors² 美军或修改网军体重规定_

The U.S. Army needs cyber warriors to defend against attacks on the nation’s computer systems. But it is having a hard time finding young Americans who meet all of the requirements for the job. Cyber warrior¹ candidates must have advanced computer skills, want to join the service and meet the Army’s current physical fitness standards.

So the Army is studying whether it should have different height and weight standards for soldiers depending on what job they will do. The possible change could permit cyber warriors -- soldiers who fight the enemy in cyberspace³ -- to have more body fat than soldiers who fight on the battlefield.

Now, all soldiers must meet the same physical standards whether they are cooks, clerks or infantrymen. To remain in the Army, male soldiers between the ages of 17 and 21 must be able to do 35 pushups and 47 sit-ups. They must also run two miles in fewer than 17 minutes. Female soldiers of the same age must reach similar timed targets for pushups, sit-ups and a two-mile run.

Major General Allen Batschelet leads the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. The Florida Times Union newspaper reported his comments about possible changes to the Army’s standards for some new soldiers.

The newspaper said Gen. Batschelet believes people who are fighting a war in cyberspace may not need to meet the same physical standards as infantrymen. They must still be physically⁵ fit, healthy and have a professional appearance, however.

But many young Americans are obese⁶ and do not exercise much. Many of them are likely to struggle or fail to pass the Army’s physical fitness test without training. Gen. Batschelet did not say how the test might be changed to permit those who cannot pass it -- but who have the computer skills the Army needs -- to join the military.  

D. Allen Youngman is a retired⁷ U.S. Army major general. He says he knows the Army has a difficult job finding new soldiers at a time when young people are fatter than ever before. But he told VOA he does not think the Army should change its weight standards to attract soldiers with computer skills.

“But I, I, I think a lot of us are really concerned about the idea of having two armies -- you know, one that’s physically fit and trained and disciplined and, and the ones we send into harm’s way. And the others that, you know, have a somewhat different image, who work from air-conditioned control centers somewhere in the United States that, that don’t have to meet those same standards. I don’t think we want to do that. And hopefully we won’t have to. But one way or another the Army’s going to have to fill the boots that it’s, you know, of its assigned forces. And, and if we reach that point then I think we will have lost something in society.”

Beth Asch is a senior economist⁸ at the RAND Corporation, a research group. She studies military recruiting activities. She told VOA that new missions have always forced the Army to study different recruiting methods.

“A few years ago this issue came up in the context of language capability⁹ -- that people who had language capability wouldn’t necessarily meet other requirements. And the issue there was that people who have language capabilities¹⁰ in the languages we really needed weren’t necessarily U.S. citizens or would have passed, you know security clearance¹¹-related issues. So these are smaller-scale programs that were very targeted to a specific need and the idea was these people would help meet that need.”  

The Army told VOA that officials have only talked about possible policy changes. They have not made a decision about changing standards for possible new cyber warriors. A spokesman said, “the Army works in deliberate, careful ways on issues like this, so we don’t” believe a change will be made soon.

Words in This Story

cyber warrior – n. a person who engages in cyber warfare¹² either offensively or defensively for a government or organization, or individually

cyberspace – n. the online world of computer networks and the Internet

physical fitness – n. physically healthy and strong

clerk – n. a person whose job is to keep track of records and documents for a business or office

infantryman – n. a soldier who is in the infantry⁴ (the part of an army that has soldiers who fight on foot)

obese – adj. very fat; fat in a way that is unhealthy

in the context of – idiom in the circumstances under which something happens or has happened

capability – n. the ability to do something

security clearance – n. an official decision saying that someone has permission to do something; usually follows an investigation¹³. May permit holder¹⁴ to see secret documents.

deliberate – adj. done or decided after careful thought

1 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

2 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

3 cyberspace   

n.虚拟信息空间，网络空间，计算机化世界

参考例句：

• She travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world.她利用电子空间给世界各地的朋友们发送信件。
• The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.青少年花费在电脑上的时间比他们和真正的朋友及家人在一起的时间要多。

4 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

7 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。

8 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

9 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

10 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 clearance   

n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理

参考例句：

• There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
• The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

12 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

13 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。

14 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。