自动售货机分发免费儿童书籍（在线收听）

AS IT IS 2015-09-07 Vending Machines Dispense Free Books to Children 自动售货机分发免费儿童书籍

A vending machine is usually where a person buys snacks and drinks.

自动售卖机通常是人们购买饮料和零食的地方

In Washington, D.C., some vending machines are providing a new snack: free children's books.

在华盛顿特区，一些售货机开始向孩子提供免费图书

The Book Vending Machine program is the first of its kind in the U.S. It is the newest addition to "Soar with Reading", a literacy program started five years ago by JetBlue Airlines.

图书售卖机项目是还属美国首例。这也是5年前“乘书高飞”项目发起人JetBlue Airlines又一新动作

Dozens of books that appeal to children are within reach, at the push of a button...

只要按下按钮，孩子们就能免费得到许多图书

….stories about dinosaurs, elephants, knights, robots and lots of other things.

例如关于恐龙、大象、骑士、机器人以及其他许多东西的故事

And the kids get a lot of encouragement.

与此同时，孩子们也得到许多鼓励

"Everybody, raise your hand and say, I promise to read every single day."

“孩子们，举起你的手来，保证自己会每天读书”

"Ladybugs are dancing on tippity feet - Tippity tippity! Happy feet! - Who has happy feet?"

“瓢虫在跳舞，快乐的大脚——谁有一双快乐的大脚？”

The initiative is a joint effort with a children's book company. The vending machines are located in a church, a grocery store and a branch of the Salvation Army in southeast D.C. Each machine is fully stocked with books and children are allowed to take as many as they want.

该活动也得到了儿童图书出版公司的大力支持。这些图书售卖机分布于华盛顿东南部的教堂、杂货店和贫困院附近。每个机器里都装满了图书，孩子们可以随意领取。

Icema Gibbs is director of Corporate Social Responsibility for JetBlue Airways.

Icema Gibbs是JetBlue Airways项目的社会合作负责人

"Making sure that kids develop a life-long love of reading when they are really young is really important to us. We figured that that helps us have better future crew members and people who work for us."

“保证孩子能够在小的时候就养成良好的阅读习惯是非常重要的。我们希望未来有更多的人能够加入我们的项目来帮助我们”

Studies have shown that having books at home has a positive effect on children's test scores in school. It makes kids more likely to read for pleasure. Icema Gibbs explains.

Icema Gibbs解释说：调查显示，如果家里有藏书将会很好的提高孩子在学校的成绩。这会使得孩子养成以阅读为乐的习惯。

"Our program is based on trying to get books in the hands of children who don't have age-appropriate books at home. They can touch and pick a book that was important to them so nobody, no adult was telling them what book they had to take."

“我们项目是基于让那些家中没有适龄读物的儿童能够有适合他们的图书去阅读。他们可以自由选择对于他们而言重要的图书，没有大人告诉他们什么书是应该读的。”

This year, JetBlue Airlines commissioned a study. It found that in some communities in the nation's capital, there was only one age-appropriate book available for every 830 kids.

今年，JetBlue Airlines发起一项调查。调查发现：在华盛顿的某些社区，平均830名儿童手里才有一本适龄读物。

One book vending machine inside a church is one of three in a poor neighborhood with one of the lowest literacy rates in the city. Many parents cannot afford to buy books for their children.

其中一台贩卖机就摆在首都阅读率最低最贫穷的社区之一的教堂旁边。这里的家长负担不起孩子的书费

Tobeka Green is president and CEO for the National Black Child Development Institute.

Tobeka Green是国家黑人儿童发展基金会的CEO和总裁

"They are strategically located in places where families naturally go, so in a place of worship, at a grocery store. I look at this as a way for families to begin building their libraries at home."

“这些贩卖机被刻意放在家庭成员经常去的地方，比如教堂、杂货店。我认为这是家庭开始藏书的第一步。”

The kids are excited about getting a book to read and to keep.

孩子们对于免费的图书感到很兴奋

"Books tell you stuff. If you don't read then you don't know stuff."

“书本能够教会我们知识。如果你不读书，你就不会获得知识。”

"It helps me read better when I grow up"

“我越长大，就越能读懂书中的内容。”

"I consider this a game changer. There are other stores that are interested in bringing the vending machines there."

“这是一场变革。还有许多其他商店也开始愿意引进贩卖机。”

This is a pilot program and it's uncertain whether it will be continued after the summer. Its sponsors hope to make book vending machines common in other communities, so they can help increase literacy and a love of reading.

这是一次领航工程。现在还不确定该项目在这个夏天过后是否还会继续。项目的赞助商希望能够使得这种图书贩卖机能够在其他社区普及，这样他们就能够培养更多孩子对阅读的兴趣。

Words in This Story

initiative – n. the power or opportunity to do something before others do

age-appropriate – adj. suitable for a particular age or age group

literacy – n. the ability to read and write

CEO (Chief Executive Office) – n. the person who has the most authority in an organization or business

strategic – adj. a general plan that is created to achieve a goal