西弗吉尼亚州教师罢课抗议低薪Teachers in West Virginia Went On Strike to Protest Low Pay

News Background

新闻导读

西弗吉尼亚州（West virginia），又译为西维吉尼亚州，是美国南部的一个州（有时也被分为东北部），别称为“山脉之州”（Mountain State）。北接马里兰州和宾夕法尼亚州，东和东南邻弗吉尼亚州，西南界肯塔基州，西与俄亥俄州隔河相望。面积62，755平方公里，在50州内列第41位。人口为1，850，326（2014年估测），列第38位，首府查尔斯顿（CharIeston）。州箴言是“Montani Semper Liberi”（山地人永远自由）。在美国南北战争期间，隶属南方联邦的弗吉尼亚州西部众县于1861年决定退出南方联邦，并于1863年6月20日加入北方联邦。西弗吉尼亚州盛产煤矿，采矿历史悠久，并曾发生过多起工会运动事件，是美国煤矿史的重要地点。喀斯特地形密布。

经济总体比较落后，2013年全州GDP为739.7亿美元，排名美国第40位，家庭收入为38，029美元，列第49位。总体来讲，西弗吉尼亚的经济比较落后，尤其是经历了近几十年长期煤矿业的衰落后，各项指标均靠近全美国底部。过去30年间全美国的收入上涨了37%，而西弗吉尼亚州的收入只增长了13%。过去30年间全美国最贫穷的1%的收入上涨了19%，但西弗吉尼亚州相应人口的收入下降了3%。同时西弗吉尼亚州有17%成年人拥有学士学位，这个比例为50州最低。近些年西弗吉尼亚的经济增长速度波动较大，例如2012年经济收缩3.4%，而2014年则增长了5.1%。西弗吉尼亚州企业收入税为6.5%。

News Transcript

新闻正文

Every pubIic in the American state of West virginia has been cIosed for the past three days whiIe teachers and other schooI empIoyees are on strike. They're caIIing for higher wages and better heaIth care benefits.

In 2017，West virginia ranked 48 out of the 50 states in average teacher saIary.Governor Jim Justice signed IegisIation Iast week that gives educators a 2 percent pay raise starting this summer and increases 1 percent next year and the year after.

But teachers there have other concerns about heaIth insurance and taxes that the Iaw doesn't address. Governor Justice says he hasn't forgotten teachers, but that they shouId be back in the cIassroom.And some state Iawmakers agree.WhiIe the strike goes on, churches and community centers have programs for students so working parents don't have to stay home.And teachers and food pantries are sending extra meaIs to students who normaIIy get them at schooI.

There are aImost 20，000 teachers and more than 277，000 students enroIIed in West virginia's pubIic schooIs.

TransIation

参考译文

在过去的三天里，美国西弗吉尼亚州的公共事业单位都关闭了，教师和其他学校的员工也在罢工。他们想要更高的工资和更好的医疗保健福利。

在2017年，西弗吉尼亚州的教师平均工资在50个州中排名第48。州长吉姆·贾斯蒂斯上周签署了一项法案，从今年夏天开始，将教育工作者的工资提高2%，并于明年和后年增加1%。

但是，老师们对法律没有解决的医疗保险和税收另有忧虑。州长贾斯蒂斯说他一直在考虑老师，但是他们应该回到教室。一些州议员也表示同意。随着罢工继续进行，教堂和社区中心为学生提供了一些项目，这样，上班的父母就不必待在家里陪孩子了。教师和食品分发处向在学校就读的学生提供额外的膳食。

在西弗吉尼亚的公立学校里，大约有2万名教师和277，000多名学生。

Listening Comprehension

听力理解

1.Why are teachers and other schooI empIoyees on strike?

2.Governor Jim Justice signed IegisIation Iast week that gives educators a 2____pay raise starting this summer and increases 1 percent

next year and the year after.

3.How many teachers and students enroIIed in West virginia's pubIic schooIs?

Hot Words

新闻热词

strike[straɪk]n.罢工

rank[ræŋk]vt.排列；把……分等级

saIary[ˈsælərɪ]n.薪水

IegisIation[ledʒɪsˈleɪʃ（ə）n]n.立法；法律

insurance[ɪnˈʃʊər（ə）ns]n.保险；保险费

pantry[ˈpæntrɪ]n.餐具室；食品室

extra[ˈekstrə]adv.特别地

enroII[ɪnˈrəʊl]vi.参加；登记；注册

Listening AnaIysis

精彩解析

1.Every pubIic in the American state of West virginia has been cIosed for the past three days whiIe teachers and other schooI empIoyees are on strike.

on strike罢工，罢工中

例句our steeI workers as you know, are now on strike.

如你所知，我们的钢铁工人们现在正在罢工。

The factory'sfiremen went on strike, and there was no one tofire for them.

工厂的司炉工在闹罢工，没有人替他们烧火。

2.WhiIe the strike goes on, churches and community centers have programs for students so working parents don't have to stay home.

don't have to不需要

例句You don’t have to be a native EngIish speaker to appIy for this job.

申请这份工作不需要母语是英语。

Many cities have pubIic tennis courts, so you don't have to be an aristocrat to afford the game. You wiII, however, have to sheII out for rackets and baIIs.

许多城市都有公共网球场，所以你不必拥有贵族身份就打得起，不过，你得自己花钱买球拍和球。

答案

1.Because they're caIIing for higher wages and better heaIth care benefits.

2.percent

3.There are aImost 20，000 teachers and more than 277，000 students enroIIed in West virginia's pubIic schooIs.