时间:2018-12-16 作者:英语课 分类:2016年VOA慢速英语(十)月


英语课

Former VOA Learning 1 English Reporter Publishes a Book 前美国之音英语学习记者出书了


Where did Jeri Watson go?


For 24 years, Jeri wrote and reported for VOA Learning English. She covered many subjects. In her final year at VOA, she also began working as a broadcaster. People who had enjoyed her stories since 1990 finally got to hear some of them in her own voice.


They liked what they heard -- her voice was clear and easy to listen to -- and, like Jeri, friendly. Many people wondered why she had not been broadcasting earlier.


Then, 19 months ago, Jeri was no longer heard on VOA. And her byline 2 was no longer seen.


Where was she?


After a long career in journalism 3, Jeri simply and quietly retired 4.


She said she wanted to spend more time visiting her children and grandchildren.


Jeri returned to visit her friends at VOA recently. Everyone was happy to see her again. She said she misses her work at VOA, but she does not regret retiring.


“We all reach a, a time when work comes to an end. For me it was about 25 years with VOA and working for a Chicago daily newspaper years ago. I felt that I had a wonderful career and it was time to sleep late in the mornings.”


Jeri also wanted to complete the novel she had been writing in her spare time. Finally, she was able to spend hours every day on the project.


“I write on my sunporch, with only the company of my cat -- two cats to tell the truth -- and that felt very strange after working all these years with good friends at VOA. We talk(ed) to each other constantly, so writing in the quiet felt lonely at first.”


“But you like it now?”


“I have totally adjusted. And I have to say I had no trouble adjusting to sleeping a little later in the morning.”


The book has just been published. It is called “Sorrow Street.” The main character is an American reporter named Sandra Shelton. She is sent to Brazil to report from Rio de Janeiro. She is depressed 5 over a recent end of a relationship. She is also unhappy leaving Washington, D.C.


Jeri says Sandra is modeled on the many reporters she has known who have dealt with serious disappointments in their life.


In Rio, Sandra tries to help some mysterious children -- a young boy and his younger sister -- who appear to be living on the city’s dangerous streets alone. The reporter is pulled into a drug dealer’s dangerous kidnapping plot. She also discovers a part of her past -- a past she has tried hard to forget.


Jeri Watson has travelled to Brazil many times. The book includes details that only someone who experienced 6 the complex and beautiful country first-hand could know. Jeri first visited Brazil 18 years ago. Several return trips followed. She was back again last year.


“Just walking around and talking to people and seeing how things were going. And you would have to be not very observant to miss the fact that things had been economically better for quite a time there and having bad days again, corruption 7 again, has made people feel very sad.”


Jeri says those who have read the book, including other authors, have said they enjoyed it.


Here, Jeri reads from “Sorrow Street.” Pedro, the little boy Sandra has been trying to help, is now in a shelter.


“It was after midnight but the shelter was still noisy. A couple of young kids cried and mumbled 9 in their sleep. Pedro rolled around restlessly 10 on the soft bed. It seemed to swallow his body. He’d often longed for a softer place to sleep than the pavement, but now he thought a cot was kind of flimsy.”


“He dreamed of ice-cream with pieces of chocolate cookies in it. He dreamed of his mother, her wide red and blue cotton skirt swishing as she pulled up the threadbare sheet to his waist, as she patted 11 at the deflated 12, torn pillow under his head on the mattress 13. She spoke 14 softly 15 as she leaned over him.”


Jeri is very active in her retirement 16. She swims and hikes. And twice a week she teaches people from around the world American English. In her classes, she uses some of the stories she has written for VOA Learning English.


Jeri seems very happy and looks great. Retirement agrees with her. That means it is good for her.


Jeri is now writing another book. It will tell about her long life and the many adventures she has had. She thinks it will be easier to write than a fiction book. When it is published, we will write about it and you will hear from Jeri Watson again.


