CHRISTOPHER CRUISE-Voa
VOA原文b016 司格特 乔普林 拉格泰姆音乐之王
Scott Joplin, 1867-1917: King of Ragtime Music STEVE EMBER: I'm Steve Ember.BARBARA KLEIN: And I'm Barbara Klein with PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today we tell about the life and work of one of America's greatest music writers: Scott Joplin, the King of Ragtime.(MUSIC)STEVE EMBER: That song is called "Maple Leaf Rag." Scott Joplin wrote it more than one hundred years ago. The song changed Joplin's life. It was very popular. The composer earned a good living from the sales of the sheet music. He also became famous.But, even today, much about Scott Joplin remains a mystery. There is conflicting information about the most basic facts, like when and where he was born. Official population documents suggest Scott Joplin was born in eighteen sixty-seven or eighteen sixty-eight. He was born in Texas, probably near the border with Arkansas. The Joplins moved to Texarkana, Texas sometime after eighteen seventy-five and Scott grew up there.(MUSIC)BARBARA KLEIN: Scott was the second of seven children born to Giles and Florence Joplin. His father was a freed slave who worked on the railroad. His mother cleaned people's homes.The whole Joplin family was musical. Scott's father played the violin. His mother played the banjo. And all the Joplins enjoyed singing together at home.Scott learned to play several musical instruments. But Florence Joplin wanted her son to learn how to play the piano. When Scott was about seven years old he began taking piano lessons with a music teacher at his school. The Joplins were poor, so Scott's mother paid for the weekly lessons with food. Florence Joplin also got permission for her son to use a piano in one of the houses she cleaned in Texarkana.Florence and Giles Joplin separated before Scott became a teenager. Some experts think Scott blamed himself for the break-up. Many experts also think Scott Joplin's opera "Treemonisha" included incidents of his life with his mother after Giles Joplin left. For example, the character "Treemonisha" receives music lessons paid for by her mother who cleans people's houses.Listen to this aria from the opera. Carmen Balthrop is Treemonisha. (MUSIC)STEVE EMBER: Scott Joplin's early piano lessons did not include ragtime. That kind of music was played in dance and drinking places and was not considered acceptable. Scott first studied classical music with several teachers. They included a German immigrant named Julius Weiss who probably had the strongest influence on the boy.BARBARA KLEIN: Scott left Texas when he was a teenager. He worked as a piano player and gave lessons in the guitar and mandolin. In his twenties he settled in Sedalia, Missouri. He formed a group called the Texas Medley Quartet. The group sometimes traveled great distances to perform. Scott Joplin began his music-writing career in Sedalia. He attended college classes to learn to become a composer.Joplin also got a permanent job in Sedalia playing the piano in a new nightclub. Sedalia's most important citizens visited the Maple Leaf Club. The job permitted Joplin time to write and play his own work.Something even more important happened to Joplin in Sedalia. He met John Stark, the owner of a local music store. In eighty ninety-nine, Stark published the song "Maple Leaf Rag." It was not Joplin's first published music. But it was the he was most proud of.Stark offered to pay Joplin a percentage of each sale of "Maple Leaf Rag" sheet music. This was an extremely unusual business agreement for a white publisher and black composer at that time. Usually, white publishers paid only a small amount of money for full ownership of music written by African-Americans. The agreement was very good for both Scott Joplin and John Stark.(MUSIC)STEVE EMBER: Ragtime music is dance music. It combines a solid, often lively, beat with a looser, complex melody. Most experts agree that the traditional music and dance of American slaves played a big part in the development of ragtime.Here is a perfect example. Scott Joplin and John Stark published "A Breeze From Alabama" in nineteen-oh-two. It is music for a dance called the two-step. (MUSIC)。
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By Christopher Cruise26 August, 2012BARBARA KLEIN: Welcome to the VOA Special English program THIS IS AMERICA. I'm Barbara Klein.CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: And I'm Christopher Cruise. This week we tell about several American actors who were widely recognized years ago. But they now are not big stars or famous like they once were. We ask them how they dealt with these changes. (MUSIC)BARBARA KLEIN: Imagine you are one of the most-famous movie stars in the world. Millions of people pay to see your films, and everyone seems to know your name. Thirty years later, you are attending a comic book convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You sit alone, almost unrecognized, waiting for people to com e and shake your hand. Richard Roundtree played the part of police detective John Shaft in three movies in the early nineteen seventies. The movies made him an internationally recognized movie star. Since then, he has had a good career on television shows. But he has never been as famous as he was when he played John Shaft.CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Richard Roundtree was so well-known for the part that he was chosen to play few other roles in the nineteen eighties and nineties. That was because casting directors believed that movie goers could not see him as anyone other than John Shaft.The actor told VOA the fame that came from the Shaft movies was not easy for his family. But he says he missed the recognition when it went away.Actor Richard Roundtree arrives at a church near Memphis, Tennessee, for a "Tribute to Isaac Hayes," who won an Academy Award in 1972 for best song for the "Theme from Shaft" and died of a stroke in August 2008RICHARD ROUNDTREE: "I used to hate it when I was out with my kids at dinner, and whatnot, and being asked for autograph when I really wanted to just enjoy the company I was with. And now that it doesn't happen, there are times when I say ‘Wow, you know,I'm not getting the best seat in the house, I'm not getting the best table.' But I look at the people who are going through that and I said, ‘You know, that's a blessing.' I'm still working, I still have a career. And I'm still [a] viable entity in the industry. So I got the best of both worlds."Richard Roundtree says he once told his father that he was unhappy to be known only as John Shaft. He says his father told him that many people would want to be in his position. The actor told VOA that his father told him to "shut up" and stop complaining.BARBARA KLEIN: Actress Vivica A. Fox was at the same event in Philadelphia as Mr. Roundtree. She appeared in many movies and television shows in the nineteen nineties and in the first few years of the twenty-first century.Back then, Vivica A. Fox was known for her good looks. She is now forty-eight years old. While still beautiful, she is no longer as busy or as famous. Younger actresses are given parts she once played. She says she is not surprised by that.VIVICA A. FOX: "Everyone has a turn. And, and I've never been a person that's been bitter or jaded about a person shining and getting their moment. I believe that there's room for everyone. Everyone has a turn. And how you work your moment is up to you. Because, you know, in a career you should be able to discover several moments, if you transition into different chapters of your career -- being a young ingenue, playing a mom, playing a producer, playing a director. There're different genres for you to get into. You can't always be ‘the one.'"Ms. Fox has taken her own advice. She has moved away from the roles that beautiful, young actresses play to being a beautiful, older actress. She does not appear in as many movies as she did when she was younger, but she stays busy in acting. And for manyactors, that -- and not stardom -- is what matters.