VOA慢速英语:American History: Creativity Reached New Heights During Great Depression

1. Millions of Americans bought radios during the nineteen-twenties.

millions of 成百万上千万
例句：Millions of people gave freely in response to the famine appeal. 
千百万人响应救灾呼吁而慷慨解囊. 

2.  But radio grew up in the nineteen-thirties.

grow up 成长
例句：What are you going to be when you grow up? 
你长大了想做什么样的人？

3. SINGING SAM: “Howdy, Folks. Yes, it is your old friend SingingSam, so let’s just settle back and reminisce a bit, what you say,huh?”

a bit 有点
例句：Your article is a bit long.
你的文章长了一点。

4. For the first time, millions of average Americans were able tohear classical music by great composers as it was being played.

be able to 能够...
例句：He is able to lift a very heavy weight. 
他能举很重的份量。 

5. The success of radio and films, as well as the depressionitself, caused problems for many Americans newspapers during thenineteen-thirties.

as well as 和...一样;和;也
例句：He composed mystery stories as well as love poems. 
他既写爱情诗也写神秘故事。

6. It was that companies talked about their products throughadvertisements on radio instead of buying advertising space innewspapers.

talk about 谈论;谈到
例句：What are they talking about?
他们在谈什么?
instead of 代替
I decided to treat myself to a taxi, eg instead of walking. 
例句：我决定坐他一次计程车. 

7. It not only provided relief from their troubles, but expandedtheir minds and pushed their imaginations.

not only...but(also) 不仅……而且……
例句：He is famous not only for his talent but (also) for his kindness. 
他不仅以才能出名，而且是出名的好心。 

8. And those works, in turn, helped make life a little better asAmericans waited, worked, and hoped for times to improve.

hope for 对…希望
例句：Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. 
抱乐观的希望，作最坏的准备。