Improve Listening: American

[negar92]

Hi everyone
Let's get straight down to business. Listening, or understanding what others say, is one of the four language skills with which most of the learners have some problem. Therefor we're going to work on it here to improve it to the best level.
There are two major English accents in the world, American and British, of which I believe most of you are familiar with the key differences. I personally recommend neither of them alone since both have their own share in usage among the English speakers in the world. In this topic we will work on American accent and soon there will be another one for British accent.
The only thing remained is the procedure need to be taken for using the material introduced in this topic, which are the VOA learning English tracks with the transcription, to improve listening. For this matter the level of the learners is divided into three groups, beginner, intermediate and advanced. However notice that the named levels aren't the exact level you're studying English in but the level of your listening capability. You can determine this level by listening to the tracks and comparing yourself with the descriptions given below:
Beginners are the ones who need to look at the text while listening to the audio to understand the words. So if you are in this level just do what is said above, listening while looking, to get acquainted with the pronunciation of the words, intonation and streses used in speaking and many other things. Then you should just keep doing it to get familiar with the pronunciation of all the words in the text and be able to understand most of them without looking at the paper.
Intermediates could listen to a track and understand the general idea of it without looking at the words. Intermediate learners should listen to the tracks and take notes from them and try to get the main idea of the sentences. Then compare your notes and tokens with the trascription to find out in which parts you have problems and try to correct them with practice.
Advanced learners are the ones who could understand most of the words in the track and write meaningful sentences. If you could do this, do this. Trtanscribe the whole track into a text and then compare it with the given text. If you have mistakes correct them and if you don't, Congratulations, you may go on to the next track.
We try to keep this topic as updated as possible with new tracks. so you keep yourself updated too.
Good Luck

[negar92]

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سلام
بدون مقدمه ميرم سر اصل مطلب. مهارت شنيدن، يا فهميدن حرف ديگران، يکي از چهار مهرات يادگيري زبان است که زبان آموزان بيشترين مشکل را در اين قسمت دارند. به همين خاطر در اين تاپيک براي بهبود اين مهارت کار مي کنيم.
در کل دو لهجه اصلي انگليسي در دنيا وجود دارد، بريتانيايي و آمريکايي، که احتمالاً بيشتر شما با تفاوت هاي اصلي اين دو آشنا هستيد. من به شخصه هيچکدام را به تنهايي توصيه نمي کنم چون هر دو سهم خود را در بين انگليسي زبانان دنيا دارا هستند. در اين تاپيک ما بر روي لهجه آمريکايي کار مي کنيم و به زودي تاپيک ديگري براي لهجه بريتانيايي ايجاد خواهد شد.
تنها مورد باقي مانده روش کار با مواد معرفي شده در اين تاپيک است، که برنامه هاي آموزش زبان voa به همراه متن آنهاست، مي باشد براي تقويت قدرت شنيداري. براي انجام اين کار سطح زبان آموزان به سه سطح ابتدايي، متوسط و پيشرفته تقسيم مي شود. ولي به موضوع توجه داشته باشيد که سطوح نام برده شده سطح شما در يادگيري زبان نيست بلکه سطح قدرت شنيداري شماست. براي تعيين اين سطح بايد به فايل هاي آورده شده در اين تاپيک گوش دهيد و خود را با توضيحات زير مقايسه کنيد:
سطح ابتدايي به کساني اطلاق مي شود که براي فهميدن لغات بايد همزمان با گوش دادن به صداي مجري به متن نيز نگاه کنند. پس اگر شما در اين سطح قرار مي گيريد بايد همين روش، گوش داده و نگاه کردن، را انجام دهيد تا با نحوه تلفظ لغات، آهنگ خواندن متن و تأکيدهاي استفاده شده در کلمات و جملات و بسياري موارد ديگر آشنا شويد. سپس همين کار را براي هر متن ادامه دهيد تا با تلفظ تمامي لغات متن آشنا شويد و قادر به درک کلي متن بدون نگاه کردن به کلمات باشيد.
زبان اموزان سطح متوسط مي توانند به متن گوش دهند و بدون نگاه کردن به نسخه نوشتاري مفهوم کلي آن را درک کنند. اين زبان آموزان بايد به متن گوش دهند و سعي کنند از قسمت هايي که متوجه مي شوند نکته برداري کنند و سعي کنند منظور اصلي هر جمله را متوجه شوند. سپس نکات و کلماتي نوشته شده توسط خود را با متن داده شده مقايسه کنند تا متوجه اشکالات خود شوند و با تمرين زياد سعي در بر طرف کردن آن کنند.
در سطح پيشرفته شما قادر خواهيد بود تا با گوش دادن به متن اکثر کلمات آنرا متوجه شويد و جملات کامل و بامعني بنويسيد. اگر شما قادر به انجام اين کار هستيد، پس آنرا انجام دهيد. تمام متن را بر روي کاغذ بياوريد و آنرا با متن داده شده مقايسه کنيد . اگر با بعضي از لغات هنوز مشکل داريد با تمرين آنرا رفع کنيد و اگر نه، به شما تبريک مي گويم، مي توانيد به سراغ متن بعدي برويد.
ما سعي مي کنيم تا اين تاپيک را تا حد ممکن به روز نگه داريم پس شما هم سعي کنيد تا خود را با اين تاپيک به روز کنيد.
موق باشيد

