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地址:[url]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/auvideo/2010-03/01/content_9518732.htm[/url]
文章:Where did 'OK' come from?
Millions of people all over the world use the word OK. In fact, some people say the word is used more often than any other word in the world. OK means all right or acceptable. It expresses agreement or approval. You might ask your brother, "Is it okay if I borrow your car?" Or if someone asks you to do something, you might say, "Okay, I will." Still, language experts do not agree about where the word came from.

Some people say it came from the Native American Indian tribe known as the Choctaw. The Choctaw word "okeh" means the same as the American word okay. Experts say early explorers in the American West spoke the Choctaw language in the 19th century. The language spread across the country.

But many people dispute this. Language expert Allen Walker Read wrote about the word OK in reports published in the 1960s. He said the word began being used in the 1830s. It was a short way of writing a different spelling of the words "all correct." Some foreign-born people wrote "all correct" as "o-l-l k-o-r-r-e-c-t," and used the letters O.K. Other people say a railroad worker named Obadiah Kelly invented the word long ago. They said he put the first letters of his names -- O and K -- on each object people gave him to send on the train.

Still others say a political organization invented the word. The organization supported Martin Van Buren for president in 1840. They called their group, the O.K. Club. The letters were taken from the name of the town where Martin Van Buren was born — Old Kinderhook, New York.

Not everyone agrees with this explanation, either. But experts do agree that the word is purely American. And it has spread to almost every country on Earth.

Then there is the expression A-OK. This means everything is fine. A-OK is a space-age expression. It was used in 1961 during the flight of astronaut Alan Shepard. He was the first American to be launched into space. His flight ended when his spacecraft landed in the ocean, as planned. Shepard reported: "Everything is A-OK."

However, some experts say the expression did not begin with the space age. One story says it was first used during the early days of the telephone to tell an operator that a message had been received.

There are also funny ways to say okay. Some people say okey-dokey or okey-doke. These expressions were first used in the 1930s. Today, a character on the American television series, "The Simpsons," says it another way. He says okely-dokely.

(MUSIC)

This program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Faith Lapidus. You can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.

A-OK: 一切正常的，一切顺利地

[[i] 本帖最后由 风雨中奔跑 于 2010-3-20 22:13 编辑 [/i]].

每天晚饭后让宝宝放松心情，兴趣阅读三十分钟。学习目的？目前还没有，只当是休闲，和看一张新闻晚报的性质差不多。.

这周语文随笔的主题是春天，那么先来一段 Vivaldi 的Spring，其实我最喜欢他的Winter。
地址：[url]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/auvideo/2010-03/16/content_9597654.htm[/url]
文章：
BARBARA KLEIN: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Barbara Klein.

STEVE EMBER: And I’m Steve Ember. This week on our program, we play some favorite songs about spring.

(MUSIC: Vivaldi, "Spring")

BARBARA KLEIN: On earlier shows, we have brought you some of our favorite songs about summer, autumn and winter. Now it is spring in the northern part of the world so it is time to celebrate that season. Many people think of this classical music piece when they think "spring." It is Allegro from Concerto Number One "Spring" from the "Four Seasons." Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi wrote it in the 1700s.

(MUSIC)

STEVE EMBER: Spring is a wonderful season to celebrate rebirth and new life. The long, cold winter is over. The weather is warmer and sunnier. The trees again have leaves and the flowers are blooming. The season represents hope, joy and beauty.

However, not all songs about spring are happy. This song by K.D. Lang is about dreaming of spring in cold dark places. She recorded "I Dream of Spring" in 2008.

(MUSIC)

BARBARA KLEIN: Unlike the other seasons, there are not many rock songs about spring. Most of the songs about this season were written in the 1930s and 40s by famous modern composers. The songs became "standards," popular songs recorded by many singers.

Here is one example, "It Might as Well Be Spring." Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote the song for the movie "State Fair" in 1945. Frank Sinatra sings about having "spring fever." This is not a real sickness. It is a feeling of restlessness or excitement brought on by the coming of spring.

