Some (Adults) Call for Shorter Summer Break for US Kids

22 August 2007

岩浆美国之音翻译之04

Some (Adults) Call for Shorter Summer Break for US Kids

Why American students traditionally get a long vacation.

部分人（成年人）要求缩短美国儿童的暑假

解读美国学子为何一直以来都有一个长假。

本文音频
本文文本

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

您正在收听的是美国之音特别英语之“教育广角”节目。

The traditional American school year begins in late August or early September. It ends in May or June, followed by summer vacation.

一直以来，美国的学校都是在八月底或九月初开学，而在次年的五月或者六月结束。紧接着的便是暑假。

Why such a long break? Because long ago, young people had to help their families harvest the summer crops. At least this is what people today may think.

那为什么假期有那么长呢？因为很早以前，年轻人们必须得帮助家里干夏收的农活儿。至少，这可能是身处当今的人们所认为的。

The reason has more to it. A recent report from an education policy center at Indiana University explored the historical roots of the traditional school calendar.

可原因却不止如此。最近，一份来自印第安纳大学教育政策研究中心的报告，探寻了传统学校作息制度的历史本源。

In the early days of the United States, children were not required by law to attend school. School calendars depended on local needs.

在美国早期，在法律上，没有明文规定孩子们一定得上学。学校作息制度都是因地制宜。

Students in rural areas went to school for no more than six months of the year -- half in the summer, half in the winter. They worked on family farms during the other months.

在乡下的学子们在一年中上学的时间少于6个月---夏季一半，冬季一半。他们在不上学时，都是在帮家里干农活儿。

City schools were often open much longer, some for eleven months of the year. Parents were happy to have a place for their children to go while the parents worked.

而在城镇学校，学期时间通常要更长些。他们中的一些一年有11个月的学时。家长们都很乐意在他们工作时，孩子都有一个地方可去。

National leaders took a fresh look at schools after the Civil War, in the eighteen sixties. They saw a free public education as a way to help support a strong democracy and prepare workers for new industries. Immigration was increasing and so was the student population.

在19世纪60年代，美国内战之后，国家领导人重新审视了美国教育。他们把免费的公共教育看作是对强健的民主制度的一种支持，另外，也是为新兴产业培养输送劳动力的一个场所。随着移民人数的增加，在校学生人数也水涨船高。

More and more people saw the need for a system of required education. But they had different ideas for the calendar.

越来越多的人意识到了接受教育是必须的。但他们对其作息制度却有不同的见解。

Many city schools wanted a shorter year and a longer summer break. The schools were often crowded. There was no modern air conditioning and air pollution from factories was a problem.

那时候，很多城镇学校希望的是一种学期短、暑假长的模式。因为这些学校通常都人满为患，且没有现代空调设备，而且，源自工厂的污染也是一大问题。

Hot days would make it difficult to learn. A long summer break would also give teachers time for other jobs to add to their low pay.

炎热的天气会让学习变得吃力。另外，一个长时间的暑假也能给教师们以时间，从事其他工作，来为他们本就不高的薪水增添补贴。

Many rural educators, however, pushed for a longer school year. They thought it would keep children safe from industrial dangers at a time when there were few child-labor laws. They also thought it would lead to a better prepared workforce.

然而，许多乡村教育工作者却反其道而行之，力推一个学期更长的学年！他们认为这样能够让孩子们在缺乏儿童用工法律保护的状况下，远离工业化给他们所带来的危害。他们还认为，这也将会给社会培养出更加合格的劳动力。

So the traditional school calendar was a compromise, with roots that now go back about a century and a half. The average school year used to be one hundred seventy days. Times have not changed much. Today the common average is one hundred eighty days.

因此，传统学校作息制度，在距今一个半世纪之前，便作出了让步。每学年的平均学时为170天。而如今，变化也不大，一般每学年的学时为180天。

But some experts think the traditional school calendar needs to change because the needs of the nation have changed. This thinking has led some schools to keep students in class longer. More on that next week.

但一些专家认为：传统学校作息制度需要改变。因为国家的需要已经发生了改变。这样的主张已经让一些学校将学生们在校时间延长了。下周的节目中会有更多相关报道。

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. Transcripts are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Bob Doughty.

这里是美国指引特别英语之教育广角。本节目文章由南希 斯登巴赫（Nancy Stenbach）撰写。节目文本在voaspecialenglish.com登载。由鲍勃 窦提为您播送。

本文英文文本来源于: 破英语 PoEnglish 和 VOA

Researchers Say Vitamin D Might Protect Against Multiple Sclerosis

岩浆美国之音特别英语翻译03


Researchers Say Vitamin D Might Protect Against Multiple Sclerosis

研究表明：维他命D或许能够预防多发性硬化症（MS）

02 January 2007
Translated by 冰冷的岩浆

本节目文本

本节目音频

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health links high levels of vitamin D with lowered risk of MS.

哈佛大学公共卫生学院的一项研究揭示：人体维他命D高保有量与多发性硬化症低发病率之间的联系。

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

您正在收听的是美国之音特别英语之健康报道。

In recent years, research has suggested more health value from vitamin D than had once been thought.

