英语听力—环球英语 594 The Man Who Sews

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Ryan Geertsma.
Voice 2
And I'm Robin² Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
The quiet man comes here on the fifteenth day of every month. He pushes a two wheeled cart³ into this poor area of San Francisco in the United⁴ States. Attached⁵ to the man's cart is a sewing machine. The man uses the sewing machine to mend, or repair, torn clothing. He invites people to bring him clothes that need to be mended. He fixes the clothes for free. People bring trousers, shirts or coats to be fixed⁶. They come because they want the man to mend their clothes. However, often, they also come to visit the man and to talk to him about their lives or current⁷ problems. The man's name is Michael Swaine. Michael sees his work as a way to mend clothes and mend lives. Today's program is about Michael Swaine.
Voice 2
Michael Swaine is an American artist. He trained to be an artist at schools in two large cities in the United States - New York and Chicago. In 2001, another art school in San Francisco invited him to take part in an art show. This art show would present projects about kindness and giving. The show was called 'the Generosity⁸ Project'. Michael accepted the invitation.
Voice 1
For his project, Michael built a small cart. It is just a box on wheels, like the cart used by people who sell fruit or other food in the street. On the cart he attached a foot operated sewing machine. He named his art project "Reap⁹ What You Sew." This name uses a play on words - it uses the fact that two different words sound the same. "Reap what you sow¹⁰" is a common English saying. It means¹¹ that a person harvests in return what they plant or "sow" in the world. If a person plants goodness¹² and kindness, they will receive kindness in return. However, for his project name, Michael changed one of the original words in the saying. He replaced the word sow – s-O-w, which means to plant seeds in the ground, with the word sew – s-E-w, which means to mend torn clothing.
Voice 2
For a week he pushed his cart through the streets of San Francisco. He stopped to mend clothes for poor and homeless people. But he also stopped to help wealthy or famous people. For everyone he met, Michael fixed any clothes they brought to him. And he did it for free.
Voice 1
In the United States, it is rare¹³ to see a person mending clothes in a public area. People who sew or mend work at home or at a sewing store. Many people noticed Michael's sewing cart. And many people wondered why he was there.
Voice 2
Over time, people began stopping at Michael's cart with small clothing emergencies. Some people had a tear or a hole in their clothes. Other people were missing¹⁴ a button to keep their clothing closed. Many people stopped to use Michael's sewing services. However, some people began stopping just to talk to Michael. Many people liked his kindness and the way he worked for people in need.
Voice 1
Michael recognized that something important was beginning to happen. People were noticing his acts of kindness. Many people wondered why he was there. Many were happy that he cared for their needs. Michael's project was also noticed by news organizations. A film-maker filmed him as he mended clothes for people. And a writer for the Financial Times asked Michael to tell his story. Michael said:
Voice 3
"For a week, I pushed the cart through the city. Added¹⁵ to the normal clothes that people asked me to mend, I fixed a knee pad¹⁶ for a dancer and a sleeping bag for a homeless man. And I talked to them. It turned out that sewing was the perfect starting point for talking to each other."
Voice 2
A local arts organization asked Michael to set up his sewing cart near their building. The organization is in a bad area of the city. The area has problems related¹⁷ to drugs, sex workers, and street crime¹⁸. But the area is also famous for its arts community and for a busy night-life.
Voice 1
The people of the community slowly began to trust Michael. Many people came, especially poor or homeless people. They came to see Michael at work. They brought clothes that needed to be mended. They were happy for his free help. They were also happy to have someone listen to their life stories and understand their problems. And some people whom Michael had helped began to give back. Some shared food with him, or brought him water or coffee to drink. One person gave him an umbrella to protect him from sun and rain while he worked.
Voice 2
Michael could not work every day for free. He had other art projects that he needed to work on. However, he enjoyed his work with the sewing cart. So, he decided¹⁹ to continue when he could. Michael now appears with his cart only on the 15th day of every month. Although he now sews only one day a month, he has kept the project going for nine years.
Voice 1
Michael saw how necessary it was for street people to have someone to talk to. He told the Financial Times Reporter:
Voice 3
"I would not have kept up with this project for so many years if it was not for the people. Mending time is story time. It is amazing how many honest talks I have had with people who would normally²⁰ just walk on by: a young street person with a broken back-pack, a man with the coat of his best friend who had died, a woman with a pregnant²¹ daughter who needed a coat fixed to fit her growing body."
Voice 2
Artists often want people to recognize their art. People of the streets reacted²² to Michael's art in ways that he did not expect. But he was pleased with the people's reactions. He said this to the reporter:
Voice 3
"I started my mending as an art project, but today it is something different. My cart has created a little community. It has been one of these beautiful little events that helped me understand that people are alike²³ - we are all "from the same thread".
Voice 1
All of us know that acts of kindness are important to society and to the whole world. That is the big picture. But how can one person make a difference? Michael Swaine found a way in his community. Start with simple acts. Be there for people. Give them time. Listen to them. For Michael, that was how strangers became friends.
 