[negar92]

The first track (اولین فایل) :

http://njtelecom.unsv.com/archives/v...0904150045.mp3 (http://www.pnu-club.com/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnjtelecom.unsv.com %2Farchives%2Fvoanews%2Fspecialenglish%2F2009%2F04 %2F15%2F0045%2F%257B7058a7a2-831c-4f1b-afdc-87e98c45a6d4%257D%2Fspecial200904150045.mp3)

The text of the file (متن فایل) :




VOICE ONE:
: I'm Faith Lapidus. VOICE TWO: And I'm Steve Ember with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we explore some national parks of great beauty in the American West. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Millions of people from all over the world visit the state of Utah every year. One reason is the many national parks. These are areas of great natural beauty that are protected by the United States government. More than three hundred fifty national parks can be found in the United States. Today we will visit four of them -- all in the state of Utah. These parks include huge colored rock formations, rivers, waterfalls, beautiful trees, other plants and many different kinds of wild animals. VOICE TWO: The first area we will visit is Arches National Park, near the town of Moab in eastern Utah. Experts say this park has the greatest number of arches of any similar geographic area in the world. Arches are formations that look like half a circle above an opening or hole in a rock. Arches can also appear as curved bridges between two large rocks. Scientists say the area began forming almost two thousand million years ago. As time passed, the area filled with material left by rivers. Other rocks buried the area. Then great pressure deep in the Earth created huge mountains. A soft rock called sandstone began moving under this pressure. The sandstone moved upwards when it met other, harder rocks. These sandstone structures continued to grow for about one hundred fifty million years. Arches developed from thin rock walls. They resulted when pieces of sandstone fell away from the formations. Scientists say water is the most important element in creating arches. Water destroys the chemicals that keep rock particles together. The rock breaks as the water freezes and expands. Then the wind blows away the loose rock particles. VOICE ONE: Scientists say that most arches seen today developed within the past million years. But they say the land formation continues to change slowly over time. New arches form. Older ones fall away. The National Park Service has counted more than two thousand arches in Arches National Park. The smallest of these is an opening of less than one meter; the longest measures more than ninety-three meters. The rock formations in Arches National Park are mostly a deep red color. Rocks get their color from minerals. The red color is the result of iron oxide or rust. Scientists say the presence of iron in the rock shows that the weather was hot and dry when the rock was first formed. (MUSIC) VOICE TWO: Arches National Park is not the only place in Utah where visitors can see arches and other beautiful rock formations. They are also found in the nearby national park named Canyonlands. Canyonlands National Park is a wild, lonely area of rocks, rivers and desert plants. Only Native Americans, cowboys, and explorers entered this area before the park was established in nineteen sixty-four. Even today, it is difficult to walk or ride through the park. The roads are still made of dirt. Driving requires a special vehicle. The National Park Service says Canyonlands National Park is wild America. VOICE ONE: Rivers created the area as they cut rock into many different formations. At the center of the park are two deep canyons carved by the Green and Colorado Rivers. Three areas that surround these rivers are included in the park. One of these areas is called the Maze District. This area includes rock art made by people who lived there more than two thousand years ago. Yet many people today cannot see the Maze District because it is so difficult to reach. The area is one of the loneliest and wildest in the United States. Another area of the park is called the Needles. It includes long, thin, red and white rocks that reach high into the air like fingers on a hand. VOICE TWO: A good way to see all the areas of Canyonlands National Park is to fly over it. A one-hour trip in a small airplane makes it possible to see the park's red rocks, arches and flat areas where ancient Indian people once lived. From high in the air, visitors can clearly see the third area of the park -- a high broad flat rock known as the Island in the Sky. The island was formed between the two rivers. Another interesting formation is called the Upheaval Dome. This is a huge hole about four hundred fifty meters deep and one and one half kilometers wide. It is considered to be the most unusual geologic structure in the area. