EDUCATION REPORT-Foreign Student Series 18- Alcohol Ban at U

EDUCATION REPORT-Foreign Student Series #18- Alcohol Ban at University of Oklahoma
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, December 30, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We continue our series of reports about foreign students at American colleges and universities.

Students at American colleges are on winter holiday until early next year. Many young people are making plans to attend celebrations in honor of New Year. At this time of year, parents of college students worry about how young people use alcoholic¹ drinks. Parents also worry about alcohol use at school. This is our subject today.

American education officials have been concerned for years about how students use alcohol. Some of it has had deadly results. For example, a student at the University of Oklahoma died in September following a fraternity party. His blood alcohol level was five times the legal limit.

 
 
Such extreme use of alcohol is known as "binge drinking." It means having four to five drinks in less than one hour. Studies have found a link between binge drinking and parties at college fraternity houses. Reports say the deaths of one thousand four hundred college students in the United States last year were linked to alcohol use.

College officials say dangerous drinking has taken place at colleges for many years. But they still have not found a way to stop it. Now, the University of Oklahoma at Norman has decided² to ban the use of alcohol.

The ban goes into effect on January eighteenth. It affects all twenty two thousand students at the University, including the one thousand six hundred foreign students attending this year.

Parents of students will be told if their child is found with any kind of alcohol. The students also will take part in an alcohol education program. A second violation³ of the rule will result in punishment. The student will be suspended from school after three violations⁴.

All new students will be required to complete an alcohol education program. And the University of Oklahoma will cooperate with the local police force to stop parties where binge drinking takes place.

University President David Boren says the goal of the plan is to reduce dangerous drinking by students and to develop a successful program that other schools can follow.

For more information about the alcohol ban and admission information for the University of Oklahoma, go to its web site at www.ou.edu.

This VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Gwen Outen.

1 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

4 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。