Webb Telescope Captures Images of 19 Spiral Galaxies韦伯望远镜捕捉到19个螺旋星系的图像你的浏览器不支持音频元素.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Dan Novak　　03 February 2024　　Newly released images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope show 19 spiral galaxies relatively close to our Milky Way. The images offer new information on star formation, galaxy structure and evolution.　　The images were made public on Monday by a team of scientists involved in a project called Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS). The project operates across several major astronomical observatories.　　The closest of the 19 galaxies is called NGC5068. It is about 15 million light years from Earth. The most distant is NGC1365, about 60 million light years from Earth. A light year is the distance light travels in a year, which is equal to about 9.5 trillion kilometers.　　The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was launched in 2021 and began collecting data in 2022. It has shaped understanding of the early universe while taking pictures of space.　　The orbiting telescope looks at the universe mainly in the infrared. The Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched in 1990 and is still in use, has examined the universe mostly at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths.　　Spiral galaxies are a common galaxy type. Our Milky Way is one.　　The new observations came from Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). They show about 100,000 star clusters and millions, or even billions, of individual stars.　　"These data are important as they give us a new view on the earliest phase of star formation," said University of Oxford astronomer Thomas Williams. He led the team's data processing on the images.　　Williams added, "Stars are born deep within dusty clouds that completely block out the light at visible wavelengths - what the Hubble Space Telescope is sensitive to - but these clouds light up at the JWST wavelengths. We don't know a lot about this phase."　　About half of spiral galaxies have a straight structure, called a bar, coming out from the center. The spiral arms attach to this structure.　　Williams said the commonly held thought is that galaxies form from the inside out. That way, they "get bigger and bigger over their lifetimes."　　The images let scientists for the first time determine the structure of the clouds of dust and gas from which stars and planets form at a high level of detail.　　The images are in galaxies beyond the Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud. Those two galaxies are near the Milky Way.　　Webb's observations build on Hubble's.　　Erik Rosolowsky is an astronomer at Canada's University of Alberta. He said, "Using Hubble, we would see the starlight from galaxies, but some of the light was blocked by the dust of galaxies."　　Rosolowsky added, "This limitation made it hard to understand parts of how a galaxy operates as a system. With Webb's view in the infrared, we can see through this dust to see stars behind and within the enshrouding dust."　　I'm Dan Novak.　　Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　由Dan Novak撰写　　2024年2月3日　　詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜新近发布的图像显示了19个相对接近我们的银河系的螺旋星系。这些图像提供了关于星体形成、星系结构和演化的新信息。　　这些图像是由一个名为PHANGS（近邻星系高角分辨率物理学）项目的科学家团队在周一公开的。该项目在几个主要的天文观测站进行。　　这19个星系中最近的被称为NGC5068，距离地球大约1500万光年。最远的是NGC1365，距离地球大约6000万光年。光年是光在一年中行走的距离，相当于大约9.5万亿公里。　　詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜（JWST）于2021年发射，并于2022年开始收集数据。它在拍摄太空照片的同时，塑造了我们对早期宇宙的理解。　　这个在轨望远镜主要以红外线观察宇宙。而1990年发射并仍在使用的哈勃太空望远镜，主要在光学和紫外线波长上检查宇宙。　　螺旋星系是一种常见的星系类型。我们的银河系就是其中之一。　　新的观察结果来自韦伯的近红外相机（NIRCam）和中红外仪器（MIRI）。它们显示了大约100,000个星团和数百万，甚至数十亿的单个星星。　　"这些数据很重要，因为它们给了我们一个新的视角来看待星体形成的最早阶段，"牛津大学的天文学家托马斯·威廉姆斯说。他领导了团队对这些图像的数据处理。　　威廉姆斯补充说："星星是在尘云深处诞生的，这些尘云完全阻挡了可见波长的光 - 哈勃太空望远镜对此敏感 - 但是这些云在JWST波长下发光。我们对这个阶段的了解并不多。"　　大约一半的螺旋星系有一个从中心伸出的直线结构，被称为酒吧。螺旋臂连接到这个结构。　　威廉姆斯说，普遍认为的观点是星系是从内部向外形成的。这样，它们在其生命周期中"变得越来越大"。　　这些图像让科学家首次能够确定星星和行星形成的尘埃和气体云的结构，具有高度的细节。　　这些图像是在大麦哲伦云和小麦哲伦云之外的星系中。这两个星系靠近银河系。　　韦伯的观察结果是基于哈勃的。　　埃里克·罗索洛夫斯基是加拿大阿尔伯塔大学的一位天文学家。他说："使用哈勃，我们可以看到来自星系的星光，但是一些光被星系的尘埃阻挡了。"　　罗索洛夫斯基补充说："这个限制使我们很难理解星系作为一个系统是如何运作的。有了韦伯在红外线下的视野，我们可以看穿这个尘埃，看到尘埃后面和尘埃内部的星星。"　　我是丹·诺瓦克。　　丹·诺瓦克根据路透社的报道为VOA学习英语改编了这个故事。--------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　spiral — n. 一条围绕中心点的曲线，它在靠近或远离中心点的同时旋转　　infrared — n. 产生或使用看不见的光线，这些光线比产生红光的光线长　　cluster — n.一群靠在一起的事物或人　　phase — n. 过程中的一部分或步骤　　determine — v. 因为证据或事实而正式决定　　dust — n. 在没有最近清洁的表面上积累的细小干燥粉末　　enshroud — v. 以一种使看或理解变得困难的方式覆盖

2024年02月19日 13:01

Student Academy Awards Provide ‘Momentum’ for Young Filmmakers学生学院奖为年轻电影制作人提供“动力”你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Dan Friedell　　03 February 2024　　While most people know about the Academy Awards in Hollywood — the awards known as the Oscars — few know about the Student Academy Awards.　　But to those who know about the industry, they are a big deal.　　A top-three finish at the Student Academy Awards can lift a young filmmaker's career.　　Freddy Macdonald knows this.　　His short movie, Shedding Angels, placed third in the narrative film category in 2022. It was his thesis film after two years of study at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles. A thesis is a big project that is needed to complete a study program.　　Just being selected as a finalist was a dream come true, Macdonald said.　　"Having that stamp from the Academy helped give me so much momentum to create my first feature film."　　Macdonald is 23. He said the recognition from the Academy helped launch his career. After the award, he said, investors paid more attention to him, and he was able to create excitement for a full-length movie.　　That movie is a longer version of another one of his short films called Sew Torn. He directed it when he was 19.　　Sew Torn, he said, tells the story of a seamstress who gets involved in a violent drug deal.　　The full-length movie will be shown at film festivals this year and Macdonald hopes it will be shown in theaters sometime in the near future.　　History of success　　Macdonald could be one of the more recent filmmakers to go on to a successful career in Hollywood after receiving a student award from the Academy.　　The awards program celebrated its 50th year in 2023. Some of the past winners include Spike Lee, known for his movies, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, He Got Game and others. Lee won an Oscar in 2019 for BlacKkKlansman.　　Lee won his student award in 1983 when he was studying at New York University (NYU). His film was Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.　　Other student winners include Robert Zemeckis, who won an Oscar for directing Forrest Gump in 1994. Pete Docter won a student award, too. He later earned Oscars for his animated films Up, Inside Out and Soul.　　Kendra Carter is a Vice President at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which runs both awards programs. She said the Academy hopes to open the film industry to people from many different backgrounds and "create a pool of highly skilled, diverse talent."　　Serious exposure　　In 2023, 640 members of the Academy voted on the awards, which means the student work was seen by hundreds of people in Hollywood. In addition to the award, many students come away from the event with a business agent who can help them get more work.　　But that's not all. The gold-medal winners can choose to have their work submitted for the Academy Awards. Last year, an animated short film by a student from Australia, An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It, was considered for an Oscar.　　"Once your name is tied to a Student Academy Award, it just opens all of these doors," the Academy's Carter said. "It's so transformative for emerging filmmakers."　　The program is now open to young filmmakers from around the world. Giorgio Ghiotto of Italy is a student at NYU. He won the gold medal in October for his documentary short film Wings of Dust.　　"Everyone thinks it's impossible to be a documentary filmmaker unless you're rich, or super lucky," Ghiotto said. He called his success "an impossible dream."　　Macdonald said the opportunity to compete with student filmmakers from around the world was both "extremely daunting and exciting." He said it was a great experience to go to the awards ceremony and meet so many creative people from around the world.　　School experience　　He would not have gotten that experience without going to film school. Macdonald said he thought about going to an undergraduate film program first.　　"And then towards the end of high school, kind of, I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker, but the big question came what college am I gonna go to? Where should I be applying? And so, I started looking at all the different paths in terms of film school and the American Film Institute always jumped off the page to me...But I didn't think that would be a possibility because it is a graduate program, and I was applying as a high school senior."　　Macdonald applied and was the youngest person ever accepted into the directing program. He was qualified because by then, he had already made a short film and done other directing jobs. But because he did not have a college degree, AFI gave him a "certificate of completion" at the end.　　While in school, he learned more about the business side of filmmaking than he expected. He learned how to write a proposal that aimed to make investors excited to finance a film.　　"And that was really helpful for me to kind of wrap my head around the different ways you can make movies."　　‘An honor'　　Before being nominated for a Student Academy Award, Macdonald had everything he needed to enter the film industry. He had strong experience before attending AFI. He learned even more in school. He even got attention from some film studios. But the Student Academy Award experience gave him something more. It gave him the sense that other people believed in what he was doing.　　"The Academy recognizing it (my film) really gave me belief in myself that the stories that I want to tell are worth telling and that I should keep pursuing them."　　The lesson, Macdonald added, was that the Academy liked his work and he, in his words, "should keep fighting to make movies."　　I'm Dan Friedell. And I'm Jill Robbins.　　Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press and his interview with Macdonald.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Dan Friedell　　2024年2月3日　　虽然大多数人都知道好莱坞的奥斯卡奖——也就是被称为奥斯卡的学院奖，但很少有人知道学生学院奖。　　但对于那些了解这个行业的人来说，它们是一件大事。　　在学生学院奖中获得前三名可以提升一个年轻电影制作人的职业生涯。　　弗雷迪·麦克唐纳德知道这一点。　　他的短片《脱落的天使》在2022年的叙事电影类别中获得了第三名。这是他在洛杉矶美国电影学院（AFI）学习两年后的毕业论文电影。毕业论文是完成学习计划所需的大型项目。　　麦克唐纳德说，仅仅被选为决赛入围者就是梦想成真。　　"获得学院的认可为我创作第一部故事片提供了巨大的动力。"　　麦克唐纳德现年23岁。他说，学院的认可帮助他启动了他的职业生涯。他说，获奖后，投资者更加关注他，他能够为一部全长电影创造兴奋点。　　那部电影是他的另一部短片《撕裂》的长版。他在19岁时导演了这部电影。　　他说，《撕裂》讲述了一个裁缝卷入一场暴力的毒品交易的故事。　　这部全长电影将在今年的电影节上展映，麦克唐纳德希望它在不久的将来能在影院上映。　　成功的历史　　麦克唐纳德可能是最近一批在获得学院的学生奖后在好莱坞取得成功的电影制作人之一。　　这个奖项计划在2023年庆祝了其50周年。一些过去的获奖者包括斯派克·李，他以他的电影《做正确的事》、《马尔科姆·X》、《他有游戏》等而闻名。李在2019年凭借《黑色克兰斯曼》赢得了奥斯卡奖。　　李在1983年赢得了他的学生奖，当时他正在纽约大学（NYU）学习。他的电影是《乔的贝德-斯图伊理发店：我们剪头发》。　　其他学生获奖者包括罗伯特·泽米吉斯，他在1994年凭借导演《阿甘正传》赢得了奥斯卡奖。皮特·道克特也赢得了学生奖。他后来凭借他的动画电影《飞屋环游记》、《头脑特工队》和《心灵奇旅》赢得了奥斯卡奖。　　肯德拉·卡特是运营这两个奖项计划的电影艺术和科学学院的副主席。她说，学院希望向来自许多不同背景的人开放电影行业，并"创造一批高技能、多元化的人才库"。　　严肃的曝光　　在2023年，640名学院的成员对奖项进行了投票，这意味着学生的作品被好莱坞的数百人看到。除了奖项，许多学生从这个活动中带走了一位商业代理人，他们可以帮助他们获得更多的工作。　　但这还不是全部。金牌获奖者可以选择将他们的作品提交给奥斯卡奖。去年，一部由澳大利亚学生制作的动画短片《一只鸵鸟告诉我世界是假的，我想我相信了》被考虑为奥斯卡奖的候选。　　"一旦你的名字与学生奥斯卡奖联系在一起，它就会打开所有这些门，"学院的卡特说。"这对新兴电影制作人来说是如此的改变生活。"　　这个项目现在对来自世界各地的年轻电影制作人开放。意大利的乔治奥·吉奥托是纽约大学的一名学生。他在10月份凭借他的纪录片短片《尘土之翼》赢得了金牌。　　"每个人都认为，除非你很富有，或者非常幸运，否则你不可能成为一名纪录片制作人，"吉奥托说。他称他的成功为"一个不可能的梦想"。　　麦克唐纳德说，有机会与来自世界各地的学生电影制作人竞争既"极其令人生畏又令人兴奋"。他说，去参加颁奖典礼并见到来自世界各地的这么多创新人士是一次很好的经历。　　学校经历　　如果没有去电影学校，他就不会有这样的经历。麦克唐纳德说，他曾经考虑过首先去读一个本科电影课程。　　"然后在高中快结束的时候，我知道我想成为一名电影制作人，但是大问题来了，我应该去哪所大学？我应该申请哪里？所以，我开始查看所有关于电影学校的不同路径，美国电影学院总是给我留下深刻的印象...但我认为这不可能，因为它是一个研究生课程，而我是作为一个高中毕业生申请的。"　　麦克唐纳德申请了，并成为了被录取到导演课程的最年轻的人。他有资格，因为到那时，他已经制作了一部短片并做了其他的导演工作。但是因为他没有大学学位，所以AFI在结束时给了他一个"完成证书"。　　在学校期间，他比预期中学到了更多关于电影制作的商业方面的知识。他学会了如何写一个旨在让投资者兴奋地投资电影的提案。　　"这对我来说真的很有帮助，让我理解了你可以制作电影的不同方式。"　　‘一种荣誉'　　在被提名为学生奥斯卡奖之前，麦克唐纳德已经拥有了进入电影行业所需的一切。他在进入AFI之前就有了丰富的经验。他在学校里学到了更多。他甚至引起了一些电影工作室的注意。但是学生奥斯卡奖的经历给了他更多。它让他感到其他人相信他正在做的事情。　　"学院对它（我的电影）的认可真的让我对自己有了信心，我想要讲述的故事是值得讲述的，我应该继续追求它们。"　　麦克唐纳德补充说，这个教训是，学院喜欢他的作品，他用他的话说，"应该继续努力制作电影。"　　我是丹·弗里德尔。我是吉尔·罗宾斯。　　丹·弗里德尔根据美联社的报道和他与麦克唐纳德的采访为学习英语写了这个故事。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　career –n.一个人长期从事的工作或职业　　narrative –adj.  讲述故事的　　stamp –n. 批准的标记　　momentum –n.一个推动未来持续运动的力量　　seamstress –n.一个缝制或修补衣物的女人　　animated –adj. 涉及动画片或卡通，而不是真人动作电影　　diverse –adj. 涉及许多不同的事物的例子　　transformative –adj. 导致完全改变的　　emerging –adj. 刚开始发展成为完全的东西　　pursue –v. 追逐，跟随或简单地继续做某事

