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新闻背景导读
海地位于加勒比海北部，印第安语意为“多山的地方”，是加勒比海上的一个岛国。首都是太子港（Port-au-Prince）。海地是世界上最为贫困的国家之一，经济以农业为主，基础设施建设非常落后。另外，由于能源不足，海地的工业非常不发达，失业率也极高，三分之二的工人没有固定的工作。美国是海地最大的援助国，1995至1999年间向海地提供了8.84亿美元的援助。
海地法律规定7～13岁的儿童享受免费义务教育，64%的学龄儿童可获得小学教育。1999年中学毕业会考参加人数达10.2万。城市成人文盲率为57%，农村则高达85%。全国中小学校近9000所，其中私立学校占85%以上。有海地大学等7所高等学校。
新闻词汇热身
condition n. 状况，环境
dependable adj. 可依赖的
dysfunctional adj. 功能失调的
campaign n. 运动
legislation n. 法律（规），立法
正点新闻播报
US Help to Boost Haiti's Education System
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.
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.
The American Education Secretary spoke with VOA's Creole Service after he returned to the U.S. 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.
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.
新闻播报译文
美国帮助促进海地的教育制度
海地是世界上最贫穷的国家之一，在国内仅有大约一半的儿童上小学。而且联合国儿童基金会声称，其中上中学的孩子少于25%。
海地的许多学校状况不好。他们缺乏自来水和可靠的电力。美国和平研究所称海地的教育体制有“功能障碍”，它指出海地急需改革和金融援助。
上周，美国的教育部长阿恩·邓肯访问海地，对海地的教育体制进行了讨论。他与海地总统米歇尔·马尔泰利进行会晤。马尔泰利先生于2011年上台，他致力于完成他的竞选承诺，使教育满足需求和让每个孩子免费上学。
美国教育部长在返回美国后，接受美国之音的克里奥尔服务的采访。邓肯先生宣布美国国际开发署将对海地教育体制投资数百万美元。出资将通过“学习的教室”项目进行一个志在增加受教育机会公平性的项目。邓肯先生声称美国也将向海地教育部门提供技术援助。
他说海地立法者正考虑立法扩大对教育的资金援助。他说如果措施通过，法律将是极为重要的。他谈论了他参观过的海地的几所学校，其中包括一所流浪儿童学校。邓肯先生赞扬了凭借自己的勇气和努力追求一种更好生活的学生。
新闻语言点睛
1. primary school 小学，初等学校
例句 How long have you studied in primary school?
你们在小学学习多长时间？
2. secondary school 中学，中等学校
例句 In secondary school, children get more advanced knowledge.
在中学，孩子获得更深一些的知识。
3. in poor condition 状态不好；情况欠佳
例句 This left him in a poor condition.
这使得他处境困难。
4. free of charge 免费，不收费
例句 Children are free of charge during festivals.
节日期间儿童免票。
新闻背景导读
利比里亚大学是利比里亚目前所有的两所国立大学之一，是一所历史悠久的综合性大学。但由于受到长年战争的影响，如今的利比里亚大学校园损毁严重，大部分教学楼被毁，政府和学校暂时还没有能力大面积地进行恢复重建。教学设施极端缺乏，无正常的水电供应，一连几天不能供电的情况经常出现。2013年8月，利比里亚教育部长说，她不敢相信2013年全国没有一个学生通过高考。其中，2.5万名学生几乎全部没有通过利比里亚大学的入学考试。
新闻词汇热身
confusion n. 困惑，糊涂
oversee v. 监督，监管
performance n. 表现
curriculum n. 课程
raw adj. 未经训练的
curve n. 曲线，弧线
正点新闻播报
Admission Standards Toughened at University of Liberia
Entrance examinations have been causing problems and confusion at the University of Liberia in Monrovia. The exams help to decide whom the University will accept as a student. The problems begin after an education specialist James Dorbor-Jallah was named to direct and administer the testing.
Recently, about 25,000 high school students took the test but failed. Mr. Dorbor-Jallah says, he and his team want to show that a fair, honest examination can be helped. He says some Liberian think they cannot enter the university unless they make a financial gift in return. He said the University has been trying to decide how to oversee the process, so people's abilities would be measured on the basis of their performances on the examination.
Last year, the University of Liberia accepted about 7,000 new students after they took a similar exam. But that test was judged differently. Mr. Dorbor-Jallah says the university sought his help because it had problems in the past with entrance exams.
Mr. Dorbor-Jallah says he promised the university that his team would document the testing process so anyone could get the same results as his team. Mr. Dorbor-Jallah says that like earlier tests, the 2013 entrance exam was based on the Ministry of Education curriculum . But he also says that the most recent test results were based on raw scores.
