美国国家公共电台 NPR 费城新冠肺炎病例的增加引发了人们对当面授课的担忧

Philadelphia's COVID case hikes raise concerns about in-person classes

Transcript¹

In Philadelphia, students, teachers and staff come back from the holiday break even as COVID-19 is surging and essential personnel are out sick. Is in-person learning a good idea at this time?

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Schools across the country are returning from winter break this week just as the number of COVID cases is surging. In Philadelphia today, it's the first day back. And all the key players, from school bus drivers to students, to teachers, have fallen ill from the coronavirus. And that's raised questions about the school district's ability to offer in-person classes. I spoke² earlier with WHYY's education reporter Mallory Falk. And I asked her first, what's expected on this first day back?

MALLORY FALK, BYLINE³: About a third of the district's schools are starting off the New Year virtually. And that wasn't the initial plan. The district had repeatedly insisted they were fully⁴ committed to coming back from winter break in person. They kept saying it's important to keep the doors open and that in-person learning is best for students, with schools serving as a safety net for children. Then last night, the district announced that 81 of its more than 200 schools will be remote through at least Friday because of staffing challenges due to the spike⁵ in COVID cases. But the remaining schools are starting back up in-person.

MARTINEZ: So what's the reaction been to that?

FALK: Many parents are frustrated⁶ that this call was made at the last minute - the night before school is starting back up. They'd been watching COVID cases surge in Philly and were really concerned about what the first week back would look like. Some have been saying for a while now that a lot of students and teachers might be out. So they feel like this decision could have been made earlier instead of catching⁷ families off guard.

MARTINEZ: There are schools in other parts of the country, such as Atlanta and Detroit, that are also going virtual this week due to COVID surge. In Philly, where you are, how widespread are absences there?

FALK: Yeah. Absences are a big concern across the region here. This is being felt in many, many places. One of the largest school districts in Pennsylvania, Central Bucks⁸, postponed⁹ the first day of school after break partly because of a winter storm, but partly because there weren't enough staff members. It's back in-person today but said this could be an ongoing¹⁰ issue. And in some districts, this was already being felt before winter break. I talked to a school district outside Philadelphia called Upper Darby that was averaging about 100 teacher absences a day in the weeks leading up to break. And the superintendent¹¹ there stressed that they were out for legitimate¹² reasons - because they had COVID or were caring for sick family members. And all this is complicated further by the shortage of substitute teachers. There are often just not enough subs to fill classes. And that means healthy teachers are giving up lunch or planning periods to cover classes for their colleagues who are sick.

MARTINEZ: Speaking of teachers, how are they reacting to these developments?

FALK: Like many parents, teachers are also frustrated by the late decision-making. And the head of the teachers' union had been calling for the entire district to go remote for a week to make sure schools had COVID mitigation measures in place. He wanted the district to ensure there were N95 masks for students and staff, and that classrooms had good ventilation. And he wanted a stronger testing program. Last night, the union said the district's plan leaves parents and staff scrambling¹³ to make plans.

MARTINEZ: That's WHYY education reporter Mallory Falk. Mallory, thanks.

FALK: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF SOUND SCIENTISTS' "MAY 6")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

6 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

10 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

11 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

12 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

13 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》