2024年02月19日 11:48

Do You Have a 'Doppelg?nger'?你有一个“分身”吗？你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Anna Matteo　　03 February 2024　　And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.　　English borrows from many other languages. And today we talk about a word that comes from German – doppelganger.　　The word "doppelganger" comes from German folklore. The online dictionary Merriam-Webster describes the old story. All living creatures have a spirit who is invisible but exactly the same as the living person. But just because you can't see them, doppelgangers are not ghosts. They are sometimes described as "the spiritual opposite or negative of their human counterpart."　　Even though the word comes from spiritual folklore, we use it in a very real way. When two people look very similar, we can call them doppelgangers.　　English has other expressions that have a similar meaning. If someone looks like someone else, you can call them a look-alike, spitting image or mirror image.　　Let's hear two friends use some of these expressions.　　A: Were you at the airport yesterday?　　B: No. I haven't been to the airport in over a year.　　A: Are you sure about that?　　B: I think I would know if I were at the airport. Why do you ask?　　A: Well, if you weren't there, then I ran into your doppelganger. She was a mirror image of you!　　B: Wow, I've heard about doppelgangers. But I didn't think I really had a look-alike out there in the world.　　A: Well, you do. And they are on their way to Costa Rica.　　B: I wish I could trade places with my doppelganger!　　If you know someone who looks exactly like another person, you can also call them a dead ringer.　　Experts say this expression comes from American horse racing, and usage began in the late 19th century.　　Sometimes, racehorse owners would race a horse under a false name and pedigree. They did this to trick people who bet money on race results. These horses were called "ringers."　　Here is how to use this expression in a sentence: My best friend in college is a dead ringer for George Clooney. When we're out in public, he gets asked for his autograph all the time.　　In the expression "dead ringer," the word "dead" does not mean lifeless. In this case, it means exact or precise. It is a way to add emphasis, or highlight something. For example, if I am sure that my friend is right about something, I can say she is dead right. We can also say someone is "dead wrong" if they are most certainly wrong.　　The next time you want to describe two people who look the same, you can choose any of these expressions.　　And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ...　　I'm Anna Matteo.　　Anna Matteo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Anna Matteo　　2024年2月3日　　现在，来自VOA学习英语的“词汇及其故事”。　　英语借用了许多其他语言的词汇。今天我们要讲的词是来自德语的“doppelganger”。　　“doppelganger”这个词源于德国的民间传说。在线词典韦氏词典描述了这个古老的故事。所有的生物都有一个看不见的精神，但这个精神与活着的人完全相同。但是，就因为你看不见他们，doppelgangers并不是鬼魂。他们有时被描述为“他们的人类对应物的精神对立面或负面”。　　尽管这个词源于精神的民间传说，但我们在现实中使用它。当两个人看起来非常相似，我们可以称他们为doppelgangers。　　英语中还有其他表达相似含义的表达。如果有人看起来像另一个人，你可以称他们为相似物、一模一样或镜像。　　让我们听两个朋友如何使用这些表达。　　A: 你昨天在机场吗？　　B: 不，我已经一年多没去过机场了。　　A: 你确定吗？　　B: 我想我应该知道我是否在机场。你为什么问这个？　　A: 嗯，如果你不在那里，那我遇到了你的分身。她就像你的镜像！　　B: 哇，我听说过分身。但我没想到我真的在世界上有一个相似物。　　A: 嗯，你有。而且他们正在去哥斯达黎加的路上。　　B: 我希望我能和我的分身交换位置！　　如果你认识的人看起来和另一个人完全一样，你也可以称他们为“死铃声”。　　专家说这个表达来自美国的赛马，使用开始于19世纪末。　　有时，赛马主会用假名和血统来参加比赛。他们这样做是为了欺骗那些把钱押在比赛结果上的人。这些马被称为"ringers"。　　以下是如何在句子中使用这个表达：我在大学的最好的朋友就像乔治·克鲁尼的翻版。当我们在公共场合时，他总是被要求签名。　　在"dead ringer"这个表达中，"dead"并不意味着无生命。在这种情况下，它意味着精确或准确。这是一种增加强调或突出某事的方式。例如，如果我确定我的朋友在某件事上是对的，我可以说她是绝对正确的。如果他们肯定是错的，我们也可以说某人是"dead wrong"。　　下次你想描述两个看起来一样的人，你可以选择这些表达中的任何一个。　　这就是我们这次的“词汇及其故事”时间。下次再见...　　我是安娜·马特奥。　　安娜·马特奥为VOA学习英语写了这篇课文。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　folklore – n. 一种从一代传到下一代的人们的习俗、信仰、故事和谚语　　spirit – n. 人类内在的一种力量，被认为赋予身体生命、能量和力量　　invisible – adj. 本质上无法被看见的：视觉无法察觉的　　ghost – n. 死者的灵魂，被认为是未见世界的居民，或以肉体的形象出现在生者面前　　negative – adj. 朝着与选定为正面的方向相反的方向延伸或测量　　counterpart – n. 与另一个非常相似的人或物：完美匹配另一个的事物　　pedigree – n.人或动物的祖先的血统或系列：通过祖先的血统记录的纯种　　precise – adj.确切或清晰地定义或陈述　　emphasis – n. 在说话时给单词或音节施加压力的行为或事实：对某事给予特别的关注或重视