A raw score does not provide any grading assistance like a curve based on the performances of a group of students. He said 308 of the more than 25,000 students did meet 50 percent success in math. But he said no student was able to gain 70 percent in English.
新闻播报译文
利比里亚大学招生标准提高
在蒙罗维亚利比里亚大学，入学考试导致问题和混乱局面出现。这种考试决定这所大学将录取什么学生，在教育专家James Dorbor-Jallah被任命指导和管理这项考试后，问题就出现了。
最近，有大约2.5万名高中生参加了考试，但都落榜了。DorborJallah说，他和他的团队希望让大家明白，公平、诚实的考试能起到作用。他说，有的利比里亚人认为要想进大学，除非得送一笔钱。他说大学一直想办法如何监督这一过程，这样人的能力就可以根据其考试表现来衡量。
去年，利比里亚大学在考生参加类似考试后录取了大约7000名新生，但其评判的标准不一样。Dorbor-Jallah说这所大学之所以找自己帮忙，是因为以前在入学考试上遇到问题。
Dorbor-Jallah说，他向大学承诺，他的团队将记录考试过程，这样每个人都能得到和他的团队同样的结果。Dorbor-Jallah说正如之前的考试，2013年的入学考试基于教育部的课程，但他说最近的考试结果基于原始分数。
原始分数并不提供任何评分帮助，比如基于一群学生成绩的曲线。他说2.5万名学生中有308名的数学做对了一半，但他说没人英语做对70%。
新闻语言点睛
1. in return 作为报答
例句 What did you give him in return?
你给他什么作为报答呢？
2. on the basis of 根据，在……的基础上；基于
例句 Don't evaluate a person on the basis of appearance.
不要以貌取人。
3. base on 以……为基础
例句 This story is based on historical facts
这个故事是以历史事实为根据的。
新闻背景导读
美国中小学常用的课堂评分方法有四种：字母评分制、数字百分制、数字五分制、及格和不及格制。每种评分方法的优点与不足共存。字母评分制是美国中小学法定学科（英语、音乐、艺术、社会科等）的最常见评分方法。其中规定，“A”是最高分，“F”是最低分，中间依次是“B”、“C”和“D”。有时在五个字母上还用“＋”和“－”进一步表示分数。
由于字母评分制并不能直接体现出学生成绩好在哪里或差在哪里。并且，有时是由教学管理人员来决定应有多大比例的学生必须达到某一字母水平，而没有规定学生成绩究竟应该达到何种程度。字母评分制带来一定的不便：字母分数的含义随着课程、教师、学校、时间等因素的差异而有所不同，特别是不同教师有着不同评分标准，这不利于客观地评价学生。
新闻词汇热身
lyric n. 歌词
signify v. 表示……的意思，意味
unsatisfactory adj. 不能令人满意的
harshly adv. 粗糙地，冷酷地
numerical adj. 数字的，用数字表示的
reflect v. 反映；反射
subtract v. 减（去）
terminology n. 术语，术语学
standardize v. 使标准化
正点新闻播报
"C" Isn't Average in All Schools Any More
There's an old, but often-playedsong by the late Sam Cooke whose lyrics go, in part:
Now I don't claim to be an "A" student
But I'm trying to be.
And so are millions of other American children each school term. Being an "A" student signifies being the best, the smartest, the highest achiever. "B" means good but not best, "C" stands for average, "D"for below average, and either "E" or "F" for unsatisfactory , or to put it more harshly , failure.
But in hundreds, maybe thousands, of American schools, nobody's an A student any more. And the idea of getting "straight A's" — and thus being the best of the best —is gone as well. There aren't B or C or F students, either. Thanks to something called "standards-based" report cards, these students are receiving a numerical rating — a number instead of a letter — for their performance in each class.
Those numbers — usually 4 for best, down to 1 — reflect a lot more than just mastery of the subject matter. In a math class in New York State schools, for instance, a 4 means the student can not only add and subtract but has, in the new terminology , displayed high skill in "number sense and operations."
The switch from letter grades to numbers has something to do with national education standards, which are tied to student performance on standardized tests. That performance is measured in numbers. And now, so is their work in the classroom.
This means a lot more work for teachers, because they're being asked to factor as many 50 detailed skill areas into their ratings of student success in each class.
