2006年VOA标准英语-US Military Radio Entertains, Informs US Troops

By Margaret Besheer Baghdad 24 December 2006 In Iraq, American troops have many missions. At the American Forces Network headquarters in Baghdad's Green Zone, broadcasters and disc jockey soldiers are helping1 to keep America's 140,000 troops across Iraq informed and entertained over the radio. VOA's Margaret Besheer has more from Baghdad. Staff Sergeant2 David Howell's Urban Renewal3 program rocks the troops five evenings a week, playing a mix of soul, rhythm & blues4, jazz and hip5 hop6. "Soldiers need something to relax by. Music is one of those many things that I believe a lot of soldiers enjoy. I enjoy playing it for them," said Howell. "I enjoy doing the requests, dedications7; it just makes my day." The 44-year old staff sergeant, who is serving his first year-long tour in Iraq, has been in the military for 19 years, seven of those in radio and television broadcasting with American Forces Networks, or AFN. When he's not spinning tunes8 for the troops, he takes care of military units in Atlanta, Georgia, his home town, where he is a Reserve Unit Administrator9. AFN began during World War Two in Europe as a radio service to the American troops. In the 1950s AFN expanded to include the newest medium - television. Today, troops across Iraq listen to and watch programs produced just for them. AFN has other stations that serve U.S. troops based in Afghanistan, Germany, Korea and other countries where there are U.S. military bases. Sergeant Misha King is following in her father's footsteps serving in the U.S. military. Her two brothers have also served; one just left Iraq a few months ago. She returned to Iraq in July to serve her second tour here. The 32-year old sergeant produces seven two-minute newscasts each day on AFN Radio which are solely10 about what's happening in Iraq. "I tell them the good news and the bad news; I try not to sugar coat anything," she said. She focuses her newscasts on what Iraqi political and religious leaders are saying, as well as projects the Americans are working on such as improving Iraq's infrastructure11. As broadcasting technology advances, Sergeant Howell says radio still remains12 an important format13 for troops in a war zone. Not every camp or FOB [Forward Operating Base] has immediate14 access to cable or satellite systems. Radio is by far one of the few systems we have out here that lets us communicate with our troops. And the troops appreciate it, saying AFN radio keeps them up-to-date and the music gives them a little touch of home especially around the holidays.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

3 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

4 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

5 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

6 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

7 dedications   

奉献( dedication的名词复数 )； 献身精神； 教堂的)献堂礼； （书等作品上的）题词

参考例句：

8 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

10 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

14 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。