2024年02月18日 11:37

Is Elon Musk Worth $55.8 Billion to Tesla?埃隆·马斯克对特斯拉来说价值558亿美元吗？你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Hai Do　　03 February 2024　　Tesla chief Elon Musk wants to move the company's incorporation, or registration, from the American state of Delaware to Texas. Musk said he will ask Tesla shareholders to vote on the move after a Delaware judge ruled against his 2018 pay deal valued at $55.8 billion.　　"Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware," Musk posted on social media service X shortly after the ruling.　　Tesla and many major companies, including Amazon, Google, Disney, and Walmart, keep their headquarters in other states. But they all register in the small eastern state of Delaware because of its tax laws and business courts.　　The financial publication Forbes reports that 68 percent of the top American businesses are incorporated in Delaware. Companies that are registered in Delaware do not pay corporate income tax if they do not do business in the state. Even if they do business in the state, companies can also avoid paying corporate tax by setting up what is called a "shell" company. A shell company legally owns property but does not carry out any business.　　Dan Coatsworth is an expert at AJ Bell, a British investment company. He told Reuters that Musk's plan is the kind of behavior from someone "who always looks for an alternative if he can't get what he wants."　　Musk's idea, should he go through with the vote, is not without risk. Legal experts said investors might take legal action if he tried to move the state of incorporation to Texas. Legal action is even more likely if it was seen as a move to get his pay deal rather than to help Tesla.　　Musk's pay package　　In 2022, the research firm Equilar carried out a study for The Associated Press. The study said that the median pay deal for a chief executive officer, or CEO, of a company in the Standard & Poor 500, an index of top companies, was valued at $14.8 million.　　It would take an average worker at one of those companies more than 185 years to earn what their chief executive gets in just 12 months.　　Musk's pay package of $55.8 billion, set in 2018, was much larger than usual. So, a shareholder brought legal action. His lawyer argued that it was proposed by company directors with ties to Musk. And shareholders were given misleading and incomplete information.　　In 2018, Tesla estimated the value of Musk's compensation package at $2.28 billion. But its value has grown as Tesla's stock price increased. Under the plan, Musk would receive stock options each time Tesla's market value rose by $50 billion. That means Musk would have the chance to buy nearly 304 million shares for $23.34 each.　　Tesla stock is now trading at about $190 a share compared with $21 at the start of 2018. By comparison, in 2022 the median worker at Tesla made $34,084.　　Last week, Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick of Delaware ruled that the process to set Musk's pay package was "flawed" and the price "unfair." She ruled that Tesla's directors lacked independence from Musk and the big pay package was not needed for Tesla to keep Musk or meet its performance goals.　　McCormick's ruling moved Musk out of the top spot on the Forbes list of wealthiest people. The publication removed $25 billion from his wealth putting him below French businessman Bernard Arnault.　　How do companies decide on CEO pay?　　To decide how much to pay their CEO, company directors often look at how much other companies are paying theirs. General Motors, for example, looks at Boeing, Ford, IBM, and other large companies to set its pay.　　In 2022, General Motors gave its CEO, Mary Barra, a pay package valued at $29 million. And Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford, another car company, received $22 million that year.　　Although Tesla makes automobiles, investors often compare its stock with technology companies. Musk is often compared to Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Apple's Tim Cook.　　In 2023, Cook's pay was valued at $63.2 million. A year earlier, Cook received about $99 million.　　Musk's supporters argue that he is not like any other CEO and should not be paid like other CEOs. They said he has built Tesla into the most valuable automaker in the world. Last year, Tesla sold more electric vehicles than any other company. And the company's success has forced the rest of the auto industry to plan for electric vehicles.　　Business law experts say any new pay package for Musk will likely be back in court again without independent directors or changes in the decision process for pay.　　Before the ruling, however, Musk wrote on X that he wanted Tesla company directors to double his share to give him 25 percent voting control of the company. If not, Musk said he would develop artificial intelligence and robotic software outside of the company.　　I'm Mario Ritter Jr. And I'm Faith Pirlo.　　Hai Do adapted this report for VOA Learning English from The Associated Press, Reuters and other sources.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Hai Do　　日期：2024年2月3日　　特斯拉首席执行官埃隆·马斯克想将公司的注册地从美国特拉华州迁移到德克萨斯州。在特拉华州的一位法官对他2018年价值558亿美元的薪酬协议做出反对裁决后，马斯克表示他将要求特斯拉的股东对此举进行投票。　　"永远不要在特拉华州注册你的公司，"马斯克在社交媒体服务X上发布了这条信息。　　特斯拉和许多大公司，包括亚马逊、谷歌、迪士尼和沃尔玛，都将总部设在其他州。但是他们都选择在东部小州特拉华州注册，原因是其税法和商业法庭。　　财经出版物福布斯报道，68%的美国顶级企业都在特拉华州注册。在特拉华州注册的公司如果不在该州做生意，就不需要支付公司所得税。即使在该州做生意，公司也可以通过设立所谓的"壳"公司来避免支付公司税。壳公司在法律上拥有财产，但不进行任何业务。　　丹·科茨沃思是英国投资公司AJ Bell的专家。他告诉路透社，马斯克的计划是那种"如果得不到他想要的，就会寻找替代方案"的人的行为。　　如果马斯克真的进行投票，他的想法并非没有风险。法律专家表示，如果他试图将注册地迁移到德克萨斯州，投资者可能会采取法律行动。如果这被视为是为了获取他的薪酬协议，而不是为了帮助特斯拉，那么法律行动的可能性就更大了。　　马斯克的薪酬套餐　　2022年，研究公司Equilar为美联社进行了一项研究。研究表明，标准普尔500指数公司的首席执行官（CEO）的平均薪酬协议价值为1480万美元。　　在这些公司的一名普通员工需要超过185年的时间才能赚到他们的首席执行官在短短12个月内得到的收入。　　马斯克在2018年设定的558亿美元的薪酬套餐比通常的要大得多。因此，一位股东提起了法律诉讼。他的律师辩称，这是由与马斯克有关系的公司董事提出的。并且股东们被给予了误导性和不完整的信息。　　2018年，特斯拉估计马斯克的薪酬套餐的价值为22.8亿美元。但随着特斯拉股价的上涨，其价值也在增长。根据该计划，每次特斯拉的市值增加500亿美元，马斯克就会获得股票期权。这意味着马斯克将有机会以每股23.34美元的价格购买近304百万股。　　现在，特斯拉的股票交易价格约为每股190美元，而在2018年初，这个价格是21美元。相比之下，2022年特斯拉的中位数员工收入为34,084美元。　　上周，特拉华州的Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick法官裁定，设定马斯克薪酬套餐的过程是"有瑕疵的"，价格"不公平"。她裁定，特斯拉的董事们缺乏对马斯克的独立性，而且大额薪酬套餐并不是特斯拉保留马斯克或达到其绩效目标所必需的。　　McCormick的裁决使马斯克在福布斯最富有人物榜单上的排名下降。该出版物从他的财富中扣除了250亿美元，使他的排名低于法国商人伯纳德·阿诺。　　公司如何决定CEO的薪酬？　　在决定支付CEO多少薪酬时，公司董事们通常会看其他公司支付他们的CEO多少薪酬。例如，通用汽车会参考波音、福特、IBM和其他大公司来设定其薪酬。　　2022年，通用汽车给其首席执行官玛丽·巴拉提供了价值2900万美元的薪酬套餐。而福特汽车公司的首席执行官吉姆·法利那年收到了2200万美元。　　尽管特斯拉生产汽车，但投资者经常将其股票与科技公司进行比较。马斯克经常被拿来与Meta的马克·扎克伯格和苹果的蒂姆·库克进行比较。　　2023年，库克的薪酬价值为6320万美元。在一年前，库克收到了约9900万美元。　　马斯克的支持者们认为，他并不像其他任何CEO，也不应该像其他CEO那样得到支付。他们说，他已经把特斯拉建设成了世界上最有价值的汽车制造商。去年，特斯拉卖出的电动汽车比任何其他公司都多。而且，该公司的成功已经迫使其他汽车行业为电动汽车做出计划。　　商业法律专家表示，如果没有独立董事或改变薪酬决策过程，马斯克的任何新薪酬套餐可能会再次出现在法庭上。　　然而，在裁决之前，马斯克在X上写道，他希望特斯拉公司的董事们将他的股份翻倍，给他25%的公司投票控制权。如果不是，马斯克说他将在公司外部开发人工智能和机器人软件。　　我是马里奥·里特尔·小。我是费思·皮尔洛。　　Hai Do从美联社、路透社和其他来源为VOA学习英语改编了这篇报道。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　alternative –n. 另一种可能的选择，与当前考虑的选择不同　　median –n. 一组数字中的中间值　　stock option –n. 一种合同，赋予所有者以设定价格购买股票的权利　　flawed –adj. 包含错误或不应存在的东西

2024年02月18日 11:32

Remembering Chita Rivera记忆中的奇塔·里维拉你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Caty Weaver　　02 February 2024　　Groundbreaking American performer Chita Rivera died on January 30 in New York. She was 91 years old.　　The famed dancer, singer and actor won many awards and honors in her long career on Broadway and beyond. Her work also broke through ethnic and racial barriers in American entertainment, helping to shape a path for Latin performers.　　Her daughter, Lisa Mordente, announced her mother's death. She said Rivera died after a brief sickness.　　Rivera first gained wide notice in 1957 as Anita in the original production of the musical play West Side Story. She was still dancing on New York's Broadway stages a half-century later in 2015's The Visit.　　"I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't moving or telling a story to you or singing a song," she told the Associated Press at the time. "That's the spirit of my life, and I'm really so lucky to be able to do what I love, even at this time in my life."　　Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero was born January 23, 1933, in Washington, D.C. Her Puerto Rican father, Pedro del Rivero, was a musician who played in the United States Navy Band. He died when Chita was seven. Her mother Katherine was of Scottish and Italian ancestry.　　Chita studied dance as a young girl and was accepted to a highly respected school for ballet. She was 17 when she won her first part in a musical.　　"She was a true Broadway legend," playwright Paul Rudnick said on social media service X. "She always delivered and audiences adored her. The moment she stepped onstage, the world became more exciting and glorious."　　Rivera rose from chorus line performer to star. Along the way, she worked with many of Broadway's other greatest playmakers, including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, and Harold Prince.　　She won two Tonys, the highest award for live theater in the United States. Her first came in 1984 with the production The Rink. She won again in 1993 for the play Kiss of the Spider Woman. An Associated Press theater critic wrote at the time that Rivera was "more than a musical theater star. She's a force of nature...."　　The second Tony was an especially sweet victory for the star. Just five years earlier, Rivera had been in a serious car accident that crushed her right leg. It could have ended her career. After months of physical therapy to regain her dancing skills, she returned to the stage singing and dancing as energetically as ever.　　She told the AP: "It never entered my mind that I wouldn't dance again. Never. I can't explain to you why. It's hard work getting back but that's what I'm doing."　　When accepting a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, Rivera said "I wouldn't trade my life in the theater for anything, because theater is life."　　In August 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama honored Rivera with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States. At the presentation of the medal, Rivera put her hand over her heart and shook her head in wonderment.　　Rivera was married to dancer Tony Mordente from 1957 until 1966. Their daughter Lisa also became a performer and has appeared on Broadway.　　I'm Caty Weaver.　　The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：凯缇·韦弗　　日期：2024年2月2日　　突破性的美国表演者奇塔·里维拉于1月30日在纽约去世，享年91岁。　　这位著名的舞者、歌手和演员在百老汇及其他地方的漫长职业生涯中赢得了许多奖项和荣誉。她的工作也突破了美国娱乐业的种族和种族障碍，为拉丁表演者铺平了道路。　　她的女儿，丽莎·莫登特，宣布了她母亲的去世。她说里维拉在一次短暂的疾病后去世。　　里维拉首次在1957年的音乐剧《西区故事》的原创制作中以安妮塔的角色受到广泛关注。直到半个世纪后的2015年，她仍在纽约的百老汇舞台上跳舞，参演了《访问》。　　“如果我不在移动，或者向你们讲故事，或者唱歌，我会不知所措，”她当时告诉美联社。“这就是我的生活精神，我真的很幸运能够做我热爱的事情，即使在我生活的这个时期。”　　多洛雷斯·康奇塔·菲格罗亚·德尔·里维罗于1933年1月23日在华盛顿特区出生。她的波多黎各父亲，佩德罗·德尔·里维罗，是一位在美国海军乐队演奏的音乐家。当奇塔七岁时，他去世了。她的母亲凯瑟琳是苏格兰和意大利血统。　　奇塔在年轻时学习舞蹈，并被一所高度受尊敬的芭蕾舞学校接受。她在赢得音乐剧的第一个角色时才17岁。　　“她是真正的百老汇传奇，”剧作家保罗·鲁德尼克在社交媒体服务X上说。“她总是尽职尽责，观众都喜欢她。她一踏上舞台，世界就变得更加激动人心和辉煌。”　　里维拉从合唱队表演者崛起为明星。一路上，她与百老汇的许多其他最伟大的剧作家合作，包括杰罗姆·罗宾斯、伦纳德·伯恩斯坦、鲍勃·福西和哈罗德·普林斯。　　她赢得了两个托尼奖，这是美国现场剧院的最高奖项。她的第一个托尼奖是在1984年的《滑冰场》中获得的。她在1993年的剧目《蜘蛛女之吻》中再次获奖。当时，美联社的剧院评论家写道，里维拉“不仅仅是一位音乐剧明星。她是一股自然力量......”　　第二个托尼奖对于这位明星来说是一次特别甜蜜的胜利。仅仅五年前，里维拉遭遇了一场严重的车祸，她的右腿被压碎。这可能会结束她的职业生涯。经过几个月的物理治疗以恢复她的舞蹈技能，她以前所未有的活力回到了舞台，唱歌和跳舞。　　她告诉美联社：“我从未想过我不会再跳舞。从来没有。我无法向你解释为什么。恢复过来是一项艰苦的工作，但这就是我正在做的。”　　在2018年接受特别托尼奖终身成就奖时，里维拉说：“我不会用任何东西来交换我在剧院的生活，因为剧院就是生活。”　　2009年8月，美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马向里维拉颁发了总统自由勋章，这是美国的最高平民奖项。在颁发勋章的时候，里维拉把手放在心口，摇头表示惊讶。　　里维拉从1957年到1966年与舞者托尼·莫登特结婚。他们的女儿丽莎也成为了一名表演者，并在百老汇出现过。　　我是凯缇·韦弗。　　这个故事是由美联社报道的。凯缇·韦弗为美国之音学习英语改编了它。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　original - n. 原创的；不是复制或模仿其他东西的；第一　　legend - n. 一个激发传说的人或事物；因某些技能或成功而广受尊敬和赞扬的人　　deliver - v. 产生承诺的、期望的或预期的结果　　glorious - adj. 极好的；精彩的　　chorus line - n. 在音乐喜剧或歌舞表演中支持主要演员的一群舞者和歌手　　therapy - n. 治疗，用于治疗损伤、疾病或疾病的医疗方法