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Two other national parks in Utah are included on our trip. The first is Bryce Canyon National Park, in southern Utah. The rock formations there are the result of deposits made by ancient lakes and rivers over a period of about twenty million years. The walls and cliffs of Bryce Canyon once were completely covered with water. About two million people visit Bryce Canyon National Park each year. The park reaches a height of more than three thousand meters. It includes more than eighty kilometers of trails for walking. Or visitors can drive a twenty-nine kilometer long road, stopping off at different points to enjoy the colorful formations. These rock formations at Bryce National Park are extremely beautiful. Sunlight makes many of them appear to be the color of fire. Some of the most unusual kinds of rocks in the park are called hoodoos. They are tall and thin, and seem to grow from the canyon floor. Their colors are bright red, orange and yellow. Some of the hoodoos have interesting shapes and names, like Thor's Hammer, the Hunter, and the Wall of Windows. One hoodoo known as the Poodle looks like a poodle dog sitting on top of a long narrow rock. (MUSIC) VOICE TWO: The fourth and final park we will visit today is Zion National Park. It is not far from Bryce. But it is very different. About three million people visit the park each year. Zion National Park is an area of huge rocks that were cut through by a river. The area is really a desert, receiving only about thirty-five centimeters of rain a year. Visitors to Zion National Park are surprised by the huge mountain structures of red, pink and white. Driving is restricted in much of the park. Instead, visitors travel in small buses that take them to areas where they can walk on paths into the wild areas. One easy walk is almost two kilometers. It takes hikers to a clear pool of water and waterfalls. One of the more difficult walks is an eight kilometer hike that is not for anyone afraid of high places. That is because the path ends at the top of a rock high above Zion Canyon. Another hike is a twenty-two kilometer walk that ends at an unusual rock formation. Experts say it could be the world's largest free-standing arch. VOICE ONE: Visitors who choose not to take long walks can leave the small bus at different stops. At each stop, they can walk a short path to a viewing area where they can see a different part of the park. Some of the huge mountains have interesting names. One of the park's largest sandstone formations is known as the Sentinel. Another area includes three mountains next to each other. They are called the Three Patriarchs -- Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were given the names by a visiting Christian church leader in nineteen sixteen. VOICE TWO: Visitors to Zion National Park can sleep under the stars in a camping area. Or they can stay at the hotel in the park. Many people stay in the nearby town of Springdale and travel into the park each day. Of course, visiting these parks includes time to watch local wildlife. Visitors can see all kinds of birds, deer, foxes, and even mountain lions, elk, moose and bears. But they must be careful not to get too close. Many wild animals can be dangerous if they feel threatened. Most people who visit America's national parks bring a camera and take many pictures. They want to enjoy again and again the natural beauty of the rocks, plants and wild animals. But many who have seen the parks we have described today say that such pictures cannot really capture the huge, beautiful areas of land. These visitors say that they will never forget the beauty of the four national parks in Utah. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: This program was written by Nancy Steinbach. It was produced by Mario Ritter. You can read this report online and download audio at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Faith Lapidus. VOICE TWO: And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.

