环球英语 — 111：New Horizons

Voice 1

Hello, I’m Liz Waid.

Voice 2

And I’m Ruby¹ Jones. 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

No work... bad health... poverty³... high crime⁴ rates: these are serious problems in many countries. But not, you would think, in the United⁵ Kingdom. However for some people in Scotland⁶, these are very real issues⁷. Scotland is the UK’s second largest country and Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city. Over the years Glasgow has developed into an important centre of trade and industry. Parts of the city show the results of this development. There are large houses, wide green spaces to enjoy, and there is plenty of work.

Voice 2

However other areas of Glasgow are not like that. The east end of the city suffers from many social problems. Young people in that area see little hope for the future. There are no jobs. There are few safe places for them to meet and enjoy each other’s company. They do not expect to live as long as people in better areas. They find it hard to think about problems in other parts of the world. Why should they, they ask, when their own world is so hard?

Voice 1

However, one young man from Scotland decided⁸ to set an example to these young people. His name is Ben Williams. Ben wanted them to think about matters beyond their world. Ben’s family lives on a small island off the west coast of Scotland. His father is the leader of a Christian⁹ church there. Ben had a very happy childhood. He did not face the problems that the young people in Glasgow were experiencing. He had also come to believe that God loved him. And so he wanted to serve God with his life.

Voice 2

Ben moved to Glasgow when he was twenty [20]. He found a job with an aid agency¹⁰ called, “Save the Children.” This organization had just started a project in the poor part of Glasgow. The “YES” project targeted the young people of the area. The project aimed to help young people to be responsible¹¹ for their city. The thinking behind the project was simple. Young people did not have to be part of the area’s problems - they could be part of the answer.

Voice 1

So “Save the Children” appointed¹² Ben as one of the helpers¹³ on the “YES” project. He became an adviser¹⁴ to a young persons’ group. This group is part of a network of twelve similar groups across the area. In these groups, children from different ethnic¹⁵ and religious¹⁶ traditions have a chance to mix together. They exchange ideas about how they can influence their community for good. They decide what practical¹⁷ steps they can take to make this possible. Then advisers¹⁸ like Ben help them to prepare business plans. The young people learn skills that will be useful to them throughout¹⁹ their lives.

Voice 2

There is some government money to help make the young people’s plans happen. And the groups ask local businesses if they can assist²⁰ them financially. But there is never enough money. This is especially true because “Save the Children” wants to increase the number of groups across the area. Ben saw how the young people were growing in so many different ways. He did not want lack of money to stop their development as responsible young people. So he decided to find a way to raise as much money as he could. Ben spoke²¹ about his idea:

Voice 3

“I decided to raise ten thousand pounds [£10,000] for Save the Children’s “YES” project. How? By cycling from the top to the bottom of Vietnam²²! My friends and family offered to give me some money for the “YES” project. But I had to promise to complete the cycle ride first! I needed to do a lot of training. The distance between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is one thousand eight hundred [1,800] kilometres! I had never cycled so far before.”

Voice 1

Ben was looking forward to exploring Vietnam. It is an interesting country. But there were other reasons for his choice. Ben explained what they were:

Voice 3

“Many of the young people in the “YES” project do not know anything outside their own world. I wanted to them to think about new places. I wanted them to know that young people all over the world can have similar experiences to them. In fact, we hope to establish links with “Save the Children” projects in Vietnam. We believe that one day young people from Vietnam and Scotland will visit each other’s countries and learn from each other.”

Voice 2

While he was in Vietnam, Ben wrote about his cycling trip as often as he could. He published his writing on the internet. His family and friends back home could then read about his progress. Here are some of his memories:

Voice 3

“Stepping onto my bicycle in the heart of Hanoi was very frightening. There is traffic everywhere. And the noise is so loud. It almost deafens²³ me...”

“I could not believe the bright sun and clear blue sky this morning. I felt heavy and slow on the road. But the beautiful weather made me feel happy. Riding a bicycle is very strange. You never know when it will be difficult or when it will be easy...”

“My best memory of Vietnam is going to be the children. They stop their roadside games to wave as I pass. Wherever I go they shout hello and laugh. They always seem so happy...”

“It is Christmas Day! At last I have reached the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. I was so happy! I raised my arms in joy. I want to thank the people of Vietnam for a life changing experience. But most of all I want to thank God. He provided²⁴ everything I needed and kept me safe.”

Voice 2

Ben returned home to Scotland after two hard weeks of cycling. He was extremely²⁵ tired. But he knows that his efforts have been worth it. His young people’s group are very proud of him. They now understand better all that life in the United Kingdom can offer them - even though they may have problems. And they want to make the most of it. They are looking forward to the day when they too, can visit the young people of Vietnam. But they will not be riding a bicycle when they get there!

 

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 poverty   

n.贫穷， 贫困， 贫乏， 缺少

参考例句：

• We must continue to war against poverty and disease.我们一定要继续同贫穷和疾病作斗争。
• He showed his poverty in his knowledge of agriculture.他表现出缺乏对农业知识的了解。

4 crime   

n.犯罪，罪行，罪恶

参考例句：

• You'll have to pay for your crime.你得为你的罪行付出代价。
• Crime in our big cities is on the increase.在我们大城市里犯罪率正在增长。

5 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。

6 Scotland   

n.苏格兰

参考例句：

• He has been hiking round Scotland for a month.他围着苏格兰徒步旅行了一个月。
• Scotland is to the north of England.苏格兰在英格兰之北。

7 issues   

（水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题

参考例句：

• Let's start with the more easily addressable issues. 我们先从较容易处理的问题着手。
• Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics. 就业和征税是很重要的政治问题。

8 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。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

11 responsible   

adj.有责任的，应负责的；可靠的，可信赖的；责任重大的；vi.休息，睡；静止，停止

参考例句：

• He must be responsible to me for this matter.这件事他必须对我负责。
• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。

12 appointed   

adj.指定的，约定的v.任命( appoint的过去式和过去分词 )；确定；约定；安排

参考例句：

• They have appointed a new head teacher at my son's school. 我儿子读书的学校任命了一位新校长。
• They appointed a new manager to coordinate the work of the team. 为协调这个队的工作，他们任用了一位新经理。

13 helpers   

n.助手( helper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a little posse of helpers 一小伙帮忙的人
• At election time the party needs a lot of voluntary helpers. 大选时，该党需要许多义务帮忙的人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

15 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

16 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

17 practical   

adj.实际的，实践的；实用的，应用的；有实际经验的

参考例句：

• He is a practical person.他是位很讲实际的人。
• Your invention is clever,but not practical.你的发明很巧，但不实用。

18 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

19 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。

20 assist   

vt.协助，帮助，促进；vi.帮忙，参加

参考例句：

• He asked us to assist him in carrying through their plan.他要我们帮助他实施他们的计划。
• We'll assist at your wedding.我们将出席你们的婚礼。

21 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

22 Vietnam   

n.越南

参考例句：

• Vietnam is suffering from food shortage.越南正遭受食物短缺之苦。
• Laos is on the west of Vietnam.老挝在越南西面。

23 deafens   

使聋( deafen的第三人称单数 )； 使隔音

参考例句：

24 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

25 extremely   

adv.极其，非常，极度

参考例句：

• The film is extremely good,I just cannot miss it.这部电影太精彩了，我非看不可。
• The old man was extremely difficult to get along with.这个老人极难相与。