近年来的研究表明，维他命D的健康价值要比从前所知的要高。

Vitamin D is produced naturally in the blood. Sunlight is a major source. It is also found in some foods. These include eggs, liver and some fish. Vitamin D is also found in pills. Vitamin D helps to increase levels of calcium in the blood. It helps build strong bones and teeth. It also helps in muscle development.

血液能够自主产生维他命D，人体所接受的阳光照射亦是其主要产生方式。人们在许多食物中也发现含有维D，其中包括：鸡蛋、动物的肝脏和某些鱼类。另外，药物中也含有维D。它不但有助于提高血液中的钙含量、生成壮实的骨骼和牙齿，还有助于肌肉的生长。

It also appears to do more than just protect against rickets. That serious bone disease was the reason vitamin D was added to milk. Rickets is now rare in the western world. But it is still a common childhood disease in developing countries. Rickets can cause bone pain and weakness, teeth problems and muscle loss.

维他命D的作用之一就是预防佝偻病的发生。这种严重的骨骼疾病就是我们将维D加入食用牛奶之中的原因所在。目前，佝偻病在西方国家已近绝迹，但在发展中国家，它仍是一种儿童常见病。它能导致骨骼疼痛、骨质疏松、牙疾病和肌肉萎缩。

Now researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston say vitamin D might protect against multiple sclerosis, also called MS.

目前，位于美国波士顿的哈佛大学公共卫生学院的研究人员表示：维他命D或许还能够预防多发性硬化症，简称MS。

MS is a progressive disease of the central nervous system that affects about two million people around the world. There is no cure. MS causes problems with speech and movement. The level of severity can differ from person to person. But is usually seriously disabling.

MS是一种中枢神经渐进性疾病 (即在一段时间内症状会愈加严重的疾病)，全世界有近两百万人深受其苦，而且还没有根治的方法。患有MS会导致语言与行动方面的障碍，其严重程度因人而异，通常会给患者带来严重的身体机能缺损。

The study in Boston involved blood samples from more than seven million members of the American military. It found that people with higher levels of vitamin D had lower rates of MS. It found that the chance of developing MS was sixty-two percent lower among those with the highest level of vitamin D than those with the lowest level.

在波士顿的这项研究分析了采自美国军方超过七百万人的血样。研究发现，体内维他命D含量高的人群具有较低的多发性硬化症的发病率。对比研究中发现，MS在维D含量高的人群中的发病几率要比含量低的人群低62%。

Alberto Ascherio led the study. He says vitamin D may become a future treatment for MS. But, he says first scientists must carry out a large, controlled study in which some people get vitamin D and others do not.

阿尔伯特 阿斯盖瑞欧是该研究项目的负责人。他表示，维他命D可能会在今后治疗多发性硬化症中起到关键作用。但首先，科学家们必须对摄入和不摄入维生素D的人群进行大量、可靠的研究。

This is not the first study to show a possible relationship between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis. But it has provided the clearest evidence of a direct link.

该项研究并不是第一个表明维D与多发性硬化症之间存在关联的研究。但它已经为人们提供了两者之间有必然联系的佐证。

The National Institutes of Health says some studies also suggest vitamin D may protect against some kinds of cancer, especially colon cancer. But it says more human studies are needed to learn if a lack of vitamin D increases the risk of cancer… or if treatment with large amounts of vitamin D could protect against the disease.

美国国家卫生研究院表示，一些研究也表明维他命D可能对某些癌症（特别是结肠癌）有预防作用。但他们还表示，需要对人类机体进行更多的研究来证实---如果机体缺少维D则会增加患癌的可能性。


And that's the Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. You can get transcripts of our health reports, and download audio, at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

这里是特别英语之健康报道。凯蒂 维福尔撰文。您可以登录www.voaspecilaenglish.com 下载健康报道的文本和音频。史蒂夫 安伯尔为您播送。

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Word Bank--关键词:

1. multiple sclerosis--多发性硬化症。中枢神经系统一种慢性退化性疾病，发病时髓脂质慢性形成斑状损坏，遍及大脑和脊髓或两处同时出现，干扰神经通路并导致肌肉无力、协调性丧失以及语言和视力障碍。这种疾病主要出现在年轻的成年人中，并被认为是源于遗传或病毒所引起的免疫系统缺陷所导致的；

2. muscle development--肌肉生长、肌肉组织发展；

3. rickets--佝偻病、软骨病、 驼背。：由缺乏维生素D或钙及日晒不足导致的缺陷疾病，症状为有缺陷的骨质发育，主要发生于儿童中也作 rachitis；

4. bone pain--骨骼疼痛；

5. bone weakness--骨质疏松。一种疾病，症状为骨头充满孔隙、易骨折且愈合慢，多发作于绝经后的妇女且常导致椎骨萎陷直至脊椎弯曲，学名osteoporosis；