[negar92]

Today's track:
http://njtelecom.unsv.com/archives/v...0904220045.mp3 (http://njtelecom.unsv.com/archives/voanews/specialenglish/2009/04/22/0045/%7Bc47e69bb-9771-4207-ab9a-5d5ad36da997%7D/special200904220045.mp3)
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I'm Steve Ember. VOICE TWO: And I'm Faith Lapidus with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we travel around the world visiting several endangered natural and cultural treasures. Some places like Australia's Great Barrier Reef and Montana's Glacier National Park are threatened by the effects of climate change. Other places are slowly being damaged by pollution and careless visitors. The book "Disappearing Destinations" explains more about these endangered places and suggests helpful ways to take action. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Earlier this month, the Obama Administration called for increased protection of the world's most southern continent, Antarctica. Scientists say climate change and human activity have increasingly led to the melting of massive pieces of Antarctic ice. The disappearance of ice will not only affect wildlife in the area such as seals and penguins. The melting will also cause oceans and seas around the world to rise. VOICE TWO: This represents a major threat, especially to coastal areas. For example, the ancient city of Venice, Italy has long been threatened by rising sea levels. The situation is made worse by the fact that its ancient buildings, built on a body of water called a lagoon, are slowly sinking. When the city was founded about one thousand six hundred years ago, the level of the Adriatic Sea was almost two meters lower than it is today. Rising sea levels are not the only threat. The salty water is also destroying Venice's famous buildings and artworks. The Italian government is trying to fix the problem with the construction of a seven billion dollar system of moving flood barriers. VOICE ONE: Climate change is also leading to the melting of ice in other areas, such as Mount Kilimanjaro in northeastern Tanzania. It is the highest point in Africa, measuring almost six thousand meters. The mountain supports five vegetation zones and many kinds of animals. The ice glaciers on the mountain are disappearing very quickly. This will have a bad effect on the mountain's ecosystems and on Tanzania's travel industry. Also, a valuable record of thousands of years of weather Saint Mark's Square in Venice is often flooded Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli National Parkhistory will also be lost if the ice melts. Scientists study pieces of glacier to understand weather patterns from thousands of years ago. VOICE TWO: In the United States, the icy masses in Glacier National Park in Montana may soon completely disappear because of climate change. In eighteen fifty, there were an estimated one hundred fifty glaciers in the more than four hundred thousand hectare park. There are twenty-six glaciers remaining today. Scientists estimate that the glaciers will be gone by two thousand thirty. Warming temperatures are also threatening the many kinds of plants and animals that live in this mountain ecosystem. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Venice, Mount Kilimanjaro, Glacier National Park and other threatened places are described in detail in a book called "Disappearing Destinations: 37 Places in Peril and What Can Be Done to Help Save Them." Kimberly Lisagore and Heather Hansen published the book last year. Both women are reporters who write about travel and the environment. Miz Lisagore says they began to notice how rare it was to find travel writing that recognized environmental problems and solutions. So, the two writers made a list of places that people should see before those places disappear. VOICE TWO: The writers tell about the good work being done by scientists and activists to protect each place. They wanted the book to be a hopeful call to action. Miz Lisagore says their aim was to give travelers a more meaningful experience by educating them about the places they love to visit. