VOA慢速英语2010年-American Mosaic - With Elena Kagan, Su

DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to American Mosaic¹ in VOA Special English. I’m Doug Johnson.

Today, we visit a bluegrass music festival that has a special activity for children ...

And we explain how to get a job at America’s space agency, NASA ...

But, first, a report on the new Supreme² Court justice, Elena Kagan.

(MUSIC)

Elena Kagan

DOUG JOHNSON: The United States Supreme Court made history this month when it swore in Elena Kagan as its one hundred twelfth justice. It is the first time in history that three women will serve together on the nine-member court. Barbara Klein has more.

BARBARA KLEIN: Elena Kagan joins Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Ginsburg has served on the court since nineteen ninety-three. Sonia Sotomayor became the first Hispanic to serve on the court when she was confirmed last year.

President Ronald Reagan appointed former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as the first woman ever to serve on the court in nineteen eighty-one. She served until her retirement³ in two thousand six. Elena Kagan will become the fourth woman to sit on the court when its new term begins October fourth.

Elena Kagan is sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jeffrey Minear, counselor⁴ to the chief justice, holds the Bible

It took more than eighty meetings and seventeen hours of testimony⁵ for the new justice to gain her confirmation⁶. After months of hearings, the United States Senate confirmed Elena Kagan in a vote of sixty-three to thirty-seven on August fifth.

With her confirmation, women now make up one-third of the court. President Obama praised this development.

BARACK OBAMA: "A sign of progress that I relish⁷, not just as a father who wants limitless possibilities for my daughters, but as an American proud that our Supreme Court will be a little more inclusive, a little more representative, more reflective of us as a people than ever before."

Fifty-year-old Elena Kagan was born and raised in New York City. She earned her bachelor's degree from Princeton University in nineteen eighty-one. She went on to earn additional degrees from Oxford⁸ University in England and Harvard Law School in Massachusetts.

Ms. Kagan worked for Thurgood Marshall in nineteen eighty-seven and calls him her hero. Mister Marshall was the first African-American to serve on the Supreme Court.

Elena Kagan also worked as an advisor⁹ to President Clinton. Later she was the first woman to serve as dean of Harvard Law School. Most recently, she was the first woman to be United States solicitor¹⁰ general. She argued cases for the United States government before the Supreme Court. Those who know her say it was always her goal to serve on the Supreme Court.

Elena Kagan spoke¹¹ about her appointment during a confirmation celebration.

ELENA KAGAN: "Tomorrow, I will take two oaths to uphold this solemn obligation: one, to support and defend the Constitution; and the other, to administer justice without respect to persons, to the rich and poor alike."

(MUSIC)

Working for NASA

DOUG JOHNSON: This week’s listener question is about the National Aeronautics¹³ and Space Administration. Quasim also wants to know how to get a job at NASA.

On October fourth, nineteen fifty-seven, the Soviet¹⁴ Union launched Sputnik One, the world’s first man-made satellite. To the United States, this meant one thing: the space race was on.

Politicians and scientists feared that America’s technology was falling behind the Soviet Union’s. They worked quickly to catch up. Less than a year later, on October first, nineteen fifty-eight, the National Aeronautic¹² and Space Administration, or NASA, began operations.

Today NASA operates in many areas across the United States. It employs more than fifteen thousand people. They include engineers, computer scientists, meteorologists and astronauts.

Sixty percent of NASA’s jobs are professional, engineering and scientific. Twenty-four percent are administrative¹⁵ and management. Nine percent are technical and medical support. And seven percent are clerical and administrative support.

Interested candidates can apply for a job by logging onto the website USA jobs.gov. A person can apply to as many as five jobs. Written resumes can be sent to NASA’s Resume Operations Center.

All jobs are competitive. But becoming an astronaut is the hardest job to get. Only three hundred thirty-nine people have been selected as astronauts in NASA’s history.

Applicants¹⁶ must have a degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. They must be in excellent physical condition. And they must have perfect vision or vision that can be corrected.

The selection process includes a week of interviews, medical tests and orientation¹⁷. If selected, applicants become “astronaut candidates.” They are sent to Houston, Texas for two years of training.

The first seven American astronauts were all military pilots. Since then, astronauts have been schoolteachers, doctors, scientists and engineers.

However, almost all of the jobs at NASA require United States citizenship¹⁸. Sometimes NASA will hire non-citizens as contractors¹⁹. The agency suggests that non-citizens investigate its international partners in Brazil, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany and the European Space Agency.

