2006年VOA标准英语-Houston Rodeo Hosts Some Special Visitors

By Greg Flakus
Houston, Texas
13 March 2006
 
Watch Flakus report
 
  
  
Cowboys from all over North America are down in Texas this week for the Houston Livestock¹ Show and Rodeo, which is billed as the biggest event of its kind in the world.

But, as big as it is, there are some small things that make it special. VOA's Greg Flakus has more in this report from Houston.

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The Houston Rodeo takes place in one of the biggest stadiums in the world.

  
  
Tens of thousands of people fill the stands of the Reliant Stadium to see events like calf² roping, bronco and bull-riding.

The rodeo is a big event with big animals and big cowboys wearing big hats.

But every year, rodeo organizers set time aside for a small event for some small people, called the "Little Rustlers."

Each year, The Houston Rodeo's Special Children's Committee selects 45 children between the ages of four and 12 who have medical conditions or disabilities to experience the cowboy activities up close. Committee Chair Brenda Short says it is a special thrill for the kids.

 
Brenda Short 
  
"Some of them are cancer-stricken, some have cerebral³ palsy, and it is just the highlight of their life for them," she said. "To watch their parents and see them come alive as they watch their kids out here, it is just a neat experience, very heartwarming."

Coming to an event like this is a new experience for Diane Luna's four-year-old son Gabriel, who is still recovering from a disease that once threatened his life.

"He was diagnosed with leukemia when he was ten-and a-half-months old and he had a bone marrow⁴ transplant almost two years ago," she said. "We are still working on his walking, but they expect that he will be walking real soon, so he has come a long way and is doing real good."

 
Nikki Moran 
  
One of the stars of the Houston Rodeo is trick rider Nikki Moran, a native of Canada who has worked with disabled children there as well. She says the chance to interact with a big horse means a lot to these little children.

"We find that these kids just love the horses," she said. "They love getting up there and feeling so tall and riding around and it just makes my day to see them smile like that."

There is a smile painted on the face of professional rodeo clown Leon Coffee, who helps distract angry bulls and horses after a rider has fallen. 

Leon Coffee with a Little Rustler  
  
But, as demanding as his work may be, he takes time every year to work with the Little Rustlers event.

"I know it puts a big smile on my face to see these kids out here having a good time," he said. "We know that they will never be the rodeo athletes that we have out here at the Houston Rodeo, but we need to bring something to them and that is what we are doing."

For many parents and special children, this small event is the biggest and most important part of the yearly rodeo and something they will always cherish.

1 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

2 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

3 cerebral   

adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的

参考例句：

• Your left cerebral hemisphere controls the right-hand side of your body.你的左半脑控制身体的右半身。
• He is a precise,methodical,cerebral man who carefully chooses his words.他是一个一丝不苟、有条理和理智的人，措辞谨慎。

4 marrow   

n.骨髓；精华；活力

参考例句：

• It was so cold that he felt frozen to the marrow. 天气太冷了，他感到寒冷刺骨。
• He was tired to the marrow of his bones.他真是累得筋疲力尽了。