VOA慢速英语 2007 0615b

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

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

We answer a question from a listener about a failed rebellion in American history ‿/P>

Play music from an award winning Broadway play ...

And report about the anniversary of the movie "Star Wars."

Star Wars

(MUSIC)

 
 
On May twenty-fifth, nineteen seventy-seven, a science fiction movie called "Star Wars" opened in thirty-two theaters in the United States.  It was about the struggle between good and evil in a strange and different universe.  By the end of that year "Star Wars" became the most successful film in American history.

Five more "Star Wars" films would be released. They would become one of the most successful movie series of all time.  Faith Lapidus tells us about some of the continuing "Star Wars" anniversary celebrations.

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Many events took place on the anniversary of the release of the first "Star Wars" movie. Movie fans met at a special convention in Los Angeles, California.  The United States Post Office released stamps showing fifteen different pictures from the movies.  American television shows presented new information about the making of the "Star Wars" series.  And newspapers wrote about the continuing popularity of "Star Wars" and its creator, George Lucas.

Millions of people all over the world love "Star Wars" and its characters -- Princess Leia, Han Solo, Yoda, Luke Skywalker -- even the evil Darth Vader. The Lucasfilm company is now making it possible for those fans to create new films about them. Fans with computers can go to the mash-ups area of the "Star Wars" Web site and change scenes from the movies.  The Web site provides a simple editing program to do this. Then the editors can place their movies on Web sites like MySpace.

Lucasfilm officials say about two hundred fifty scenes are provided on the Web site.  Each is no longer than sixty seconds, and similar ones are grouped together.  For example, one group of scenes includes the character Jar Jar Binks.  Fans can change him any way they want.  But they will have to follow to some rules.  And a team of experts will be watching the results to make sure they are not offensive in any way.

Lucasfilm officials say this is one way to keep the popularity of "Star Wars" alive since no more movies will be made.  The studio has plans to continue such efforts in the future.  In the next few years, it will produce a new video game and two television series based on the "Star Wars" stories and characters.

The Whiskey Rebellion

HOST:

Our VOA listener question this week comes from a student in Iran who asks about the Whiskey Rebellion in early American history.

 
George Washington reviews troops before marching to put down the Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a major test of the power of the new United States government after the war of independence ended in seventeen eighty-three.  The new government agreed to pay the war debts of the individual states.

In seventeen ninety-one, Secretary of the Treasury² Alexander Hamilton proposed a way the federal government could raise money to pay this debt. He proposed placing a tax on all alcoholic³ drinks sold in the country. Congress approved the tax and President George Washington signed it into law.

Some farmers in several states immediately opposed this tax.  They earned money by selling whiskey they made from the corn and rye they grew. By seventeen ninety-four, farmers in western Pennsylvania began openly protesting the tax.  They threatened and sometimes attacked government workers sent to the area to collect the money. The civil protests became an armed rebellion. Local officials ordered the arrest of the leaders of the rebellion, but this just added to the violence. 

President Washington considered this Whiskey Rebellion a threat to the power of the federal government.  So he took a bold step.  He personally led an army of more than twelve thousand troops into western Pennsylvania to stop the rebellion.

The farmers quickly retreated.  Captured prisoners were later released and pardoned. The government ended the tax in eighteen–oh-two.

History experts say the Whiskey Rebellion was a small but important event in American history. It was the first time the federal government used military force to show its power over the nation's citizens.  Its resolution demonstrated the full power of the federal government to American citizens and to the states.

Experts also say the Whiskey Rebellion was an early warning of a question that would continue to test the new nation.  Which should be stronger-- the rights of individual states or the power of the federal government?  That question would not be answered until the end of the American Civil War in the eighteen sixties.

Spring Awakening⁴

HOST:

Broadway's top award ceremony was held Sunday in New York City.  The show "Spring Awakening" won eight Tony awards, including Best Musical.  Shirley Griffith has more on the show and its music.

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH:

 
Cast members perform a scene from ''Spring Awakening'' at the Tony Awards
"Spring Awakening," is based on a play written in eighteen ninety-one by German playwright⁵ Frank Wedekind.  The play was banned from production for many years because people at the time considered it immoral⁶.

The play deals with German teenagers who have no knowledge or understanding of sex. They start to experience feelings they do not understand. But the adults in the play are not willing to share information with them.

The teenagers also question what they learn in school.  They want to learn things for themselves.  They express their feelings through rock and roll music. This song is called "All That's Known."

(MUSIC)

Actor John Gallagher, Junior, won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.  He plays Moritz in "Spring Awakening."  Here he sings "Don't Do Sadness."

(MUSIC)

Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik shared the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music or Lyrics) Written for the Theater.  Mister Sheik accepted the award and thanked the producers of "Spring Awakening" for their support.  And he said:  "Musical theater rocks."

We leave you with the final song of "Spring Awakening" called "The Song of Purple Summer."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

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

It was written by Nancy Steinbach and Caty Weaver⁷, who also was our 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 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

3 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

4 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

5 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

6 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。

7 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。