新闻播报译文
字母不再用来表示成绩了
已故的山姆库克有首老歌经常有人表演，它的部分歌词是这样的：
如今，我不再自称是A等生了
但是，我还为之努力
成千上万的其他美国孩子每个学期也是如此。成为一个A等生被认作是非常出色的、最聪明的、最高等的荣誉获得者。B意味着优秀但不出众，C表示中等，D就低于平均水平了。不论E还是F都是令人失望的，或者更严厉的说，失败。
但是在几百所，可能是几千所的美国学校中，没有人能再成为A等生了，成为全优生的想法——成为顶尖的学生——也不存在了。也没有B、C或是F等级的学生了，多亏了名为“基础标准”的报告，现在学生接受数字评级，用一个数字而不是字母来评价他们在每堂课的表现。
那些数字中，4经常代表最好，4至1能够反映很多信息而不仅仅是科目掌握程度问题。在纽约州立学校的一堂数学课上，比如一个4意味学生不仅仅会加减运算，从新术语角度来讲就是在“数感和运算”方面有很高的天赋。
字母成绩数字化的转变与国家教育标准有关，该标准是和学生在标准测试的表现挂钩的。表现的好坏则用数字来衡量，现在，他们在课堂上的表现也用数字来评判了。
这意味着老师有更多的工作要做，因为他们被要求根据学生50项具体技能标准来衡量他们的课室表现。。
新闻语言点睛
1. millions of 许许多多的；成百万的
例句 The programme attracted millions of viewers.
这个节目吸引了数百万电视观众。
2. stand for 代表
例句 What do the letters N.B. stand for?
N.B.这两个字母代表什么？
3. instead of 代替，而不是
例句 I gave him advice instead of money.
我给了他忠告，而不是钱。
新闻背景导读
多哥共和国（法语：République Togolaise），西非国家之一，东面与贝宁，北面与布基纳法索，西面与加纳相邻，南面有一小段海岸线面向几内亚湾。首都及最大城市为洛美。全国分为滨海区、高原区、中部区、卡拉区和草原区五大经济区。多哥的官方语言是法语，此外，埃维语、米纳语、卡布列语、达戈姆巴语等也在多哥流行。
新闻词汇热身
estimate v. 估计，估量
disappear v. 不见，消失
academic adj. 学校（院）的；学术的
heritage n. 遗产，继承物，传统
ritual n. （宗教等的）仪式；例行公事
ethnic adj. 种族的
interaction n. 相互作用，相互影响
urban adj. 城市的
linguist n. 语言学家
正点新闻播报
Togolese Academics Fight for Linguistic Heritage
Experts estimate that by the end of the century, half of the 6,000 languages spoken on our planet will have disappeared . In West Africa, academics in Togo are trying to protect the small country's rich cultural and language heritage .
At the University of Lome, Professor N'bueke Adovi Goeh-Akue shows a visitor some video groups of Gen cultural ritual . The Professor is a cultural heritage specialist. He is also a Gen, one of many ethnic groups in Togo.
He is making films of Gen cultural customs with financial help from the United States. He says the Gen have an important place in Togo's history and culture. Gen rituals show how its people see their world; the interaction between the living and the dead, the seen and the unseen."
Gen is one of about 39 languages spoken in Togo. A specialist in the UNESCO endangered language program says, by the end of the century, more than half of Africa's languages will be gone.
Socio-linguist Komlan Essizewa says that today many young urban Togolese switch among several languages, these include the Mina language spoken in cities.
"As a linguist, we have to be very worried about it. Because today, even when people move back to their village, they don't use the language of the village as it is."
新闻播报译文
多哥学者拯救语言遗产
专家预计在本世纪末，地球上的6000种语言中近一半将消失。在西非，多哥学者正试图保护这个渺小的国度里丰富的文化和语言遗产。
在洛美大学，N'bueke Adovi Goeh-Akue教授向一位访客放映了一些Gen部族文化仪式的视频。该教授是文化遗产专家，也是Gen部族的人，这个部族是多哥众多部族中的一支。
在来自美国的资金援助下，他正在制作Gen部族文化风俗的影片。他说，Gen部族在多哥的历史和文化上有举足轻重的地位。Gen族仪式展示了这里的人们如何看待他们的世界，他们的生与死、已知与未知的相互作用。
Gen族语言是多哥的39种语言之一。联合国教科文组织濒危语种项目组的专家说，截止本世纪末，半数以上的非洲语种将消失。
社会语言学家Komlan Essizewa说道，今天许多住在都市里的多哥年轻人在几种语言中转换使用，这些语言包括在城市里使用的迈纳语种。
“作为一名语言学者，我们不得不对这一现象忧心忡忡。因为现在即使人们返回他们的村落，他们也不会像以前一样使用他们村落的语言了。”
新闻语言点睛
1. by the end of 到……为止
例句 The loan is due for repayment by the end of the year.