Bluegrass Academy

(MUSIC: “Blue Train (of the Heartbreak Line)”/Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver)

DOUG JOHNSON: Summertime in the United States means camp for a lot of American children. Sometimes that means swimming, horseback riding or playing sports. But camp can also be a special place where kids go to study something they love, like bluegrass music.

Faith Lapidus has our report on the Grey Fox Bluegrass Academy for Kids.

(MUSIC: “I Am a Little Scholar”/Don Rigsby)

FAITH LAPIDUS: Some bluegrass fans want to do more than attend concerts and buy albums. They want to play the music, too. So each year the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill, New York, includes a music camp for children.

Louis Kaplan was one of the bass²⁰ teachers at the camp that took place last month.

(SOUND)

Emma from Poughkeepsie, New York, was one of Mr. Kaplan’s students. It was her first year at the Bluegrass Academy. She has not been playing long.

EMMA: “Only a year.”

REPORTER: “But it’s a different kind of bass playing, isn’t it?”

EMMA: “Yeah, in school, that’s where I first learned how to play bass, it’s classical, so, it’s much different.”

REPORTER: How did they teach you?

EMMA: “Just know the chords and make sure you are steady.”

(MUSIC – “Late Harvest” – Ira Gitlin)

Ira Gitlin and several of his banjo students

Ira Gitlin also taught at the academy. Among the instruments he plays are the banjo, bass and guitar. He is an award-winning musician whose honors include a National Bluegrass Banjo Championship.

IRA GITLIN: “Some kids have just been given a banjo the week before, I’ve had that. Or a mandolin, or a fiddle²¹ or whatever. And some kids come with years of classical violin lessons or Suzuki violin or school orchestra lessons. So we’ve got a whole range of skill levels, from total beginner on up through some pretty proficient²² young pickers who’ve been playing for three, four, five years, maybe.”

Camp was intensive. Students met with their teachers for four hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Then, on Sunday, camp director Brian Wicklund led an excited and skillful group of child musicians on to the stage at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival. The young guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, cello²³ and bass players performed to a cheering crowd.

(SOUND)

REPORTER: “What was it like up on stage?”

STUDENT 1: “It was pretty fun. I was mostly chopping because I’m not good with chords. But I also tried to play the melody.”

REPORTER: “And what about you? How long have you been playing?”

STUDENT 2: “I’ve been playing banjo for like two months.”

REPORTER: “So what were you playing before you played the banjo?”

STUDENT 3: “Violin.”

REPORTER: “What made you switch?”

STUDENT 3: “I like the noise.”

STUDENT 4: “I’m actually only three weeks into the banjo. I played guitar beforehand. But Ira is just such an awesome²⁴ teacher and he taught us all a lot. We definitely couldn’t have been up there today without him.”

REPORTER: “Want to play something for me?”

(MUSIC)

The Grey Fox website will soon have details about next year’s Bluegrass Academy for Kids. You can find a link to Grey Fox at voaspecialenglish.com.

Among the performers at Grey Fox was the Del McCourey Band. We leave you with “Rain and Snow,” one of the songs the group performed at the festival.

(MUSIC)

DOUG JOHNSON: I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by June Simms, Mike DeFabo and Katherine Cole. Caty Weaver²⁵ was the producer.

You can find transcripts²⁶, MP3s and podcasts of our shows at voaspecialenglish.com. If you have a question about American life, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Or write to us at American Mosaic, Voice of America, Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A. We might answer your question on this show. Please remember to tell us your name and where you live.

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 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

5 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

8 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

9 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

10 solicitor   

n.初级律师，事务律师

参考例句：

• The solicitor's advice gave me food for thought.律师的指点值得我深思。
• The solicitor moved for an adjournment of the case.律师请求将这个案件的诉讼延期。

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 aeronautic   

adj.航空（学）的

参考例句：

• Something akin to panic swept the National Aeronautic and Space Agency. 一种近乎恐慌的心情席卷了国家宇航局。 来自辞典例句
• They are widely used in electronic instruments aeronautic instruments etc. 此类轴承在各类电子仪器中得以广泛运用。 来自互联网

13 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

14 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

15 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

16 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

17 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

18 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

19 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

21 fiddle   

n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动

参考例句：

• She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
• Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

22 proficient   

adj.熟练的，精通的；n.能手，专家

参考例句：

• She is proficient at swimming.她精通游泳。
• I think I'm quite proficient in both written and spoken English.我认为我在英语读写方面相当熟练。

23 cello   

n.大提琴

参考例句：

• The cello is a member of the violin family.大提琴是提琴家族的一员。
• She plays a melodious cello.她拉着一手悦耳的大提琴。

24 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

25 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。

26 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句