Words in This Story


byline – n. a line at the beginning of a newspaper or magazine article that gives the writer's name


novel – n. a long written story usually about imaginary 17 characters and events


spare – adj. available to be used in whatever way you want


sunporch – n. a structure attached to the entrance of a building that has a roof and that may or may not have walls and is designed to be a place where rays from the sun enter


constantly – adj. happening all the time or very often over a period of time


adjust – v. to change in order to work or do better in a new situation


model on – v. to try to be like and to behave like (someone you admire)


disappointment – n. the state or feeling of being disappointed, making (someone) unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected


first-hand – adj. coming directly from actually experiencing or seeing something


mumble 8 – v. to say (something) quietly in an unclear way that makes it difficult for people to know what you said


swallow – v. to flow over and cover (something) completely (used here figuratively)


pavement – n. the hard surface of a road, driveway, etc.


cot – n. a narrow, light bed often made of cloth stretched over a folding frame 18


flimsy – adj. easily broken, torn, etc.; not strong or solid


skirt – n. a piece of clothing worn by women and girls that hangs from the waist down


threadbare – adj. very thin and in bad condition from too much use


deflate – v. to release 19 air or gas from (something, such as a tire or balloon) and make it smaller


torn – adj. ripped 20; split 21


mattress – n. a cloth case that is filled with material and used as a bed



1 learning
n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词
  • 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。
2 byline
n.署名;v.署名
  • His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
  • We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。
3 journalism
n.新闻工作,报业
  • He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师,可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
  • He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。
4 retired
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
5 depressed
adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的
  • When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
  • His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
6 experienced
adj.有经验的;经验丰富的,熟练的
  • Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
  • Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好,你比我更有经验。
7 corruption
n.腐败,堕落,贪污
  • The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
  • The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
8 mumble
n./v.喃喃而语,咕哝
  • Her grandmother mumbled in her sleep.她祖母含混不清地说着梦话。
  • He could hear the low mumble of Navarro's voice.他能听到纳瓦罗在小声咕哝。
9 mumbled
含糊地说某事,叽咕,咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )
  • He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话,可我没太听清楚。
  • George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。
10 restlessly
ad.不安定地,不安静地
  • The children were squirming restlessly in their seats. 孩子们在位子上心神不定地动来动去。
  • Her husband prowled about restlessly. 她的丈夫焦躁不安地来回踱步。
11 patted
v.轻拍( pat的过去式和过去分词 );拍成,拍至;表扬,称赞(某人/自己)
  • She patted the dog on the head. 她轻轻地拍着狗的头。
  • He leaned forward and patted me on the shoulder. 他向前倾着身子并拍我的肩膀。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 deflated
adj. 灰心丧气的
  • I was quite deflated by her lack of interest in my suggestions.他对我的建议兴趣不大,令我感到十分气馁。
  • He was deflated by the news.这消息令他泄气。
13 mattress
n.床垫,床褥
  • The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
  • The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。
14 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
  • 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。
15 softly
adv.柔和地,静静地,温柔地
  • He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻,她听不见。
  • She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。
16 retirement
n.退休,退职
  • 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。
17 imaginary
adj.想象中的,假想的,虚构的,幻想的;虚数的
  • All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。
  • The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。
18 frame
n.框架,结构,体格;vt.构成,设计,制定,使适合,陷害; 框架,(是指在数据链路层中,将网络层数据包加上开始与结尾信息包组成一个框架)
  • The house has a wooden frame which is faced with brick.这个房子是木质结构的砖瓦房。
  • We must frame up that picture.我们必须给那幅画装上框。
19 release
vt.发布,发表,发行;释放,放开
  • After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
  • This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。
20 ripped
n.劈开,裂片,裂口;adj.分散的;v.分离,分开,劈开
  • Who told you that Mary and I had split up?谁告诉你玛丽和我已经离婚了?
  • The teacher split the class up into six groups.老师把班级分成6个小组。
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