Senior U.S. performers happy but underused: study

     LOS ANGELES, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Senior U.S. performers in Los Angeles and elsewhere are generally happy with their lives as artists, although they still face age discrimination, a study published Thursday showed.

    Focusing on actors, dancers, choreographers, musicians and singers, the research, which is entitled "Still Kicking -- Aging Performing Artists in NYC and LA Metro¹ Areas: Information on Artists IV," showed that ageism continues to affect older performers, but they haven't let it get them down.

    These senior performers remain engaged in the community, are passionate²(热情的激昂的) about their craft and benefit from a lifetime of experience, according to the study.

    The research was undertaken by the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Teachers College, Columbia University.

    Seniors are a valuable, but underused, resource, said Adam Moore, Screen Actors Guild⁴ (SAG⁵) interim⁶ national director of Affirmative Action and Diversity.

    "The results bear out something that we have always known about our seasoned professionals: Despite feelings of being underutilized and underemployed, they are as passionate about what they do today as they have ever been during their careers," Moore said. "They see themselves as employers should see them: as an experienced and talented force to be reckoned with."SAG President Ken³ Howard, 67, a Tony and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor, reflected on the personal challenges he has faced as a senior performer.

    "I know very well what it is like to pursue work in this business as a senior -- through my own career on both coasts, as well as through the many conversations I have had with colleagues all over the country," said Howard, a former SAG National Senior Performers Committee national chair since September 2009.

    "I can tell you that we at the Guild take very seriously the concerns voiced in this study and intend to use the findings to more effectively advocate on behalf of these performers. Whatever best serves seniors -- and we will all be seniors someday -- is a move toward better serving artists."Los Angeles-based SAG made significant contributions to the study by providing demographic information and arranging interviews with senior artists, the guild said.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

2 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

3 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

4 guild   

n.行会，同业公会，协会

参考例句：

• He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
• You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。

5 sag   

v.下垂，下跌，消沉；n.下垂，下跌，凹陷，[航海]随风漂流

参考例句：

• The shelf was beginning to sag beneath the weight of the books upon it.书架在书的重压下渐渐下弯。
• We need to do something about the sag.我们须把下沉的地方修整一下。

6 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。