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: "Disappearing Destinations" is organized geographically by continental groupings. Some of the threatened places are very well known. For example, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest coral reef system in the world. Rising sea temperatures are greatly harming the reef. In some areas, healthy yellow, brown and green reefs have become a bleached white color. The coral whitens when it becomes stressed by warmer temperatures and expels the algae organisms it needs to survive. Sick or dying coral affects the entire ecosystem of this special underwater area. Water pollution and visits by careless swimmers and divers also threaten the reef. VOICE TWO: The famous Galapagos Islands, more than nine hundred kilometers off the coast of Ecuador, are also endangered. This protected area is known for its rich biodiversity of sea and land creatures. One threat to this area is the introduction of foreign plants and organisms. Foreign plants growing in the area can upset the balanced ecosystems of native plants and animals. In fact, today there are more Bleached coral in Australia's Great Barrier Reefforeign plant species on the islands than there are native plants. Increasing immigration and visits from travelers are also damaging the health of the islands. VOICE ONE: "Disappearing Destinations" also discusses places that face environmental threats that are less well known. For example, the Napa Valley in the American state of California is famous for its fine wines. But rising temperatures are threatening the grape harvest and wine industry in the area. To be made into fine wine, some kinds of grapes must grow in a limited range of temperatures. As temperatures rise in Napa, producers may find it harder to produce wine of the same quality. However, rising temperatures have improved the wine harvest in cooler areas. VOICE TWO: In the ancient forests of the Lapland area of Finland, many people in the Sami native group make a living raising reindeer. Sami have been raising reindeer in this area for hundreds of years. But intensive logging in this part of Finland has started to threaten the work and culture of this group. Finland's forestry agency cuts down trees that are very old because they earn the most money. But this logging also ruins the areas where Sami bring their reindeer to feed. Some experts say only five percent of Finland's old-growth forest remains. Continued logging will not only affect the natural environment of this beautiful northern wilderness. It could also forever change the ancient way of life of the area's native Sami people. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Many endangered places in "Disappearing Destinations" are cultural treasures. For example, hundreds of thousands of people a year visit the ancient buildings of Machu Picchu in Peru. These Incan buildings face severe damage if the number of visitors is not more carefully controlled. And, in Mali, the famous city of Timbuktu was once a cultural capital of West Africa. But today, the climate is drying out the fertile grasslands. This change of climate threatens the local environment and the livelihoods of people living there. The desertification process also threatens Timbuktu's many ancient earth buildings. These buildings have influenced building designers around the world. (MUSIC) VOICE TWO: Kimberly Lisagore says that she has been very pleased by the response of people who have read "Disappearing Destinations." She says she and Heather Hansen have heard from readers who no longer think of the places they visit as pictures on postcards that are frozen in time. Instead, the readers see these places as easily damaged and always changing. VOICE ONE: Miz Lisagore says some readers have decided to work harder to protect the environment. These people learned that the way they choose to live at home has far-reaching effects on the planet. The book also includes a list of organizations working to protect the endangered places described. So Vineyards in the Napa Valley The Sankore mosque in Timbuktureaders can learn more information about the groups that interest them. Readers can also learn more about traveling in ways that do not harm the places they visit. VOICE TWO: Kimberly Lisagore says she is starting to see a more balanced travel relationship between tourists and the places they visit. She says Americans often take what a place has to offer and then go back home. Miz Lisagore says it is important for travelers to realize that they are visiting a place that is someone's home. And, she hopes that more travelers of all nationalities will see themselves as ambassadors who have a long term responsibility to the places they visit. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: This program was written by Dana Demange. Mario Ritter was the producer. I'm Steve Ember. VOICE TWO: And I'm Faith Lapidus. You can see pictures of these endangered places on our Web site, www.unsv.com. You can also get transcripts and MP3 files. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.