(MUSIC)CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Adam West is known as Batman to many people in the United States. He played the role in the Batman television series in the nineteen sixties. The show can still be seen on television stations around the world.Adam West says that after the show was cancelled, he had a difficult time being les s famous than he once was. But he says that period lasted just a short time. Then, he got back to work.Adam West, who played Batman on TV in the 1960s, with a fan in 2002ADAM WEST: "It's a matter of not really examining it. You know, just going along putting one foot in front of the other and not thinking too much about it. And, when work comes along, think about the work. It's no big thing. It's easy. What the heck."Mr. West told VOA that as long as he is paid for his work, that is all that matters. He says being famous does not pay for food, housing and other costs, but work does.BARBARA KLEIN: Burt Ward played Batman's young helper, Robin the Boy Wonder, in the television series. Like Adam West, Burt Ward appears often at fan conventions. Many people pay to see their childhood heroes, and are happy to have their picture taken with them. Mr. Ward told VOA his fame has never really gone away.BURT WARD: "Well actually, the fame is there -- it just takes a different form. I mean, you know, you, you think of our show being prime time, but when I come out here and I meet people, they're just as excited as I was during Batman days. So, it's not that the peoplechange. Maybe, you know, the, the perception is different, but it, honestly, nothing has changed – I'm the same person I was before I made the series that I am now."Reports say Burt Ward was paid very little to play Robin in the television series. But he says he has made a good living appearing at fan conventions over the past forty-five years.Lou Ferrigno also is known for playing a superhero. The former bodybuilder was "The Incredible Hulk," a green-skinned comic book character on the television series of the same name. The show was popular in the late nineteen seventies and early eighties. Lou Ferrigno says he has dealt with the ups and downs of fame by doing different things.Lou Ferrigno, star of the original "Incredible Hulk" in New York in 2004LOU FERRIGNO: "Well, for me, I never really peaked because my life is still growing because I shoot different paths, like bodybuilding, like the movies, like I became a deputy sheriff. So everything is spread out."(MUSIC)CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Finally, John Schneider is best known for playing the role of Bo Duke in "The Dukes of Hazzard." It was one of the most-watched television series in the United States in the early nineteen eighties. John Schneider was in his early twenties when the series began. Now in his early fifties, he is still tall and good-looking. Mr. Schneider says he has a difficult time dealing with the idea that he will never be as famous as he once was.John Schneider, from "The Dukes of Hazzard," autographs a replica of the show's "General Lee" car at the Big Apple Comic Con in New York in 2009JOHN SCHNEIDER: "Part of me still believes that my best days are ahead of me. I see it happen all the time to people. I have a lovely wife, I have lovely children. They get you through a lot of it. But it really, it is devastating to have gone up to bat and hit a grandslam, and hit doubles and triples from that point on. None of its good enough. So, I can'tremember who said it, but I just recently heard somebody say ‘I started at the top and worked my way down.' Sad but true."John Schneider told VOA he thinks the actor James Dean got it right: die young and when you are most-famous. The actor died in a car crash in nineteen fifty-five at the age of twenty-four. Mr. Schneider said that if Dean and the actress Marilyn Monroe had lived, they would probably be making appearances at fan conventions like he does.BARBARA KLEIN: Maggie Jessup and her husband, Jay, operate a business called Platform Strategy. It helps people becom e and stay well-known. Maggie and Jay Jessup wrote a book called "Fame 101." She says actors can avoid losing their fame by being willing to accept different parts -- and by not letting others to define them.MAGGIE JESSUP: "The ones that seem to get pigeonholed are the ones that are so convincing in one character that you can't possibly see them in another. They bring themselves into it instead of become the character. What you need to do is choose a role that is so polar opposite from the one that you're known as and do it convincingly and then people will look at you as an actor."Maggie Jessup says a lot of the stars of today are making the same mistakes as those who have gone before them. As a result, they are not as marketable as they once were. MAGGIE JESSUP: "Especially the younger ones. It seems that they have gotten their start because they've got a really cute face, a very cute personality, they've got the dimples and all the little tweens fall for them. But they never quite break out of that role and at some point you grow out of that role and those little tweens have, you know, grown out of you." Ms. Jessup knows of actors who were once famous, but are no longer as in demand like they once were. She says many of them have a difficult time dealing with the new reality. So she tells her new clients to separate themselves from what others are writing and saying about them. In her words, if you believe everything others say about you, there is nowhere to go but down.MAGGIE JESSUP: "So, if people can go into the business understanding this is a job -- all the publicity, all the press, all the hoopla and all the complime nts and the yes people and those people. If they can understand that that is just part of the job and not let it go to their heads, they stand a possibility of making it. And if they look at it as a business they'll treat it as a business. If they look at is as part of their personality and expect people to bow to them everywhere they go, that's not going to happen!"CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Over the years, a lot has been written about the price of fame. The early Christian philosopher St. Augustine said, "The desire for fam e tempts even noble minds." The writer Henry David Thoreau said he would rather have truth than love, money or fame. And Ardelia Cotton Barton called fame "a bubble on life's wave," that is "tossed about," "a worthless thing." She noted that "all in nature must decay."Perhaps David Nicholls put it best when he said, "to have had fam e, even very minor fam e, and to have lost it, got older and maybe put on a little weight is a kind of living death."(MUSIC)BARBARA KLEIN: And that's THIS IS AMERICA, a VOA program in Special English. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Barbara Klein, with Christopher Cruise, who wrote this week's program. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special Engl。
VOA慢速英语：活动家继续往朝鲜放气球
VOA慢速英语：活动家继续往朝鲜放气球Activists to Continue Launching Balloons into North KoreaBy Christopher Cruise19 October, 2021Activists in South Korea are working to bring news and information to North Koreans. Recently, a group of activists launched balloons full of leaflets into North Korean airspace. The pieces of paper carried messages and other information.After the balloon launch, North and South Korean troops exchanged gunfire along the border. In addition, North Korean officials threatened to cancel talks aimed at improving relations between the two sides.VOA recently spoke with the leader of one of the activist groups. He says he and the others will continue with their efforts to bring news from the outside world into North Korea.Lee Min-bok is a North Korean who sought asylum in South Korea. Mr. Lee leads a group called the Campaign for Helping North Korea in a Direct Way. It uses balloons to send printed leaflets, CDs and even little radios to North Korea. The activists say they want to give North Koreans the chance to receive news and information without restrictions from the government.Mr. Lee says the balloon launch is "a primitive humanitarian activity for human rights which opens the eyes, ears and mouths of the North Korean people that have been closed by the North Korean regime."The North Korean government tightly controls thecountry's news media and use of the Internet. Lee Min-bok and other activists in South Korea launch thousands of balloons into North Korea every year. Mr. Lee says the North does not know about most of the launches. But a recent launch led to a military exchange of gunfire at the border, and increased tensions between the two countries.North Korea reacted through KRT, the state-operated television station. It threatened to answer the launches with deadly attacks and cancel high-level talks to ease military tensions.The presenter said "if South Korea truly wants a good relationship with North Korea, it must respect us first."Military officials on both sides reportedly met to discuss the recent launch.Lim