VOA慢速英语2010年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - On Stage: The Great

DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)I'm Doug Johnson.
This week we play music from winners of the Country Music Association awards ...
And answer a question about the military academy West Point ...
But first, a report on an unusual stage production in New York of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most famous book.
(MUSIC)“Gatz”
DOUG JOHNSON: Some theater goers in New York City are experiencing an unusual stage production at the Public Theater. The theatrical² group Elevator Repair Service is performing “Gatz,” a reading of the great American novel, “The Great Gatsby,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Faith Lapidus tells about this six-hour play and how the actors read every word of the book while keeping viewers interested.
FAITH LAPIDUS: The Elevator Repair Service created “Gatz” and began performing it in two thousand five. It is the company’s best known work. “Gatz” has played in many American cities and also overseas. Theater goers have seen the play in Ireland, Australia, Singapore, Austria, Belgium and other places.
A scene from the Broadway play "Gatz" However, the members of Elevator Repair Service had been wanting for years to perform the play in New York, where the company is based. They had sought permission from the F. Scott Fitzgerald estate which owns the rights to the writer’s works. Finally, they received permission.
John Collins is the director of “Gatz.” He has not missed a single performance. He has heard the forty-nine thousand words of the novel countless³ times. Mr. Collins said he was not sure when he started the project if the production would include each word. But then, he told a reporter, he realized that “The Great Gatsby” was a novel in which every word was necessary.
“Gatz” has thirteen cast members. Scott Shepherd plays Nick Carraway, the lead character. He also narrates⁴ most of the novel. The show opens in an office of a small business. An employee finds a copy of “The Great Gatsby” and begins to read it aloud.
(SOUND)Slowly, other workers begin to take part in the events that happen in the book.
(SOUND)“The Great Gatsby” is set in the nineteen twenties in New York City and on Long Island. It is a story about success and what one must do to gain it. It is a story about appearance and reality, love, hate, loyalty⁵ and disloyalty.
“The Great Gatsby” was published in nineteen twenty-five. It was not as successful as Fitzgerald’s other books during his lifetime. However, it is now considered one of the greatest modern American novels.
You can hear more about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life and work Sunday on the Special English program PEOPLE IN AMERICA.
West PointDOUG JOHNSON: This week our listener question comes from Xian, China. Meng Cheng wants to know about the famous military school known as West Point.
West Point, New York, is a small town about eighty kilometers north of New York City. It is the home of the United States Military Academy. Many people speak of the academy as simply “West Point.”
It was formed in eighteen-oh-two when Thomas Jefferson was president. It is the oldest of the five military colleges in the United States. It also is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. This four-year school has about four thousand four hundred students, or cadets. Both men and women study here before joining the United States Army. After graduation, they are given the rank of second lieutenant⁶.
Students in Grant Hall at West Point It is difficult to become a student at West Point. Only about fifteen percent of students who apply are accepted. High school seniors must have very good grades. They also must be nominated by a member of the United States Congress or by the president of the United States.
Each year about one thousand new students are chosen. They do not have to pay for their education. All student costs are paid by the United States Army. But the students must agree to serve actively⁷ in the Army for at least five years after finishing their studies.
West Point also accepts a limited number of international students. After graduation they return to their home countries to serve in their country’s army.
Cadets can take classes in more than forty subject areas. The most popular are foreign languages, management information systems, history, economics and mechanical engineering. The cadets are required to take physical fitness courses. Most of them are also members of sports teams.
An important part of a student’s life at West Point concerns the honor code. It says: “A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do.” This code is enforced both in and out of the classroom.
The students and teachers at the United States Military Academy are proud of their history. Two presidents of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, graduated from West Point. Many famous generals, astronauts and business leaders have also studied at the academy.
CMA AwardsMiranda Lambert and Blake Shelton at the CMA Awards DOUG JOHNSON: The Country Music Association held its yearly awards program last week. We play music from some of the winners and Mario Ritter tells about them.
(MUSIC)MARIO RITTER: Miranda Lambert was a big winner at the Country Music Association Awards. She won the Music Video of the Year award for that song, “The House that Built Me.” It also won Song of the Year. Lambert also received the Female Vocalist of the Year award and Album of the Year for her CD, “Revolution.”
Miranda Lambert’s boyfriend, Blake Shelton, won Male Vocalist of the Year. The singer-songwriter also won for Musical Event of the Year for his hit song “Hillbilly Bone.” Country music star Trace Adkins performs with him.
(MUSIC)Lady Antebellum won the award for Vocal⁸ Group of the Year. Its album, “Need You Now,” was also nominated for Album of the Year but did not win. However, the title track did win the C.M.A. award for Single of the Year.
(MUSIC)Country star Brad Paisley was one of the two hosts of the awards ceremony held last week in Nashville, Tennessee.The Country Music Association also honored him with the biggest award of the night. He won the Entertainer of the Year award for the first time. We leave you with Brad Paisley performing, “Then,” from his latest studio album, “American Saturday Night.”
(MUSIC)DOUG JOHNSON: I’m Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Jim Tedder⁹ and Caty Weaver¹⁰, who also was our 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 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

3 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

4 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

5 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

6 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

8 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

9 tedder   

n.（干草）翻晒者，翻晒机

参考例句：

• Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆？特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
• Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆？泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网

10 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。