AGRICULTURE REPORT - 4-H Turns 100

AGRICULTURE REPORT - March 19, 2002: 4-H Turns 100

By George Grow

This is the VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT.

A group with strong ties to American agriculture is celebrating a major anniversary¹. Four-H is one-hundred years
old this year.

Four-H programs began in the early Nineteen-Hundreds. The first programs were designed to
give young people a better agricultural² education.

Today, Four-H offers the largest unofficial education program in the United³ States. Almost
seven-million young people take part in activities organized by the group. The national Four-H
program has ties with similar organizations in more than eighty countries.
The expression “Four-H” comes from the words head, heart, hands and health. Members agree to use their
head for clearer thinking, their heart for greater loyalty⁴, their hands for larger service and their health for better
living.

Four-H programs were not the result of one idea or a recognized national leader. They were the result of the work
of many people in different parts of the United States.

One-hundred years ago, many young people were leaving American farms for jobs in cities. This concerned
many educators, especially in farming⁵ communities. Four-H was established to teach students how to operate
productive⁶ farms. Members met after normal school hours.

Four-H officials say the group has changed during the past one-hundred years. They say the group is now mainly
concerned with the development of young people. The purpose of Four-H is to give boys and girls knowledge
and skills that will help them become productive members of society.

Four-H members attend meetings, camps and other activities. They learn about things that interest them, such as
raising animals, growing crops, cooking and caring for the environment.

In most states, young people between the ages of eight and eighteen can join Four-H. Some states have programs
designed for younger children.

Money for Four-H programs comes from the United States Department of Agriculture, state universities and local
governments.

Recently, hundreds of people from across the United States gathered in Washington⁷, D-C, for a national Four-H
conference⁸. The results of the conference were given to President Bush⁹ and Congress¹⁰.

This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by George Grow.

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1 anniversary   

n.周年(纪念日)

参考例句：

• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
• Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。

2 agricultural   

adj.农业的；农艺的

参考例句：

• He was trained for gardening at the Agricultural College.他在农业大学学园艺。
• France once was an agricultural country.法国曾是个农业国。

3 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

4 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

5 farming   

n.农事；耕作

参考例句：

• He lives by farming.他靠务农过活。
• He is farming in Africa.他在非洲经营农场。

6 productive   

adj.能生产的，有生产价值的，多产的

参考例句：

• We had a productive meeting that solved some problems.我们开了一个富有成效的会议，解决了一些问题。
• Science and technology are part of the productive forces.科学技术是生产力。

7 Washington   

n.华盛顿特区(是美国首都)

参考例句：

• His birthplace is Washington,but he lives in San Francisco.他出生于华盛顿，但住在旧金山。
• They, together with my father,have gone to Washington.他们和我父亲一起去华盛顿了。

8 conference   

n.（正式的）会议；讨论

参考例句：

• We're having a conference and we'd like you to sit in.我们将举行一次会议，希望你来旁听。
• The conference will come to a close this afternoon.今天下午会议闭幕。

9 bush   

n.灌木，灌木丛，矮树

参考例句：

• This bush has grown up a lot in the last few months.这矮树丛几个月来已向上长高了很多。
• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.一鸟在手，胜于二鸟在林。

10 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。