点击此处下载RM格式文件：

点击此处了解如何将RM转成MP3格式

The Battle Against Polio Continues
Written by Karen Leggett

I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Development Report.

Some countries are reporting progress in ending the disease polio, but polio is still spreading to other countries.  Polio spreads through water and human waste. People with polio are not able to move their arms or legs.  Sometimes polio is deadly.  But the disease can be prevented with a vaccine medicine that is given to babies and young children. Children under five years old should receive at least four doses of the polio vaccine to be protected.

Polio had ended completely in Yemen and Indonesia.  But experts believe the disease has now spread there from Nigeria. Vaccinations stopped for one year in Nigeria when some people worried about whether the vaccine was safe. Vaccination campaigns have started again in Nigeria. The number of polio cases in that country has been reduced by fifty percent.

But now there are at least sixty-five cases of the disease reported in Indonesia and more than two hundred forty in Yemen.  Yemen has almost half of all the new cases of polio in the world this year. There are also new cases in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Sudan, Afghanistan and Niger.

India and Pakistan have never been free of polio, but world health officials say more children in India are protected against polio than ever before.  For example, polio immunization campaigns are being held every six weeks in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Also in India, seventy-five percent of the groups that give the vaccinations include a person who is well known in the local community.  Health officials say this means that many more children receive the polio vaccine.  They also say that the support of local governments in Pakistan has been very important.  

Health officials say big vaccination campaigns are planned this year in all the countries where polio is spreading. For example, there will be six national immunization campaigns in more than twenty countries in west and central Africa.

When children receive the polio vaccine, they will also receive a dose of Vitamin A to help their bodies fight other diseases.  World health officials are still hopeful that they can stop the spread of polio all over the world by the end of this year.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Karen Leggett.  Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com.  I’m Gwen Outen.

Ooh! Ahh! Sis-Boom-Bah! Music to Go With the Fourth of July Fireworks
Written by Jerilyn Watson
03 July 2005

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA, in VOA Special English.  America's Declaration of Independence from Britain was signed on July fourth, seventeen seventy-six.  Today, Mary Tillotson and Steve Ember bring you an Independence Day program of songs that celebrate America. 

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Francis Scott Key
Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with family gatherings, parades, speeches and fireworks.  They also celebrate with patriotic music.The official song of the United States is "The Star-Spangled Banner."  Francis Scott Key wrote the words in eighteen-fourteen.  At that time, America and Britain were at war.  Francis Scott Key watched as British forces attacked Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland.  Through the smoke and fire, he could see a huge American flag flying over the army base.

VOICE TWO:

The next morning, after the battle, he looked to see which flag flew over Fort McHenry.  It would tell which side had won.  Key saw that the American flag still flew.  He wrote a poem re-creating the event.  Soon after, music was added to his words.  The United States Congress made "The Star-Spangled Banner" the national song in nineteen thirty-one.

Americans sing it at the beginning of many public meetings and sports events.   Here is America’s national song, performed by Faith Hill.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Some people say "The Star-Spangled Banner" is difficult to sing.  Others do not like the words.  Some people have suggested that the United States change its national song.  They say many other songs that celebrate America would be better.

VOICE TWO:

One of these is called "America."  It is also known as "My Country 'Tis of Thee."  Samuel Smith wrote it in Eighteen-Thirty-Two.  The music is the same as the British national song, "God Save the Queen."   The Southwestern Christian College Chorus sings “America.”

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE: 
Ray Charles

Some people think "America the Beautiful" is one of the best songs that celebrates America.  Katherine Lee Bates wrote the words in eighteen-ninety-three.  Samuel Ward wrote the music.  Many singers and groups have recorded "America the Beautiful." Ray Charles sings his version.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Many people think "God Bless America" is the best song that celebrates America.  Irving Berlin wrote it in nineteen-seventeen.  It became popular twenty years later when Kate Smith sang it on a national radio broadcast.   Listen now to the young voices of the American Boychoir as they perform “God Bless America.”

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Other people would like America's national song to be "This Land is Your Land."  Woody Guthrie wrote the words in nineteen forty.   It became one of the most popular folk songs in America.  Pete Seeger and the Weavers sing "This Land is Your Land."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Years ago, Lee Greenwood recorded a song called “God Bless the U.S.A.”  This song has gained new meaning and popularity since the terrorist attacks on the United States, September eleventh, two thousand one.  Listen as Lee Greenwood sings “God Bless the U.S.A.”

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Jerilyn Watson.  It was produced by Caty Weaver. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. I'm Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember.  Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special English program THIS IS AMERICA.

(MUSIC)

免责声明：
牛津英语网为广大网友提供VOA和BBC等国外电台资料，目的是提高英语水平，请提高对其内容的判断能力，我们已尽全力保证资料符合《全国人大常委会关于维护互联网安全的决定》的要求，但我们不对其内容负责！