VOA慢速英语2015 4月23日是英语日

April 23 Is English Language Day 4月23日是英语日

Happy English Language Day! English Language Day is celebrated¹ each year on April 23 – the date when tradition says William Shakespeare was born. Shakespeare has been called the greatest writer in the English language. His plays continue to be published, performed in theaters and seen in films almost 400 years after his death.

Many people consider English as the unofficial “world language” because it is so widely used. English is the main language of business and aviation². It is the most widely used language on the Internet and social media.

The first English Language Day was the result of work by the United Nations. A few years ago, the U.N.’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization created Language Days for each of the U.N.’s six official languages. The aim was to celebrate multilingualism – the use of different languages around the world – and different cultures. Another goal was to campaign for equal use of all six official languages throughout the United Nations. The other five languages are Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

The United Nations celebrated its first English Language Day on April 23, 2010. That day, a number of events were held at the U.N.’s headquarters³ in New York City. This year, the TOEFL program has announced plans for a ‘live’ question and answer chat on the social media website Facebook. TOEFL is also known as the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The group says the program is for students interested in learning⁴ more about its test and the English language.

To improve your understanding of American English, you have come to the right place: learningenglish.voanews.com. Everyday, you will find news and information in easy to understand English. Our stories and audio⁵ podcasts are based on a 1,500-word vocabulary, listed in our Learning English Word Book.

You can find classic⁶ “American Stories” on the website every Friday, Universal Time. On Saturdays, you can find “Everyday Grammar,” our newest series. It answers common questions about the language.

For English learners who want to learn through videos, we offer “Learning English TV,” “News Words” and “English in a Minute.” In addition, you are invited to take part in “Talk2US,” our Skype interactive⁷ program for English learners. This show is normally⁸ produced four days a week. A list of production times and the subjects can be found on our website.

Words in this Story

language – n. words and their use; what people speak in a country, nation or group

tradition – n. a ceremony, activity or belief that has existed for a long time

official – adj. of or about an office; approved by the government or someone in power

1 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。

2 aviation   

n.航空，航空学，飞机制造业

参考例句：

• Ten years ago,they began to develop the aviation. 十年前，他们开始发展航空工业。
• Pilots of large aircraft are masters of aviation.大型飞行器的驾驶员是航空学方面的专家。

3 headquarters   

n.司令部，指挥部；总部，总店

参考例句：

• Several great guns from the headquarters are coming to see us today.总部的几个大人物今天要来看我们。
• The bank has its headquarters in Pairs.这家银行的总行在巴黎。

4 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

5 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。

6 classic   

n.经典作品；adj.经典的，一流的；古典的

参考例句：

• 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。
• The football match was a classic.那场足球比赛堪称典范。

7 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

8 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。