2024年02月16日 11:26

Women to Take Center Stage at the Grammys女性将在格莱美奖上占据主导地位你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Dan Novak　　02 February 2024　　The American music industry holds its highest honors Sunday night in Los Angeles at the 67th Grammy Awards ceremony.　　Artists including Taylor Swift and SZA, as well as songs from the Oscar-nominated movie Barbie lead the competition in nominations. And mostly women are nominated for Album of the Year, the top Grammy. Just one of the eight nominees is male.　　SZA has the most nominations of any artist this year: nine in all.　　The wide female representation in nominations follows a year of huge success for women in the mostly male music business.　　Swift's Eras Tour broke the record for ticket sales, passing that of British singer-songwriter Elton John. Beyoncé also played to full stadiums. And, Swift's concert film, also was a huge hit, earning more than $180 million in ticket sales.　　"Women had a phenomenal year, not just in music, but in Barbie being the biggest-grossing movie," said Billboard magazine reporter Paul Grein. "Women dominated pop culture."　　In addition to Swift and SZA, the other women nominated for this year's album prize are Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, Olivia Rodrigo, Janelle Monae and boygenius. The group boygenius is musicians Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. The single male artist nominated for Album of the Year is Jon Batiste.　　It is just the 12th time in the Grammys' 66-year history, Grein said, that women received the majority of nominations for album of the year.　　In other award fields, music from the Barbie movie received 12 Grammy nominations, including one for song of the year: Billie Eilish's, What Was I Made For?　　Recording Academy recruits women　　The Recording Academy has been admitting an increasing number of female music makers as members in recent years. The Academy is the group of musicians, producers, engineers and others who vote on the Grammy nominees and winners. Since 2019, the percentage of female members has gone from 30 percent to 36 percent.　　"They are infusing the membership with a lot of members who will probably see things differently," Grein said.　　Some of the male artists normally in competition were between projects. Harry Styles, Bad Bunny and other past Grammy winners did not release new music during the eligibility period. Still, a University of Southern California study shows the percentage of women artists on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 list at the end of 2023 reached 35 percent, a 12-year high.　　Women also made gains behind the scenes, with women of color driving the first increase in female songwriting credits in 12 years. Almost 20 percent of songwriters are women, up from 14 percent a year earlier.　　Female musicians made a lot of progress in just a few years, Smith said.　　"When you look at the data, you see that the collective action across the music industry is moving toward women," she said. "That we haven't seen before."　　The number of female producers increased but remain mostly male. In 2023, women received 6.5 percent of producer credits. No women were nominated for the producer of the year Grammy.　　But, on Sunday, several women could make history at the ceremony, including Swift and SZA.　　Swift could become the first artist to win album of the year four times if her work Midnights wins the big prize. And, if SZA wins for her recording "SOS," she will be the first Black woman to win album of the year as lead artist since Lauryn Hill.　　Hill received the honor 25 years ago.　　I'm Dan Novak.　　Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Dan Novak　　日期：2024年2月2日　　美国音乐界将于周日晚在洛杉矶举行第67届格莱美奖颁奖典礼，颁发其最高荣誉。　　包括泰勒·斯威夫特和SZA在内的艺术家，以及来自奥斯卡提名电影《芭比》的歌曲，在提名竞争中领先。而且，主要是女性被提名为年度专辑，这是格莱美最高奖项。八个提名者中只有一位是男性。　　SZA是今年提名最多的艺术家：总共有九项提名。　　提名中女性代表的广泛展示，跟随了女性在主要由男性主导的音乐业界取得的巨大成功的一年。　　斯威夫特的"Eras Tour"打破了票房销售记录，超过了英国歌手兼词曲创作人埃尔顿·约翰。碧昂斯也在满员的体育场演出。此外，斯威夫特的音乐会电影也取得了巨大的成功，票房收入超过1.8亿美元。　　"女性在今年表现出色，不仅在音乐上，而且在《芭比》成为最高票房电影上，"Billboard杂志记者Paul Grein说。"女性主导了流行文化。"　　除了斯威夫特和SZA，今年的专辑奖的其他女性提名者包括麦莉·塞勒斯，拉娜·德雷，奥利维亚·罗德里戈，詹妮尔·莫奈和boygenius。乐队boygenius是由音乐家朱利安·贝克，菲比·布里奇斯和露西·达库斯组成。被提名为年度专辑的唯一男性艺术家是乔恩·巴蒂斯特。　　Grein说，这是格莱美66年历史中的第12次，女性获得了年度专辑提名的大部分。　　在其他奖项领域，来自《芭比》电影的音乐获得了12项格莱美提名，包括年度歌曲的一项：比莉·艾利什的《我是为了什么而生》。　　录音学院招募女性　　近年来，录音学院一直在接纳越来越多的女性音乐制作人成为会员。学院是由音乐家、制作人、工程师和其他人组成的团体，他们对格莱美奖的提名者和获奖者进行投票。自2019年以来，女性会员的比例已经从30%增加到36%。　　"他们正在用很多可能会有不同看法的会员充实会员队伍，"Grein说。　　一些通常参与竞争的男性艺术家正在进行项目之间的切换。哈里·斯泰尔斯、Bad Bunny和其他过去的格莱美奖得主在资格期间没有发布新音乐。然而，南加州大学的一项研究显示，到2023年底，Billboard杂志热门100首歌曲榜单上的女性艺术家比例达到了35%，这是12年来的最高水平。　　女性也在幕后取得了进步，有色人种的女性推动了12年来女性歌曲创作信用的首次增长。近20%的歌曲创作人是女性，比一年前的14%有所上升。　　女性音乐家在短短几年内取得了很大的进步，Smith说。　　"当你看数据时，你会看到整个音乐行业的集体行动正在向女性倾斜，"她说。"这是我们以前没有看到过的。"　　女性制作人的数量增加了，但主要还是男性。在2023年，女性获得了6.5%的制作人信用。没有女性被提名为年度制作人格莱美奖。　　但是，在周日的颁奖典礼上，包括斯威夫特和SZA在内的几位女性可能会创造历史。　　如果斯威夫特的作品《Midnights》赢得大奖，她可能成为第一位四次赢得年度专辑奖的艺术家。如果SZA凭借她的录音"SOS"赢得奖项，她将成为自劳伦·希尔以来，第一位作为主要艺术家赢得年度专辑奖的黑人女性。　　希尔在25年前获得了这个荣誉。　　我是Dan Novak。　　Dan Novak根据路透社的报道，为VOA学习英语改编了这个故事。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　ticket — n.一张允许你观看表演、参加活动、乘坐交通工具等的纸。　　stadium — n.一个通常没有屋顶的非常大的建筑，有一个被许多排座位环绕的大开放区域，用于体育赛事、音乐会等。　　phenomenal — adj. 非常好或伟大：以非常令人印象深刻的方式不寻常　　gross — n. 扣除税款、费用等之前赚取的钱的总额　　infuse — v. 使充满某种东西　　eligible— n. 能够被选为某事的

2024年02月16日 11:20

Reduction and Assimilation音节减少和同化你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Faith Pirlo　　02 February 2024　　Hi there! This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question about reduced syllables and assimilation.　　Question:　　Hello,　　I would like you to explain to me in detail, if that is possible...　　In spoken English, why do native speakers change or omit these letters, for example:　　I want to go. (I wanna go)　　Handbag (hambag)　　A and B (A n B)　　What's the rule behind this?　　Thanks,　　Adam　　Answer:　　Thanks, Adam, for your question.　　You have found that people do not always say words the same way all the time. They sometimes change sounds to make them easier to say.　　One example is syllable dropping, which we discussed in an earlier Ask a Teacher. Assimilation and reduction are other ways sounds can change when people are speaking quickly.　　Two different sounds can start to sound the same when they are said quickly. This is called "assimilation."　　This is what is happening in the word "handbag."　　The /n/ sound is a nasal sound, which is made by air moving through our nose. The sound/b/ is produced by pressing the lips together. So, the /n/ sound is affected by the /b/ sound in "bag." The sound becomes /m/, a combination of a nasal sound and the labial sound.　　The /d/ sound is then dropped.　　/Handbag/　　/Hambag/　　Sometimes it is not just one sound within a word that is reduced, but a whole word, like in the examples of "wanna" or "A n' B."　　Function words, like "to" and "and" are often reduced in everyday speech. This helps us to pay more attention to the more important words that carry meaning.　　Most unstressed syllables and function words become shorter, softer and less clear. The vowel sound in "to," /oo/, gets reduced to another vowel sound "schwa," /ə/.　　"Want to" becomes "wanta," /ə/. The two /t/ sounds drop off in fast speech. So, "want ta" becomes "wanna."　　In "A and B," the "and" gets reduced to /ən/. So, phrases like "A and B" or "cream and sugar" become "A ‘n B" and "cream ‘n sugar."　　Please let us know if these explanations and examples have helped you, Adam.　　Do you have a question about American English? 　　And that's Ask a Teacher.　　I'm Faith Pirlo.　　Faith Pirlo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　你好！这周在“问教师”栏目中，我们将回答一个关于音节减少和同化的问题。　　问题：　　你好，　　我希望你能详细地解释一下，如果可能的话...　　在英语口语中，为什么母语者会改变或省略这些字母，例如：　　我想去。(我想去)　　手提包 (hambag)　　A 和 B (A n B)　　这背后的规则是什么？　　谢谢，　　亚当　　回答：　　谢谢你的问题，亚当。　　你发现人们并不总是以相同的方式说话。他们有时会改变声音，使其更容易说。　　一个例子是音节删除，我们在早期的“问教师”中讨论过。同化和减少是人们快速说话时声音可以改变的其他方式。　　当两个不同的声音快速说出时，它们可能开始听起来相同。这被称为“同化”。　　这就是在“手提包”这个词中发生的事情。　　/n/ 的音是一个鼻音，是通过我们的鼻子移动空气产生的。 /b/ 的音是通过将嘴唇压在一起产生的。所以，在 "bag" 中，/n/ 的音受到 /b/ 的音的影响。这个音变成了 /m/，这是一个鼻音和唇音的组合。　　然后 /d/ 的音被省略了。　　/Handbag/　　/Hambag/　　有时，不仅是单词中的一个音被减少，而且整个单词都被减少，就像 "wanna" 或 "A n' B" 的例子。　　功能词，如 "to" 和 "and" 在日常语言中经常被减少。这有助于我们更多地关注那些更重要的、带有意义的词。　　大多数非重音音节和功能词变得更短、更软、更不清晰。 "to" 中的元音音 /oo/ 被减少到另一个元音音 "schwa"，/?/。　　"Want to" 变成了 "wanta"，/?/。在快速语言中，两个 /t/ 的音都掉了。所以，"want ta" 变成了 "wanna"。　　在 "A and B" 中，"and" 被减少到 /?n/。所以，像 "A and B" 或 "cream and sugar" 这样的短语变成了 "A ‘n B" 和 "cream ‘n sugar"。　　请告诉我们这些解释和例子是否对你有所帮助，亚当。　　你对美式英语有什么问题吗？　　这就是“问教师”栏目。　　我是 Faith Pirlo。　　Faith Pirlo 为 VOA 学习英语写了这篇课文。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　syllable – n.由一个或多个元音声音单独或者与一个或多个辅音声音前后构成的口语单位　　assimilation – n. 声音变化，其中一些声音（通常是辅音或元音）变化以变得更像其他附近的声音　　labial –adj. 涉及一个或两个嘴唇　　phrase – n. 形成一个句法成分的单词或词组，具有单一的语法功能　　cream – n. 从牛奶中提取的浓厚的白色液体，用于烹饪、烘焙和咖啡

2024年02月15日 11:13

Why Is Canada Limiting Foreign Students?为什么加拿大要限制外国学生？你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Gregory Stachel　　01 February 2024　　Canada recently announced a two-year limit on the number of foreign students given permission to study in the country. The move is partly to ease a growing housing shortage.　　Reuters news agency recently reported on some of the details of the plan:　　What are the details?　　Marc Miller is Canada's immigration minister. Miller said the government led by the Liberal Party of Canada will introduce a temporary, two-year limit on student visas. That will result in about 364,000 student visas in 2024. The government said that is a cut of 35 percent from the year before.　　The new proposals will also set limits on postgraduate work permits issued to foreign students. The new limits will likely cause many postgraduate students to return to their home countries.　　The permits were formerly seen as an easy path to securing permanent residency. People in master's or post-doctoral programs will be eligible for a three-year work permit.　　However, people who are married to foreign students in undergraduate and lower-level college programs will no longer be able to receive work permits. The acceptance of new study permit requests in 2025 will be reconsidered at the end of the current year, Miller said.　　Why has the government changed its policy?　　Canada has become a popular place for international students. It has been easy to receive work permits after finishing study programs in the country. But the increase in international students has led to a shortage of rental homes. This has caused the price of rent to go up. In December, the cost of rent nationwide rose 7.7 percent from a year earlier, government data shows.　　Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's popularity has decreased partly because of increasing living costs. Opposition Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has taken a lead over Trudeau in public opinion studies. Elections are expected to be held next year.　　The government has also been concerned about the quality of education offered by some schools.　　Who will this affect?　　Canada's government says international students bring in about $16.4 billion to the nation's economy. The new policy will hurt many colleges and universities.　　Ontario, the most populous area, or province, has the biggest share of international students. Some businesses, including restaurants and retail industries, have warned that a limit on foreign students will create a shortage of temporary workers.　　For example, restaurants across Canada are dealing with a worker shortage. It is estimated there are nearly 100,000 available jobs. International students made up 4.6 percent of the 1.1 million workers in the food service industry in 2023, an unnamed industry group told Reuters.　　Canadian banks will gain from the new rules for international students. Each student will be required to have a Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC) of more than $15,000. The amount is required for international students to be able to cover living costs. The new GIC is more than double the amount from the earlier policy.　　Many of Canada's foreign students, about 40 percent, come from India. China coming in second with about 12 percent, official data from 2022 shows.　　I'm Gregory Stachel.　　Wa Lone reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　由Gregory Stachel撰写　　2024年2月1日　　加拿大最近宣布对获准在该国学习的外国学生的数量进行为期两年的限制。此举部分是为了缓解日益严重的住房短缺问题。　　路透社最近报道了该计划的一些细节：　　具体细节是什么？　　加拿大的移民部长是Marc Miller。Miller表示，由加拿大自由党领导的政府将引入一项临时的、为期两年的学生签证限制。这将导致2024年发放大约364,000个学生签证。政府表示，这比前一年减少了35%。　　新的提案还将对发给外国学生的研究生工作许可设定限制。新的限制可能会导致许多研究生返回他们的祖国。　　这些许可证以前被视为获得永久居民身份的简单途径。硕士或博士后项目的人将有资格获得为期三年的工作许可。　　然而，与本科和较低级别学院课程的外国学生结垄的人将不再能够获得工作许可。Miller表示，2025年新的学习许可申请的接受将在当前年度结束时重新考虑。　　政府为什么改变了其政策？　　加拿大已经成为国际学生的热门地方。在该国完成学习项目后很容易获得工作许可。但是，国际学生的增加导致了租赁房屋的短缺。这导致了租金的上涨。政府数据显示，12月份，全国租金的成本比一年前上涨了7.7%。　　总理贾斯汀·特鲁多的受欢迎程度部分是因为生活成本的增加而下降。反对派保守党领导人皮埃尔·波利耶夫在公众舆论研究中领先于特鲁多。预计明年将举行选举。　　政府也对一些学校提供的教育质量表示关注。　　这将影响谁？　　加拿大政府表示，国际学生为该国的经济带来了大约164亿美元的收入。新的政策将对许多学院和大学造成影响。　　安大略省，人口最多的地区或省份，拥有最多的国际学生。一些企业，包括餐馆和零售行业，警告说限制外国学生将导致临时工人短缺。　　例如，加拿大各地的餐馆正在应对工人短缺。据估计，有近10万个可用的工作岗位。一家未具名的行业组织告诉路透社，2023年食品服务行业的110万工人中，有4.6%是国际学生。　　加拿大银行将从新的国际学生规则中获益。每个学生都将被要求拥有超过15,000美元的保证投资证书(GIC)。这笔金额是国际学生能够支付生活费用所必需的。新的GIC是早期政策的两倍以上。　　加拿大的外国学生中，大约40%来自印度。中国以大约12%的比例位居第二，这是2022年的官方数据显示的。　　我是Gregory Stachel。　　Wa Lone为路透社报道了这个故事。Gregory Stachel为VOA学英语改编了它。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　postgraduate – adj. 研究生的，指在获得学士学位或其他学位后进行的研究　　residency – n. 合法的居住许可　　eligible – adj. 有资格做某事或接受某事　　rent – v. 租金，你为了能够使用他人的财产，特别是住在他人的公寓或房子中，所支付的钱　　affordable – v. 能够支付（某事物）　　retail – adj. 零售的，与直接向客户销售商品供其自用的业务有关