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[negar92]

Today's track:
Download (http://njtelecom.unsv.com/archives/voanews/specialenglish/2009/04/24/0045/%7Bd3a059c8-da33-4001-a8a7-6abfbb818873%7D/special200904240045.mp3)

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Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English. (MUSIC) I'm Doug Johnson. This week ... We play new music from jazz artist Diana Krall ... And answer a question about American revolutionary leader Patrick Henry. But first, we report on a "sporty" international competition in robot building. (MUSIC) FIRST Championship HOST: Last weekend, twenty thousand people gathered in the state of Georgia to watch students from twenty-eight countries compete with robots they built. More than ten thousand students and more than five hundred robots took part in the competition. Faith Lapidus tells us about it. FAITH LAPIDUS: The students and their robots competed at the FIRST Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. FIRST is the short way of saying the organization's complete name: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. Almost one thousand seven hundred high school teams entered a level of competition called LUNACY. The competitors came from eleven countries, including the United States. In January, the organization sent identical supplies for robots to each team. The teams had six weeks to build robots that could compete in the LUNACY game. The playing area had six robots, three on each team. Each robot had another vehicle, or trailer, connected to it. The robots had to pick up large balls and throw them into the trailers of opposing robots. The robots were moving on a surface where they could slide. An alliance of teams from California, Illinois and Michigan won the LUNACY competition. A second competition involved building a robot that could travel on uneven surfaces, move objects with unusual shapes and withstand physical stress . Another competition was for younger students, ages nine to fourteen years old. Eighty-four teams from twenty-seven countries competed with robots made with LEGO products. They had to design, build and program robots to explore the Earth's climate. American inventor Dean Kamen started FIRST in nineteen eighty-nine to increase young people's interest in science and technology. The organization holds robotics competitions around the world. It offers programs that help young people learn more about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, while building life skills. Many companies provide support to the organization. Competitors at the FIRST ChampionshipMister Kamen says the goal is about more than building robots. He says the student competitors showed they could solve difficult technological problems. And, he says that is good news because the world needs creative thinkers to help solve increasingly complex problems in the future. (MUSIC) Patrick Henry HOST: Our listener question this week comes from China. James Green wants to know about Patrick Henry, an important leader of the American Revolution. Patrick Henry is most famous for a speech he gave in seventeen seventy-five to support his proposal to raise forces to defend the colony of Virginia against the British. Patrick Henry said, "give me liberty or give me death." He was born in seventeen thirty-six in Hanover County, Virginia, near Richmond. His father was a well-educated farmer from Scotland. Historians say Patrick Henry was an intelligent boy but not always a hard worker. When Patrick was sixteen, his father bought a store for Patrick and his brother. It failed within a year. At eighteen, Patrick married a sixteen year old named Sarah Shelton. Her father gave them a farm, house and slaves. But a fire destroyed the farm a few years later. The Henrys had six children together. But Sarah Henry became mentally ill and died in seventeen seventy-five. Henry then married Dorothea Dandridge who came from a rich and socially important Virginia family. He and his second wife had ten more children. In seventeen sixty, when he was in his middle twenties, Patrick Henry had decided to become a lawyer. He became successful and gained fame as a rebel. One of Patrick Henry's first cases took on the British government and the Anglican Church. Henry won the case, condemned the clergy involved and questioned British rule all at the same time. The case won him fame for his power of speech. Patrick Henry was elected to the Virginia legislature in seventeen sixty-five. He represented Virginia in the Continental Congress in seventeen seventy-four. He famously said: "The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American." However, Henry strongly believed in states' rights over federal powers. He supported a weak central government. For this reason he fought the approval of the proposed United States Constitution. But he lost that battle. Virginia approved the Constitution in seventeen eighty-eight. However, Patrick Henry used his powerful gift of speech to get passage of some amendments. These later became the Bill of Rights. Patrick Henry served five terms as governor of Virginia. He died in seventeen ninety-nine at the age of sixty-three. In his final document to his family, he advised his descendants to "practice Virtue thyself, and encourage it in others." Patrick Henry(MUSIC) Diana Krall HOST: This week, we continue to honor Jazz Appreciation Month with the music of jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall. The Canadian-born performer recently released her twelfth album. "Quiet Nights" combines the sensual beat of Brazilian bossa nova with the smooth sound of jazz. Diana Krall says the songs are a love letter to her husband, British rock singer Elvis Costello. Barbara Klein has more. (MUSIC) BARBARA KLEIN: That was the song "You're My Thrill." Like many songs on the album "Quiet Nights" it is a good example of Diana Krall's soft and smoky voice . Krall says she was influenced to make this album because of a trip she made to Brazil last year. She said she heard the sounds of bossa nova music everywhere she went. Here is the album's title song, "Quiet Nights." This song by the Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim first became famous in the early nineteen sixties. (MUSIC) Diana Krall says that making "Quiet Nights" was a very natural and joyful process. At the end of recording every day, she says she had something wonderful to look forward to – being with her two infant sons. Diana Krall will be performing songs from her new album in Canada and United States this spring and summer. We leave you with "Too Marvelous for Words." (MUSIC) HOST: I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program today. It was written by Dana Demange, Shelley Gollust and Caty Weaver who was also the producer. For transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our programs, go to UNSV.COM英语学习频道 - 中国最给力的免费英语学习网站 (http://www.unsv.com). Send your questions about American life to mosaic@voanews.com. Please include your full name and where you live. Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., two-zero-two- three-seven, U.S.A. Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