这笔借款要在年底还清。
2. be worried about 为……忧虑，为……担心
例句 There seems nothing to be worried about.
似乎没有什么值得忧虑的。
新闻背景导读
网络课程就是通过网络表现的某门学科的教学内容及实施的教学活动的总和，是信息时代条件下课程新的表现形式。它包括按一定的教学目标、教学策略组织起来的教学内容和网络教学支撑环境。其中网络教学支撑环境特指支持网络教学的软件工具、教学资源以及在网络教学平台上实施的教学活动。网络课程具有交互性、共享性、开放性、协作性和自主性等基本特征。
新闻词汇热身
complete v. 完成，完整
solution n. 解决；解答
revolutionize v. 变革，彻底改革
restructure v. 重建，改建，重组
competition n. 竞争，比赛
正点新闻播报
Online Classes Might Revolutionize Colleges
American colleges face what some people are calling a "perfect storm" of problems, college costs are rising, there are not enough jobs for all those completing study programs. Yet employers say they cannot find enough workers with technical skills.
One solution may be found in the growing number and quality of online classes, such classes might revolutionize colleges the way the Internet has already changed music, publishing, sales, and other businesses.
"This is pretty amazing." That is David Evans of the University of Virginia, he is teaching a Computer Science class on the Internet.
Many top universities now offer online classes, they teach everything from computer programing to the science of cooking. Many classes are at little or no cost, they are restructured more often than traditional college programs.
At most colleges, a professor or teaching assistant gives a lecture to students, who then do research, study, and homework alone. Student and blogger John Haber says online classes change everything around.
Georgetown University labor economist Tony Carnevale says he would welcome these changes, he says a college education has to be less costly, and then to skills needed by employers.
Chris Cullen is a college marketing expert, he says competition from online schools, and concerns about costs, will change universities.
新闻播报译文
网上课程可能会彻底改变大学
美国大学面临着所谓的“屋漏偏遇连阴雨”的问题，大学学费在涨，毕业生没有足够的就业机会。然而雇主却说他们找不到具备相关技能的员工。
数量和质量不断提高的网上课程可能是解决办法之一。这类课程可能会彻底改变高校，就像互联网已经改变了音乐、出版、销售和其它行业一样。
“这很了不起。”这是弗吉尼亚大学的大卫·埃文斯的评价，他在互联网上教计算机科学课程。
现在许多顶尖大学都提供网上课程，教授从电脑编程到烹调的各种课程。许多课程费用很低或免费，这些课程比传统大学课程调整得更频繁。
在大多数高校中，教授或助教给学生们讲课，然后学生们独自研究、学习和做功课。作为学生和博主的约翰·哈伯表示，网上课程改变了周围的一切。
乔治敦大学的劳动经济学家托尼·内瓦莱表示，他对这些改变表示欢迎。他说，大学教育费用应该更低，同时注重培养学生具备雇主需要的技能。
克里斯·卡伦是一位高校营销专家，他表示，来自网络学校的挑战，以及对费用的关注将会改变大学。
新闻语言点睛
1. technical skill 专门技术
例句 The job calls for technical skill.
做这项工作需要专门技术。
2. concern about 关心，担心
例句 Teachers have expressed concern about the changes.
教师对这些变化表示忧虑。
代词在英语广播中使用的频率很低，这是广播文体的一大特点，是由广播的传播特点所决定的。据我们统计，代词的使用仅占总词数的1%。代词数量减少，但人名、地名却大大增多，具体名词也增多了，这样，能使语言表达更为精确，减少产生混乱、引起误解的可能性。但根据需要或使语言简洁起见，新闻广播中有时还会出现一定数量的代词。代词的理解在阅读中常常是中国学生的一个难点，在收听VOA新闻时，这一问题就显得更为突出了。所以我们应更加注意代词的用法，在收听时做到以下几点：
（1）根据上下文来理解代词。
（2）通过对照收听Special English和Standard English同一内容的新闻来明确代词。
（3）利用历史背景知识来理解代词。世界上的许多事情，比如几大战争热点，都有其历史根源，两国之间的缓解与恶化也都有其时代背景。所以如果听众不断丰富自己的国际知识，也将有助于对新闻中代词的理解。
（4）坚持收听VOA对有关事件的系列报道。通过了解某一具体事件的发生、发展和结束这一全过程来判断代词。VOA新闻广播中代词的使用有时并不是以一天的某一事件为出发点，而是从有关事件的一系列报道来措辞的。因此坚持收听也是理解代词解决问题的有效方法之一。