2024年02月15日 11:07

It Has Never Been More Costly to See the Super Bowl观看超级碗的费用从未如此高昂你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Dan Friedell　　01 February 2024　　Tickets for the American football Super Bowl game are among the hardest to get in all of sports. Because of that, some websites that buy and re-sell tickets have set prices for the upcoming game in Las Vegas, Nevada at almost $10,000.　　The National Football League championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers is on Sunday, February 11.　　The Chiefs won last year's Super Bowl. They feature star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the boyfriend of singer Taylor Swift. Many people believe Swift will fly to the game after performing in Japan only one day earlier.　　The 49ers are one of the most popular teams in the western part of the U.S. Las Vegas is a busy, tourist city known for its hotels and casinos. It is the first-ever Super Bowl in Las Vegas. For many years, the league did not want to have games in Las Vegas because the city permits sports gambling. That changed when the Oakland Raiders moved to Las Vegas to play in a new stadium before the 2020 season.　　The combination of two well-known teams plus a city that many people like to visit means tickets on a website called TickPick are in high demand. They are re-selling for almost double last year's cost. The Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl last year near Phoenix, Arizona.　　Before this year, the Super Bowl with the highest re-sale ticket price was in 2021 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs in Tampa, Florida. That year, however, tickets were limited because of restrictions connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.　　TickPick said the highest prices for a non-COVID Super Bowl came in 2020 when the Chiefs and 49ers played in Miami, Florida. The average ticket that year was over $6,000. TickPick, however, noted that prices for this year might go down as the game gets closer.　　Brett Goldberg is the co-CEO for TickPick. In a message to the Associated Press, he wrote: "Location has always impacted demand for a Super Bowl, but Vegas takes things to a whole other level." He said Las Vegas is already "the entertainment capital of the world."　　Sometimes, Goldberg wrote, two successful teams push down demand, because the average fan is tired of seeing them play again. However, he noted prices are high this year because "fans want to experience their team winning a Super Bowl in Vegas."　　StubHub is another ticket-selling website. Prices on that site were over $9,000. StubHub said tickets are selling faster this year than in recent years.　　"The demand has far surpassed the last time Kansas City and San Francisco met in Miami," said a spokesperson from StubHub.　　I'm Dan Friedell.　　Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Dan Friedell　　2024年2月1日　　美国橄榄球超级碗比赛的门票是所有体育比赛中最难得的。因此，一些购买和转售门票的网站已经将即将在内华达州拉斯维加斯举行的比赛的门票价格设定为近10,000美元。　　国家橄榄球联盟冠军赛将在堪萨斯城酋长队和旧金山49人队之间进行，比赛时间是2月11日，星期日。　　酋长队赢得了去年的超级碗。他们的明星是四分卫帕特里克·马洪斯和泰勒·斯威夫特的男友，特拉维斯·凯尔西。许多人认为斯威夫特会在日本演出后的第二天飞往比赛现场。　　49人队是美国西部最受欢迎的球队之一。拉斯维加斯是一个繁忙的旅游城市，以其酒店和赌场而闻名。这是拉斯维加斯首次举办超级碗。多年来，联盟不想在拉斯维加斯举办比赛，因为该城市允许体育赌博。这种情况在2020赛季之前，奥克兰突袭者队搬到拉斯维加斯在新体育场比赛时发生了变化。　　两支知名球队加上一个许多人喜欢参观的城市，意味着一个叫做TickPick的网站上的门票需求很高。他们的转售价格几乎是去年的两倍。去年，酋长队在亚利桑那州菲尼克斯附近的超级碗中击败了费城鹰队。　　在今年之前，转售门票价格最高的超级碗是在2021年，当时坦帕湾海盗队在佛罗里达州坦帕击败了酋长队。然而，那一年，由于与COVID-19大流行有关的限制，门票数量有限。　　TickPick表示，非COVID超级碗的最高价格出现在2020年，当时酋长队和49人队在佛罗里达州迈阿密比赛。那一年的平均门票价格超过6000美元。然而，TickPick指出，随着比赛的临近，今年的价格可能会下降。　　Brett Goldberg是TickPick的联席CEO。他在给美联社的一份消息中写道：“地点一直影响着超级碗的需求，但拉斯维加斯将事情提升到了一个全新的水平。”他说拉斯维加斯已经是“世界娱乐之都”。　　Goldberg写道，有时，两支成功的球队会降低需求，因为普通球迷厌倦了再次看到他们比赛。然而，他指出，今年的价格很高，因为“球迷们想在拉斯维加斯体验他们的球队赢得超级碗”。　　StubHub是另一个售票网站。该网站上的价格超过9000美元。StubHub表示，今年的门票销售速度比近年来快。　　StubHub的一位发言人说：“需求远远超过了堪萨斯城和旧金山上次在迈阿密相遇的时候。”　　我是Dan Friedell。　　Dan Friedell根据美联社的报道为学习英语改编了这个故事。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　ticket –n. 门票，一种纸质或数字证明，持有者有权观看某个活动或表演　　tourist –n. 旅游者，出于娱乐而非商务目的而旅行的人　　casino –n. 赌场，人们在此进行各种游戏以赢取金钱的地方　　location –n. 位置，某物所在的地方　　impacted –adj. 受影响的，受制约的　　entertainment –n. 娱乐，旨在提供表演、活动和服务以给人们带来快乐的行业

2024年02月14日 11:02

Australian Filmmaker Shows Japanese Single Mothers, Children Face Poverty澳大利亚电影制片人展示日本单亲妈妈和孩子面临贫困的情况你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Faith Pirlo　　01 February 2024　　In wealthy countries, like Japan, poverty is sometimes considered a taboo subject. But an Australian filmmaker, Rionne McAvoy, wants to share the stories of women and children in poverty in Japan in his documentary film The Ones Left Behind.　　The film was released last year. It shows single mothers raising their children in poverty. The women work hard. They sleep a few hours at night. And they try to balance working with childcare and housework.　　McAvoy said he wanted to deal with a topic that no one wanted to discuss. The film shows discussions with poor women and experts on poverty. He said the film also shows a different side of Japanese society, where getting married and becoming a stay-at-home mother is normal for many women.　　"In Japan, it's very taboo. I think it's a very apt title because I feel that single mothers and their children have really been left behind in society."　　The film shows one woman who works almost twelve hours a day and earns less than $1,350 a month. That amount is low for a county where the cost of living is high. Monthly rent for one small room can cost one third of that amount.　　Tomiko Nakayama is one of the women in the film. She said, "I have to do everything on my own." Another woman almost cries when she describes how her child stopped asking her to come to "take-your-parent-to-school" days.　　Japan has one of the highest rates of childhood poverty although it is one of the wealthiest nations. One in seven children live in poverty in Japan. Almost half of single-parent homes are considered poor.　　Japanese society often favors men who work full-time. Women sometimes receive lower pay and fewer benefits than their male counterparts, while working full-time and overtime.　　Ayuri McAvoy produced the film and is also McAvoy's wife. She was formerly a single mother. But they say that is not why they made the film.　　Rionne McAvoy said that the country's traditional culture makes women accept their difficult lives and makes them ashamed to ask for help. He told the Associated Press that the women are "keeping their public face and private face separate."　　Akihiko Kato is a professor at Meiji University in Tokyo. He appears in the film. Kato said that Japan does not have a system to legally force fathers to pay for their children if the parents are separated. The Japanese government has promised to give money to people with children, but this is slow to come, he said.　　Kato said that this is partly why birth rates in Japan have been so low. There were 1.2 million births in the year 2000 compared to fewer than 800,000 births in 2022.　　Some people believe the modern idea of the nuclear family means that single parents, mostly mothers, have to do everything on their own. People like grandparents, neighbors and extended family members no longer seem to be able to help with children.　　Yanfei Zhou is a social science professor at Japan Women's University in Tokyo who also appears in the film. She said that these changes have serious effects on children. The divide between rich and poor is growing, and children will end up in poverty, she said.　　The film won the Best Documentary prize at the Miyakojima Charity International Film Festival last year. It was also officially chosen for the Yokohama International Film Festival.　　McAvoy said he has long been interested in telling the story of those who society had forgotten and who do not have a voice. He said that being on the outside of Japanese culture has helped him to share stories with a new viewpoint and without bias. He said his next film will be about young people dying by suicide in Japan.　　McAvoy said, "It's one thing we can do more of in society: to try recognize people's cries for help."　　I'm Faith Pirlo. And I'm Andrew Smith.　　Yuri Kageyama reported this story for the Associated Press. Faith Pirlo adapted it for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Faith Pirlo　　2024年2月1日　　在像日本这样的富裕国家，贫困有时被视为一个禁忌话题。但是澳大利亚电影制片人Rionne McAvoy想在他的纪录片《被遗忘的人》中分享日本贫困妇女和儿童的故事。　　这部电影于去年发布。它展示了单亲妈妈在贫困中抚养孩子的情况。这些女性努力工作。她们每晚只睡几个小时。并且她们试图在工作、照顾孩子和家务之间找到平衡。　　McAvoy表示，他想要处理一个没有人愿意讨论的话题。这部电影展示了与贫困妇女和贫困专家的讨论。他说，这部电影还展示了日本社会的另一面，那里许多女性结婚并成为全职妈妈是正常的。　　"在日本，这是非常禁忌的。我认为这是一个非常贴切的标题，因为我觉得单亲妈妈和她们的孩子在社会上真的被遗忘了。"　　电影中展示了一位每天工作近十二个小时，月收入不到1350美元的女性。对于生活成本高昂的国家来说，这个金额很低。一个小房间的月租金可能会占到这个金额的三分之一。　　电影中的一位女性Tomiko Nakayama说：“我必须自己做所有的事情。”另一位女性在描述她的孩子如何停止要求她参加“带父母去学校”的日子时，几乎要哭出来。　　尽管日本是世界上最富有的国家之一，但它的儿童贫困率却是最高的。在日本，每七个孩子中就有一个生活在贫困中。几乎一半的单亲家庭被认为是贫困的。　　日本社会通常偏爱全职工作的男性。女性有时会比男性同事得到更低的薪水和更少的福利，同时全职工作和加班。　　Ayuri McAvoy是这部电影的制片人，也是McAvoy的妻子。她以前是一个单亲妈妈。但他们说，这并不是他们制作这部电影的原因。　　Rionne McAvoy表示，该国的传统文化使女性接受了他们艰难的生活，并使她们感到羞愧去寻求帮助。他告诉美联社，这些女性“保持着公共面孔和私人面孔的分离。”　　东京明治大学的教授Akihiko Kato出现在电影中。Kato表示，日本没有一个系统可以在父母分居的情况下，法律强制父亲支付孩子的费用。他说，日本政府已经承诺给有孩子的人提供资金，但这个过程很慢。　　Kato表示，这部分是日本出生率如此低的原因。2000年有120万出生，而2022年的出生人数不到80万。　　有些人认为，现代的核心家庭观念意味着单亲家长，主要是母亲，必须自己做所有的事情。像祖父母、邻居和扩大家庭成员这样的人似乎不再能够帮助照顾孩子。　　在电影中出现的东京日本女子大学的社会科学教授Yanfei Zhou表示，这些变化对孩子们有严重的影响。她说，贫富差距正在扩大，孩子们最终会陷入贫困。　　这部电影在去年的宫古岛慈善国际电影节上获得了最佳纪录片奖。它也被正式选为横滨国际电影节。　　McAvoy表示，他一直对讲述那些被社会遗忘和没有发言权的人的故事感兴趣。他说，作为日本文化的外部人，帮助他以新的视角和无偏见的方式分享故事。他说他的下一部电影将讲述日本年轻人自杀的问题。　　McAvoy说：“我们在社会上可以做更多的一件事就是：试图认识到人们的求助呼声。”　　我是Faith Pirlo。我是Andrew Smith。　　Yuri Kageyama为美联社报道了这个故事。Faith Pirlo为VOA学习英语改编了它。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　taboo – n. 不可谈论或做的事情　　topic –n.写作或讨论的主题　　society –n.在同一规则、传统和价值观下生活在一个大区域的人们　　apt – adj. 有可能做某事　　rent – n. 对财产使用的定期支付，如租用公寓或住宅的地方　　ashamed – adj.对自己所做的事情感到后悔和尴尬　　nuclear families – n.由父母和他们的孩子组成的家庭，住在一个家里　　bias – n. 倾向于支持一个论点而不是另一个的倾向