Byeong-cheol is with South Korea's Unification Ministry. He says the government does not have the power to stop balloon launches.He says "the government has been calling on the groups to make careful and wise decisions on sending anti-North Korea leaflets due to concern for people's safety."Lee Min-bok says he understands the risks and concerns, but he does not plan to stop.He says "I don't do this for political reasons. This activity is justified in the spirit of the constitution. But the activity must be done more quietly."Mr. Lee says he does not think the balloon launches will incite a military conflict between the North and South. He says that when the winds permit them to launch more balloons, the activists will do so.I'm Christopher Cruise.This story was reported by VOA Correspondent Brian Padden and VOA News Producer Youmi Kim. They reported from Seoul. Christopher Cruise wrote, narrated and produced this storyfor Learning English. The editor was George Grow._____________________________________________________________Words from this Storyexchange – v. to direct (words, looks, gunfire) at each otherrelations – n. the way in which two or more people, groups, countries talk to, behave toward, and deal with each otherthreatened – adj. to say that you will harm someone or do something unpleasant or unwanted especially in order to make someone do what you wantasylum – n. protection given by a government to someone who has left another country in order to escape being harmedcontrols – v. to set or adjust the amount, degree, or rate of (something)Now it's your turn to use these Words from this Story. In the comments section below, write a sentence using one ofthese words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar.。
VOA慢速英语口语：儿童音乐课对大脑的益处
This is Science in the News, in VOA Special English. I'm Christopher Cruise.Today we tell about experiments at a major university in the central United States. Northwestern University researchers are studying how music affects the human brain. Jim Tedder has the story.It doesn't matter whether you play a guitar, a piano, a horn, or a drum. And what kind of music you play is not important. Maybe you like to play classical music like this.Dwight Yoakam performing at a music awards ceremony in JuneOr maybe you like to play this kind of music.Or this...Or even this...Just play it! It will do good things for your body because..."We've known for some time that playing a musical instrument can change the anatomy as well as the function...the way the brain works."Nina Kraus is a professor at Northwestern University near Chicago, Illinois. She is also the head of the Auditory-Neuroscience Laboratory, where she investigates how music affects the human body.Recently, she did tests in her lab using forty-five volunteers. Some of them had taken music classes and played an instrument, and others had not."People will play and study a musical instrument for some time in their lives and then that's it! And we wanted to know did this early experience have a lasting effect on the way the nervous system responded to sound."Professor Kraus began by gently placing electrodes onto the heads of the volunteers. The wires from these electrical devices were then connected to a computer."Nerves in your brain that respond to sound give off electricity, and we can capture that electricity, and we can determine how does your nervous system respond to speech, to music, to elements of sound that we think are important for communication." One of the simplest sounds played for the volunteers was "da". Listen carefully because the sound is very short and quick. Here is the sound again.After the human brain processed the sound, it sounded like this.That sound came through the computer and was played on a speaker. Again...The volunteers also heard other sounds, like this music from the British rock group Deep Purple. Here is a very small part of the song "Smoke on the Water." Listen carefully.Now, here is what it sounded like on a speaker after going through the brain of a volunteer.The second sound is not as clear as the first, but it provided the information needed to be studied on a computer screen. Ms. Kraus says she could see an important difference in the way the processed sounds looked."These young adults who received formal music instruction as children had more robust neural responses to sound than peers who had never participated in music lessons."She says she could look at the computer screen and easily see who was a musician, and who was not. The computer screen's graph, or picture of the sound, was larger for the volunteers who played music.Every sound we hear has a main or "fundamental" frequency. This helps us determine the "pitch". In music, that helps us decide if one sound, or musical note, is higher or lower than another. So, for a musician..."The responses to this fundamental frequency that carries pitch information was simply larger in magnitude...the voltages...the electrical activity was larger in response to these pitch elements."Professor Kraus says the people tested in the experiment could have been listening to any kind of sound, or any kind of music. They could even have been asleep. She could still see how their brains were understanding and identifying what they were hearing.So now we know that the brains of musicians are different from those of other people. What is the big deal? Why is this important? According to Nina Kraus, that matters a lot as we get older. Many people notice that, as the years go by, their hearing gets worse. Just hearing an old friend's voice in a noisy place can be difficult. But if you have ever played a musical instrument..."Your nervous system automatically gets good at responding to sounds that the brain has learned are important."So ... ... ..."If you're talking to me in a noisy restaurant and my nervous system is very good at locking onto the sound of your voice, then I'm going to be better able to understand what it is that you say."The research at Northwestern University shows that playing a musical instrument is good for your brain. And although our ears may not work as well as we age, the brain remembers how to "lock onto" the important sounds. And that helps us to hear better."Musicians become quite good a being able to pull out the part of the sound that they are interested in listening to. For example, the sound of their own instrument."And there is something else good about playing music...if I could only remember...Oh, yes! Our brains get better at remembering things. When we play a piano, for instance, we force our brains to remember the note we just played. If your brain could talk, it might ask itself, is that the right sound? Or is it this one? Should I play the notes like this? Or this? Does this sound better with a major chord...a happier sound? Or a minor chord, a sadder sound? Ms. Kraus says when we play a musical instrument we are exercising and making important electrical connections, orpathways, in our brains. This might even help our brains when we are trying to learn another language, or a new subject in school. So, if learning to play a simple song is good, is it better to try to learn to play something much more complex, like Bach or Chopin, for example? Professor Kraus says she has yet to test that proposal, but ..."We know that pushing ourselves, physically or intellectually, is very good for the development of the nervous system. Certainly the more challenging the task and the more engaging the task, the stronger the connections are likely to be." Over twenty years ago, a French scientist wrote about what he called the "Mozart Effect". He said that just listening to the classical music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart could help the human brain. Some researchers said that Mozart's music would make you smarter, or even help your brain cure some health disorders. Others said that there was nothing special about Mozart's music. Any kind of high energy music would work. So if the cost of a musical instrument or music lessons is too costly, can we get the same brain experience just by listening? Ms. Kraus says...no."Usually people do have teachers, or they can teach themselves. But the point is they're actively playing a musical instrument. They're actively engaging in making music. We're not talking about the effects of simply passively listening to music. I like to give the analogy that you are not going to get physically fit by watching spectator sports."Professor Kraus thinks it would be a very good thing if young people around the world could take music lessons in school. Even in difficult economic times, she urges school teachers and the administrators who control the money, not to cut back on musical training."Music, beyond being inherently a wonderful activity in and of itself, seems to confer benefits that extend outside the music domain, and extend into areas that are very, very important for human communication."A report on the study was published in the August twenty-second edition of "The Journal of Neuroscience." There is much more about Nina Kraus' work at her website:.She is sure that playing a musical instrument is a really good and important thing to do. It is fun, and it helps your brain, now and in the future."I'm a biologist and I study learning. Whether it's music or anything that we engage in, we are what we do. And our nervous system really changes according to how we spend our time."。
