VOA标准英语2011--Philadelphia Strives For Digital Equalit

Philadelphia Strives For Digital Equality

The United Nations recently declared Internet access to be a human right. But in the United States, as in many other countries, millions of people do not have access to the wealth of information found online. In Philadelphia, communities are responding to narrow the digital divide.
Seven-year-old Lonnette Wiley frowns in concentration as she maneuvers¹ her mouse to zigzag² a white arrow across her computer screen. With one finger, she carefully types the name of one of her favorite websites.
She likes to email her dad, talk to friends on Facebook and is learning to do research online.
“Sometimes my teacher will ask me questions," she says, "and then I will search them on Google.”
But last year, the second grader struggled to do Internet homework. The only computer she could use was at a local library, which usually closed two hours after school ended. Lonnette is still learning where all the letters are on the keyboard, so she never had enough time to finish.
Lonnette currently lives with her mother at the People’s Emergency Center in Philadelphia. It serves as a transitional residence for homeless single women and their children. The dozens of families it serves had no in-house computer access until last week, when the city opened a computer lab in the center.
Living in the digital dark ages made it difficult for children to do homework and for moms, like Florence Delbridge, to learn computer skills or find a job.
“Never had access to a computer so I’m learning," says Delbridge. "I’m also in computer classes and like to learn all I can, because I never had the opportunity to.”
Philadelphia city officials estimate 41 percent of residents cannot afford computers or to pay for Internet access. But Mayor Michael Nutter³ plans to change that.
“You can't truly be free if you don't have information," he says. "You can’t truly be connected if you have no ability to be connected.”
Nutter has added technology improvements to Philadelphia’s most recent infrastructure⁴ plan, which typically maps out future transportation and utility systems, housing developments and public buildings. Experts, like Andrew Buss, from the city’s division of technology, say that’s a vital step in closing the digital divide.
“It’s kind of a new mindset that technology has to be viewed across the city’s infrastructure and it’s a very important part of it,” says Buss.
So important that, over the next two years, Philadelphia plans to set up 48 computer centers - like the one at the People’s Emergency Center - in other shelters, recreation centers and libraries.
It will also distribute more than 5,000 laptops to low-income families and create public wifi spots for free wireless⁵ Internet access. The project will bring the city closer to digital equality. That's an important goal, according to Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Media and Technology Institute for the Joint⁶ Center for Political and Economic Studies.
“What started out as a digital divide, where at that time we were dealing⁷ with public access to computers and the Internet, has turned into a movement to advance digital inclusion and digital equality," says Lee, "that allows citizens to really realize the full benefit of how this tool and platform can improve the quality of their life.”
Computer labs are a great way to bring access to low-income families, but Lee says she would like to see cities invest in projects that bring the Internet directly into homes
“The ability to accelerate in home broadband access allows people to have this unlimited⁸ connection to a resource that will change their lives and transform their lives. That’s really the ideal place to have citizens connected: where they live.”
Other U.S. cities are also taking steps to close the digital divide. San Francisco's mayor hopes to provide the entire city with free or low cost Internet access. Minneapolis participates in a Computer Exchange Program that gives refurbished computers to low income families. And smaller communities, like Binghamton, New York, focus on teaching digital literacy skills to children and the unemployed⁹.

1 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

2 zigzag   

n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行

参考例句：

• The lightning made a zigzag in the sky.闪电在天空划出一道Z字形。
• The path runs zigzag up the hill.小径向山顶蜿蜒盘旋。

3 nutter   

n.疯子

参考例句：

• Don't call him nutter because it is such a bad term.别叫他“疯子”，这不是个好词。
• But it's awfully ruthless and cold-blooded for a nutter from the other side.但是对那边的疯子们来说，却也实在太冷血无情了。

4 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。

5 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

9 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。