2024年02月14日 10:55

European Farmers Keep Up Protests During EU Meeting欧洲农民在欧盟会议期间继续抗议你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Bryan Lynn　　01 February 2024　　European farmers held protests Thursday to demand government help in dealing with rising costs and environmental rules.　　One of the protests happened in Brussels, Belgium, where EU leaders gathered for a summit meeting on Thursday.　　Some farmers drove tractors onto the grounds of the European Parliament building to bring attention to their demands. Protesters also lit off fireworks and threw eggs and bottles at police in the area, The Associated Press reported.　　Smoke could also be seen around parts of Brussels as some farmers set pieces of hay on fire, the news agency said. Security forces put out the fires and moved in to protect EU buildings.　　In Paris, French farmers continued to block traffic on major roadways around the city. Farmers in several European nations have been holding mostly peaceful protests in recent weeks.　　The farmers say it is harder to make a good living because of high operating costs. Costs for fuel and fertilizer have risen sharply in Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They also say they have been hurt by increased competition and weather conditions.　　France's government sent in armored vehicles to Paris' large Rungis food market, which was targeted by demonstrators. French police told Reuters news agency they arrested 79 people who entered a storage center at the market.　　The market is an important supplier of fruits and vegetables to France and other nations. Rungis has repeatedly become a target for European farmers, many of whom traveled a long way to bring their tractors there.　　One farmer who traveled to Brussels to protest was 26-year-old Luca Mouton. He told Reuters, "Time is up. (EU leaders must) think of the farmers. Talk to the farmers rather than about the farmers, discuss what is possible. We are open to dialogue."　　Jean-Francois Ricker is a farmer from southern Belgium who spent the night in the cold near EU headquarters. He told the AP he hoped a lot of protesters would show up to demonstrate how important the issues are to farmers across Europe. "We are going to show that we do not agree...," said Ricker.　　The purpose of Thursday's EU summit was mainly to approve a proposal to provide Ukraine with a new $54 billion aid deal. But Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo urged EU leaders to also hear the farmers' demands. Belgium currently holds the EU presidency.　　De Croo said governments "need to make sure that (farmers) can get the right price for the high-quality products that they provide." He also urged an easing of some environmental rules that farmers have said can hurt their profits.　　Farmers are an important voting group within the EU as well as in their own countries. This has led some leaders to offer some new proposals.　　The European Commission announced plans Wednesday to offer protections to farmers facing increased competition from low-cost imports from Ukraine. The body also proposed easing restrictions on how much of a farmer's own land he can use while still receiving support from the EU.　　Earlier in the week, France's government promised to provide farmers emergency aid and some new controls on imported food. On Thursday, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal offered more measures. They included a move to permit farmers to use more pesticides if other nations do the same and an offer to increase financial aid and tax breaks.　　I'm Bryan Lynn.　　The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：Bryan Lynn　　日期：2024年2月1日　　周四，欧洲农民举行抗议活动，要求政府帮助应对成本上升和环保规定。　　其中一场抗议活动发生在比利时布鲁塞尔，欧盟领导人在那里召开了周四的峰会。　　一些农民驾驶拖拉机进入欧洲议会大楼的场地，以引起对他们要求的关注。据美联社报道，抗议者还放烟火，并向该地区的警察投掷鸡蛋和瓶子。　　新闻社报道，布鲁塞尔部分地区也可以看到烟雾，因为一些农民点燃了干草。安全部队扑灭了火源，并介入保护欧盟建筑。　　在巴黎，法国农民继续在城市周围的主要道路上阻塞交通。近几周，几个欧洲国家的农民一直在举行大多是和平的抗议活动。　　农民们表示，由于运营成本高，要想过上好生活变得更难。自从俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来，欧洲的燃料和肥料成本急剧上升。他们还表示，他们受到了竞争加剧和天气条件的影响。　　法国政府向巴黎的大型Rungis食品市场派遣了装甲车，该市场是示威者的目标。法国警方告诉路透社，他们逮捕了79名进入市场仓储中心的人。　　这个市场是法国和其他国家的重要水果和蔬菜供应商。Rungis已经多次成为欧洲农民的目标，其中许多农民长途跋涉，带着他们的拖拉机来到这里。　　一位前往布鲁塞尔抗议的农民是26岁的Luca Mouton。他告诉路透社，“时间到了。(欧盟领导人必须)考虑农民。与农民交谈，而不是谈论农民，讨论可能的事情。我们愿意对话。”　　Jean-Francois Ricker是来自比利时南部的一位农民，他在欧盟总部附近的寒冷中度过了一夜。他告诉美联社，他希望有很多抗议者出现，以展示这些问题对欧洲各地的农民有多重要。“我们将表明我们不同意...，”Ricker说。　　周四的欧盟峰会的主要目的是批准一项向乌克兰提供新的540亿美元援助的提案。但比利时首相亚历山大·德克罗敦促欧盟领导人也要听取农民的要求。比利时目前担任欧盟轮值主席。　　德克罗表示，政府“需要确保（农民）能够为他们提供的高质量产品获得合理的价格。”他还敦促放宽一些农民称可能会损害他们利润的环保规定。　　农民在欧盟以及他们自己的国家中都是重要的选民群体。这促使一些领导人提出了一些新的提案。　　欧洲委员会于周三宣布计划为面临来自乌克兰低成本进口商品增加竞争的农民提供保护。该机构还提议放宽对农民在仍然接受欧盟支持的情况下可以使用自己土地的多少的限制。　　本周早些时候，法国政府承诺向农民提供紧急援助，并对进口食品实施一些新的控制。周四，法国总理加布里埃尔·阿塔尔提出了更多措施。其中包括允许农民在其他国家也这样做的情况下使用更多的农药，以及提高财政援助和税收优惠的提议。　　我是Bryan Lynn。　　美联社和路透社报道了这个故事。Bryan Lynn为VOA学习英语改编了这些报道。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　summit –n.高级官员或国家领导人的会议　　hay –n. 干燥的草　　fertilizer – n. 用于施在土地上以促进植物良好生长的自然或化学物质　　dialogue – n. 国家或人群之间的官方讨论　　pesticide – n. 用于杀死损害植物的昆虫的化学物质

2024年02月13日 10:48

A Trip Around the World环游世界之旅你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By John Russell　　01 February 2024　　Pack your bags, make sure your travel documents are in order.　　Today we are taking a trip around the world — if only in our imagination.　　For this Everyday Grammar lesson, we will leave behind our grammar books. We will instead look at messages from friends who are in Pakistan, Spain, Belgium, and Japan.　　Our goal: to learn more about the populations of different countries. We will learn about English along the way.　　Let's begin our journey...　　Background　　In a recent lesson about the noun "population," we asked our listeners the following questions:　　What is the population like in your country or city? Is the population increasing or decreasing?　　Here are some of the answers we received:　　Pakistan　　Saeed wrote to us from Lahore, Pakistan. Saeed noted:　　City Lahore – Pakistan　　Increasing　　In 2023 was 13,979,000, a 3.23% increase from 2022.　　Saeed presented some exact numbers about the city of Lahore.　　Our suggestion is to use complete sentences. In other words, Saeed could update the statement to something like this:　　The population of Lahore, Pakistan, is increasing.　　In 2023, the population was 13,979,000, a 3.23% increase from 2022.　　Spain　　Now that we have learned some information about a big city in Pakistan, we can learn about a major European city. Rafael writes to us from Barcelona, Spain.　　Here is part of the message:　　...The populacion in my city is decreasing due to low birth rate, although the total count is maintained thanks to inmigration....The arrival of people from very different cultures creates some integration problems, but it helps to solve other important ones derived from the general aging....　　Rafael wrote an excellent message. Our main suggestion is to double check the spelling of a few words: population and immigration.　　In terms of grammar, one idea is to include an article such as "the" before "birth rate." Definite and indefinite articles help show the difference between a specific and a general noun.　　So, we could update Rafael's statement to something like this: "The population in my city is decreasing due to the low birth rate..."　　Belgium　　Now let's look at part of a message from Jean Claude, in Belgium.　　...The population of Belgium was 11.67 million inhabitants on January 2023. The Belgian population increased by 0.98% compared to the previous year...　　Jean Claude's message was clear and to the point. There is one suggestion we have. It is in the first sentence. We have the phrase "on January 2023" but instead we should use the short word "in," like this:　　The population of Belgium was 11.67 million inhabitants in January 2023.　　We usually use the short word "on" for an exact date, such as "on January 4th" or "on January 27th"　　Next, we are in for a long trip to the other side of the world. A friend from Japan would like to tell us about the population of the island country.　　Japan　　Here is part of a message from an unnamed reader:　　According to the national statics, Japan's population has been decreasing almost 600,000 people per a year. There are more than 120,000,000 people in Japan now. However, I heard the population will be under 100,000,000 in 30 years.　　We suggest the following changes to the first sentence. The term "statics" should be changed to "statistics." In addition, we often use the short word "by" after decreasing. We can then remove "a" from its position before "year." So, we might update the sentence to something like this:　　According to national statistics, Japan's population has been decreasing by almost 600,000 people per year.　　Lessons　　That brings us to the end of our imaginative trip around the world.　　We received many wonderful pieces of writing – those that were included in today's lesson and many others that were not.　　Overall, the general recommendations are to pay careful attention to spelling and to double check short words – prepositions, articles, and so on.　　We hope that you have learned a little more about the world, as well as some ideas to use when you write in English.　　I'm John Russell.　　John Russell wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：约翰·罗素　　2024年2月1日　　打包你的行李，确保你的旅行证件齐全。　　今天我们将进行一次环游世界的旅行——即使只是在我们的想象中。　　在这节日常语法课中，我们将把我们的语法书留在后面。我们将会看看来自在巴基斯坦、西班牙、比利时和日本的朋友们的消息。　　我们的目标：了解更多关于不同国家的人口信息。我们将在这个过程中学习英语。　　让我们开始我们的旅程...　　背景　　在最近关于名词"人口"的课程中，我们向我们的听众提出了以下问题：　　你的国家或城市的人口情况如何？人口是在增加还是在减少？　　以下是我们收到的一些答案：　　巴基斯坦　　Saeed从巴基斯坦的拉合尔给我们写信。Saeed指出：　　城市拉合尔 - 巴基斯坦　　人口增加　　2023年为13,979,000，比2022年增加了3.23%。　　Saeed提供了关于拉合尔市的一些确切数字。　　我们的建议是使用完整的句子。换句话说，Saeed可以将声明更新为类似这样的内容：　　巴基斯坦拉合尔的人口正在增加。　　2023年，人口为13,979,000，比2022年增加了3.23%。　　西班牙　　现在我们已经了解了关于巴基斯坦一个大城市的一些信息，我们可以了解一个主要的欧洲城市。Rafael从西班牙巴塞罗那给我们写信。　　以下是部分信息：　　...我的城市的人口正在减少，原因是出生率低，尽管由于移民的原因，总数得以维持....来自非常不同文化的人的到来产生了一些融合问题，但它帮助解决了其他一些由于普遍老龄化而产生的重要问题....　　Rafael写了一封优秀的信。我们的主要建议是仔细检查几个单词的拼写：人口（population）和移民（immigration）。　　在语法方面，一个想法是在"出生率"（birth rate）之前加上一个冠词，如"the"。定冠词和不定冠词有助于显示特定名词和一般名词之间的区别。　　所以，我们可以将Rafael的陈述更新为类似这样的内容："由于出生率低，我城市的人口正在减少..."　　比利时　　现在让我们看看来自比利时的Jean Claude的部分信息。　　...2023年1月，比利时的人口为1167万。与前一年相比，比利时人口增加了0.98%...　　Jean Claude的信息清晰明了。我们有一个建议。在第一句中。我们有短语"on January 2023"，但我们应该使用短词"in"，像这样：　　2023年1月，比利时的人口为1167万。　　我们通常在确切的日期上使用短词"on"，例如"on January 4th"或"on January 27th"　　接下来，我们将进行一次长途旅行，到世界的另一边。一个来自日本的朋友想告诉我们关于这个岛国的人口。　　日本　　以下是一位未署名读者的部分信息：　　根据国家统计，日本的人口每年减少近60万人。现在日本有超过1亿2000万人。然而，我听说30年后人口将会少于1亿。　　我们建议对第一句进行以下修改。"statics"应改为"statistics"。此外，我们通常在"decreasing"后面使用短词"by"。然后我们可以从"year"前面去掉"a"。所以，我们可能会将句子更新为类似这样的内容：　　根据国家统计，日本的人口每年减少近60万人。　　教训　　这带我们来到了我们想象中的环游世界之旅的结束。　　我们收到了许多精彩的写作作品 - 包括今天课程中包含的那些和许多其他没有包含的。　　总的来说，一般的建议是要仔细注意拼写，并仔细检查短词 - 介词、冠词等。　　我们希望你对世界有了更多的了解，以及在你用英语写作时可以使用的一些想法。　　我是约翰·罗素。　　约翰·罗素为VOA学习英语写了这篇课文。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　check –v. 检查，通过再次查看或阅读以确保某事物的正确性　　spelling –n. 拼写，单词中字母正确书写或拼写的方式　　phrase – n. 短语，两个或更多单词的组合，表达一个单一的概念，但通常不构成完整的句子　　inhabitant – n. 居民，生活在特定地方的人　　statistic – n. （通常为复数）统计数字，代表某一信息的数字