1 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。

2 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 cart   

n.（二轮或四轮）运货马车，手推车；vt.用马车装载，用手提（笨重物品），强行带走

参考例句：

• We use this to cart the goods.我们用这个来拉运货物。
• Let's go over and help them pull the cart.咱们过去帮他们拉车。

4 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。

5 attached   

附加的

参考例句：

• The lease entitles the holder to use the buildings and any land attached thereto.本租约持有人有权使用此建筑物以及所附属的土地。

6 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

7 current   

n.涌流，趋势，电流，水流，气流；adj.当前的，通用的，流通的，现在的，草写的，最近的

参考例句：

• Electric current is often powerful enough to kill a man.电流常强得足以致命。
• There is a story about her in the current number.最近一期上有关于她的故事。

8 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

9 reap   

v.得到，获得（报酬、成果等），收割，收获

参考例句：

• It is not easy to reap the harvest of my hard work.获得自己辛勤工作的成果是不容易的。
• As a man sows,so he shall reap.种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。

10 sow   

n.母猪；vt.播种，散布，使密布；vi.播种

参考例句：

• It is too soon to sow yet.现在还不到播种的时候。
• Let's sow our field with spring wheat.让我们在田里种春小麦吧。

11 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

12 goodness   

n.善良，善行，美德

参考例句：

• Would you have the goodness to turn off the radio?劳驾，请你把收音机关上好不好？
• Thank goodness,we've found a cure for the disease.好了，这病有救了！

13 rare   

adj.稀罕的，罕有的，珍贵的，稀薄的，半熟的，非常的；adv.非常

参考例句：

• It is rare to see a man over 160 years old.很少见到一个人能活到160岁。
• The zoo has a lot of rare animals in it.这个动物园有许多珍奇的动物。

14 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

15 added   

adj.更多的，附加的，额外的

参考例句：

• They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
• The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。

16 pad   

n.垫，衬垫；便签本，印色盒

参考例句：

• She made a brief note on the telephone pad.她在电话通讯簿上记下简短的话。
• Each student should have a pencil and pad.每个学生应该有一支铅笔和一个便签本。

17 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

18 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。

19 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。

20 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

21 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

22 reacted   

起反应( react的过去式和过去分词 )； 反对； （对食物等）有不良反应； 物质起化学反应

参考例句：

• He reacted violently only under provocation . 只因为被激怒，他才暴力相向。
• Local residents have reacted angrily to the news. 当地居民对这一消息表示愤怒。

23 alike   

adj.同样的，相像的；adv.一样地；同程度地　

参考例句：

• The twins are so alike that I can't tell which is which.这对双胞胎一模一样，我分辨不出谁是谁。
• All stories seemed dreadfully alike,no matter who told them.看来，不管谁讲，故事都是千篇一律的。