6. muscle loss--肌肉萎缩或肌肉缺失；

7. Harvard School of Public Health--哈佛大学公共卫生学院；

8. progressive disease--渐进性疾病，即在一段时间内症状会愈加严重的疾病。例如 Parkinson disease 帕金森氏综合症；

9. colon cancer-- 结肠癌，是常见的恶性肿瘤之一，以40岁～50岁年龄组发病率最高；

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Knowledge Base--知识点：

结肠癌是常见的恶性肿瘤之一，以40岁～50岁年龄组发病率最高。 我国的发病率与死亡率低于胃癌，食管癌、肺癌等常见恶性肿瘤。近年各地资料显示随着人 民生活水平的提高，饮食结构的改变，其发病率呈逐年上各趋势。从流行病学的观点看，结肠癌的发病和 环境、生活习惯、尤其是饮食方式有关。

一般认为高脂肪食谱和纤维素不足是主要发病原因。研究显示，饱和脂肪酸的饮食可增加结 肠中胆汁酸与中性固醇的浓度，并改变大肠菌群的组成。胆汁酸经细菌作用可生成3－甲基胆蒽等致癌物质，固醇环 也可经细菌作用被芳香化而形成致癌物质。食物纤维包括纤维素、果胶、半纤维素、木质素等，吸收水分，增加粪便量，稀 释肠内残留物浓度，能够缩短粪便通过大肠的时间而减少致癌物质与肠粘膜接触的时间，若膳食纤维不足时，已是结肠癌 的发病因素之一。

慢性大肠炎症，如溃疡性结肠炎的肠癌发生率高于一般人群，炎症的增生性病变的发展过程 中，常可形成息肉，进一步发展为肠癌；克隆氏(Crohn)病时，有结肠、直肠受累者可引起癌变。血吸虫流行区和非流行区的结肠癌发病率与死亡率有明显区别，过去认为慢性血吸虫病患者 ，因肠壁血吸虫卵沉积与毒素刺激，导致大肠粘膜慢性溃疡，炎性息肉等，进而引起癌变。 这个观点一直在争论， 据浙江省嘉善县血吸虫病日渐控制，新发病例明显减少，晚期病人趋于消失，而结肠癌的发病率仍很高。据一般资料统计，有结肠息肉的患者，结肠癌发病率是无结肠息肉患者的5倍。家族性多发 性肠息肉瘤，癌变的发生率更高。

近几年来，有报告结肠癌阳性家族者，其发病率是一般人群的四倍，说明遗传因素可能参与 结肠癌的发病。

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本Blog所翻译之译文，未经作者(冰冷的岩浆)许可，不得转载！

Jewelry Making Through the Ages: Ancient Artistry Meets a Modern Eye

岩浆美国之音特别英语翻译02

Jewelry Making Through the Ages : Ancient Artistry Meets a Modern Eye

穿越时光的珠宝饰品制作工艺：古代艺术与现代审美的交汇

02 January 2007

Translated by 冰冷的岩浆

''My original plan was to be a furniture designer, but I like things I can hold in my hand,'' says Susan Sanders, a Virginia jewelry designer who has shown her work in several countries. "

“成为一名家具设计师是我的初衷，但我更喜欢能够握于掌心的东西”。苏珊 桑德斯---弗吉尼亚州珠宝饰品设计师，在世界许多国家展出其作品。”

I’m Barbara Klein.

我是芭芭拉 克莱恩

And I’m Steve Ember with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.

我是史蒂夫 安伯尔为您播送美国之音特别英语之“探索发现”节目。

At the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia, you can see the work of jewelry designer Susan Sanders. Her many gold and silver designs have a clean and modern look. One of her silver rings has a bold geometric design with small smooth stones inlayed into the metal.


在弗吉尼亚州亚历山大市的“震旦艺术工作中心”（Torpedo Factory Art Center），您可以观赏到苏珊 桑德斯制作的珠宝饰品。她的许多金银饰品的设计都具有一种简洁而现代的气息。她所设计的饰品中，有一枚戒指就运用了大胆的几何设计风格，此外她还把一些细小光滑的石子镶嵌其上。


How did she make this ring? Today we answer this question as we explore the history and methods of jewelry design.


她是如何制作出这样的指环呢？在今天的节目中，伴随我们探寻珠宝首饰设计的历史和方法的同时，将为您揭晓答案。


People from almost all cultures throughout history have been making and wearing jewelry. Jewelry is valued for its visual quality, the richness of its materials and the expert way it is made. Since ancient times people have worn jewelry like rings, bracelets and necklaces to decorate their fingers, wrists and necks.


纵观古今，几乎所有来自不同文化背景的人们都制作并佩戴珠宝饰物。它的价值就在于其上好的外观，华美的用料和专业的做工。自古以来，人们就用指环，手镯和项链来装点他们的十指，双腕和颈项。

Ancient peoples who lived near the ocean used the shells of sea creatures to make jewelry. Other ancient peoples used materials like small colored rocks and animal bones and teeth. Jewelry often was made from whatever material was considered rare and costly. It expressed the wealth and social importance of its wearer.


