AMERICAN MOSAIC

AMERICAN MOSAIC¹
By

Broadcast: Friday, April 16, 2004

The American public seems to be supporting a change to metric in recent years. For example, a federal law requires all product packaging in the United States to include both metric weight and non-metric weight. Mister Butcher says about five-hundred American companies now support a proposal that would change the law so companies would not have to provide the non-metric weight on the package. Only the metric weight would appear on the package. He also says that most American states support this idea, too.

Mister Butcher says his office has provided American schools with materials to teach the metric system for many years. He says this effort is now showing results as young American business leaders are seeking to change to the metric system.

Sesame Street Anniversary

(MUSIC: "Sunny Days"/Sesame Street Theme)

HOST:

 
Graphic² Image
Do you recognize this music? We are not surprised! The children's television show "Sesame Street" is broadcast in more than one-hundred-twenty countries. "Sesame Street" began its thirty-fifth year earlier this month. Gwen Outen tells about the show and plays some its many famous songs.

ANNCR:

In the late nineteen-sixties, Joan Ganz Cooney was dissatisfied with American television programs for young children. She wanted to make them educational and fun. She especially hoped to reach poor children. Mizz Cooney and officials from the Carnegie Corporation set up the Children's Television Workshop. They developed "Sesame Street" with the help of Jim Henson. He created the famous puppets on "Sesame Street." They are called the Muppets. One of the earliest and most popular Muppets is Kermit the Frog. Here Kermit sings a song about the color of his skin. It is called "Bein' Green."

(MUSIC)

Humans also live on "Sesame Street." Bob McGrath has lived on the street since its beginning. He plays a music teacher. Here Bob sings the popular song "People in Your Neighborhood."

(MUSIC)

In the late nineteen-eighties, a furry³ red monster puppet named Elmo arrived on "Sesame Street." He has since become a huge star. We leave you now with Elmo and some of his Muppet friends singing "Elmo's Song."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

This is Doug Johnson.

I hope you enjoyed AMERICAN MOSAIC. Join us again next week for VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

This program was written by Nancy Steinbach, Paul Thompson and Caty Weaver⁴. Paul Thompson was the producer. And our engineer was Tom Verba.

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 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

3 furry   

adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的

参考例句：

• This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
• Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗，当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。

4 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。