(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Many countries require young men to serve in the armed forces. But in the United States, military service is voluntary. And joining the U.S. military is not an easy process.
Staff Sergeant Terrelle Thomas joined the Air Force nine years ago. He now works as a military recruiter in Woodbridge, Virginia.
His job is to get volunteers to join the U.S. armed forces.
"At the time I was going to school, I was paying for, for school out of my pocket. And I was like 'Man, this is tough,' and I was staying home with my parents. I was like, ‘I don't know if I like this as much anymore.' So I went in, talked to a recruiter. He was cool. He broke it down for me, and next thing you know, I'm in..."
Benjamin Spahr volunteered for the military. He says other members of his family have served in the armed forces.
"My mother was enlisted in the Air National Guard and my father was an officer in the Air Force. So I was accustomed to that lifestyle from a young age moving around..."
The armed forces pays its members to attend school, both while they are on active duty and after they leave the military. But not everyone can join the armed forces. There are age limits and volunteers must be successful at mental and physical tests. They must also not be abusing alcohol or taking other drugs.
Training for new recruits is difficult and intense. The recruits must be strong and in good health.
An increasing number of women are joining the military. Madison Foote is one of them.
"Its just the pushups I'm worried about. I'm not very good at pushups. But I think I can do everything else..."
Some Americans volunteer for the armed forces, even when their parents object. The parents are worried about their children because the military deploys troops to many dangerous areas throughout the world.
Oludare Ogunmadewa is a new recruit. He says not everyone in his family supports his decision to enlist in the military.
"My parents are worried, my whole family is worried as well, but it's a risk I feel is necessary for myself -- more for my children, to secure their future."
The United States ended forced enlistment in 1973, during the Vietnam War. Now, recruits voluntarily sign an agreement to stay in the military for three to six years, depending on their chosen job.
Some volunteers choose to stay longer. Staff Sergeant Thomas says that is because they discover that serving in the military is unlike any other job they could have.
"A lot of veterans that serve their 20, 30 years, the main thing that they talk to me about -- especially when they bring their, their children to the office -- is the camaraderie they establish with the people they met."
I'm Christopher Jones-Cruise.
词汇解析
1.sergeant 军士
He was busted from sergeant to private.
他从军士降至士兵。
2.recruiter 招聘人员，征兵人员
If you feel the recruiter can't meet the challenge, you may need to raise the issue with the head of recruiting or human resources.
如果你觉得招聘人员无法完成这一挑战，你可能就得把问题提交给招聘或人力资源部门的负责人了。
3.enlist 从军，入伍
He enlisted in the 82nd Airborne 20 years ago.
他20年前加入了第82空降师。
4.pushup 俯卧撑
Start in pushup position, but with your shins on a Swiss ball.
以俯卧撑姿势开始，使小腿胫骨位于平衡球上。
内容解析
1.At the time I was going to school, I was paying for, for school out of my pocket.
out of one's pocket 自掏腰包，自己出钱
She paid her husband's debts all out of her pocket.
她丈夫欠下的债都是她还的。
When they left, Julius Caesar, out of his own pocket, gave every soldier in those legions a year's pay.
他们离开时，恺撒用自己的钱，给那些士兵发了一年的俸禄。
2.He broke it down for me,
break sth down 把……详细展开，详细阐释，分解
The teacher always breaks her lessons down with much patience.
老师总是耐心讲解课程。
This question is a bit too difficult for me. Could you please kindly break it down?
这个问题对我来说有点难，您能详细解释一下吗？
参考译文
很多国家要求年轻人入伍服役。但在美国，服役为自愿行为。且服役过程并不简单。
比如9年前入伍的托马斯军士。现在是弗吉尼亚州伍德布里奇的部队招录官。
托马斯的工作职责是为美国军队招录自愿入伍者。
当时我还在上学，学费都是我自己赚的。当时听到招录的消息，我的感觉是“嘿，应该挺苦的”。我和父母呆在家。我的感觉是“我不太确定自己是不是还像当初一样向往服役了”。所以我走进了屋，跟招录官交谈。那个招录官很酷。还向我讲解服役的具体情况，然后，你懂的，我参军了……
本杰明也是自愿入伍的。他说，他还有其他家人也参军了。
我母亲曾是空中国民警卫队成员，我父亲曾是空军战士。所以我从很小的时候开始就已经习惯了军人的生活方式……
空军部队为其战士缴纳学费，无论是在役的还是退伍的。但并不是每个人都有资格入伍。入伍是有年龄限制的，报名者需要通过身体和精神测试。同时，报名者也绝不能有纵酒或者吸毒行为。
新兵训练难度大、强度高。因此新兵必须身体强壮，健康良好。
此外，也有很多女性参军。麦迪逊就是其中的一位。
我比较担心俯卧撑。因为我不太擅长。但其他的我应该都没问题。
一些人即便遭到父母的反对，也要报名参军。而父母担心的原因是，军队会将部队派往很多全球危险地区。
Oludare就是一名新兵。他说家里人对他参军的决定褒贬不一。
我父母很担心，我其他家人也很担心。但我觉得参军对我来说势在必行——对我的孩子们意义更加深远，能保障他们的未来。
越南战争期间的1973年，美国不再强迫参军。现在，入伍士兵须自愿与部队签署入伍协议，三到六年不等，具体取决于他们选定的岗位。
而一些参军者选择长期留在部队。比如托马斯就觉得，参军是任何其他工作所无法比拟的。
很多服役二三十年的老兵跟我聊得最多就是这些年建立的战友情，尤其是他们带自己的孩子来部队的时候。
感谢收听克里斯多夫为您播报的VOA慢速新闻。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
