听力文本

This is the VOA Learning English Education Report.

The oil industry is growing fast in the American States of North Dakota and Montana. Removing oil from the ground has made a lot of money for the area and provided many jobs. The industry also has brought thousands of people to rural towns that once has small populations. Williston, North Dakota is a good example.

The United States Census Bureau says the Williston area was the fastest growing place of its size and description from July 1, 2011 to July 1, 2012. It said the population growth was 9.3 percent. Adding many people means increased demand for roads, emergency services and other systems, like electricity, heating and water. And more children attending schools can mean crowding in the community’s classrooms.

John Monger was born and raised in Williston. He is taught at the city’s Hagan elementary school for 24 years. For the last three years he is taught in a temporary structure called a trailer, the classrooms are smaller than usual. He started the year with 16 students. Now Mr. Monger has 18 in the small space.

Viola LaFontaine is the leader of Williston public schools, that area of schools is the smallest in North Dakota, but it is also growing the fastest. She says the schools increased their population by more than 1000 students during the past four to five years. The majority are elementary school children. In addition, she says the students come from all over the world.

"I believe its seven different languages that we have spoken in school now. A majority are Spanish, but we have Cantonese, we have French," LaFontaine said.

Ms LaFontaine says it’s difficult to deal with the continuing changes in student population.

"The greatest challenge is the students coming in and out and throughout the entire school year, which something different as well as students leaving throughout the entire school year," LaFontaine said.

The official says it is also hard to hire qualified teachers and to pay for larger and more modern schools. She notes that the state is receiving a lot of money from oil. She has asked the North Dakota government for education assistance.

"North Dakota’s always been conservative. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. But now that you’ve got ample resources, let us have some of it. Whether it’s grants or loans or preferably grants that you could use to really support your schools," LaFontaine said.

Voters in Williston District 1 recently approved a measure to build a new high school. The measure will increase property taxes. But education activists say Williston's taxes are less than those in similar North Dakota communities.

And that’s the Education Report from VOA Learning English. You can listen to our reports at our website or download them. You can follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and on our YouTube Channel, all at VOA Learning English. I’m Jerilyn Watson.

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.trailer n.拖车；[电视] 预告片；追踪者；(汽车拖带的)活动房屋(或工作室)；

A trailer was attached to the rear of the truck.
卡车后面挂了一辆拖车5AzXK7r^eEr|~Tqx2o。

2.grant vt. 授予；允许；承认 vi. 同意 n. 拨款；[法] 授予物

They'd got a special grant to encourage research.
他们已得到了一笔用来支持研究的特别补助金u2_gR6Th0OUT_。

3.property tax 财产税；不动产税

We've got the highest property taxes in the United States.
在美国我们的财产税最高@k)]2+p^WSQ~mF&eN9。

内容解析

1.Ms LaFontaine says it’s difficult to deal with the continuing changes in student population.

deal with 处理；涉及；做生意

She saw a psychiatrist who used hypnotism to help her deal with her fear.
她去看了精神病医师，医生用催眠治疗帮助她克服恐惧心理rjH7wxsw&Q@R。

When I worked in Florida I dealt with tourists all the time.
我在佛罗里达州工作时一直和游客打交道v,nyw8d_5u.pF%(L]。

参考译文

这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道A_Aq)kO[[0p*9Y8od。

美国北达科他州和蒙大拿州的石油行业发展迅速，开发石油让该地区赚了大钱，并提供了很多工作IfVX&XFimYjok5-_mI。这个行业还让数千人来到这个曾经人数很少的乡镇，北达科他州的威利斯顿就是个很好的例子Us,vnKGKgcUvRT。

美国人口调查局称2011年7月1日到2012年7月1日的威利斯顿地区是规模和名声发展最快的地方，称其人口增长率是9.3%va%Ypnx7*_bdzGxyrr。人口大量增加意味着对道路、应急服务等系统的需要增加，比如电力、热和水KvbgYF=luz。更多的孩子入学意味着社区教室要变得拥挤_Z&D9kirQ_XJzPm;zB。

约翰·蒙格在威利斯顿出生并长大，他在该市的哈根小学任教24年oGr2J)VJrDvE。在最后的三年里，他在一个名叫活动房屋的临时建筑里教学，比常规的教室要小nk*Tn&VlMK6[v&BF&C。他最初有16名学生，现在这个小教室有18名学生m6!5we_Cro。

维尔拉·拉方丹是威利斯顿公立学校的领导，该学区在北达科他州最小，但发展最快wLXXucp[*|%Ui7W。她说过去4到5年学校增加了1000多名学生，大多数是小学生，另外，她说学生来自世界各地Qy,HYzrd=O。

“大家在学校里说着7种不同的语言，主要是西班牙语，也有人说广东话和法语0fuMyP]8[D)HJAtY。”

拉方丹说，应对学生人数的变化很困难W[Daa3f,FGwJ。

“最大的挑战是整个学年都有学生进进出出，这有点不同寻常，另外每年都有学生离开bKx%zRwpLbYzqX#-zX。”

这位领导称聘请合格教师、建设更大更现代的学校都很困难，她说该州从石油中获取大量财富，她请求北达科他州政府提供教育资助hHg=[TSDU!V~u。

“北达科他州一直很保守，我认为这不是件坏事r8K4gPjDFJRH6puf4yG%。但现在有了充足的资源，就给我们点资助吧1I~F=~1dx56d#(kp3[。无论是捐赠还是贷款，当然最好是捐赠，都能帮助我们学校Z]U5bPGP&tP2FPv。”

威利斯顿1号选区的选民最近通过建造一所新高中的措施，该措施将提高房产税XKuH3[=IaykPGrsOu。但教育活动人士称威利斯顿的税收比北达科他州的同类社区少l,-1~&ebT39-r)l*。

这就是美国之音慢速英语教育报道，你可登陆我们的网站收听报道，还可以关注我们的脸书、领英、推特和YouTube频道，我是杰瑞琳·沃森g3tZAnbBnX3vW。

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