居住于大海之滨的古代族群使用海洋生物的外壳来制作饰品。而另一些人则使用色彩斑斓的小石子，兽骨和牙齿。通常，珠宝饰品的用料是那些被认为是稀有和贵重的材料。饰品能表明佩戴者的富有程度和其重要的社会地位。

Later cultures learned how to find and work with gold. One of gold’s important qualities is that it is a very soft metal. It can be easily formed or even flattened into extremely thin sheets of metal.



稍晚一些的文明学会了如何寻找和冶炼金。而金的重要特性之一便是其质软易铸。它能被轻易地铸就成形，甚至还能被打成纤薄如纸的金箔。


Some of the oldest and finest known jewelry comes from the burial site of the Sumerian ruler Queen Pu-abi. This Mesopotamian culture existed more than four thousand five hundred years ago. In this area that is now Iraq, archeologists discovered fine examples of gold jewelry. Many of the jewelry designs combined the brightness of gold with the intense blue stone called lapus lazuli. This jewelry shows some of the earliest examples of metalworking methods such as filigree and granulation.


我们已知的一些最古老，也是最精致的珠宝饰品是来自于苏美尔王朝统治者---普 阿比皇后的墓葬遗址。这段美索不达米亚的文明存在于4500多年之前。在这片地区（现今伊拉克），考古学家发掘出了一些金饰品的代表作。它们当中的许多设计都将金的夺目耀眼与有着深邃蓝色的天青石合二为一。这件饰品让我们看到了一些早期金属加工方式的代表工艺，如花丝法和制粒法。


Granulation is a technique in which tiny gold balls are placed in a decorative pattern and joined onto a gold surface. Filigree is made by arranging fine gold or silver wires into patterns or images. Filigree work can either be joined onto a metal surface, or left as openwork. Many cultures have left extraordinary examples of this technique. Examples include the jewelry of ancient Greeks and the eighteenth century Qing period in China.


制粒工艺是将金的球状颗粒排列为一种装饰性图案，然后再将该图案接合到金胎表面。花丝法则是将金或银的细丝编织成图案或图形。花丝工艺品既能能接合到金属表面，亦可单独作为镂空饰物。许多文明都留下了极为独特的花丝工艺代表作，其中包括古希腊时期和18世纪中国清代的饰品。


Several other metal working methods were developed in ancient times and still define jewelry design today. They include cloisonné work and casting. Cloisonné involves forming metal borders to make different contained areas on the surface of the piece of jewelry. These spaces are then filled with different pieces of finely carved precious stones or with small bits of glass that are melted together.


其他的一些古代金属工艺依旧影响着当今的饰品设计。如景泰蓝和金属铸造工艺。景泰蓝工艺是把首饰的表面通过将金属掐丝做出形状不同且镂空的区域。尔后，这些区域就会被嵌以形态各俱且经过精心雕凿的宝石，亦或是被嵌以许多玻璃小颗粒熔结而成的玻璃块。



The ancient Egyptians were experts of the cloisonné method. For example, at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City you can see a beautiful cloisonné necklace made more than four thousand years ago. More than three hundred small stones make up a detailed image of Egyptian symbols such as birds and snake creatures. The symbols tell about the sun god giving long life to the Egyptian ruler of that time, King Senwosret the Second.


古埃及人是景泰蓝工艺的个中好手。比如说，在纽约的大都会博物馆，您能看见到一条打造于4000多年前的华美的景泰蓝项链。 300多颗小宝石汇聚成了埃及人的鸟形和蛇形图腾。它讲述了一个关于太阳神把永生赐予当时的埃及法老王森乌塞特二世的故事。


For thousands of years, Egyptian jewelry represented a great tradition of artistic skill. Many of the pieces were not only beautiful, but also believed to be magical. Amulet jewelry was believed to protect people or give them special powers. For example, scarabs in the form of the beetle insect were believed to be the symbol of new life. Jewelers in ancient Egypt made many examples of finely carved scarab rings and necklaces that still exist today.



几千年来，埃及珠宝饰品代表着一种伟大的传统艺术技艺。许多饰品不仅精美绝伦，而且还被世人奉为魔幻珍品。护身符饰品被认为能给人以护佑或者给予他们特殊的力量。例如，甲壳虫外形的圣甲虫被认为是新生的象征。古埃及的首饰匠人们打造了许多保存至今的精美的圣甲虫指环和项链。


One very old technique of metal casting is called the lost-wax method. With this method, an artist carves the shape of jewelry he or she wants to make out of wax material. This shape is placed into a piece of clay, which is heated at high temperatures.


有一种非常古老的金属铸造技法叫熔蜡模铸法。通过这种方法，艺术家能够用蜡做出他/她想要制作的饰品形状，然后将其置入一块陶土中，并用高温加热之。

The clay takes the form of the ring, but the wax inside melts away because of the heat. This is why the method is called lost-wax. The original carved wax model is lost, but its form remains in the clay. Hot liquid metal such as gold is placed inside this clay form. As the metal cools and hardens, it takes the form left by the wax.