(MUSIC)

STEVE EMBER: Richard Rodgers also wrote "Spring Is Here," this time with Lorenz Hart. Ella Fitzgerald sings this song about feeling lonely during this season.

(MUSIC)

BARBARA KLEIN: Frank Loesser wrote this sad song, "Spring Will be a Little Late This Year." Why has the season been delayed? Because the singer’s lover has left her. Sarah Vaughn released her version of the song in 1953.

(MUSIC)

STEVE EMBER: By now you may be thinking: "Enough with the sad songs, already!" OK, then how about a cowboy song? Gene Autry was one of America’s most famous singing cowboys. He recorded "When It’s Springtime in the Rockies" in 1937.

(MUSIC)

BARBARA KLEIN: In most of the United States, spring is a warm and pleasant season. But this is not the case in the northwestern state of Alaska. According to Johnny Cash, it can be extremely cold. He sings "When It’s Springtime in Alaska (It’s Forty Below)."

(MUSIC)

STEVE EMBER: We leave you with a sunny song called "Up Jumped Spring." Freddie Hubbard wrote this jazz song and the Billy Taylor Trio performs it.

(MUSIC)

BARBARA KLEIN: This program was written by Shelley Gollust and produced by Caty Weaver. I’m Barbara Klein.

STEVE EMBER: And I’m Steve Ember. Our programs are online with transcripts and MP3 files at voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English..

每天宝宝带一小瓶水去学校，很多时候会剩下许多。难道宝宝忙得连喝水的功夫都没有吗?
文章:
Drink to Your Health

Since all living things need it, and it makes up two-thirds of our bodies, it seems obvious that water is vital to our health. Most people, however, drink fewer than the eight recommended glasses each day. An alarming one-third drink no water at all!

So why is drinking enough water so important? A minor water deficiency can lead to headaches, sleepiness, and moodiness, while prolonged dehydration can cause high blood pressure and other serious problems.

Drinking water helps our bodies in a variety of ways. It helps us get rid of toxins, which enables our kidneys to do a better job, and it helps prevent bladder infections. It improves digestion and helps us develop antibodies. Finally, water is a great moisturizer and gives our skin a
healthy glow.

Drinking water throughout the day is an important habit to pick up. For your health, give this simple substance the importance it deserves.

[[i] 本帖最后由 风雨中奔跑 于 2010-3-20 14:19 编辑 [/i]].

选材很好！来学习了！送花！[em08].

再加一支花！[em08][em04]

[[i] 本帖最后由 小虎快跑 于 2010-3-21 22:30 编辑 [/i]].

3月22日
地址:[url]http://www.unsv.com/voanews/specialenglish/scripts/2009/01/20/0045/[/url]
文章:
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Milky Way Is a Lot Bigger Than Scientists Thought
VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Barbara Klein. This week, we will tell you about new measurements of our own Milky Way galaxy. We will tell about a study linking diamonds to climate change nearly thirteen thousand years ago. We also will tell about efforts to grow crops with less water.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The biggest structures in the universe are galaxies. These huge groups of stars, gas and dust can be many thousands of light years across. They also are home to an untold number of planets.

Until recently, space scientists have thought that our galaxy was not very special. It was considered a smaller member of a group of galaxies.

Now, new measurements show that our Milky Way galaxy is bigger than scientists once thought. The measurements were reported at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, California.

VOICE TWO:

Mark Reid is an astronomer with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He led the international team that studied the Milky Way. He said the new measurements mean that our galaxy is fifty percent larger. That makes it at least equal in size to the largest galaxy in our local group, the Andromeda Galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is big enough and near enough to be seen by the unaided eye in the star group Andromeda on a dark night.

Mister Reid said: "No longer will we think of the Milky Way as the little sister of the Andromeda Galaxy in our Local Group family."

VOICE ONE:

The team made the discovery by measuring the speed at which our galaxy is moving through space. It found that we are traveling at about two hundred seventy kilometers a second. That is about fifteen percent faster than scientists had believed.

The difference in speed also means a difference in mass of fifty percent. Astronomers have always thought that the Andromeda Galaxy was more massive than the Milk Way because it is believed to have more stars. Now, they will have to rethink that model.