黑翼飞行模拟器用户手册说明书
IntroductionThe Blackwing BW 635RG is an ultralight two-seater aeroplane designed for recreational flying and training purposes. It features a sleek and modern design, with a composite airframe and a low-wing configuration. The Blackwing has a cruising speed of up to 120 knots and a range of approximately 700 nautical miles, making it suitable for both short and long-distance flights. The cockpit is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, including a glass cockpit display and an autopilot system. The Blackwing is also known for its superior handling and stability, making it a popular choice among flying enthusiasts and flight schools. The BW 635RG is powered by the venerable Rotax 915 iS engine.Development Credits:Mal Cartwright Product LeadRuss White3D Modelling, Interior and Exterior TexturingJack Lavigne IntegrationHarry Stringer AnimationPropAir Flight Model and SystemsJordan Gough ManualWith special thanks to our Beta Testers:Rob Abernathy John BurgessNick Cooper John DowMatt McGee Darryl WightmanTable of ContentsIntroduction (2)Development Credits: (2)With special thanks to our Beta Testers: (2)Table of Contents (3)Notes on Hardware (4)Overview (5)Aircraft Limitations (6)Airspeed Limitations (6)Engine Limitations (6)Operating Conditions (6)Fuel (7)Other Limitations (7)Emergency Procedures (8)Engine Failure on the Take-off Roll (8)Engine Failure after Take-off (8)Glide Performance (8)Emergency Landing (9)Spin Recovery (9)Normal Procedures (10)Before Starting Engine (10)Starting Engine (10)Before Taxiing (11)Taxiing (11)Engine Runup (11)Before Take-off (11)Take-Off (12)Initial Climb (12)Cruise Climb (12)Cruise (12)Landing (13)Balked Landing (13)After Landing (13)Securing Aircraft (14)Basic Performance (15)Stall Speeds (15)Take-Off Performance (15)Landing Performance (16)Systems Description (17)Instrument Panel Layout (17)Switch Logic and Electrical System (18)Master Switch (18)Fuel Pump Switch (19)LAND/TAXI Switch (19)Strobe/Nav Switch (19)Electrical System Diagram (20)Engine (21)Propeller (21)Fuel (21)Notes on HardwareDue to the unusual 3-position switches in this aircraft, conventional hardware 2position toggle switches (eg. strobe or nav light switches) cannot be translated tothe single 3-position switch which combine these.Additionally, as this aircraft utilises a single level power control (throttle), conventional throttle/prop/mixture hardware may interfere with the function of this system, and not work as intended. It is recommended to place your propeller and mixture levers in the IDLE position, and not move them while the engine is running.OverviewThe Orbx BW 635RG has been developed using official documentation and Computer Aided Design (CAD) resources from Blackwing Sweden. As a result, the aeroplane has been created through masterful modelling, texturing, systems integration, and flight model development.Figure 1 – Aircraft 3-viewAircraft DimensionsLength 6.6m Height 2.2m Wingspan8.4mWeightsBasic Empty Weight 375kg Maximum Take-off Weight 600kg Maximum Fuel Capacity (Litres)130LThe content in this manual and the operation of the BW 635RG in Microsoft Flight Simulator strictly must not be used as reference material in any form for operating the real aircraft.Aircraft LimitationsAirspeed LimitationsAirspeed Description Airspeed (KIAS) RemarksVne Never Exceed Speed 157 Must not exceed this speed in any operation.Va Manoeuvring Speed 109 If full or abrupt control deflection is made, the airframe may be overstressed.Vfe1 Max flap extended speed20 degrees90 Maximum speed for flaps 20°Vfe2 Max flap extended speed35-45 degrees 70 Maximum speed for flaps 35-45°Vlo Maximum landing gearoperating speed 70Do not extended or retract the landing gearabove this speed.Vle Maximum landing gear extended speed 90 Do not exceed this speed with the landing gearalready down.Vs0 Stall speed flaps/gearextended 38 Stall speed with gear down/flaps >0° and in level flight at MTOWVs1 Stall speed clean 49 Stall speed flaps retracted, gear up and in level flight at MTOWEngine LimitationsEngineEngine Manufacturer Rotax Engine Model Rotax 915 iSMaximum Power Take-off (Max 5 min.) 141 hp Continuous 135 hpMaximum RPM Take-off (Max 5 min.) 5800 Continuous 5500Critical Altitude 15000ft AMSL Maximum OperatingAltitude23000ft AMSL Operating ConditionsAerobatic manoeuvres, flight in IFR conditionsand flights in icing conditions are prohibited inthis aircraft.FuelFuel TanksLeft Right Litres US Gal Litres US GalTotal Fuel in Tank 67.5 17.8 62.5 16.5Unusable Fuel 2.5 0.7 2.5 0.7 Total Useable Fuel in Tanks 66.5 17.6 61.5 16.2Other LimitationsMaximum demonstrated crosswind for the BW 635RG is 20 knots.Emergency ProceduresNote: The following procedures have been modified to be suitable for simulation. It does not cover emergencies that are a) not simulated and b) not reasonable. Checklist items from the real procedures have been omitted and these procedures must not under any circumstances be used for training purposes.Engine Failure on the Take-off RollThrottle: IDLEIgnition: OFFFuel Pump: MAIN (DOWN POS)Brakes: APPLYWhen stopped: SECURE AIRCRAFTEngine Failure after Take-offNose: IMMEDIATELY LOWERAirspeed: 65 KNOTSLanding Area: DETERMINE WITHIN 30° OF NOSEFlaps: USE AS REQUIREDLanding Gear: USE DESCRETIONFuel Selector: OFFIgnition: OFFMaster Switch: OFFGlide PerformanceThe BW 635RG, the approximate performance for a glide is 65 KIAS which willgive approximately a 545ft/min rate of descent in the clean configuration.Glide performance will degrade significantly on extension of flaps and landinggear.Emergency LandingAirspeed: 65 KIASField: PICK BEST OPTIONLanding Gear: USE DISCRETION DEPENDING ON FIELD TYPEFlaps: AS REQUIREDFuel Selector: OFFIgnition: OFFFuel Pump: MAIN (down)Master Switch: OFF BEFORE LANDINGSpin RecoveryThrottle: IDLEControl Stick: AILERON NEUTRALRudder: FULL OPPOSITE TO DIRECTION OF ROTATIONControl Stick: POSITIVELY FORWARD OF NEUTRALRudder: NEUTRAL WHEN ROTATION STOPSControl Stick: SMOOTHLY PULL OUT OF DIVEWARNING:INTENTIONAL SPINS ARE NOT APPROVED INTHIS AIRCRAFT.Normal ProceduresNote: The pre-flight inspection portion of the normal procedures has been removed due to impracticality in the simulator.Before Starting EngineIgnition: OFFMaster Switch: OFF (down)Backup Battery: OFF/AUTO (down)Landing Gear Lever: DOWNCircuit Breakers: INCanopy CLOSED (CLICKING THE LATCHON THE INSIDE LEFT SIDEWALL.) Starting EngineParking Brake: HOLD TOE BRAKES AND ENGAGE PARKINGBRAKEMaster Switch: ENGINE START (middle position)Fuel Selector: SETFuel Gauge: CHECKFuel Pump: BOTH (up)Ignition: BOTHNav Lights: STROBE (middle position)Throttle: SET ½-1 INCH OPENIgnition: STARTOil Pressure: GREEN WITHIN 10 SECWarnings: NONEBefore TaxiingMaster Switch: NORMAL OPERATION (up)Altimeter: SETAvionics: SETParking Brake: DISENGAGETaxiingInstruments: CHECKED (COMPASS/HSI/BALL/ATT) Engine RunupParking Brake: ENGAGERPM: 2500 RPMFuel Pump: CYCLE, CHECK FUEL PRESSUREIdle: CHECK IDLE 1800 +/- 100 RPM Before Take-offCanopy: CLOSED AND LOCKEDFlaps: 1 STAGE (20°)Elevator Trim: SET FOR TAKE-OFFEngine Instruments: NORMALLanding Light: ON (up)Controls: FULL FREE AND CORRECT MOVEMENTParking Brake: DISENGAGETake-OffThrottle: FULLControls: NEUTRAL45 Knots: ROTATEAccelerate: NOSE ON HORIZON, ACCEL TO 80 KIASPositive Rate of Climb: GEAR UPLanding Light: OFF (down)Flaps: RETRACT ABOVE 500’ AGLInitial ClimbThrottle: MAX CONTINUOUS (5500 RPM)Airspeed: 90 KIASFuel Pump: MAIN (down) ABOVE 500’ AGL Cruise ClimbThrottle: MAX CONTINUOUS (5500 RPM)Airspeed: 130 KIASCruiseThrottle: 55-75% PowerAirspeed: 120-157 KIAS (<130 KIAS IN TURB)LandingFuel: QTY CHECKEDFuel Selector: