2022年12月22日 VOA慢速英語：大流行病在某些方面改變了美國人的生活

 

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic disease almost three years ago. The health crisis greatly changed America in ways temporary and long-lasting.
大約三年前，世界衛(wèi)生組織宣布 COVID-19 為大流行病。這場健康危機(jī)以暫時和持久的方式極大地改變了美國。
 
Here is a look at some interests that arose among people during the years of restrictive experience.
下面是人們在多年的限制性經(jīng)驗中產(chǎn)生的一些興趣。
 
Musical instruments
樂器

During the pandemic, more people learned to play, or returned to playing, a musical instrument.
在大流行期間，更多的人學(xué)會了演奏或重新演奏樂器。
 
For most, the activity was a hobby, something done for pleasure alone.
對于大多數(shù)人來說，這項活動是一種愛好，只是為了快樂而做的事情。
 
Bob Dorobis of Middletown, New Jersey, is an example. After a long break from music, he worked hard to improve his guitar technique during the pandemic. Now, the 70-year-old software developer is looking forward to more music time in retirement.
新澤西州米德爾敦的 Bob Dorobis 就是一個例子。在長期遠(yuǎn)離音樂之后，他在大流行期間努力提高吉他技術(shù)?，F(xiàn)在，這位 70 歲的軟件開發(fā)人員期待退休后有更多的音樂時光。
 
"When your fingerpicking sounds good it's very rewarding," he said. "I finally realized the only way for me to like it better is to learn it better."
“當(dāng)你的指彈聽起來不錯時，這是非常有益的，”他說。“我終于意識到讓我更喜歡它的唯一方法就是更好地學(xué)習(xí)它。”
 
Exercise
鄰里友善
 
During the pandemic, a lot of people started exercising – mainly running, bicycle riding, and walking.
在大流行期間，更多的美國人更多地參與到他們的鄰居和社區(qū)中。
 
Beth Lehman is a childcare worker in Greenville, New York. She got on a bike for the first time in years with the children she cares for. Now, the whole family she works for rides bikes with her, including a grandfather in his 80s.
貝絲·雷曼 (Beth Lehman) 是紐約格林維爾的一名兒童保育員。多年來，她第一次和她照顧的孩子們一起騎自行車。現(xiàn)在，她工作的整個家庭都和她一起騎自行車，包括一位 80 多歲的祖父。
 
"I faked confidence," she said of taking to two wheels again.
“我假裝自信，”她談到再次轉(zhuǎn)向兩個輪子時說。
 
Neighborly kindness
鄰里友善
 
During the pandemic, more Americans got more involved with their neighbors and communities.
在大流行期間，更多的美國人更多地參與到他們的鄰居和社區(qū)中。
 
Many began to help old people. Neighborhoods organized assistance for them, including snow removal, food deliveries and transportation to medical visits.
許多人開始幫助老人。社區(qū)為他們組織了援助，包括除雪、送餐和就醫(yī)交通。
 
Lisa and Larry Neula in Sacramento, California, shared their musical talents with their neighbors. Lisa is a former competitor and teacher of Hawaiian dance. Larry is a singer with the Lim Family, a Hawaiian traditional music group.
加利福尼亞州薩克拉門托的 Lisa 和 Larry Neula 與鄰居分享了他們的音樂才華。麗莎曾是夏威夷舞蹈的參賽者和老師。Larry 是夏威夷傳統(tǒng)音樂團(tuán)體 Lim Family 的歌手。
 
The couple performed just outside their house for gatherings of their neighbors during the pandemic. They continue the events to this day.
在大流行期間，這對夫婦就在他們家外面為鄰居的聚會表演。他們將活動延續(xù)到今天。
 
"If you get one person who shows they want to be social, then the other people catch on. It gets to be contagious," Lisa said. "I don't want to take all the credit, but it makes me a better person."
“如果你找到一個表現(xiàn)出他們想要社交的人，那么其他人就會流行起來。它會具有傳染性，”麗莎說。“我不想把所有的功勞都?xì)w功于自己，但這讓我成為了一個更好的人。”
 
Sports and gardening
運(yùn)動和園藝
 
As indoor public gatherings became impossible, outdoor activities became more popular.
隨著室內(nèi)公共集會變得不可能，戶外活動變得更加流行。
 
Gardening, for example, was a way to get some extra exercise and grow fresh food. "Now, I rarely watch TV," said Kelly Flor-Robinson from Bethany Beach, Delaware.
例如，園藝是一種獲得額外鍛煉和種植新鮮食物的方式。“現(xiàn)在，我很少看電視，”來自特拉華州伯大尼比奇的凱利弗洛羅賓遜說。
 
Sports such as pickleball added players. Its fan base grew so large, the demand for playing time was bigger than court capacity in some places.
匹克球等運(yùn)動增加了球員。它的粉絲群增長如此之大，以至于在某些地方對上場時間的需求大于球場容量。
 
The situation for golf was similar.
高爾夫的情況類似。
 
In Maplewood, New Jersey, Matthew Peyton and his son, Julian, worked on their golf games together. Julian now works in a sports shop and is learning about college golf programs.
在新澤西州的 Maplewood，Matthew Peyton 和他的兒子 Julian 一起打高爾夫球。朱利安現(xiàn)在在一家體育用品商店工作，正在學(xué)習(xí)大學(xué)高爾夫課程。
 
"So there I am. Single dad with a 15-year-old, active teenage boy who won't be going to school for two years," Matthew said. "We don't know what's safe. We don't touch door knobs or go to the store. But the golf course is our refuge. You're 300 yards away from anyone else all by yourself. It's like a private oasis."
“所以我就是這樣。單身父親有一個 15 歲、活躍的十幾歲男孩，他兩年內(nèi)不會上學(xué)，”馬修說。“我們不知道什么是安全的。我們不碰門把手或去商店。但高爾夫球場是我們的避難所。你一個人與其他人相距 300 碼。它就像一片私人綠洲。”
 
Shopping
購物
American shopping also changed. Curbside pickup and food delivery exploded in popularity. Both are still important for some people who once liked to visit stores.
美國購物也發(fā)生了變化。路邊取貨和送餐服務(wù)大受歡迎。對于一些曾經(jīng)喜歡逛商店的人來說，兩者仍然很重要。

"I used to enjoy food shopping, but this saves so much time and overspending on my part so I stuck with it," said Amanda Sheronas Spencer in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
賓夕法尼亞州馬爾文的 Amanda Sheronas Spencer 說：“我以前喜歡購物，但這節(jié)省了我很多時間和超支，所以我堅持了下來。”
 
She added, "If I do go in person, I have to stick to my list, which is difficult for a person who loves food and cooking!"
她補(bǔ)充說：“如果我親自去，我必須堅持我的名單，這對一個熱愛美食和烹飪的人來說很難！”