陶土中间形成了中空的形状，而蜡则受热熔走。这就是为何此法被称作熔蜡模铸法的原因。原本雕好的蜡模消失了，但它的形状却保留在了陶土中。高温的金属熔液（例如金）就被倒入这个陶土模具中。当金属熔液的温度冷却下来并变硬时，它就具有了蜡质模具的形状。


The rulers of Asante in modern day Ghana wore gold jewelry made with the lost-wax method. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Asante jewelers made beautiful, fine, detailed gold objects. The ruling family and other leaders wore objects as symbols of their importance, wealth and power.


在今天加纳的阿散蒂族统治者就佩戴着由熔蜡模铸法做出的金首饰。在18到19世纪，阿散蒂首饰匠人们制作出精美绝伦和精细入微的黄金器物。皇室成员和其他领导人所佩戴的饰物显现出了他们的重要性，财力和权威。


Granulation, filigree, cloisonné and casting are only a few of the metalworking methods used by jewelers both in the past and today.

纵观古今，制粒、花丝、景泰蓝和金属铸造工艺也只是首饰工匠们所使用的金属加工技艺的沧海一粟。

VOICE ONE:
Of course, not all jewelry is made by metalworking. Many cultures throughout history used other valuable materials as well. For example, in China, carved jade stone was part of an ancient jewelry tradition. This green stone was beautiful and also thought to have magical powers. In southern Nigeria during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, only the ruling family of Benin had the right to wear jewelry carved of white ivory material.

显然，并不是所有的珠宝首饰都是通过金属工艺加工而来。在漫漫历史长河之中，许多文明也运用了其他材料打造之。举例来说，玉石雕刻在中国是古老的传统饰品加工工艺。这种绿色的石头不仅外形瑰丽，而且还被认为具有魔力。16到17世纪，在尼日利亚南方地区，只有居住在贝宁城的皇室成员才有权佩戴由洁白的象牙材料雕刻出来的饰品。


These are only a few examples of the creativity humans have demonstrated with the art of making jewelry. What kinds of jewelry traditions exist where you live?

首饰制作工艺体现了人类的创造力，而上述实例也仅只是冰山一角。在您所生活的地方有些什么样的首饰加工传统呢？

The methods we have described are still being used by artists today. Modern technology and newer methods have only added to the countless ways that stones, metals and other materials can be formed. Today, jewelry designers combine old and new methods with styles from around the world. Many also use unexpected materials, such as plastics, cotton and wood. The creative possibilities of modern jewelry making are limitless.


如今，艺术工作者们仍在使用上述的首饰加工技艺。现代科技和新兴工艺也只是被融入到了那些灿若星辰的石头、金属和其他材料的加工方式之中。首饰设计匠人们揉融传统和新兴的首饰加工方式，将来自世界各地的不同艺术风格运用其中。他们当中的许多人甚至启用一些出人意料的材料如塑胶材料、棉料和木料来加工首饰。我们可以看到，当代首饰加工的创新可能是无疆无界的。


The Torpedo Factory Art Center is in the old area of Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. Here, on the second floor is a workroom and store called Susan Sanders Design. Let us go back to the modern geometric jewelry we told about earlier.


“震旦艺术中心”位于弗吉尼亚州亚历山大市的老城区，毗邻首都华盛顿。在该中心的二楼，有着一处集工作和商铺功能于一体的地方，那就是‘苏珊 桑德斯创作工作室’。现在就让我们回到刚才提到的现代几何首饰加工的话题当中吧。


“I'm Susan Sanders. I'm a jewelry designer at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia. I started making jewelry when I was in college but my desire to make things started much earlier than that. My father was a graphics designer and brought me home professional supplies. My original plan was to be a furniture designer, but I like things I can hold in my hand.”


“我叫苏珊 桑德斯。是弗吉尼亚州亚历山大市的‘震旦艺术中心’饰品设计师。我在大学里就开始从事首饰创作，但我有加工制作物品的想法还要相对更早一些。我的父亲是一位平面设计师，是他给我找来了很多专业工具。起初，我想成为一名家具设计师，但我更喜欢能够握于掌心的东西。”


Susan Sanders says this ring is not the easiest of her rings to wear. It is more like a finger sculpture. She carved the main sterling silver form of the ring from a piece of hard wax material. With the lost-wax method we told about earlier, she carved the wax model to make the silver form.


苏珊表示要戴上这枚戒指却不是那么容易的事儿，加工过程更像是在做指环雕刻。她用一块硬蜡雕刻出纯银模本所需的形状。她使用了我们前面提到的熔蜡模铸法，先雕凿出硬蜡模本，再将其铸成银饰模本。


Then, she used a milling machine to create a perfect circle opening for a finger. She also used this milling tool to carve out the areas where she placed small pieces of onyx and jasper stone. Once the stones were in place, she ground the surface to a smooth finish.


之后，再用铣床制作出一个最佳适合于手指大小的圆环。苏珊也会用这台机器凿出一些留空区域，用来镶嵌缟玛瑙和玉髓碧玉颗粒。等到这些宝石被镶嵌之后，再进行表面打磨，继而完工。

Like most of her work, this ring is very modern and geometric. Susan Sanders says she is not exactly sure where her ideas come from. Some ideas come from subjects she loves such as modern architecture. But the hardest part is choosing an idea for a piece of jewelry since she does not have the time or resources to make every design she imagines.