FULLEST TANKFuel Pump: BOTH (up position)Airspeed: 90 KIASFlaps: EXTEND FLAP 1 <90 KIASDownwind Airspeed: 65 KIASLanding Gear: DOWN @ 65 KIAS; CHECK 3 GREENLanding Light: ON (up position)Base Leg: EXTEND FLAP 2 < 65 KIASFinal Approach Airspeed: 60 KIASBalked LandingThrottle: SMOOTHLY INCREASEAirspeed: 60 KIASTrim: COURSE TRIM TO RELIEVE PRESSUREFlaps: RETRACT TO POSITION 1 (20°)Gear: UPTrim: TRIM FOR CLIMBAfter LandingFlaps: RETRACTExterior Lights: AS REQ’DFuel Pump: MAIN (down)Securing AircraftParking Brake: ENGAGEDThrottle: IDLESwitches: ALL OFF EXCEPT ACL AND MASTERIgnition: OFFNav Lights: OFF (down)Master Switch: OFFBasic PerformanceStall SpeedsMTOW 600kg | CG 32% MAC | Power Idle | Level FlightFlap Position Stall Speed (KIAS) 0° 49 20° 44 35° 39 45°38Take-Off PerformanceMTOW | ISA CONDITIONS | SEA LEVEL | FLAPS 1 (20°) | MTOW (600kg)Cruise PerformanceRunway Surface Ground RollOver 50ft Obstacleft mft mPaved Runway328 100 656 200 Unpaved (Grass) Runway 361110689208Pressure Altitude Power (%) TAS Fuel Flow LPH MAP (inHg) Endurance(hr)Range (nm) 500055 161 19.7 30 5.8 941 65 170 23.3 34.1 4.9 827 7517826.937.44.1738Landing PerformanceMTOW | ISA CONDITIONS | FLAPS 2 (35°) | MTOW (600kg) | Speed 1.3 x VsoRunway Surface Ground Roll Over 50ft Obstacle ft m ft mPaved Runway 525 160 951 290 Unpaved (Grass) Runway 558 170 984 300Systems Description Instrument Panel LayoutSwitch Logic and Electrical SystemThe electrical switches in the BW 635RG are 3-position switches. These are generally known as “DOWN”, “MIDDLE” and “UP”. They are briefly explained below.Master SwitchThe MASTER switch functions in a unique way, with the following switch logic:1.When the MASTER switch is DOWN, all battery power is off. There will beno electrical power provided to the aircraft.•Note: The engine CANNOT be shut down when the master switch isoff. Electrical power must be present for the engine to turn off.2.When the MASTER switch is in the MIDDLE (Engine Start) position, limitedsystem functionality will be present. The backup battery will be activatedand power the following systems:•Primary Flight Display•Compass•AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference System)•Radio3.When the MASTER switch is UP (Normal Operation), full electrical supplywill be provided to the aircraft. The following systems will be powered on: •Note: the engine CANNOT be started with the MASTER switch in theUP position. If the engine won’t start, check the switch is in theMIDDLE position•Multi-Function Display•Transponder•Autopilot•Audio panel•STBY instruments•Pitot Heat•Main battery is disconnected from running engine. Alternatorprovides power.See Section NORMAL PROCEDURES for positioning of the MASTER switch.Fuel Pump SwitchThe Fuel Pump switch also has some advanced logic to it, due to two fuel pumpsbeing present, however, to put it simply, it operates in the following way:1.In the DOWN position, the main fuel pump is in use.2.In the MIDDLE position, the auxiliary fuel pump is in use.3.In the UP position, both fuel pumps will be on.LAND/TAXI SwitchThe LAND/TAXI switch powers the Taxi and Landing lights. It operates in the following logic:1.In the DOWN position, both lights will be OFF.2.In the MIDDLE position, the taxi light will switch on when the landinggear is extended.3.In the UP position, the Landing Light will switch on when the landinggear is extended.Strobe/Nav SwitchThe Strobe/Nav switch powers the Navigation (Red/Green) and Strobe (flashingwhite) lights. It operates in the following logic:1.In the DOWN position, both lights will be OFF.2.In the MIDDLE position, the STROBE light will be on.3.In the UP position, both the strobe and Nav lights will be on.Electrical System DiagramThe BW 635RG’s electrical system is modelled in the following way in Microsoft Flight Simulator.Because the starter system is connected to the BACKUP BUS, this means you cannot start the engine with the MASTER switch in the UP position, due to the BACKUP BUS being disconnected from the circuit once the MAIN BAT BUS is powered.Page 21 of 21User Guide v1.0 –RevisionEngineThe BW 635RG is powered by the Rotax 915iS. The Rotax 915iS is a four-stroke, four-cylinder, fuel-injected, turbocharged aircraft engine with a maximum power output of141 horsepower. The engine utilizes electronic fuel injection (EFI) technology toprovide precise fuel delivery and improved fuel efficiency. It also features a modernliquid-cooling system and a dual electronic ignition system for reliable performance.The Rotax 915iS engine has a maximum operating RPM of 5,200, with a recommended continuous operation range of 5,000 RPM or less.PropellerThe propeller is a 3-blade wood-composite design, which is hydraulically adjustable for operation at various pitch angles, controlled independently of the pilot. The propeller is linked to the engine through an electronically controlled governor, where RPM isadjusted in accordance with the position of the throttle control. This pitch curve cannot be adjusted in flight, however is designed to ensure maximum performance in allphases of flight.FuelBoth wings have fuel tanks, which are fed to the engine via electric fuel pumps. Fuelsystem information is fed via sensors to the Garmin avionics suite and can be viewedon the displays inside the cockpit.AIRPLANE WEIGHTSBasic Empty Weight……………………….…375 KgMaximum Takeoff Weight…………………..600 KgMaximum Fuel Weight………………………...95 Kg Maximum Landing Weight………………….600 Kg TANK USABLE FUEL LEFT WING TANK67.5 litres 17.8 US Gallons RIGHT WING TANK62.5 litres 16.5 US Gallons TOTAL 130 litres34.3 US GallonsFUEL CAPACITY AIRSPEEDS Never Exceed Speed ……….…………….173 KIAS Max Structural Cruising Speed…………..156 KIAS Maneuvering Speed MTOW……………….109 KIAS Initial Climb………………………………………80 KIASBest Angle Climb……………………………….75 KIASBest Rate of Climb……………………………..90 KIASMax Flap Ext 20°……………………..............90 KIASMax Flap Ext 35-45°……………………………70 KIASMax Landing Gear Operation……………….70 KIASMax Landing Gear Extended………………..90 KIASPlanned Cruise TAS………………………….130 KIASFinal Approach Speed………………………..60 KIAS POWERPLANT LIMITATIONSENGINE LIMITS (RPM)Take-off (5 Minutes)………....5800 RPM Max Continuous……………….5500 RPMALTITUDE LIMITSMaximum Operating Altitude………………23 000ftFor Microsoft Flight Simulator Use Only0-12023 Orbx Simulation Systems Pty. Ltd BW 635RG QUICK REFERENCESHEETIssued: 21 Apr 2023Revised: 21 Apr 20230-2PROCEDURESBEFORE STARTING ENGINEPreflight Inspection………………………….COMPLETECrew Briefing………………………………….COMPLETEIgnition…………………………………………………….OFFMaster Switch…………………………………………..OFFBackup Battery …..…………………………….OFF/AUTOLanding Gear Lever………………………………..DOWNCircuit Breakers…………………………………………..IN Canopy………………………………………………CLOSED STARTING ENGINEArea……………………………………………………..CLEARParking Brake……………….HOLD TOE BRAKES ANDENGAGEMaster Switch …..……………….ENGINE START (MID)Fuel Selector…………………………………………….SETFuel Pump………………………………………BOTH (UP)Ignition………………………………………………….BOTHExternal Lights……………………………………..AS REQThrottle ………………………..………..Τ12-1 INCH OPENIgnition………………………………………………….START AFTER START Oil Pressure.…………………………………………RISING Master Switch ……………………………..NORMAL (UP)Radios………………………………………………………SET Altimeter…………………………………………………..SET ATIS and Clearance…………………………..OBTAINEDBEFORE TAXIBrakes/Park Brake ………………………….DISENGAGEFlight Instruments……………………………..CHECKEDCompass…………………………………………CHECKED BEFORE TAKEOFFCanopy/Harnesses………………………………SECURE Flaps…………………………………….……1 STAGE (20°)Trim ..……………………………………SET FOR TAKEOFF Flight Instruments………………………………………SET Engine Instruments………………CHECKED NORMAL Avionics…………………………………………………….SET External Lights………………………………………AS REQ Flight Controls…………..FULL, FREE AND CORRECT Takeoff Safety Brief………………………….DELIVERED TAKEOFFBrakes/Park Brake………………………….DISENGAGEPower…………SMOOTHLY INCREASE TO MAXIMUM45 knots………………………………………………ROTATEAccelerate……….…NOSE ON HORIZON, TO 80 KTSPositive Rate of Climb………………………….GEAR UPLanding Light.……………………………….OFF (DOWN)Flaps ………………………..RETRACT ABOVE 500’ AGLMEMORY ITEMS 2023 Orbx Simulation Systems Pty. Ltd ENGINE RUN UP Parking Brake ……………………………………..ENGAGE Engine Instruments……………………………CHECKED Engine RPM…………………………………SET 2500 RPM Fuel Pump…………………………………………….CYCLE Idle …………………..…..CHECK IDLE 1800 ±100RPM Navigation Equipment …..…………………………….SETFor Microsoft Flight Simulator Use OnlyIssued: 21 Apr 2023Revised: 21 Apr 2023AFTER TAKEOFF Engine Instruments……………………..WITHIN LIMITS Climb Speed…………………………………………90 KIAS Fuel Pump………….MAIN (DOWN ) ABOVE 500’ AGL0-3CRUISEPower….……………………………………….SET 55-75%Airspeed…..……….120-157KTS (<130KTS IN TURB.)DESCENTAltimeter…………………………………………………..SETFuel Selector………………………………FULLEST TANKPower Lever………………….AS REQUIRED FOR RODApproach Brief………………………………PLETE BEFORE LANDINGBrakes……………………………………………………..OFFFuel ………….………………………………QTY CHECKEDFuel Selector………………………………FULLEST TANK Fuel Pump……….………………………………BOTH (UP)LANDINGDOWNWINDAirspeed….………………………………………….90 KIASFlaps….………………………………………STAGE 1 (20°)Airspeed………….………………………………….65 KIASLanding Gear…..…………………….DOWN @ 65 KIASCHECK 3 GREENLanding Light………………………………………ON (UP)BASEFlaps…………………………… STAGE 2 (35°) < 65 KIASFINALAirspeed………….………………………………….60 KIASTouchdown ……………………….MAIN WHEELS FIRSTStick………………………………………………FULL BACK Brakes…………………………………………………..APPLYAFTER LANDING Flaps………………………………………………..RETRACT Landing Lights…………………………………………..OFFFuel Pump….………………………………MAIN (DOWN)SHUTDOWNParking Brake ……………………………………..ENGAGE Throttle……………………………………………………IDLE Switches….………………………….OFF EXCL. MASTERIgnition..…………………………………………………..OFFLights….……………………………………….OFF (DOWN)Master Switch..……………………………..OFF (DOWN)MEMORY ITEMS 2023 Orbx Simulation Systems Pty. Ltd For Microsoft Flight Simulator Use OnlyPROCEDURESIssued: 21 Apr 2023Revised: 21 Apr 2023。