[negar92]

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VOICE ONE: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: And I'm Bob Doughty. Today we tell about osteoporosis, a disease that can make bones weak so they break easily. (MUSIC) VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: Osteoporosis is a silent disease until it develops. If you do not know you have it, it can hurt you. A fifty-five year-old American woman named Jill went skiing several years ago. Although she was a good skier, she fell on a difficult hill. She attempted to get up, but could not move one leg. She was taken to a hospital, where doctors found she had broken a bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) in her upper leg. And there was another discovery in the hospital. She had osteoporosis. Today, Jill still goes skiing. But now she takes medicine to protect against osteoporosis. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: Like Jill, many people do not know they have osteoporosis unless they break a bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) . Or, they may find that they are getting shorter. Osteoporosis can make it hard for a person to stand up straight if the disease is untreated for a long time. When it has progressed very far, walking can be difficult. Severe osteoporosis in older adults can take away their independence. The National Osteoporosis Foundation works to inform Americans about bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) health. The group says breaks caused by weakened bones can lead (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=lead) to pain, disability and even death (MUSIC) VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: The word osteoporosis means porous bones, or bones that are not solid enough. The disease harms bones by removing calcium and other important minerals from tissue. Bones are living tissue. Tissues continually break down and then they replace themselves. But as people get older, more bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) breaks down than gets replaced. The result is that small spaces inside the bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) get larger. And the shell (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=shell) of the bones gets thinner. The National Osteoporosis Foundation, or NOF, says eight of every ten osteoporosis patients are women. It says the condition is most common in Caucasian women over age fifty. Last year, the group suggested that doctors expand their list of persons to watch for osteoporosis. The additions included Latina, African American, Asian and other women. The NOF also called attention to the fact Osteoporosis causes bones to weaken and break more easily. that men can also suffer from osteoporosis. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: Before people develop osteoporosis, they have a condition called osteopenia. Treatment can prevent this condition from becoming osteoporosis. Doctors agree that the best way to deal with osteopenia or osteoporosis is to find and treat it before the disease progresses. Bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Bone) damage need not be permanent. Drugs can help replace lost bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) . Identification of osteoporosis and osteopenia is made by measuring the mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) of a person's bones. In this case, density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) means the strength (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=strength) of the bones. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says there are a number of ways bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) can be measured. The group suggests bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) examinations for women sixty years and older. Doctors use the tests to examine the hip and spine (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=spine) , or backbone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=backbone) . The NOF says a test called Dual- energy (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=energy) X- ray (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=ray) absorptiometry, or DXA, is the best test for osteoporosis. DXA uses radiation (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=radiation) from x-rays. The patient does not get much radiation (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=radiation) from the process, which lasts only a few minutes. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: Another way to measure bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) - density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) is called peripheral bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) testing. It is often used in the United States to show people if they are in danger of osteoporosis. A moveable machine does the test. Medical testing companies sometimes perform this examination at an office or other place of business. The test costs less than the DXA. But peripheral testing measures only one part (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=part) of the body (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=body) . Usually that place is the wrist (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=wrist) , the heel, or the bones between finger joints. If the testing device is in good condition, it probably will give satisfactory results. But what if the patient has normal bones in the tested areas, but not in others? A person could appear normal on the test. But she still might have osteoporosis in her backbone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=backbone) or hips. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: Differences in bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) among body (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=body) parts are most often found in women who recently ended their childbearing (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=childbearing) years. The density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) may be normal at one place but low at another. Bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) in the spine (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=spine) decreases first. A woman's bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) becomes about the same in all parts of her body (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=body) after she is seventy years old. The lower-cost test may not give complete answers. But it can warn that osteoporosis threatens or has started. (MUSIC) VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: The National Osteoporosis Foundation has advised several steps toward the goal of healthy bones. Its experts say get enough calcium and vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=vitamin) D. The experts say do not smoke or drink too much alcohol. Talk to your healthcare provider about bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) health and a possible bone (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=bone) mineral density (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=density) test. The NOF's guide for healthcare providers says people over fifty should get one thousand two hundred milligrams of calcium every day. The guide also says this age group should get eight hundred to one thousand International Units of Vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Vitamin) D. It says Vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Vitamin) D-Two and Vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Vitamin) D-Three are both good for bones. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: Milk and milk products contain calcium. So do fish with soft bones, like salmon, and dark green leafy vegetables. Some orange juice, bread and cereals may have calcium added. Some people also take pills containing calcium. But be careful about how much calcium you take. You should not have more than two thousand five hundred milligrams a day. That total includes calcium from food and all other sources. Too much calcium can cause problems like kidney stones. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: Vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Vitamin) D absorbs, or takes up, calcium. Fish, cereal and milk are good sources of Vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Vitamin) D. If you spend at least fifteen minutes a day in the sun without a product to block (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=block) the sun's radiation (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=radiation) , you probably get enough Vitamin (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Vitamin) D. Several kinds of drugs treat osteoporosis. America's Mayo Clinic medical centers say bisphosphonates are the most popular. Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva are products of this family of drugs. The Mayo Clinic advises that these drugs are very effective and appear safe for most people if taken as directed. Fosamax has been sold for at least ten years. Other drugs proven effective for osteoporosis are hormones and parathyroid hormone. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: Doctors who treat osteoporosis patients say physical exercise can help the bones. For active people, lifting weights or playing tennis, slow running and dancing can be helpful. Some older adults worry about exercising. They believe they could hurt themselves. The Mayo Clinic says that could be true if they have not exercised in the past. It says people who have not been active in the past need a doctor's advice before starting. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: Some people who are afraid of exercise worry about its effects on their joints, especially the knees. They are afraid exercise might cause osteoarthritis, a condition in which connective tissue around the bones wears down. A study in The Netherlands found that could be true. Results of the study were reported recently in the publication "Arthritis Care (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Care) and Research." Researchers studied one thousand six hundred seventy eight people over a period of twelve years. The subjects were between fifty-five and eighty -five years old. The results linked knee osteoarthritis to high mechanical strain (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=strain) -- activities that are hard on joints. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: But another study found that regular exercise does not harm joints. Those findings were reported in "The Journal of Anatomy (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Anatomy) ." Scientists from Germany and the United States considered earlier research on the effect of exercise on joints. They did not find a link between regular exercise and knee osteoarthritis. If you are still worried about exercise for osteoporosis, why not go for a walk? But you have to do it correctly. The Mayo Clinic says hold your head high. Straighten your back and neck as much as possible. Tighten the chest (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=chest) muscles. As you move along, let your shoulders and arms move freely and naturally. Doctors say physical exercise can help keep bones strong.Walking places the full weight (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=weight) of your body (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=body) on your bones. It also has other good effects. It raises the levels of chemicals in the brain (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=brain) known as endorphins. They reduce pain and make you feel happier. (MUSIC) VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) TWO: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Jerilyn Watson. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Bob Doughty. VOICE (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=VOICE) ONE: And I'm Barbara Klein. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice (http://www.daneshju.ir/forum/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=Voice) of America.