VOA慢速英语 2008 0303a
时间:2019-01-11 作者:英语课 分类:VOA慢速英语2008年(三)月
Development Report - Questioning a Popular Approach to Lasting 1 Development
Economists 3 at M.I.T.’s Jameel Poverty Action Lab have found no evidence that paying for a product in the developing world changes how people use it. Transcript 4 of radio broadcast:
02 March 2008
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
M.I.T.'s Jameel Poverty Action Lab does economic research to help the poor
If you give something to someone for free, will that person value it and use it? Development experts have debated this question for decades. Some say the act of paying causes people to value something and use it more. Others argue that selling necessary health treatments may deny them to the people who need them the most.
Consider, for example, chemically treated bed nets. These bed nets kill mosquitoes and protect people against malaria 5 while they are sleeping. New York University economist 2 William Easterly says this is one example of development gone wrong. In a recent book, Professor Easterly suggests bed nets given freely 6 in Africa are often used for the wrong purpose.
Yet, the World Health Organization recommends bed nets be given out freely and used by whole communities. The success of a large free bed net campaign in Kenya led the W.H.O. to announce this recommendation 7 last August.
This debate will likely influence social programs in the developing world. Many non-governmental organizations support the creation 8 of self-sustaining programs in poor countries. Goods and services are sold for a price to help these programs survive.
Rachel Glennerster runs the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The research lab does development and poverty studies. Its goal is to improve the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs in the United States and other countries.
Miz Glennerster tells us that several studies by the research group's economists have proven that small price changes have a big influence on the number of people who use a product. A price change will reduce the total amount of use of the product as well, she says. The economists have also found no evidence that the very act of paying for something changes how people use it.
Finally, some development experts argue that pricing is useful when targeting a product among special populations. When it comes to bed nets, Miz Glennerster says research shows no evidence of this. People are just as likely to use a bed net if they paid for it or not.
And that’s the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jill Moss 9. You can find transcripts 10, MP3s and podcasts of our reports at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.
- The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
- We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。
- He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
- He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家,自以为什么都懂。
- The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
- Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
- They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。
- He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
- Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。
- She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水,痛痛快快地哭了起来。
- A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动,无固定形态。
- I wrote him a good recommendation.我为他写了一封很好的推荐信。
- This method deserves recommendation.这种做法值得提倡。
- Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
- The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。
- Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
- He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。
- 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