2 US to Help Boost Haiti's Education System 美国帮助海地改善教育体系

仔细听

Haiti is among the poorest nations in the world，only about half the children in the country go to primary school.And the United Nations children's agency UNICEF says，fewer than 25 percent attend secondary school.

Many Haitian schools are in poor condition.They lack running water and dependable electricity.The United States Institute of Peace has called the education system in Haiti“dysfunctional”，it says reforms and financial assistance are badly needed.

海地是世界上最贫穷的国家之一，全国只有大约一半的儿童可以读小学。此外，联合国儿童机构——联合国儿童基金会称，只有不到 25% 的孩子能读初中。

海地的许多学校条件很差，缺乏自来水，电力供应不稳定。美国和平研究所称，海地的教育体系是“功能不健全的”，急需改革和财政支持。

听力破解：water[′wɔtər]出现浊化，[t]读作[d]，这种现象在美语中很常见。此外，播音员连读了called the，注意不要误听为call the。

词汇宝典：lack 的意思是“缺少，缺乏”，相当于：be lacking in。此外，lack for表示“需要”，如：

A：They lack for money to send their children to school.

他们没有钱供他们的孩子上学。

B：I wish we could do something to help them.

我希望我们能做些什么来帮助他们。

仔细听

Last week，U.S.Education Secretary，Arne Duncan visited Haiti to discuss its education system.He met with Haitian President Michel Martelly.Mr.Martelly was elected in 2011，he is working on his campaign promise to make education required and free of charge for every child.

美国教育部长阿恩·邓肯上周访问海地，讨论了教育体系的有关问题。他会见了海地总统米歇尔·马尔泰利。马尔泰利先生于2011年当选总统，正致力于实现他在大选时许下的承诺——让每个孩子都得到免费义务教育。

词汇宝典：campaign的意思是“战役，活动”，常指“为某一社会的﹑商业的或政治的目的而进行的一系列有计划的活动”，在这里理解为“大选”，如：During his election campaign，he promised to put the economy back on its feet.在竞选期间，他承诺把经济拉回原位。

仔细听

Mr.Duncan announced that the U.S.Agency for International Development（USAID）will invest millions of dollars to improve Haiti's education system.The agency will invest the money through its Room to Learn program，a program seeks to increase equality in opportunities for education.Mr.Duncan said the United States will also provide technical assistance to Haiti's Education Ministry.

邓肯先生宣布：美国国际开发署将投资上百万美元来改善海地的教育体系。开发署将通过“学习屋”项目进行投资，这个项目力图提高受教育机会的均等性。邓肯先生说，美国还将向海地教育部提供技术援助。

听力破解：播音员分别重读了millions和Room to Learn，强调这个项目；此外，重读also强调美国会提供两项帮助。

仔细听

The American Education Secretary spoke with VOA's Creole Service after he returned to the U.S.He said Haitian lawmakers are considering legislation that would expand funding for education.He said that if the measure passes，the law would be hugely important.Mr.Duncan talked about his visits to several schools in Haiti，these included a school for children who live on the street.Mr.Duncan praised the students for their courage and their efforts to gain a better life.

美国教育部长在返回美国后与美国之音的克里奥尔·萨维斯进行了对话。他说，海地的立法者正考虑通过立法来增加教育经费，如果这个措施能够通过，这条法律将会十分重要。邓肯先生谈到了他在海地期间访问的几所学校，其中包括一所流浪儿童学校。他称赞了孩子们追求更好生活的勇气以及为之付出的努力。

听力破解：播音员重读了hugely，强调重要性；此外，重读courage和efforts两个并列成分。

词汇宝典：expand的意思是“扩张，增加，增强”，如：His business eventually expanded into a supermarket empire.他的生意后来扩展成了超级市场集团企业。此外，expand 还有“阐述，详述”的意思，常与on连用。

学着说一说

1.free of charge免费

▶free of charge 意为“免费”，也可用free of cost来表达。free of还可以表示“摆脱”，如：

I'm glad to be free of the chaos in daily life.

我非常开心能摆脱日常生活中乱糟糟的事情。

▶free在这里是“免费的”的意思，在口语free更常用的意思是“自由的，有空的”，如：

Are you free tonight？你今晚有空吗？

▶charge...for...是“要价”的意思，如：

I'm not going there again.They charged me one pound for a cup of coffee！我再也不到那儿去了，一杯咖啡就要了我1英镑！

2.seek to试图

▶seek to do sth.是“试图做某事”的意思，如：

A：Doctor，I am always fatigued，depressed and upset these days.医生，我这些天一直觉得疲乏﹑抑郁和烦恼。

B：How long have you been like this？这种症状持续多久了？

A：I don't remember clearly，I have sought to find the reason for a long time.我记不清了，很长时间以来，我一直试图找出原因。

▶seek 是“寻求，追求”的意思，可以与for或after连用，也可单独使用，如：

We are seeking（for）solutions to the current problems.

我们正在寻找办法解决目前的问题。

3.praise...for...因某事称赞……

▶新闻中该短语表示“因某事称赞……”，即 praise the students for their courage and their efforts，表示“称赞孩子们的勇气和努力”。

▶praise...as...意思是“称赞……怎么样”，如：

Critics praised the work as highly original.

评论家们称赞该作品独树一帜。