VOICE TWO:

The team measured a number of areas in the Milky Way where stars are forming. These areas, called cosmic masers, are rich in gas molecules that have the effect of strengthening radio waves. The radio waves are measured when the earth is at two points opposite one another in its orbit. The difference in the apparent position of the cosmic masers lets astronomers measure their distance from the Earth.

The team used the most powerful telescope in the world -- the National Science Foundation's Very Long Baseline Array. It is really ten telescopes that are as distant from one another as Hawaii and the United States Virgin Islands. Instead of collecting light, the twenty-five meter wide telescopes collect radio waves. Their combined observing power gives the Very Long Baseline Array the ability to see the finest details of any telescope in the world.

VOICE ONE:

The new information also adds to astronomers' understanding of our galaxy's spiral arms. Mister Reid noted that: "Our galaxy probably has four, not two, spiral arms of gas and dust that are forming stars."

Recent observations had suggested that two of the four spiral arms hold most of the older stars in the Milky Way galaxy. That information was gathered by the American space agency's Spitzer Space Telescope.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Many scientists believe that a huge object from space hit Earth about sixty-five million years ago. They believe the object crashed about the time dinosaurs disappeared. Some experts believe the crash led to the death of dinosaurs and other ancient creatures.

Now, a group of research scientists says it has found evidence of a similar event that happened about thirteen thousand years ago. It says an explosion or explosions by comets could explain the disappearance of many animals and human beings who lived in North America at that time.

Douglas Kennett of the University of Oregon led the team of researchers. Their findings were reported this month in Sciencemagazine.

VOICE ONE:

The researchers say the report offers evidence that one or more comets were responsible for a sudden cooling period on Earth's surface. They say this ice age lasted about thirteen centuries. It is called Younger Dryas. During this period, large North American animal species like mammoths and saber-toothed cats disappeared.

The researchers reported finding nanodiamonds in several areas across North America. These extremely small particles are believed to be linked to comets. Nanodiamonds are produced under only a very high temperature and high pressure event, such as a comet striking Earth.

VOICE TWO:

The researchers say the nanodiamonds were all found in a level of soil thought to be about thirteen thousand years old. Under this layer of nanodiamonds, they found remains of many ancient animals, including those that disappeared after Younger Dryas. The researchers also found tools used by the Clovis culture, a group of human beings who lived at that time. The tools were also found under, but not above the diamonds.

The researchers say their findings support the idea that a huge explosion or explosions caused fire and pressure powerful enough to kill off life on the Earth. They say an event of this size could have resulted in climate change. They say it would have caused huge clouds of dust to block sunlight.

VOICE ONE:

Many scientists dismiss the comet theory. They say there are other reasons why the large animals and people from that period disappeared.

Some scientists believe that the Clovis people died off because they killed too many native animals. Others say climate change caused the Clovis people and the animals to die. One argument against the comet theory is that a comet would have left a large hole in the Earth's surface. Others say the evidence is important, but that more evidence is needed to confirm the theory.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Scientists are working to develop crops that can reduce the amount of water used for agriculture. Almost sixty percent of the world's freshwater withdrawals from rivers, lakes and other water resources go toward irrigating fields.

Thomas "Tommy" Carter is a plant scientist in North Carolina. He works for the Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture. He leads Team Drought, a group of researchers at five universities. They have been using traditional breeding methods to develop soybeans that can grow well under dry conditions.

VOICE ONE:

Tommy Carter started working on drought-resistant soybeans in nineteen eighty-one. His research has taken him as far as China, where soybeans have been grown for thousands of years.

Farmers in the United States, however, have grown soybeans for only about a century. Tommy Carter says the soybeans they grow are for the most part genetically similar.

More differences could better protect crops against climate changes that can reduce production. Those changes include water shortages which could increase from rising temperatures in Earth's atmosphere.

VOICE TWO:

The Agriculture Department has a soybean germplasm collection, a collection of genetic material passed from one generation to the next.

