VOA慢速英语 2007 0413b

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson. On our show this week:

We answer a question about The Alamo ‿/P>

Listen to some music from Robin² Thicke ‿/P>

And report about the YouTube Video Awards.

YouTube Video Awards

HOST:

The popular Web site YouTube recently presented its first online video awards to recognize the creative efforts of its large community. YouTube viewers around the world voted for their favorites in seven different video categories. Faith Lapidus tells us about three of the winners.

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Thanks to YouTube, any creative person with a special camera and a computer can create a video and share it online. Millions of people around the world watch these videos on their computers. So the creators of popular videos can become famous very quickly. Some videos have been watched millions of times.

 
 
YouTube viewers recently chose the best videos of last year. The Most Creative Award went to the rock band OK Go for the video of its song "Here It Goes Again."

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In this video, the four band members jump and dance on and around eight exercise machines called treadmills³. The entire video was filmed in one recording⁴. The video is very funny. It shows the band's creativity, skillful⁵ balance and careful movements. "Here It Goes Again" has been watched about fifteen million times.

 
 
The Most Inspirational Award went to Juan Mann from Australia for his "Free Hugs" video. In this video, Juan stands in busy public places holding a sign that says he is giving free hugs.

At first, strangers look at him with distrust and walk by.  But soon, people stop to put their arms around him and give him a hug. Policemen try to stop his hug campaign. But many people help him to continue his free hugs activism. The video is a nice example of different kinds of human interaction⁶. It has been watched about thirteen million times.

The Most Adorable Award went to Dony Permedi for an animated⁷ cartoon about a bird. It is called "Kiwi!"

 
 
(MUSIC)

A kiwi bird cannot fly. But in the video, the bird works⁸ hard to make his dream of flying through the clouds come true, even though he makes a big sacrifice. So far, this video has been watched more than seven million times. To see these videos and the other winners, visit www.youtube.com/ytawards.  You can decide which video you think is the best and take part in a very popular part of Internet culture.

The Alamo

HOST:

Our VOA listener question this week comes from Burma. Ko Maw Gyi asks about the Alamo and the famous battle that took place there.

 
The Alamo
The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the most famous places in the United States.  More than two million people visit it every year.  The Alamo includes gardens and buildings that provide information about Texas history. But most people go there to see the place where a battle was fought more than one hundred seventy years ago. 

The battle at the Alamo in eighteen thirty-six was perhaps the most celebrated⁹ event in Texas history. The area that is now the state of Texas was then part of Mexico. The people of Texas wanted to change this.  On March second, eighteen thirty-five, a group of Texan leaders declared independence and announced the birth of the Republic of Texas. They named Sam Houston to command the troops.

Texan fighters defeated Mexican troops in San Antonio in December of eighteen thirty-five. They then occupied the Alamo building.  It was part of a religious center at the time.

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led the Mexican army to end the Texas rebellion¹⁰ and punish its leaders. The army arrived in San Antonio in February of eighteen thirty-six.  About two hundred Texans inside the Alamo survived for thirteen days against the much larger Mexican army.  These Alamo defenders¹¹ included the famous Western heroes Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. But they were defeated and Santa Anna’s army entered the Alamo on March sixth.

History experts now say one hundred eighty-nine people defending the Alamo were killed, including Bowie and Crockett.  Different stories tell about how they died, and history experts still cannot agree about which are true.

The battle of the Alamo began a series of events important in United States history. Sam Houston and his Texan troops defeated Santa Anna’s forces in April of eighteen thirty-six and gained independence. for Texas. Later, the Republic of Texas became part of the United States. People continue to "Remember the Alamo" as a heroic¹² struggle against a more powerful opponent¹³.  And as a place where men sacrificed their lives for freedom.

Robin Thicke

HOST:

Robin Thicke has written songs for popular singers including Christina Aguilera, Usher¹⁴ and Mary J. Blige.  Now he is enjoying new success as a singer.  Katharine Cole tells us more.

KATHERINE COLE:

 
 
Robin Thicke grew up in a home of entertainers.  His mother, Gloria Loring, is a singer and actress.  His father, Alan Thicke, is a songwriter but is probably best known for his work as a television actor.

Robin Thicke’s first album, “Beautiful World,‿was released¹⁵ in two thousand two.  His latest album is called “The Evolution of Robin Thicke‿  He says he wanted to write songs that were completely honest and sing them with the emotion he was feeling when he wrote them.  Here he sings his hit love song, “Lost Without U.‿/P>

(MUSIC)

Like other recording artists, Robin Thicke's songs have become increasing popular through ringtones.  Ringtones are songs downloaded from a Web site to a wireless¹⁶ telephone.  When the telephone rings, you hear the song instead of the usual sound a telephone makes.  Thicke's song “Wanna Love U Girl‿is among the most favorite ringtones.

(MUSIC)

We leave you with another song from the album “The Evolution of Robin Thicke.‿nbsp; This is “Can U Believe.‿/P>

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson.  I hope you enjoyed our program today. It was written by Lawan Davis, 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, voaspecialenglish.com. 

Send your questions about American life to [email protected].  Please include your full name and mailing address.  Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A.  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 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 treadmills   

n.枯燥无味的工作[生活方式]( treadmill的名词复数 )；（尤指旧时由人或牲畜踩动踏板使之转动的）踏车；（锻炼身体的）跑步机，走步机

参考例句：

• But soon, you may think microwave ovens and treadmills too. 但是不久的将来，您可能还会想到微波炉或健身踏车什么的。 来自互联网
• The Gym has several treadmills an X-trainer machine, bicycles, weights and mats for floor work. 体育馆里配备了：跑步机、教练机、自行车、哑铃和专为做地板运动准备的垫子。 来自互联网

4 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。

5 skillful   

adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Soon they became very skillful in answering such questions.很快他们就会很熟练地回答这种问题了。
• It was very skillful of you to repair my bicycle.你修好了我的自行车，技术真好。

6 interaction   

n.交流；相互作用，相互影响，合作

参考例句：

• The interaction of the two groups produced many good ideas.两个组的相互交流产生了许多好主意。
• Price is determined through the interaction of demand and supply.价格在供需的相互作用中形成。

7 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

8 works   

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。

9 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

10 rebellion   

n.造反，叛乱，反抗

参考例句：

• The next year they rose up in rebellion.第二年他们就揭竿起义了。
• The new government quickly suppressed the rebellion.新政府迅速把叛乱镇压下去。

11 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 heroic   

adj.英雄的，英勇的，崇高的

参考例句：

• Many people have heard of the man's heroic deeds.许多人都已经听说了这个人的英雄事迹。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

13 opponent   

n.对手，敌手，反对者；adj.敌对的，反对的

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• After a fierce struggle,he got a beat on his opponent.经过殊死的较量，他占了对手的上风。

14 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

15 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

16 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

17 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。

18 audio   

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。