环球英语 — 163：Listener Mail 83

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Marina Santee.
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
Welcome to our listener mail programme! We begin with a letter from Luis Atamirano in Ecuador. He writes;
Voice 3
‘I am very happy listening to the English programme. Even my daughter is practising and speaking some conversations. It is really nice. We are improving! This is necessary because I work in a travel agency³. So, every day I meet people from different countries!’
Voice 2
Thanks for writing, Luis! You must meet lots of interesting people in a travel agency. It is a good place to learn about different countries - and languages. We are happy that Spotlight is helping⁴ you talk to customers there!
Voice 1
Dennis Pitman is a good friend of Spotlight. He teaches students in the Dalat English Club, Vietnam. He wrote to us with some ideas for future programmes. He writes:
Voice 4
“There is a large Turkish community in Australia. And the government has finally invited them to join in with their ANZAC Day parade. This parade celebrates the terrible battle of World War One in Gallipoli, Turkey. This follows on from something that the Turkish leader, Kamal Ataturk, wrote over ninety years ago.”
Voice 1
Dennis talks about some of Ataturk’s amazing words. They are written on a battlefield memorial stone. He remembers them like this: “Mothers of Australia, your sons are our sons now...”
Voice 2
Thank you for telling us about this story, Dennis. Here is a little more about it:
Voice 1
The Battle of Gallipoli was one of the most important in World War One. It was fought in Turkey from April 1915 to January 1916. The British and French armies were trying to open a safe travelling path through Turkey. They needed this to take supplies to their Russian allies⁵. And they hoped to force the opposing countries into a conflict in a new area. So, the British and French forces tried to capture⁶ the Gallipoli Peninsula⁷ from the Turkish army. This long, thin piece of land was the door to the Black Sea. The armies could reach Russia with supplies by crossing the Black Sea. So, gaining control of Gallipoli was extremely important.
Voice 2
Soldiers from Australia and New Zealand fought with the British and French soldiers at Gallipoli. They were known as ANZACs - the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps⁸. They fought very bravely at Gallipoli. And many of them died. In fact, thousands of soldiers on both sides were killed. The Allied⁹ forces did not capture Gallipoli. And the Turkish army kept control of the peninsula. The whole plan had been a failure. But the people of Australia and New Zealand have not forgotten the bravery of their soldiers. Every year, on the twenty fifth [25th] of April, they celebrate ANZAC Day. And now, the large community of Turkish people in Australia will join the celebration too. Their country also lost many young men at Gallipoli. And the countries and their people are not enemies today.
Voice 1
Dennis spoke¹⁰ about some words on the ANZAC memorial stone at Gallipoli. Kamal Ataturk said them in 1934. People call Ataturk the ‘father of modern Turkey’. He was one of the Turkish generals fighting at Gallipoli. And he became the first president of modern Turkey. Here are his words about the battle:
Voice 4
“You are heroes who spilled your blood and lost your lives. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
So, rest in peace.
There is no difference to us between the Allied soldier and the Turkish soldier.
They lie side by side in this country of ours. You, the mothers,
You sent your sons from far away countries. Wipe away your tears.
Your sons are now lying close to our hearts and are in peace.
They lost their lives on our land.
So they have become our sons as well.”
Voice 1
Thanks for letting us know about ANZAC Day, Dennis! If you have any ideas for a Spotlight programme, write and tell us! Our e-mail address is: radio @ english . net
Voice 2
Now, a letter from Luiz! He writes;
Voice 5
‘I am fifty six years old. I never studied English at school. But now, I am studying at home, by myself.’
Voice 2
That is great, Luiz! Spotlight is designed for people to use anywhere - at home, at work. Some listeners even listen on a boat! Luiz asked about programme 2961. He would like to print the script¹¹. He wants to learn the words he does not know. And then, he wants to listen and read at the same time. Well Luiz, you can do this through our website! Programme 2961 is on ‘World Health Day: Farming Methods.’ Go to our website and look for this programme name. You can print the script from there: www.radio.english.net
Voice 1
And now, it is time for our Spotlight language Hodgepodge!
This week is the International Day of Biological Diversity. The United Nations declared May the 22nd as this day. They did this to increase understanding about biodiversity issues! So, for today’s hodgepodge, here is Liz Waid with a special short feature on biodiversity!
Voice 6
The word biodiversity combines the words biology and diversity, or difference. People who study science use this word to talk about the number of different kinds of living things on the earth. Right now, some scientists are concerned that the number of different kinds of animals is decreasing. Many animals are becoming extinct¹² - that is, the very last animal of its kind dies. Over ninety nine point nine [99.9] percent of all the animals that have ever lived are extinct. They do not exist any more. Think of all the biodiversity there would be if they were all still living!
For the year 2008, the central idea is ‘Biodiversity and Agriculture’. Agriculture and farming methods have an important effect on the systems of the planet¹³. Environmental experts encourage farmers to choose and use methods that will protect biodiversity. For one example of this, look on our website for the programme World Health Day: Farming Methods.’
But biodiversity is not just about farming methods! It is about how individuals and communities care for the planet - and the life on it. May the 22nd is a good time to act in your community!
 

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 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。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 allies   

联盟国，同盟者； 同盟国，同盟者( ally的名词复数 )； 支持者； 盟军

参考例句：

• The allies would fear that they were pawns in a superpower condominium. 这个联盟担心他们会成为超级大国共管的牺牲品。
• A number of the United States' allies had urged him not to take a hasty decision. 美国的一些盟友已力劝他不要急于作决定。

6 capture   

vt.捕获，俘获；占领，夺得；n.抓住，捕获

参考例句：

• The company is out to capture the European market.这家公司希望占据欧洲市场。
• With the capture of the escaped tiger,everyone felt relieved.逃出来的老虎被捕获后，大家都松了一口气。

7 peninsula   

n.半岛

参考例句：

• Dalian is in the south of the Liaodong Peninsula.大连位于辽东半岛南部。
• Korean peninsula lies to the west of Japan.朝鲜半岛在日本以西。

8 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

10 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。

11 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

12 extinct   

adj.灭绝的，不再活跃的，熄灭了的，已废弃的

参考例句：

• All hopes were extinct.所有希望都破灭了。
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years.恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。

13 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。