Members of Team Drought studied more than two thousand five hundred examples from the collection. They looked at ones from Asia. They searched for germplasms that could keep plants from weakening and wilting during hot, dry summers in the United States.

Tommy Carter says they found only five. But these slow-wilting lines, he says, produce four to eight bushels more than normal soybeans under drought conditions. The yield depends on location and environment.

The team is now doing field tests. The first breeding line is expected to be released this year for use by private seed companies and public soybean breeders.

VOICE ONE:

Scientists are also working on other plants that either use less water or use it better, or both. For example, companies like Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta are developing corn with reduced water needs. Monsanto expects to be ready in four years to market its first corn seeds genetically engineered to resist drought.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Mario Ritter, Jerilyn Watson and Brianna Blake, who also was our producer. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America..

谢谢。
我侧重于挑选科学人文类的文章，我家宝宝对这些比较有兴趣。.

回复 8#风雨中奔跑 的帖子

怎么知道宝宝是否看懂了？.

回复 9#波纳妈妈 的帖子

今天的文章生词太多，没完成，只看到1/3。我们还欣赏了星系图片，[url]http://www.alsonwongastro.com/galaxies.htm[/url]
宝宝碰到生词自己会查,我看了她的笔记，平均每篇10多个。比教难的是专有名词，比如美国航天局，美国地球物理学联合会，国家自然科学基金会等，这些词在科学类文章里出现概率很大，重复几遍自然会认识。.

楼主真有心！宝宝真能干！[em08]

今天这篇很长，有点难度！

如果宝宝听得吃力，我觉得可以让她把这篇作为泛听材料来处理。.

回复 11#小虎快跑 的帖子

这两天测验密集，所以分了三次完成。很多科学知识孩子以前接触过，很快能read through。

[[i] 本帖最后由 风雨中奔跑 于 2010-3-25 10:42 编辑 [/i]].

即便是告别谷歌，也别忘记自己是地球人。
小学的时候，孩子经常会收集些废电池去学校换文具；升入中学后，废电池的去处困扰着宝宝，今天在小猫宝宝的贴子，找到了答案：
[url]http://www.alahb.com/Index.aspx[/url].

所以今天晚上的作业是：
地址：[url]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/auvideo/2010-03/23/content_9629417.htm[/url]
文章：
One-hour blackout to go green
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

This Saturday night at 8:30, all the lights will be shut off at the Tokyo Tower in Japan. The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the Eiffel Tower in Paris are also expected to go dark. So is the Empire State Building in New York and buildings in other cities around the world.

The lights will stay off for one hour for an event called Earth Hour. The observance is organized by a conservation group, the World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as the World Wildlife Fund.

For the fourth year, people are being urged to turn off their lights for one hour to call attention to the issue of climate change. The group says climate change is one of the greatest threats facing wildlife and nature.

The first Earth Hour was held in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. Organizers said more than 2,000 businesses and two million people took part.

Since then, Earth Hour has grown into an international event. People in more than 4,000 cities in 88 countries took part last year.

Organizers say more than 100 countries and territories have promised their official support this year. This will be the first Earth Hour for countries including Kuwait, Qatar, Kosovo, Madagascar, Nepal, Cambodia and Panama.

At least 19 of the 50 American states are planning to take part in the 2010 Earth Hour observance. The event organizers recently announced that one of the latest states to join was Missouri.

Governor Jay Nixon has agreed to shut off the lights in the dome of the state capitol building. He says when it comes to saving energy and money, big changes start with small steps like turning out the lights.

Will you be turning off your lights this Saturday night to observe Earth Hour? Do you think about what the organizers call your "environmental footprint," and try to reduce harmful effects? Is climate change a concern for you?

Here is a chance to practice your English. Go to voaspecialenglish.com to comment on this story and other programs. You can share your thoughts and read what other people are saying.

You can also find transcripts, MP3s, podcasts and captioned videos. And you can sign up to get a verb phrase of the day by SMS. The service is free but standard message rates may apply.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. I'm Steve Ember..

回复 1#风雨中奔跑 的帖子

太好了，收藏了！
谢谢！.