就像她其他的作品一样，这枚指环具有非常现代的几何艺术气息。苏珊 桑德斯说，她自己都说不清这些灵感从何而来。其中的一部分灵感来源于她的爱好，如现代建筑。但最困难的部分在于：如何为一件饰物选择对应的设计思路。因为她没有那么多时间和材料来创作她脑海中的饰品。

Susan Sanders sells most of her work in her store in Alexandria. If you visit the store, you can see her hard at work on new jewelry. Galleries in California also carry her designs. She has even shown her work in countries such as Italy and South Korea.


在亚历山大，苏珊通过她的工作室出售她的很多作品。如果您去她的小店逛逛，就会发现她忙碌于制作新的饰品。加利福尼亚州的许多艺术展览馆也展出她的作品。她的作品甚至还在其他国家展出，例如在意大利和韩国。

Listen as Susan Sanders tells about an exciting show she helped put together in Russia:

下面我们来听听苏珊在俄罗斯的经历。她曾在那儿协同举办了一场有趣的展览会。

“I have had quite a number of shows in different countries. The most exciting of which was a show that we had in Moscow in Russia that was called Two Capitals which was jewelry designers from the Washington, D.C., area and artists also from the Moscow area. We put together a show and went over there with it. We had a fabulous time.

“我在许多国家都有很多展览要参加。让我印象最深刻的一场是在俄罗斯首都莫斯科所举办的。这次展出也被称作‘双城记’，因为来自美国华盛顿特区的首饰设计师和来自莫斯科的艺术家都参加了这次展览。”我们联合举办并亲自出席了该展览。大家都非常高兴。

"We were entertained by three of the country's best opera singers and one of their top pianists, which was absolutely incredible. We had an opportunity to meet some of the other Russian jewelers and visit their studios, so we feel like we have friends over there even though we had to speak through an interpreter.”

该国最优秀的三位歌剧演唱家和一位钢琴家为我们演出了节目，那次演出真是精彩至极。我们还有幸见到了该国的一些珠宝商并且还拜访了他们的工作室。虽然我们之间需要通过一位翻译来沟通，但却觉得他们都是我们的老朋友一般。”


Susan Sanders says to be a good jewelry maker you have to enjoy working long and hard on very small details. She says it is not work that goes quickly. Sanders feels lucky to have grown up with the choices she had. Because her father was an artist, he supported her creative goals early on. Many women did not have the same choices. Susan Sanders says she is thankful to be an artist doing work that she loves.

苏珊说，“欲速则不达”，要成为一名优秀的饰品设计师，你就必须要长时间地、努力地去研赏艺术作品的细微之处。 她很庆幸能够按照自己的选择一路走来。因为她父亲曾是一位艺术家，他支持着苏珊早期所表现出来的那种创作天赋。


This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Barbara Klein.

戴安娜 蒂萌志制作并为本次节目撰稿。我是芭芭拉 克莱恩。

And I’m Steve Ember. You can read and listen to this program on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. You can also see pictures of Susan Sanders' jewelry. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.

我是史蒂夫 安伯尔。您可以到我们的网站阅读并收听本次节目。网址是http://www.voaspecialenglish.com/. 此外，您也可以浏览到苏珊 桑德斯的饰品图片。让我们在下周的美国之音特别英语之探索发现节目中再次相会。

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Word Bank--关键词

1. jewelry--珠宝饰品、首饰、珠宝工艺品；

2. Sumerian--苏美尔人、苏美尔人的、闪族、闪族人的；

3. lapus lazuli--又作lapis lazuli，天青石，一般为深蓝色；

4. metalworking method--金属加工方法、金属加工工艺；

5. filigree--花丝法，将金、银细丝编织为艺术图案的方法；

6. granulation--制粒法，是把粉末、块状物、溶液、熔融液等状态的物料进行处理、制成具有一定形态和大小的颗粒( 粒子) 的操作。另外亦是金属加工工艺之一；

7. cloisonné--景泰蓝工艺，自古以来首饰加工中的重要工艺；

8. casting--金属铸造工艺；

9. scarab--圣甲虫，古埃及人对其十分着迷，认为其代表了新生。因此在有阴间摆渡者阿努比斯的壁画中一般都有圣甲虫的身影；

10. Amulet jewelry--护身符类的首饰，喜欢玩游戏的同学都一定对护符这个单词不陌生吧；

11. lost-wax method--熔蜡模铸法，还有的人将其叫做脱蜡铸造或失蜡铸造，个人认为这两种翻译方式有欠佳的地方。如果是约定俗成的方式，那我就没有话说了；