VOA慢速英语听力-海洋状况影响人类健康
VOA慢速英语听力:海洋状况影响人类健康From VOA Learning English, this is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in Special English. I’m Shirley Griffith.And I’m Christopher Cruise. Today, we tell about a new way to measure the health of the world’s oceans. We also tell about efforts to develop medicines from underwater organisms. And we tell about a newly identified species found in the Caribbean Sea.A new system has been developed to measure the health of the world’s oceans. Scientists say the system will change the way we think about oceans and how they affect our lives. It is called the Ocean Health Index. The index is designed to tell if anything is wrong with the oceans and, if so, what can be done about it.Greg Stone is chief ocean scientist for the environmental group Conservation International. He is also vice-chairman of the Global Agenda Council on Oceans at the World Economic Forum.Scientists calloceans the world’s most important resource. (Conservation International)”The Ocean Health Index is the first global, totally scientific and transparent measure of ocean health that we’ve ever had. It’s meant to guide policymakers and the public to the underlying importance that the oceans are the life support system of the Earth and that we’d better take care of them if we are to survive on this planet.”Greg Stone spoke to VOA from the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Representatives from sixteen island nations met there earlier this year to talk about caring for the ocean. Mr. Stone says oceans are the Earth’s most important resource.“You can’t manage anything that you can’t measure. So, like any good portfolio investments, if you want to make sure you are prospering and you’re taking care of your investments -- and believe me, the health of our planet is no greater investment that there could be -- you need a metric in order to measure it and see that we have a sustainable relationship with this resource on an ongoing basis.”He says the Ocean Health Index will help end alot of ignorance about the seas.“You may have heard from one source or another that, ‘Oh, hey, the oceans are in trouble’ and you say ‘Why are they in trouble?’ And then somebody says ‘Well, the coral reefs are dying.’ And then the next day someone will tell you that ‘the tuna fish are all g one’ or ‘the haddock are all gone’ or ‘the halibut are all gone.’ And you say ‘Oh OK, I hear that.’ And then someone else will say ‘The oceans are turning acidic’ -- which they are. It’s been a very confusing landscape of information.”And he says whether you live in the United States or in the middle of Africa, you should care about what happens to the oceans.“Most of the oxygen that you breathe comes from the ocean. The oceans are the primary climate adaptation system. They absorb carbon. Hey, listen, if you want to know what the Earth would be like without an ocean you’ve got plenty of examples in our solar system -- all those hot, dusty, dry, cold inhospitable places are basically that way because they do not have a liquid ocean to provide all these benefits, includingfood. One out of four people on the planet get their daily source of protein from the ocean.”The Ocean Health Index uses two hundred separate measurements. Once a year, scientists will use it to announce whether the oceans successfully passed the test.People have looked to nature for medicines since ancient times. And modern scientists have searched the world’s rainforests for new medicines. But the ocean may be an even better source. At least twenty-six drugs that come from sea organisms are currently being used or developed. And a new generation of chemists hopes to increase that number.Chemist Mande Holford has an unusual partner in her hunt for new medicines: a fierce, little snail that eats fish. But she admits that her studies of the creature are not all scientific.“I fell in love with snails because their shells are gorgeous.”Yet the tongue-like proboscides of the snails are deadly. They inject their victims with venom made of poisonous chains of amino acids called peptides.“What I like to say is that the snails produce sort of a cluster bomb. Inside of each venom, you have between fifty to two hundred peptides, and all of those peptides target something major along the nervous system. One thing that they hit is a pain signal. When they silence the pain signal, the prey doesn’t go into fight or flight mode.”So the fish stays calmer than it normally would, even as it is being eaten! Mande Holford says chemists have already had one major success using the snail’s peptides. It is a drug called Prialt. It eases pain for people with cancer and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.“On your neurons, you have these ‘gates’ that allow things to pass back and forth. The gate that controls chronic pain, they found a way to shut it down using one of the peptides.”At first, Mande Holford may have wanted to study snails because of their beauty. But she is part of a larger movement toward marine, or undersea, research.David Newman directs the Natural Products Branch of America’s National Cancer Institute.“We’ve found some absolutely fascinatingchemistry.”After years of collecting organisms on land, Mr. Newman’s team now collects only sea creatures such as sponges or corals. He says that because these creatures cannot move, they use chemicals to fight.“I have been known to say that weapons of mass destruction are alive and well on a coral reef, if you happen to be a fellow sponge who’s trying to encroach or you’re a starfish that’s trying to eat the spon ge. These are extremely toxic agents because of the dilution effect of seawater.”For an organization looking for ways to kill cancerous cells, such powerful chemicals are an inviting weapon.William Fenical directs the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine at the Scripps Institute for Oceanography in California. He says that about nine kilometers underwater lies what may be an even more promising source of medicine -- mud.“Close to seventy percent of the surface of the earth is really d eep ocean mud.”His team studies microorganisms living on theocean floor.“These muds contain about one billion cells in the volume of a sugar cube.”For comparison, that is one-million times the organic matter you are likely to find in a similar amount of soil on land. The large number of sea creatures excites Mr. Fenical.“For the last fifty years, microorganisms that occur on land have been exploited for the production of antibiotics, cancer drugs, and cholesterol-lowering drugs. What we believe is that the ocean is a completely new resource for such microbial products.”His team already has two drugs in development. And he believes there will be many discoveries of ocean-based medicines.A small blood-sucking crustacean has been discovered in the Caribbean waters off the Virgin Islands. The creature may help increase scientists’ understanding of how disease is passed among marine animals.The new species is called Gnathia marleyi. It was named for the reggae star Bob Marley. Paul Sikkel isa marine biologist at Arkansas State University. He says the species is the first new find in the crustacean-like gnathiid family in twenty years.