环球英语 — 24：Listener Mail 71

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Ruby¹ Jones
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight². This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Welcome to our listener³ mail programme. We begin with a letter from Safal in Nepal. Safal manages a young people’s group in Kathmandu. He writes about their newest project,
Voice 3
‘We just launched⁴ our internet magazine. It is from Nepal. Teensansar.com is our site. We are starting it for teens⁵ around the world.’
Voice 1
Thanks for sending this information, Safal. The website looks very interesting. I see that teenagers produce the website too! This is a good idea! They know their audience best - as they are part of it. The website looks like a good place to share ideas and thoughts about teenage⁶ life! It also looks like a good place to talk about problems. This is so important in our world today. After all, young people are the future! We need to look after them!
Voice 2
Yes we do! You know the United⁷ Nations have given young people their own day? And it is in August. It was last week. August the twelfth is International Youth Day. People everywhere celebrate the work of young people. They talk about particular problems affecting young people too. This year the central idea was ‘Be Seen, Be heard, Youth participation⁸ for development.’
People all over the world organise⁹ different events. It is a chance for people to recognise young people’s abilities and possible great futures¹⁰! One particular concern is to get young people involved in development work. They plan events that will show young people how they can do this. The idea is that the young people should be included in decision making - at local, national and international levels! How did you celebrate International Youth Day in your country? Write and tell us.
radio @ english . net.
Voice 1
Our next letter is about our programme, ‘Hitting Children.’
Voice 4
‘Thanks to Spotlight radio. And thanks to the producer and writer Ryan Geertsma for broadcasting today’s programme, “Hitting Children”.’
Voice 2
‘Hitting Children’ talks about people’s different ideas on punishment for children. In particular, it looks at the situation in New Zealand. The government there recently created a new law. It is now illegal¹¹ for parents to hit their children. This has caused protests¹² and much debate. Some people said that parenting has nothing to do with the government. Other people have welcomed the new law. What do you think about this issue¹³? Are you a parent? How do you teach your children right from wrong? Write and tell us!
Our next letter is from Jorge Castro. He is a parent. He and his wife, Vilma, have two daughters. They live in Ecuador, South America. Two months ago, Jorge was taking his daughters to school. He was searching for some FM stations on his radio. And, to his surprise, he found Spotlight! Jorge writes:
Voice 5
‘It was the first time that I had the chance to listen to so much English in my country.’
Voice 2
Jorge does not just listen to Spotlight programmes for his enjoyment¹⁴. He had the idea of using his English skills to help other learners. He says:
Voice 5
‘Your programmes encouraged me to try for a job as an English teacher. This position was at my daughter’s school. They decided¹⁵ to give me the job!’
Voice 2
As a teacher, Jorge believes that learning¹⁶ is very important. And he has decided to use his education to help people living in his area. A good education improves a person’s chances of finding¹⁷ a job. Jorge explains more:
Voice 5
‘I live in a poor area. And I have started teaching¹⁸ English classes in my home. I find that in today’s international world, there are not many chances for people to find work. It is even harder for people who do not speak a second language, like English. Most people speak English in the world of business, science and technology. I want to help people by teaching them this very nice language. For many years, I did not feel like continuing my English studies. But, thanks to your Spotlight programmes, I have started again.’
Voice 2
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, Jorge. We are happy that you find Spotlight programmes so useful. And we wish you every success as you serve the people of your area in this very helpful way.
Voice 1
Well, that is nearly all we have time for - Oh! I’m very sorry!
Voice 2
What is the matter with you? Are you tired?
Voice 1
Yes, a bit. I did not sleep very well last night. And I cannot survive without much sleep. I must be getting old.
Voice 2
Well, listen to today’s hodgepodge. You may hear some good advice about how to stay young!
Everybody gets older. It is a fact. Over the years, some people wrote down their thoughts about the time when we are young - youth - and about old age. Is being older - and wiser - to do with time or experience? Here are some sayings. Do you agree with them?
Voice 3
“In youth we learn. In age, we understand.”
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
Voice 6
“It takes a long time to become young.”
Pablo Picasso
Voice 5
“Youth is wasted on the young.”
George Bernard Shaw
Voice 5
“It is easy to trick young people. They are too quick to believe in things.”
Aristotle
Voice 2
“Youth is the time of life when you can feel hopeless. The end of every experience can seem like the end of the world. But during this, we learn the power of hope. We learn that the heart can survive anything. And that can give us courage as we grow older.”
GK Chesterton
Voice 1
Well, those sayings are very interesting. And I do not feel so bad about getting old now - I think!
Voice 2
Good. Well that really is all we have time for today. Thank you for listening!
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 listener   

n.听众；收听者

参考例句：

• I'm a regular listener to her show.我经常收听她的节目。
• She became an attentive listener.她变成了一个专心致志的聆听者。

4 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

5 teens   

n.13至19岁的年龄；青少年

参考例句：

• His son is in his teens.他的儿子十几岁。
• She's not yet out of her teens.她还不到二十岁。

6 teenage   

adj.青少年的；十几岁的

参考例句：

• His voice is very high for a teenage boy.对一个十几岁的男孩来说，他的嗓音很尖。
• He is too old now for teenage parties.他年龄太大了，不适于参加少年聚会。

7 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

8 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

9 organise   

vt.组织，安排，筹办

参考例句：

• He has the ability to organise.他很有组织才能。
• It's my job to organise all the ceremonial events.由我来组织所有的仪式。

10 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

11 illegal   

adj.不合法的，非法的，犯法的

参考例句：

• I don't want to get mixed up with any illegal organization.我不想与任何非法组织有牵连。
• It's illegal for people under 17 to drive a car in Britain.在英国，不满17岁的人驾驶车辆是违法的。

12 protests   

n.[体]抗议；抗议，反对( protest的名词复数 )v.声明( protest的第三人称单数 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• The protests have forced the government to back-pedal on the new tax. 抗议活动已迫使政府撤销新的税目。
• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。

13 issue   

n.出版，发行，（报刊等）期、号，论点，问题，结果， （水，血等的）流出；vt.使流出，放出，发行（钞票等），发布（命令），出版（书等）发给；vi.发行，流出，造成...结果，进行辩护，传下

参考例句：

• I bought the book the day after its issue.这书出版后的第一天，我就去买了它。
• I'll support her down the line on that issue.在那个问题上我将全力支持她。

14 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

15 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

16 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

17 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

18 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。