(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.
People in Hong Kong speak a rich mixture of languages. Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 156 years before was returned to Chinese control in 1997. English was the only official language until 1994.
Most people in Hong Kong today speak Cantonese, but Mandarin and other dialects also are heard, and English as the British used is still widely spoken and taught here. Now however, many people are choosing to learn English as it spoken in the United States.
Victor Chan, for example, has children who attend school called Nature EQ on Saturday and Sunday, they are learning to say words the American way. Mr Chan says he wants his sons to learn American English, because he plans to send them to the United States for further study.
Nature EQ is one of a growing number of schools in Hong Kong that offer American English classes. Frankie Ng opened the school 17 years ago, at that time, he had only 40 students. Today, the school has 350 students, it does not have space for any more.
Mr Ng says American English is clear and defined, he says it is easy to teach and easily understood. That, however, is not the main concern of the children.
Student Sam Yu has another reason for studying English spoken the American way.
"I think [American English] is getting more and more important, and is maybe taking over the dominance of British English, so I'm willing to learn," said Sam Yu.
Public schools in the former British colony still teach mostly British English. But the number of private language schools teaching American English is growing.
In Hong Kong's Tseung Kwan O district, for example, the "American English Workshop school" had 20 students a week when it opened one year ago. Today, it has more 180 each week.
Some observers say American English is becoming the language of international business. Increased contact with American culture, like movies, television programs, computer games and the Internet is spreading American expressions and accents in areas other than business.
Language teachers in Hong Kong say wealthy people who live in mainland China are helping to increase the demand for classes in American English. Mainland Chinese are crossing into Hong Kong because it has more educational choices.
But for now, people hearing English in the streets of Hong Kong are mainly hearing traditional British English.
"We can understand both, but for what we speak, we speak [with] the British accent," said one local woman.
"The British is better I think," commented a local man.
And that's the Education Report. Listen again for another Education Report from VOA Learning English. I'm Avi Arditti.
译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.dominance n. 优势；统治；支配
The latest fighting appears to be an attempt by each group to establish dominance over the other.
最近的战斗似乎是冲突各方在试图争夺控制权。
2.dialect n. 方言，土话；同源语；行话；个人用语特征
Cockney is the colourful dialect spoken in the East End of London.
伦敦方言是在伦敦东区讲的颇有特色的地方语。
3.accent n. 口音；重音；强调；特点；重音符号
He had developed a slight southern accent.
他有了一点南方口音。
内容解析
1."I think [American English] is getting more and more important, and is maybe taking over the dominance of British English, so I'm willing to learn," said Sam Yu.
take over 接管；接收
I'm going to take over the company one day.
我总有一天会接管这家公司。
The Belgians took over Rwanda under a League of Nations mandate.
比利时人在一项国际联盟的授权下接管了卢旺达。
His widow has taken over the running of his empire, including six theatres.
他的遗孀已经接替了管理他的帝国的工作，包括6家剧院。
In 2001, I took over from him as governing mayor.
2001年我接替他担任了主管市长。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。
香港人讲很多不同的语言，在1997年回归中国之前，香港曾做了英国156多年的殖民地，在1994年之前英语是这里唯一的官方语言。
大多数香港人都讲广东话，也讲普通话和其他方言，英国人使用的英语仍广泛使用和教授。不过现在由于美国也讲英语，很多人都选择学英语。
比如，维克多·陈的孩子周六周日上名叫“自然EQ”的学校，他们学习美式发音。陈说他希望孩子学习美式英语，因为他计划送孩子们去美国继续深造。
“自然EQ”是香港越来越多的提供美式英语课程的学校之一，Frankie Ng17年前开办这所学校，当时只有40个学生。现在这学校有350名学生，已经没有空间再招生了。
Ng说美式英语清晰明确，很容易教学和理解。不过这些并不是孩子们最关心的。
学生Sam Yu学习美式英语还有别的原因。
“我想美式英语在越来越重要，或许会取代英式英语的主导地位，所以我愿意学它。”
这个前英国殖民地的公立学校仍多在教英式英语，但教美式英语的私立学校数量在增长。
比如在香港的将军澳区，一年前刚成立时“美式英语工坊”每周只有20个学生，但现在每周有180多个。
有的观察家称美式英语越来越成为国际商业语言，和美国文化的不断接触，比如电影、电视节目、电脑游戏和互联网传播了美国表达和发音传播到商业之外的地方。
香港的语言老师说，中国大陆的富人也促进了对美式英语需求的增长，大陆中国人来到香港，是因为这里有更多的教育选择。
但在目前，香港街头听到的英语还主要是传统英式英语。
“我们两种都懂，但如果讲话我们还是讲英式英语。”
“我觉得英式英语更好。”
这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道，我是Avi Arditti。