2024年02月13日 10:38

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Announces First Human Implant埃隆·马斯克的Neuralink宣布进行首次人体植入你的浏览器不支持音频元素.--------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Bryan Lynn　　31 January 2024　　Elon Musk says his company Neuralink has placed an experimental brain device in a person in the first human test of the technology.　　Neuralink describes the coin-sized device as a "brain-computer interface." It is designed to be implanted inside the brain through a medical operation.　　Musk announced the news on the social media service he owns, X. The billionaire businessman is also the owner of Tesla and SpaceX. His company Neuralink aims to establish direct communication links between the brain and computers.　　"The first human received an implant from @Neuralink (Sunday) and is recovering well," Musk wrote. He added that first results of the implanted device showed "promising neuron spike" activity.　　A spike is a term for a method neurons use to communicate with each other. The Cambridge Learner's Dictionary defines a neuron as "a nerve cell that carries messages between your brain and other parts of your body."　　The device includes an extremely small computer and extremely thin wires that connect to a part of the brain that controls intent of movement.　　Neuralink says the implant is designed to treat brain disorders and help serious back injury victims regain body movement. Company officials also say it might be used one day to help blind people see again.　　The company has said an early goal of the brain-computer interface will be to give people the ability to control basic computer tasks using thoughts alone. Musk says that in the future, the device might also be used to improve human intelligence in an effort to keep up with supercomputers and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.　　The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved human testing of the Neuralink device last May.　　Neuralink reposted Musk's statement about the implant in a message on X.　　In another message on X, Musk wrote that the first Neuralink product is called "Telepathy." He said the goal of the product is to permit users to control smartphones or computers "just by thinking." Musk also noted the first users would be people who have lost the use of their arms or legs.　　It remains unclear how well the brain-computer interface system or similar devices will work in humans. FDA-approved trials, like the one permitted for Neuralink, aim to collect data on the safety and effectiveness of proposed products.　　Neuralink is not alone in developing systems designed to link the human nervous system to computers. The website clinicaltrials.gov reports there are currently more than 40 brain computer interface trials going on in places around the world.　　Reuters reported that in the past, Neuralink was fined by the U.S. Department of Transportation for violating rules covering the movement of dangerous substances. The fines against Neuralink totaled $2,480 and the company agreed to fix its problems concerning the violations, the news agency said.　　Neuralink carried out earlier trials of the implant using monkeys, pigs and sheep. Reuters has also reported on the company's animal experiments in the past.　　Some Neuralink employees told Reuters in 2022 the company had made mistakes in its animal testing. They said the mistakes came because the process was hurried. This led to more animal deaths than necessary, the employees said.　　In one 2021 case, Reuters reported that Neuralink implanted 25 out of 60 pigs with the wrong-sized devices. All the pigs were later killed. Employees told the news agency such mistakes could have been easily avoided with more preparation.　　Last September, Musk wrote in a social media message that "no monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant." He added that the company chose "terminal" monkeys to limit risks to healthy animals.　　I'm Bryan Lynn.　　Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Neuralink.--------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：布莱恩·林恩　　2024年1月31日　　埃隆·马斯克表示，他的公司Neuralink已经在第一次人体试验中，将一种实验性的脑部设备植入了一个人的大脑。　　Neuralink将这种硬币大小的设备描述为"脑-计算机接口"。它设计用于通过医疗手术植入大脑。　　马斯克在他自己拥有的社交媒体服务X上宣布了这个消息。这位亿万富翁商人也是特斯拉和SpaceX的所有者。他的公司Neuralink的目标是建立大脑和计算机之间的直接通信链接。　　"第一个接受@Neuralink植入的人（周日）正在恢复得很好，"马斯克写道。他补充说，植入设备的初步结果显示出"有希望的神经元峰值"活动。　　峰值是神经元用来相互通信的一种方法。剑桥学习者词典将神经元定义为"在你的大脑和身体其他部分之间传递信息的神经细胞"。　　该设备包括一个极小的计算机和极细的电线，连接到控制运动意图的大脑部分。　　Neuralink表示，该植入物旨在治疗大脑疾病，并帮助严重背部受伤的受害者恢复身体运动。公司官员还表示，有一天可能会用它来帮助盲人恢复视力。　　该公司表示，脑-计算机接口的一个早期目标将是让人们有能力仅用思想控制基本的计算机任务。马斯克说，未来，这种设备也可能被用来提高人类的智能，以便跟上超级计算机和人工智能（AI）技术的发展。　　美国食品和药物管理局（FDA）去年五月批准了对Neuralink设备的人体测试。　　Neuralink在X上转发了马斯克关于植入物的声明。　　在X上的另一条信息中，马斯克写道，Neuralink的第一个产品被称为"Telepathy"。他说，该产品的目标是允许用户"只需思考"就能控制智能手机或电脑。马斯克还指出，首批用户将是那些失去手臂或腿使用能力的人。　　目前尚不清楚脑-计算机接口系统或类似设备在人体中的工作效果如何。像Neuralink获准进行的那样，FDA批准的试验旨在收集有关拟议产品的安全性和有效性的数据。　　Neuralink并不是唯一一个正在开发旨在将人类神经系统与计算机连接的系统的公司。clinicaltrials.gov网站报告说，目前全球各地正在进行40多项脑-计算机接口试验。　　路透社报道说，过去，Neuralink因违反覆盖危险物质运输规则而被美国交通部罚款。对Neuralink的罚款总额为2480美元，该公司同意解决其违规问题，新闻机构说。　　Neuralink曾使用猴子、猪和羊进行了植入物的早期试验。路透社过去也曾报道过该公司的动物实验。　　一些Neuralink的员工在2022年告诉路透社，公司在动物测试中犯了错误。他们说，错误是因为过程被匆忙进行。员工们说，这导致了比必要的更多的动物死亡。　　在2021年的一次案例中，路透社报道说，Neuralink在60只猪中有25只植入了错误大小的设备。所有的猪后来都被杀死。员工告诉新闻机构，这样的错误如果有更多的准备工作，本可以轻易避免。　　去年9月，马斯克在社交媒体上写道，"没有猴子因Neuralink植入物而死亡。"他补充说，公司选择了"终结期"的猴子，以限制对健康动物的风险。　　我是布莱恩·林恩。　　布莱恩·林恩根据美联社、路透社、法新社和Neuralink的报道，为VOA学英语写了这个故事。--------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　interface – n. 两个电子设备之间的连接，或者人与计算机之间的连接　　implant – n. 在医疗手术中放入体内的设备　　spike – n. 某事物的突然变化或上升　　intent – n. 一个人想要并计划做的事　　blind – adj. 缺乏或视力不足　　terminal – adj.接近死亡或临近死亡：处于致命疾病的最后阶段