12. Asante--阿散蒂族、阿散蒂人、阿散蒂语，主要聚居在加纳；阿散蒂(Ashanti 或Asante) 人是加纳最有影响的族群阿肯族(Akan) 的支系,也是阿肯族中最为知名和突出的共同体。17 世纪中叶,生活在西非热带雨林地区的阿散蒂各部落建立了阿散蒂王国。到18 世纪末,阿散蒂国已统一了周围许多部落,成为占有今加纳中部和南部地区的强大国家,其疆域西起科莫埃河,东达多哥山脉,大体相当于现在的阿散蒂地区。 阿散蒂的传统社会结构是母系社会。阿散蒂人认为,两代人之间是由母亲的血液连在一起的,因此,每一个阿散蒂人都可以通过母亲来追溯自己的血统世系；

13. onyx--缟玛瑙，矿产词；一种带有条纹和多种颜色的玉髓，它被用来作饰物的宝石，常用于浮雕和凹雕；

14. jasper--碧玉、水苍玉、玉髓碧玉：一种颜色可为红色、黄色或褐色的不透明的隐晶体石英；

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本Blog所翻译之译文，未经作者(冰冷的岩浆)许可，不得转载！

Ever Wonder Where Seedless Fruits Come From?

岩浆美国之音特别英语翻译01

Ever Wonder Where Seedless Fruits Come From?

无籽水果从何而来？


---An explanation of grafting.

讲述嫁接法

02 January 2007
2007年1月2日报道


原文：VOA
译文：冰冷的岩浆

本节目文本

本节目音频

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

这里是美国之音特别英语农业报道

These days, if we hear about two different plants being combined, the first thing we think of is modern biotechnology. But the low-technology process of grafting remains an extremely important form of genetic engineering in agriculture.

今天，如果我们听到关于将两种不同的植物接合，首先就会想到这是现代生物技术。但技术含量不高的植物嫁接法仍是农业基因工程中一种极其重要的形式。


Many kinds of plants are grown not from seeds but from pieces cut from existing plants. Farmers cut branches or buds, young growths, from one plant and place them on a related kind of plant. The branch or bud that is grafted is called a scion [pronounced SYuhn]. The plant that accepts the graft is called the root stock.

许多植物都不是由种子发芽长成，而是由既有植物之上的剪枝培育而来。农业人员从一种植物上剪下其枝干、小嫩芽和幼枝，再将它们转接到近似品种之上。被嫁接的枝或芽就被称作接穗。而接受嫁接的植物则被称作砧木。


Over time, the parts from the two plants grow together. The grafted plant begins to produce the leaves and fruit of the scion, not the root stock.

随着时间的流逝，从两种植物身上获取的部分就长成一体。被嫁接的植物开始从接穗而不从砧木上生长出叶子和果实。

A graft can be cut in several ways. A cleft graft, for example, requires a scion with several buds on it. The bottom of the scion is cut in the shape of the letter V. A place is cut in the root stock to accept the scion.

一段接枝的剪切方式可以有多种。以劈接法为例，它要求接穗上要带有几个蓓蕾。接穗的根部需剪成V字形，而砧木上也截出相应的形状。

The scion is then securely placed into the cut on the root stock. Material called a growth medium is put on the joint to keep it wet and help the growth.

之后，接穗就能安然嫁接到砧木上相应的截口之上。此外，一种称作培养基的材料就会被涂抹到接合处以保证接口的湿润并有助其生长。

Grafting can join scions with desirable qualities to root stock that is strong and resists disease and insects. Smaller trees can be grafted with older scions.

嫁接法可将具有理想品质的接穗与强壮、能抵御病虫害的砧木接合到一起。这样一来，年幼的树苗就能与年长的接穗共栖一枝了。



The United States Environmental Protection Agency says producing stronger plants by grafting can reduce the need to use pesticides.

美国环境保护局称，采用嫁接的方式来培养抵抗力强的植物能够降低使用杀虫剂的需求。


Agriculture could not exist as we know it without grafting. Many fruits and nuts have been improved through this method. Some common fruit trees such as sweet cherries and McIntosh apples have to be grafted.

若没有嫁接技术，农业就不会发展到今天。许多水果和坚果的品质就是通过这种方式得到了改进。而一些常见的果树如甜樱桃和麦金托什苹果就必须通过嫁接才能生长出来。



Bing cherries, for example, are one of the most popular kinds of cherries. But a Bing cherry tree is not grown from seed. Branches that produce Bing cherries must be grafted onto root stock. All sweet cherries on the market are grown this way.

就拿平氏樱桃来说，它是种类繁多的樱桃家族中最受欢迎的一种。但平氏樱桃树却不是由种子长成。结出平氏樱桃的枝干必须要嫁接到砧木之上，市场上所有的甜樱桃都是以这样的方式生产出来的。



And then there are seedless fruits like navel oranges and seedless watermelons. Have you ever wondered how farmers grow them? Through grafting.

此外还有无籽水果如脐橙和无籽西瓜。您可曾想过农业人员是如何生产出它们的吗？对，就是通过嫁接!


The grapefruit tree is another plant that depends on grafting to reproduce. Grapes, apples, pears and also flowers can be improved through grafting.

葡萄柚亦是另外一种依靠嫁接来生产的果树。葡萄、苹果、梨和花都能通过嫁接法来改善其品质。


In an age of high-technology agriculture, grafting still holds an important place.