“What’s interesting about them is that they’re only parasitic in the juvenile stage. So they only feed when they are juveniles, and they go through three different juvenile stages -- one bigger than the other, each bigger than the other. And they look a little bit like, like ticks or fleas. They look very similar to, you know, to terrestrial blood feeding organisms.”Paul Sikkel captured the juvenile marleyi at what researchers call a “cleaning station.” That is a place on the coral reef where big fish gather so smaller fish and shrimp can eat parasites that have joined to their skin. Parasites depend on other creatures for food and shelter. However, the adult male marleyi do not eat. They just mate and die.Mr. Sikkel studied the species in a laboratory.“Adult males look a little bit like bulldozers. They have square heads, and they have these pincers on their head and they are very cool-looking. And thefemales -- small head and a really big body that’s full of eggs.”About eighty percent of all organisms found on coral reefs are parasites. Gnathiids are among the most important parasites in the oceans. Mr. Sikkel says the levels of gnathiids can show how healthy a reef is. In some waters, he is seeing fish more heavily covered with gnathiids -- marleyi among them.“Too many gnathiids hurt the fish and too little coral, we think, leads to more gnathiids. So in a, in a nice healthy, you know, coral-rich environment, we don’t find very many gnathiids -- fish, you know, just get a few of them. But in areas where there isn’t much live coral, there are a lot more gnathiids and the fish get much heavier loads on them.”Mr. Sikkel suspects that Gnathia marleyi may also be important in passing a malaria-like fish disease that weakens the animal’s natural defenses. His team is currently studying whether this pathogen is also present in the Caribbean.“And then from there, once we find the species of fish that are infected, then we’ll do experimentsto determine whether or not the gnathia marleyi actually plays a role in transmitting those blood-born organisms.”Paul Sikkel hopes his discovery will lead to more information about parasites and the effect they can have on marine environments.。
VOA special English 原文
He informed Mr. Paterno, who told informed school officials. But Mr. Paterno has been criticized for not informing others when no action was taken against Mr. Sandusky. He retired from Penn State in nineteen ninety-nine, and has denied the chargundred million dollars last year. They say just eight of the thirty teams earned a profit.
And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Christopher Cruise.
JOE PATERNO: ''One thing, thanks and pray a little bit for those victims.''
The Education Department says it is investigating whether Penn State failed to report incidents of sexual abuse on campus, as required by federal law.
NBA Commissioner David Stern said the owners would await the decision from the players union next week.
英语听力原文、
This is the VOA Special English Education Report.High school students in Asia often do better than American students on international math and science tests. Experts say part of this is because schools in countries like China and South Korea do better at preparing students to take tests. Yet some of these same countries want to learn what makes American students good at creativity and critical thinking.Foreign educators often visit Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington. This past summer, seventy-five school principals visited from China.Evan Glazer, the principal of Thomas Jefferson, says the school combines science and math with literature and other liberal arts.EV AN GLAZER: “Curriculum, when it’s seen within one particular context, you’re really just developing knowledge and skills. But if you want to look at the complexity of real problems and original solutions, it requires people to come at them from different angles. And so we foster a lot of team teaching, with pairing up teachers from different disciplines so that, when they’re offering challenges to students, that they have a variety of perspectives as they approach problems.”The admissions process is intensely competitive. Thomas Jefferson is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools but serves a wider area. The number of students from families of Asian ethnicity at the school reached fifty percent this past year.The program was created in partnership with local businesses in nineteen eighty-five. The goal was to improve education in science, math and technology.Some students do university-level research in fields such as microelectronics, neuroscience and biotechnology. Students can also learn from working with professionals, says Mr. Glazer.EV AN GLAZER: “We certainly cultivate a culture of inquiry and research so that students can do original work. That’s part of our mindset. But I think, as Americans, I think we pride ourselves in our ability to constantly generate new ideas for the benefit of humanity.”In East Asia, the focus of high school is often to prepare students for college entrance exams. But Mr. Glazer says in recent years China has been developing experimental schools. These offer more student-centered learning the way many top American schools do.EV AN GLAZER: “And I think that’s part of the American mindset that we’ve had pride in as a country for so many years -- of the idea that everyone can bring original ideas. AndI think East Asia senses that, and they certainly see the benefit to our innovation as a country.”He points out that as East Asian countries consider greater freedom for their schools, American education is headed in the opposite direction. Most states have recently approved common standards in math and reading.EV AN GLAZER: “In China and in Korea there is a strong interest in trying to get students to be more creative. And in America there is a strong interest in standardization. And, you know, the reality is we don’t operate in one world or the other. It’s trying to find that right balance."And that’s the VOA Special English Education Report. I'm Christopher Cruise.。
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CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Christopher Cruise.FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. Some people will celebrate this Valentine's Day with someone they met on the Internet through a dating site.But dating sites are not the only online places where people look for relationships.CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: This week on our program, we look at international marriage brokers who help American men marry women from other countries.(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: The Internet is at the heart of a modern business with a long history. In America, the business of men sending for women from other countries began in the Old West in the eighteen hundreds.There were many men living on the frontier. These included the "forty-niners" -- men who moved to California in eighteen forty-nine to search for gold. But there were very few women willing to join them.As a result, demand grew for women from other countries. They were called "picture brides" -- better known today as "mail-order brides."These days, women who advertise online for husbands are sometimes called "e-mail-order brides." But some people consider either term insulting. They sayit suggests that the women are products that can be purchased.Finding an American husband, they say, might provide an escape from a life of poverty or danger or loneliness. No one blames people for seeking a better life. But critics say this business sometimes seems like just another form of human trafficking.CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: One study of agencies that list women seeking husbands found there were around ten thousand "mail-order marriages" a year. About four thousand of these involved men from the United States.Other husbands were Canadian, Australian, European and Japanese. The women were mostly Filipino or Russian, although there were listings of women from almost every country.But these marriage numbers may be low. They are from a report publishedin nineteen ninety-seven when the Internet was still young.FAITH LAPIDUS: Former Air Force officer David Knabel met his Russian wife through an international marriage brokerage. He says he was so happy, he later bought the company. The business is called A Volga Girl, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Knabel introduces Russian women to American men.A picture from the website of A Volga Girl, an international marriage agency in the USDAVID KNABEL: “Why a few, very low percentage of ladies fr om Russia that are interested in finding a foreign husband is because of the problem with the Russian men. There’s a huge contingent of Russian men that are alcoholics and womanizers and several of the ladies have gone through that and they just don’t want that kind of man for their husband."Mr. Knabel's company has been in business for eleven years. He says just five percent of the marriages have ended in divorce, a claim that is difficult to confirm.He points out that the Federal Bureau of Investigation must do a background check on a man before he can bring a woman to America.DAVID KNABEL: “What protects the lady is when the FBI does their background check, and if this guy’s got a criminal record he’s not going to be allowed to bring a lady here.”CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Other requirements involve the agency known as ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement. For example, couples must have met at least once in person sometime in the last two years.A fiancé visa can let people come to the United States. But once they arrive they must get married within ninety days or return to their home country.