2024年02月12日 18:19

Garden Group Names 2024 ‘Year of African Violet’园艺团体将2024年命名为“非洲紫罗兰之年”你的浏览器不支持音频元素.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Dan Friedell　　31 January 2024　　The African violet, a plant from Tanzania that came to the U.S. in the late 1800s, received a special honor from the National Garden Bureau (NGB).　　The organization named 2024 "The Year of the African Violet." Other plants, flowers and vegetables for 2024 include: squash, Angelonia, lily, buddleia and hosta. Past years honored amaryllis, orchids and broccoli.　　Jessica Damiano is the garden writer for the Associated Press news service. She recently wrote about the African violet.　　Damiano said the violet has been one of the most popular house plants in the U.S. since it arrived. She said the plant, however, is not a violet. It only has the name because of its colorful, purple and white leaves.　　In fact, she noted, they are related to the Saintpaulia genus. They are named for German Walter von Saint Paul.　　The popularity of the plant is one reason why the NGB chose the violet as the "houseplant" of the year, said Diane M. Blazek, the organization's director. She said the plant's name has appeared over 300,000 times on social media.　　Beyond popularity, Blazek noted, the violets are easy to grow and people who breed flowers are working on creating new varieties. Blazek said, "they are coming through the pipeline."　　Blazek said people once thought of the violets as "Grandma's plants," or that they were no longer popular. But, she said, the violet "has not gone out of favor at all."　　The NGB started in 1920. The group aimed to give reliable gardening information to Americans, many of whom had only recently started growing plants at home. The founder was James Burdett. He helped develop the idea of "victory gardens." The gardens started during World War I as way for Americans to grow some of their own food.　　Today, the NGB continues the work started by Burdett. It recommends plants, flowers and vegetables each year.　　Many people like the African violet because it is easy to grow. It does not need direct sunlight; it does not need too much water and does not need a lot of fertilizer. However, it must receive special care to do extremely well.　　Blazek said the plants like moisture in the air. So, if you live in a very dry place, they might not do well. If you bring them inside during winter, Damiano suggests, you should run a device that adds moisture to the air – a humidifier – before you take them back outside. They need warmth but do not do well in high heat. Be sure to consider your climate before planting them.　　In spring and summer, Damiano said, if the plants are indoors, place them near a window that faces north or east. That way they do not get too much sun. In the winter, the plants may be placed closer to windows because the sun is not too strong at that time for people who live in mid-northern climates.　　Feed the plants only every two to three months. Be sure to use a fertilizer for African violets. And do not worry about their roots getting crowded by other plants – they like cozy pots.　　With good care, the violets may show their colors all year.　　I'm Dan Friedell.　　Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　由Dan Friedell撰写　　2024年1月31日　　来自坦桑尼亚的非洲紫罗兰，这种在19世纪末传入美国的植物，从国家花园局（NGB）获得了特别的荣誉。　　该组织将2024年命名为“非洲紫罗兰之年”。2024年的其他植物、花卉和蔬菜包括：南瓜、天使花、百合、醉蝶花和草冠玉。过去的年份曾经表彰过孤挺花、兰花和西兰花。　　Jessica Damiano是美联社新闻服务的园艺作家。她最近写了关于非洲紫罗兰的文章。　　Damiano表示，自从紫罗兰到达美国以来，它一直是最受欢迎的室内植物之一。她说，这种植物其实并不是紫罗兰。它之所以被这样命名，只是因为它色彩鲜艳的紫色和白色叶子。　　实际上，她指出，它们与圣保罗草属有关。它们是以德国人沃尔特·冯·圣保罗命名的。　　国家花园局的主任Diane M. Blazek表示，这种植物的受欢迎程度是NGB选择紫罗兰作为“年度室内植物”的一个原因。她说，这种植物的名字在社交媒体上出现了超过300,000次。　　Blazek指出，除了受欢迎程度外，紫罗兰易于种植，而且繁育花卉的人正在努力创造新的品种。Blazek说，“它们正在通过管道传播。”　　Blazek说，人们曾经认为紫罗兰是“奶奶的植物”，或者它们已经不再流行。但是，她说，紫罗兰“一点也没有失宠”。　　NGB成立于1920年。该团体的目标是向美国人提供可靠的园艺信息，其中许多人只是最近开始在家种植植物。创始人是詹姆斯·伯德特。他帮助发展了“胜利花园”的概念。这些花园始于第一次世界大战，是美国人种植部分自己食物的一种方式。　　如今，NGB继续伯德特开始的工作。它每年都会推荐植物、花卉和蔬菜。　　许多人喜欢非洲紫罗兰，因为它易于种植。它不需要直接的阳光；不需要太多的水，也不需要大量的肥料。然而，它必须接受特别的照顾才能生长得非常好。　　Blazek说，这些植物喜欢空气中的湿气。所以，如果你生活在一个非常干燥的地方，它们可能不会生长得很好。如果你在冬天把它们带到室内，Damiano建议，你应该运行一个增加空气湿度的设备——加湿器——在你把它们带回室外之前。它们需要温暖，但不能承受高温。在种植它们之前，一定要考虑你的气候。　　在春天和夏天，Damiano说，如果植物在室内，应该把它们放在面向北方或东方的窗户旁边。这样它们就不会得到太多的阳光。在冬天，植物可以放在离窗户更近的地方，因为对于生活在中北部气候的人来说，那时的阳光并不强烈。　　每两到三个月只需要给植物施肥一次。一定要使用适合非洲紫罗兰的肥料。并且不用担心它们的根被其他植物挤压——它们喜欢舒适的盆栽。　　如果照顾得当，紫罗兰可能会一年四季都展示它们的颜色。　　我是Dan Friedell。　　Dan Friedell根据美联社的一份报告，为英语学习者改编了这个故事。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　genus –n.  一个比物种大但比科小的植物或动物的群体　　breed –v. 饲养动物和植物，使它们繁殖并产生具有类似或更好品质的后代　　variety –n. 类似事物群体的不同形式　　reliable –adj.可以被信任或依赖的　　moisture – n.  空气、土壤或一块布中的液体含量　　fertilizer – n. 用来帮助植物生长的食物和营养物质　　crowded – adj.许多事物在小空间内聚集在一起　　cozy – adj. 舒适、柔软且紧密相连

2024年02月12日 10:29

Renewed Interest in Amelia Earhart’s Final Flight对阿梅莉亚·埃尔哈特最后一次飞行的重新关注你的浏览器不支持音频元素.--------------------------------------------------------------------　　By Gregory Stachel　　31 January 2024　　An unclear sonar image recorded by a private pilot has renewed interest in a past mystery: What happened to Amelia Earhart, the pilot who disappeared in 1937 with her plane?　　Many searches have found nothing. But Tony Romeo now believes his new South Carolina-based sea exploration company captured a partial image of Earhart's famous plane.　　Researchers and explorers are hopeful. But whether Earhart's plane lies at about 4,800 meters beneath the ocean remains to be seen.　　How was the object found?　　Romeo said he had long held interest in the Earhart mystery. So, he bought a $9 million underwater drone from a Norwegian company. The drone is called the Hugin 6000. It includes the newest technology. It can dive down to 6,000 meters.　　A 16-person crew began a search in the western Pacific Ocean in September 2023. They searched over 13,400 square kilometers of seafloor. The crew searched around Howland Island between Papua New Guinea and Hawaii.　　But it was not until the team looked at the sonar data in December that they saw the unclear yellow outline of what looked like a plane.　　"In the end, we came out with an image of a target that we believe very strongly is Amelia's aircraft," Romeo told the Associated Press.　　The next step is taking a camera underwater to better examine the unidentified object. If camera images confirm the explorers' hopes, Romeo said the goal would be to raise Earhart's airplane.　　Romeo said his team undertook the trip to "solve aviation's greatest unsolved mystery." Depending on what they find, they might answer if Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, escaped after hitting the ocean, or learn more about what went wrong.　　The mystery of Earhart　　Earhart and Noonan disappeared while flying from New Guinea to Howland Island. That trip was part of her attempt to become the first female pilot to fly around the world. She had radioed that she was running low on fuel.　　The Navy searched but found nothing. The U.S. government's official position has been that Earhart and Noonan went down with their plane.　　Since then, there have been many theories. They include that Earhart was taken by aliens, lived in New Jersey under another name, she was killed by the Japanese, or died on an island.　　"Amelia is America's favorite missing person," Romeo said.　　‘We need to see more'　　Sea archaeologist James Delgado said Romeo's possible find would change the story, but "we need to see more."　　"Let's drop some cameras down there and take a look," said Delgado. He is senior vice president of the archaeological company SEARCH.　　Delgado said Romeo's search used the newest technologies that were once only available to the government.　　But he said Romeo's team must provide detailed documentation to prove it is Earhart's plane.　　If the object really is the historic aircraft, the question for the team is if it is safe to raise. How much of the plane is left would be decided by how smoothly Earhart landed," said Dorothy Cochrane of the National Air and Space Museum.　　"That's where you have to really look at this image and say, ‘What have we got here?'" said Cochrane.　　What if Earhart's plane has been found?　　If the discovery turns out to be her plane, international rules for underwater archaeology would suggest that the aircraft remain where it is, said Ole Varmer. He is a retired lawyer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and an advisor at The Ocean Foundation, an environmental group based in Washington, D.C.　　Less damaging research can still be carried out to find why the plane crashed, Varmer said.　　Varmer added, "You preserve as much of the story as you can." And he said, "When you salvage it, you're destroying part of the site, which can provide information."　　Raising the plane and showing it to the public would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars, Varmer said. And while Romeo could possibly make a salvage claim in a court, the plane's owner has the right to deny it.　　Earhart bought the plane with money raised, at least in part, by the Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University in Indiana said in a blog. She planned to return the aircraft to the school.　　Romeo said the team believes the plane belongs in the Smithsonian. He said the issue likely presents a new kind of legal case. He said his exploration company will "deal with those as they come up."　　I'm Gregory Stachel.　　James Pollard and Ben Finley reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.--------------------------------------------------------------------　　作者：格雷戈里·斯塔切尔　　2024年1月31日　　一位私人飞行员记录的不清晰的声纳图像重新引发了对过去一个谜团的关注：1937年消失的飞行员阿梅莉亚·埃尔哈特和她的飞机发生了什么？　　许多搜寻都一无所获。但是托尼·罗密欧现在相信他的新成立的南卡罗来纳州海洋探索公司捕捉到了埃尔哈特著名飞机的部分图像。　　研究人员和探险家们充满希望。但是埃尔哈特的飞机是否位于海洋下约4800米的地方，还有待观察。　　这个物体是如何被发现的？　　罗密欧说，他对埃尔哈特的神秘事件一直很感兴趣。因此，他从一家挪威公司购买了一台价值900万美元的水下无人机。这台无人机被称为Hugin 6000，它包含了最新的技术，可以潜入6000米的深度。　　一个由16人组成的团队在2023年9月开始在西太平洋进行搜索。他们搜索了超过13400平方公里的海底。团队在巴布亚新几内亚和夏威夷之间的豪兰岛周围进行了搜索。　　但直到团队在12月查看声纳数据时，他们才看到了一个看起来像飞机的不清晰的黄色轮廓。　　"最后，我们得到了一个目标的图像，我们非常坚信这就是阿梅莉亚的飞机，"罗密欧告诉美联社。　　下一步是将摄像机带入水下，以更好地检查这个未识别的物体。如果摄像机的图像证实了探险者的希望，罗密欧说，目标将是打捞埃尔哈特的飞机。　　罗密欧说，他的团队进行这次旅行是为了"解决航空史上最大的未解之谜"。根据他们找到的东西，他们可能会回答埃尔哈特和她的领航员弗雷德·努南是否在撞击海洋后逃生，或者了解更多关于出了什么问题的信息。　　“埃尔哈特的神秘失踪”　　埃尔哈特和努南在从新几内亚飞往豪兰岛的途中失踪。那次旅行是她试图成为第一位环球飞行的女飞行员的一部分。她曾通过无线电报告说她的燃料快要耗尽了。　　海军进行了搜索，但什么也没找到。美国政府的官方立场一直是埃尔哈特和努南与他们的飞机一起坠毁。　　从那时起，出现了许多理论。包括埃尔哈特被外星人带走，她在新泽西州以另一个名字生活，她被日本人杀害，或者在一个岛上死亡。　　“阿米莉亚是美国最受欢迎的失踪人员，”罗密欧说。　　“我们需要看到更多”　　海洋考古学家詹姆斯·德尔加多说，罗密欧可能的发现会改变这个故事，但是“我们需要看到更多。”　　"让我们把一些摄像机放下去看看，"德尔加多说。他是考古公司SEARCH的高级副总裁。　　德尔加多说，罗密欧的搜索使用了曾经只有政府才能使用的最新技术。　　但他说，罗密欧的团队必须提供详细的文档来证明这是埃尔哈特的飞机。　　如果这个物体真的是那架历史性的飞机，那么团队需要考虑的问题是是否安全抬起。飞机剩下多少部分将取决于埃尔哈特降落的平稳程度，"国家航空和太空博物馆的多萝西·科克兰说。　　"这就是你真的需要看这个图像并说，‘我们在这里找到了什么？’"科克兰说。　　如果找到了埃尔哈特的飞机会怎样？　　如果发现确实是她的飞机，国际水下考古规则建议飞机应该留在原地，奥勒·瓦尔默说。他是国家海洋和大气管理局的退休律师，也是总部位于华盛顿特区的环保组织The Ocean Foundation的顾问。　　瓦尔默说，可以进行较少破坏性的研究，以找出飞机为什么会坠毁。　　瓦尔默补充说，“你要尽可能地保留故事。”他还说，“当你打捞它时，你正在破坏部分遗址，这些遗址可以提供信息。”　　瓦尔默说，打捞飞机并向公众展示可能需要数亿美元。虽然罗密欧可能在法庭上提出打捞索赔，但飞机的所有者有权拒绝。　　印第安纳州的普渡大学在一篇博客中说，埃尔哈特用筹集的资金购买了这架飞机，至少部分资金来自普渡研究基金会。她计划将飞机归还给学校。　　罗密欧说，团队认为飞机应该归属于史密森尼学会。他说，这个问题可能会引发一种新的法律案例。他说他的探险公司将“随着问题的出现而处理”。　　我是格雷戈里·斯塔切尔。　　詹姆斯·波拉德和本·芬利为美联社报道了这个故事。格雷戈里·斯塔切尔为VOA学英语改编了它。--------------------------------------------------------------------　　这个故事中的词汇　　sonar – n. 一种通过使用声波寻找水下物体的设备　　drone – n. 一种无需飞行员即可飞行的小型飞机　　aircraft – n. 一种通过空气飞行的机器（如飞机或直升机）　　aviation – n. 飞行飞机或直升机的业务或实践　　navigate – v. 当你在船、飞机或汽车上旅行时，找到到达某地的路线　　alien – n. 来自地球以外其他地方的生物　　archeology – n.一门通过研究古人的骨骼或工具来研究过去人类生活和活动的科学　　preserve – v. 保持（某物）原始状态或良好状况　　salvage – v.  从某地移除（某物），以免其受损、被破坏或丢失

2024年02月09日 18:12