VOA慢速英语:美国北达科他州迅速繁荣的石油业导致学校人满为患

美国北达科他州迅速繁荣的石油业导致学校人满为患

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.

这里是VOA慢速英语教育报道。石油业在美国北达科他州和蒙大纳州发展迅速。从地面直接运送石油为使这个地区赚取了很多钱，同时也提供了很多就业岗位。该地区的石油工业也为原来人口很少的乡镇带来了数以千计的人。美国北达科他州的威利斯顿就是个很好的例子。

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.

美国人口普查局称从2011年7月到2012年7月威利斯顿地区在类似大小的地区中是人口增长最快的。它的人口增长了9.3%。很多人口的加入就意味着，对道路交通，紧急服务，和其他系统等要求的更多，像电的供应，采暖，水等。而更多的孩子要去上学就意味着社区中的学校教室会拥挤起来。

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.

约翰·蒙格是土生土长的威利斯顿人。他在这个城市的哈根小学教了24年的书，最近三年他在一个被叫做拖车式活动房的临时搭建的教室中给孩子们上课，这个教室比一般教室要小。开始时他有16个学生，现在在这个小的空间里他有18个学生。

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.

维奥拉·拉方丹是威利斯顿公立学校的校长，这个学校的面积是北达科他州中最小的，但却是人口增长最快的。她说在过去四五年之内，学校增加了1000多名学生。大多数都是小学生。而且，据她说，这些学生来自世界各地。

"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.

拉方丹说：“我认为现在在我们学校的学生们一共说七种语言，大多数学生说西班牙语，但我们也有学生说广东话和法语。”

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

拉方丹女士说处理持续不断的学生流动是很困难的。

"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.

拉方丹说：“最大的挑战就是整个学年都不断的有学生入学或退学事件发生，这个和而且整个学年都不断的有人离开还有些不一样。”

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.

她还说聘请合格的教师和投资建立更大更现代的学校也变得很困难。她强调国家从石油中获得丰厚利润，她已经向北达科他州政府申请教育援助。

"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.

拉方丹说：“北达科他州一直以来都很保守。我不认为这是一件坏事。但是现在政府已经得到丰厚的资金，能不能分给我们一些，无论是捐赠给我们还是给我们贷款都行，最好是捐赠给我们，这样可以真正的支持本地区学校的教育事业。”

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.

威利斯顿一号选区的选民们最近提出举措来建一所新的高中。这个措施将会增加本地区的财产税。但是教育人士表示威利斯顿地区的税收要比北达科他州其他相似地区低。

And that’s the Education Report from VOA Learning English. I’m Jerilyn Watson.

这就是今天的VOA慢速英语教育报道。我是Jerilyn Watson