(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: The Tahirih Justice Center is a nonprofit group in the Washington area. It helps immigrant women who have been abused by American husbands. Heather Heiman is a lawyer there.HEATHER HEIMAN: “We try not to demonize or vilify the international marriage brokerage industry as a whole. We understand that there are some brokered relationships out there that do end in happy marriages. But what we have unfortunately encountered is many situations where brokered marriages have not ended in happy relationships. And unfortunately when abusive situations do occur, the abuse can be horrific."Ms. Heiman says foreign wives often do not know there are laws that protect them, even if they are not citizens.HEATHER HEIMAN: “In our experience, foreign brides are just often particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. For example, they’re dependent on their husbands for their legal immigration status. When they come over here they may be isolated from their support network of family and friends. They might have limited English skills. And often what we’ve found is they don’t know that domestic violence is a crime in this country or even where to seek help if they’re being abused."CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: There have been some studies of the practice of foreign women marrying American men. Some women use international marriage brokers. Others join American dating websites.An estimated sixty percent of the women are twenty-five or younger. Half of the men are over the age of thirty-seven.FAITH LAPIDUS: Researchers say power and control may be more important than love to men who seek a foreign wife. This may be true especially of men seeking a woman who advertises herself as "traditional." The men often say American women want a career and are not happy with "only" being a wife and mother.One study found that most of the men are white, have some college education and are economically middle class. The majority are politically andsocially conservative. Most live in cities. Most have been married before. And most want children.CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: John Baker is white, middle-class, divorced and conservative. He is sixty-four and retired from the Army. Mr. Baker has been talking with a woman in Russia for the past four years. Her name is Svetlana.They talk online but Mr. Baker says he has also visited her. He says Svetlana is fifty-five years old and, like himself, has children who are grown. Mr. Baker says he knew there was a chance he could be tricked while looking for a relationship online.JOHN BAKER: "I knew that there was a lot of scamming going on, mostly criminal men who would post some really gorgeous girl’s pictures on a website. And sometimes they win -- they take advantage of some guy. I went into this with my eyes open to that possibility and avoided that."John Baker says he wants to bring Svetlana to the United States and marry her as soon as he has enough money saved.FAITH LAPIDUS: John Adams has owned an international marriage brokerage in Phoenix, Arizona, for sixteen years. His business is called A Foreign Affair. Mr. Adams says there are a lot of mistaken beliefs about American men who want to marry foreign women.JOHN ADAM: "These aren’t guys that are losers, these aren’t guys that can’t get dates. These are guys that are very proactive. And they’re trying to find the best possibilities for what’s going to be the most important decision the y ever make in their life -- who to spend the rest of their life with, who to build their family with. The stigma of 'Oh, they just want to go marry someone and bring her over and tie her up in the basement and keep her as a sex slave' is just ludicrous."CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: In two thousand five, Congress passed a law that included what is known as IMBRA, the International Marriage Broker Registration Act. This legislation followed highly publicized cases of violence by American men against their foreign wives.IMBRA bars an American with a history of violent crimes from bringing someone to the United States to marry. If the American has a record of other crimes, then the foreign spouse is supposed to receive a copy.FAITH LAPIDUS: Heather Heiman at the Tahirih Justice Center says the law has some problems. But she says it has helped women who have been abused.HEATHER HEIMAN: “What IMBRA does is it just introduces some common-sense safeguards that we’re going to allow foreign women to make informed decisions and to better protect themselves. For example, one thing that IMBRA created was a fact sheet that should be distributed by international marriage brokers and by the US government that will inform a foreign bride about her rights and about resources available in the United States if she finds herself in a situation of abuse or exploitation."CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: In some cases, there may be a question of whether a foreign wife is exploiting her American husband -- using him just to come to America.One study found three times when a relationship involving a foreign bride most commonly ends. The first is immediately upon coming to America. The next is three months after the marriage. This is when the wife may be declared a legal resident of the United States.And the third is two years after the marriage, when the wife can seek permission to stay permanently.(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: Marriage broker David Knabel says he advertises women who went to college and have professional jobs. But he agrees that not all the companies in his industry work like that.DAVID KNABEL: ”You can’t group all international marriage agencies into one piece, just like you can’t group all companies being all the same. I mean there’s a lot of agencies out there that specialize in third-world country brides, that are coming from poverty, uneducated, that kind of thing."CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Lawyer Heather Heiman says she sees only the bad side of the industry because she works with women who have been mistreated.She agrees that some brokered marriages work, but she says agencies sometimes create unrealistic expectations in men.HEATHER HEIMAN: “For example they may market women on their websites as traditional or submissive or promote them as great investments."She says, in her experience, the kind of men who use an international marriage broker may be looking for a kind of woman who does not exist anymore in America.HEATHER HEIMAN: “One thing, unfortunately, that I think we have seen is some of them that are interested and partake of this industry are really, sort of, resisting the progress of women, I guess I would say. They’re looking, it seems to us, for a type of woman that existed in the forties and fifties and perhaps doesn’t conform with the typical type of woman you’d find today. And that’s again just something that raises a flag for us and that sometimes can be a cause for concern. These mismatched expectations can just lead to problems."(MUSIC)FAITH LAPIDUS: What do you think of the business of international marriage brokers? You can post comments at or on Facebook at VOA Learning English.I'm Faith Lapidus with Christopher Cruise, who wrote this week's program. Brianna Blake was our producer. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.。