在这样一个高科技农业时代，嫁接法仍旧占有其重要的一席之地!

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And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Mario Ritter. You can learn more about agriculture, and download MP3 files and transcripts of our reports, at voaspecialenglish.com.

这就是美国之音特别英语之农业报道，Mario Ritter撰文。您可以在美国之音特别英语网站学习到更多农业知识，并下载本节目的MP3文件及其文本。

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Word Bank--关键词：

1. scion--接穗。2. root stock (or rootstock)--砧木。3. cleft graft--劈接法。

4. McIntosh apples--麦金托什苹果。5. growth medium--营养基。6. Bing cherry--平氏樱桃

7. navel oranges--脐橙。8. seedless watermelon--无籽西瓜。9. grapefruit--葡萄柚

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Knowledge Base--知识点：

一、什么是嫁接 嫁接是指剪截植物体的一部分枝或叶，嫁接到另外一株植物体上，使二者成为一新的植株。被剪截植物上的枝或芽叫接穗，被嫁接的植物叫砧木。

二、嫁接的优点 嫁接后的植物生长发育和开花结果，能保持原品种性状不变。嫁接苗比扦插苗、实生苗生长发育快。增强适应不良环境的能力强。植株的抗病虫能力强。

三、嫁接成活的难易 从植物分类学上讲，亲缘关系越近的植物嫁接越易成活，这是植物组织结构的不同造成的。嫁接成活与否首先取决于砧木和接穗削面间形成愈伤组织的愈合程度。嫁接后，砧、穗削切面愈伤组织形成的快，而且形成量也多的植物容易成活，反之则成活困难。嫁接成活是指砧木和接穗各自的削切面形成层彼此之间相互密接，从双方削切面分化出愈伤组织，这是植物本身具有的再生能力。发育的愈伤组织结合起来添补空隙，砧木吸收的养分通过愈伤组织向接穗运送。在愈伤组织形成的过程中接穗萌芽，开始生长。当然，嫁接成活的难易也受砧木、接穗当时的形态、外界因素及操作技术的影响。

四、嫁接亲和性 嫁接亲和性指的是嫁接成活后，从一株小苗一直到成年树，长期能正常生长发育。假如嫁接成活后，树势逐渐衰弱而枯死，或嫁接部位发育不良容易被风吹断等，就被认为不亲和。但有些不亲和现象表现为树体矮化、叶片黄化、接口上粗下细或上细下粗等。但从栽培角度上讲，在这些现象之后树体若能发育正常，在庭园栽培或盆栽上就可以利用。

五、在农林业生产实践中，很多植物都是使用嫁接繁殖的，如月季、菊花、仙人掌类、苹果、梨、桃、柑橘等。以梨树作例子来说，接穗要从鸭梨等优良品种的植株上选取，砧木可以选用杜梨等野生种类植株。鸭梨的果实大，味道甜，但抗病力弱。杜梨的果实小，味道涩，但抗病力强。通过嫁接，就将鸭梨和杜梨的优点结合到了一起。给果树嫁接，技术要求高、专业性强，还要使用专门的嫁接工具，如芽接刀等。给仙人掌类植物嫁接则相对容易一些。

六、 仙人掌类植物一般为仙人掌科植物的通称。此科植物约有2 000多种，如蟹爪兰、昙花、令箭荷花、三棱箭、仙人球、仙人鞭等。仙人掌类植物形态独特、花色繁多，有些品种还可食用，故而受到人们越来越多的偏爱。仙人掌类植物中绝大部分属陆生类型，原产于沙漠或草原地带，耐干旱和强烈光照。少数种类原产于热带雨林，只有200多种。如昙花、蟹爪兰等，属于附生类型。仙人掌在我国南方一些地区可陆地栽培，是很好的园林绿化植物。而在北方地区，则不能在室外越冬，故多盆栽。仙人掌要长到一定大小才能开花，花期又短，人们就把花期较长的蟹爪兰嫁接到仙人掌上。元旦春节期间，蟹爪兰绚烂的花朵不但装点了环境，又烘托了节日气氛。

七、 仙人掌嫁接蟹爪兰需要的材料用具有：蟹爪兰幼茎、仙人掌，芽接刀。废纸、尺子、医用橡皮膏等。嫁接的方法如下：先用尺子测量蟹爪兰扁平的变态茎的宽度，再将仙人掌的球茎顶端平着切掉一部分；要使切口略宽于蟹爪兰茎的宽度。使用芽接刀小心地在切口中央下切1.5～2 cm深；再把蟹爪兰茎的背腹两侧1～1.5 cm处各斜削一刀，削成楔形。立即将削好的蟹爪兰插入仙人掌的切口中（注意尽量避免对伤口的污染），插牢后用医用橡皮膏把插接处缠绕一周。操作时可用废纸包住仙人掌，避免小毛刺扎手。教师可事先实践一下，取得经验，再带领学生操作。

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关于平氏樱桃和樱桃知识的介绍。请看美国的樱桃。

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