VOA慢速英语 2008 1017b

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson. This week:

We listen to a new album from singer songwriter Eric Benet …

Answer a listener question about the difference between the United States Navy and Marine² services …

But first, is time running out for the National Debt Clock in New York City?

(MUSIC)

US Debt Clock

HOST:

There are several so-called debt clocks in cities around the United States. These devices record the increasing amount of money that the United States owes. The most famous National Debt Clock is in New York City (pictured). But, as the debt grows, time runs short for the debt clock. It now needs some extra spaces for numbers. Barbara Klein has our story.

BARBARA KLEIN:

We will start with the clock itself. It hangs on a wall at 1133 Sixth Avenue in the famous area of Manhattan called Times Square. It electronically shows the estimated dollar total of national debt as it increases each second. The clock also shows another dollar amount that represents "Your Family Share" of the national debt. The numbers in both lines are bright red. They continuously change as the debt grows.

A successful land and property investor³ and developer named Seymour Durst created the National Debt Clock in nineteen eighty-nine.

At the time, the United States national debt was two-point-seven trillion dollars. Mister Durst was horrified⁴ by that amount. He wanted Americans to pay attention to the debt and what it meant to them personally. So he had the clock made and placed on a building he owned.

Seymour Durst died in nineteen ninety-five. His family continues to own and operate the clock.

Last month, the United States national debt hit ten trillion dollars. That is a one followed by thirteen zeroes. But, the debt clock was created with only thirteen spaces for numbers. Mister Durst's son, Douglas, said his father never would have imagined the debt going as high as ten trillion.

Workers solved the problem temporarily by placing a non-digital dollar sign in the same space as the number one. But, the Durst family plans to add two more permanent number spaces by early next year. The family says it also hopes to make some other improvements to the way the clock looks.

The United States national debt currently is about ten-point-two trillion dollars. The new clock will be able to record a debt in the quadrillions. But Americans hope it does not have to!

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US Navy and Marines

HOST:

Our listener question this week comes from China. Bin⁵ Li wants to know the difference between the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps⁶.
　

Pentagon photo of U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf7

The United States Navy is the branch of the armed forces that is responsible for naval⁸ operations. The American Navy currently has over three hundred thirty thousand workers on active duty.

The Marine Corps is technically⁹ part of the Department of the Navy, but it operates as a separate branch of the military. The Corps is made up of about one hundred ninety-six thousand active duty Marines. Its motto is "Semper Fidelis" which means "always faithful" in Latin. The official colors of the Marine Corps are red and gold. The Navy's colors are blue and gold.

The Marines and Navy have a closer relationship than other branches of the military. This relationship is important because the Navy gives transport, operational and combat support to place Marine Corps units in battle. The Navy and Marine Corps share a common naval culture as well as many traditions.
　

Marines in the Silent Drill Platoon

Marines and Navy members can be commissioned as officers through Officer Candidates School, the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps or the United States Naval Academy. Marines receive training at the Basic School at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. One saying among Marines is that "every Marine is a rifleman." This means that all Marines receive infantry¹⁰ training no matter what their later role will be.

The Navy operates aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates¹¹, and submarines. It has bases and ports of call on the east and west coasts of the United States as well as several other countries. These include Spain, Japan and Australia.

The highest officer of the Marines is the commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway. He is a member of the Joint¹² Chiefs of Staff and reports to the secretary of the Navy. The highest naval officer is the chief of naval operations, Admiral Gary Roughead, who is also on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Marine Corps has several other interesting duties. The Marine Corps Band is called "The President's Own." It performs at official gatherings¹³ held by the American president. Marines also guard American embassies and other diplomatic buildings around the world. Marines even guard presidential homes including Camp David near Washington, D.C. Naval officers also help to operate Camp David.

(MUSIC)

Eric Benet

HOST:

Singer and songwriter Eric Benet released his first album, "True to Myself," in nineteen ninety-six. Music critics and fans welcomed the honesty and emotion in his songs. He recently released his fourth album. Steve Ember has more.

STEVE EMBER:

Eric Benet writes songs that are both emotional and meaningful. He says the songs are about his personal experiences, but they are situations many others can relate to.

His new album, "Love and Life," deals with his current feelings of peace, happiness and love. Listen as he sings his new hit song "You're the Only One."

(MUSIC)

Eric Benet says someday he would like to work with famous artists including Al Green and Stevie Wonder. But on his new album he sings with someone who is even more important to him, his sixteen year old daughter, India. She is a backup singer on her father's new album. Here is "Still I Believe."

(MUSIC)

For the first time Eric Benet was given full creative control of his album by his record company. He wrote songs that show influences of the music he grew up listening to -- rhythm and blues¹⁴, gospel and jazz.

We leave you with another song from Eric Benet's new album "Love and Life." This is "Love, Patience and Time."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

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

It was written by Lawan Davis, Dana Demange and Caty Weaver¹⁵, who was also the producer.

Send your questions about American life to [email protected].

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 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

4 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

5 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

6 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

7 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

8 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

9 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

10 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。

11 frigates   

n.快速军舰( frigate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Frigates are a vital part of any balanced sea-going fleet. 护卫舰是任何一个配置均衡的远洋舰队所必需的。 来自互联网
• These ships are based on the Chinese Jiangwei II class frigates. 这些战舰是基于中国的江卫II型护卫舰。 来自互联网

12 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

13 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

14 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

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。