(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
The United States is one of the world's leading agricultural powers, but few Americans are farmers. One recent study showed just two percent of the population with the job in agriculture. Yet, small farms seem to be appearing in many areas to meet a growing demand for locally produced food. The people operating these farms often have little or no experience in farming.
Mark Mills once worked as a pastry chef. He decided to leave his secure job and turn to farming. He says his decision was based on two things - a strong interest in agriculture and his ignorance about what it takes to be a farmer.
Mark Mills was a history major in college, all he knows about producing food comes from growing plants in his home garden and 26 years of working in restaurants.
So why did he become a farmer?
"Well, it's beautiful. Why wouldn't you want to come to work here? I'm my own boss. But really, it's my love of food," Mills said.
In recent years, many Americans have developed a taste for fresh locally grown foods and vegetables. The number of farmers' markets has increased over 50 percent in the past ten years.
Federal, state and local governments believe now is the time to create jobs and new businesses. Mark Mills was one of four people accepted in the New Farmer Pilot Project in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Sarah Miller works with the local Department of Economic Development. She says the program has worked better than many people expected.
"Boy, we didn't even know how many we would get. We thought maybe one or two would be great, but I don't think that we expected four," Miller said.
The project provides the new farmers with specialised business training, like marketing and business planning.
"They provided the connection with the landowner, so I could actually have the land to farm on, which is key. Then, certainly, they provided the financing for the deer fence and the irrigation, some basic things to get going," Mills said.
The program links the new farmer with an experienced one. For Mark Mills, that person is Woody Woodroof, he works at the Red Wiggler Farm in Maryland.
"The big thing to work with him on now is season extension, helping him to do the things that will allow him to harvest crops deeper into the fall and early winter," Woodroof said.
Mr Mills' first year in farming was successful. He produced about 450 kilograms of turnips, 90 kilograms of carrots, and 130 kilograms of green leafy vegetables.
The hardest part was not growing the crops, he says. The problem has been selling them. Mr Mills says, his farm probably lost more money than it earned.
Luckily, his wife has a non-farm job, and can provide financial support, at least for now. Experts say many new farmers need to support themselves with another source of income.
And that's the VOA Learning English Agriculture Report. I'm Bob Doughty.
文本来自51voa，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.pastry n. 油酥点心；面粉糕饼
The pastry is light and crisp.
这点心松脆可口。
2.ignorance n. 无知，愚昧；不知，不懂
What knocks me most is his ignorance.
最让我吃惊的是他的无知。
3.irrigation n. 灌溉；[临床] 冲洗；冲洗法
Irrigation is needed to make crops grow in dry regions.
干旱地区需要灌溉才能使作物生长。
4.turnip n. 萝卜；芜菁甘蓝，大头菜
The turnip provides nutrition for you.
芜青为你提供营养。
内容解析
1.He says his decision was based on two things - a strong interest in agriculture and his ignorance about what it takes to be a farmer.
base on 基于，以……为根据；在……基础上
The plan of our country is based on a rising economy.
我国的计划建立在不断发展的经济的基础上。
The movie is based on a real-life incident.
这部电影以现实生活中的一件事为基础。
We can't make a decision based on hearsay and guesswork.
我们不能根据传言和猜测作决定。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
美国是全世界最大的农业大国之一，但只有很少的美国人是农民。最近的一项调查表明只有2%的人从事农业，但在很多地区，为了满足对本地产食物日益增长的需要，开始出现了小农场。经营这些农场的人通常没有或只有很少的农业经验。
马克·米尔斯曾是糕点厨师，他决定辞去稳定的工作来经营农场。他说自己是基于两个原因做出这个决定的，一是对农业的兴趣，一个是对于如何做农民的无知。
马克·米尔斯上大学时的专业是历史，他对食物制造的所有了解都来自在自家花园种植的经验和在餐馆工作26年的经历。
那么他是怎么成为农民的呢？
“这是件很美妙的事，为什么不想来这里呢？我的事情自己做主，我也很喜欢食物。”
最近几年，很多美国人开始对当地产的新鲜食物和蔬菜感兴趣，过去10年农民市场的数量增长了50%。
联邦、州和当地政府现在都认为是创造就业和新商业的时候了，马克·米尔斯和另外三个人加入了马里兰州蒙哥马利郡新农试点项目。
萨拉·米勒就职于当地经济发展部，她说该项目比很多人料想的要好。
“我们不知道能有几个人加入，我们以为会有一两个加入就不错了，但我没想到会有四个人加入。”
该项目为新农民提供专门的商业培训，比如市场营销和商业计划。
“他们能联系土地所有者，这样我就有土地了，这就是关键。当然了，他们还为栅栏和灌溉提供资金服务，这些都是基本所需的东西。”
该项目将新农民与有经验的农民联系起来，萨拉·米勒联系到的人是伍迪·伍德鲁夫，他就职于马里兰州Red Wiggler农场。
“现在从他那里学到的就是延长种植季节，帮助他做些事，使他能在秋季和初冬收获庄稼。”
米勒的农场第一年就很成功，他产出了约450公斤萝卜，90公斤胡萝卜以及130公斤绿叶菜。
他说最难的不是种植作物，而是卖掉它们，米勒说他的农场可能要赔钱。
幸运的是，她的妻子有份非农业的工作，能提供些资金支持，至少目前可以。专家称许多新农民需要其他的收入来源来支撑自己。
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道，我是鲍勃·多迪。
