英语听力—环球英语 1311 Seaspeak

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Colin Lowther.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I’m Marina Santee. 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

 

　　How do I get a message to you? I say some words. You hear them. I pass a message to you. People pass messages to each other every day. Some we understand, some we do not. It is not an exact science. If we are just discussing what film to see, then it does not matter if we take a little time to understand each other. But what if we are on a ship and we need to send a message? What if we are the crew of the ship and it is sinking?

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　Mayday, mayday. Mayday mayday. M V Maria aground at Bishop² Rock. Mayday, mayday. Mayday mayday. MV Maria aground at Bishop Rock. Mayday, mayday.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　In the 1960s the United States and Britain were the world’s greatest sea going nations. Eighty percent of crews were native English speakers. By the end of the 1970s the situation was the opposite. Eighty percent of crews did not speak English as a first language. Even on a ship, crews did not all speak the same language.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The problem was clear. Miscommunication could cause serious accidents. To keep the seas safe, the shipping³ industry would have to find a new way to communicate. This method could be used on a ship, and between ships.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Experts in language worked closely⁴ with experts in shipping. They produced a new way of speaking. The new language was called Seaspeak. The International Maritime⁵ Organisation⁶ made Seaspeak the official language of the seas in 1988. Seaspeak defined⁷ the rules of how to talk on the radio between ships.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In the official book of Seaspeak, it says that messages between ships should be of direct interest to the crew. Messages should be short and clear. Such messages should be in words simple enough for a non-native speaker of English to understand.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　There is a list of about five thousand words in Seaspeak. Some of these words are in general use by all English speakers. And some of the words are special to ships and the sea. But there is another very important thing about Seaspeak. It uses seven really important words, called ‘message markers’. A message marker tells the listener what kind of message is coming. Message markers are words such as; Question, Warning, Information. We will  try an example. But first, we should talk about buoys⁹.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Buoys are not young men! This kind of buoy⁸ is spelled B-U-O-Y. Buoys are the colourful metal objects floating in the water where ships pass by. These metal buoys stay in the same place. Ropes tie them to a fixed¹⁰ point at the bottom of the sea. Buoys help the crew of a ship to know where they are - to know their position. Sometimes they mark dangerous places - like places that are not deep enough for big ships.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Now here is the example of Seaspeak;

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　Warning; buoy number two five and buoy number two six have no lights.

 

　　Voice 4

 

　　Warning; received. Two five and two six, no lights.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　You can hear how this works¹¹. The man on the first ship begins with a message marker. In this example the message marker is the word ‘warning’. The message that follows is a warning. The ship tells another ship that there is some danger. The buoy normally¹² has a light, but today the light is out. Here is another message marker;

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　Question; what is your estimated¹³ time of arrival at buoy number two five?

 

　　Voice 4

 

　　Answer; estimated time of arrival at buoy number two five, one four three zero UTC.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　This example is a question, not a warning. One ship is asking what time the other ship will arrive at buoy number twenty-five. The other ship then says Answer. The word, ‘answer’ is another message marker. It shows that the information that follows is the answer to the question.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Did you observe another thing about Seaspeak? Numbers in English have lots of names. Numbers from one to twenty all have their own names. Every tenth number after that has a name; twenty, thirty, forty and so on. Some of the names sound alike¹⁴; such as thirty and thirteen. Seaspeak keeps it simple! You just say the number by its individual parts. Twenty five becomes two five. Twenty six becomes two six. You tell the time by giving four numbers. One four three zero means fourteen thirty hours, or half past two. This makes life much easier for crews who do not normally use the English language.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　It also makes life safer. Using Seaspeak, ships can give information about their position in the sea. This can prevent crashes between ships. In an accident, good communication can help another ship to arrive quickly. It can also help crews on the ship to communicate and follow safety rules. Close to land, controllers use Seaspeak to guide ships. Using Seaspeak means that all the ships can follow their guidance.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Edward Johnson is a professor from Wolfson College in Cambridge, England. He is one of the people who created Seaspeak. Edward Johnson has been interested in languages since he was a young man. He also has a great love of the sea. As a young man, he spent a lot of time sailing with friends. In Seaspeak, Johnson combined his love of the sea with being an expert in languages. This meant that his young life as a sailor was not wasted time!

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Johnson has gone on to design special kinds of English for the police, medical workers and fire fighters. Maybe we could all help each other by speaking more simply. If I met one of my friends, I could have my message marker ready!

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　Question; how are you today?

 

　　Voice 4

 

　　Answer; I am all right.

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　Information; the cafe is open at one zero zero zero.

 

　　Voice 4

 

　　Information received.

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　Request; can I buy you a coffee?

 

　　Voice 4

 

　　Request received, yes, buy me a coffee, thank you.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　It is a bit strange to talk this way. But it is worth thinking about. How well do we send and receive messages? It could improve communication if we used the simplest, clearest words. And if we answer clearly when a person asks a question, that also would make it easier for them to understand .

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Let us say goodbye to Spotlight listeners in our new language, Seaspeak. Are you ready?

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Yes I am ready.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Information; Peter Laverock wrote this programme. Nick Mangeolles wrote this programme.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Information received. Peter Laverock and Nick Mangeolles .

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Request; go to the website to listen and read. Website is http://www.radioenglish.net

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Request received; going to website http://www.radioenglish.net

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Advice; the name of this programme is Seaspeak.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Advice received; the name is Seaspeak.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Bon voyage Spotlight.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Spotlight standing¹⁵ by.

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 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

3 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

4 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

5 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

6 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

7 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。

8 buoy   

n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The party did little to buoy up her spirits.这次聚会并没有让她振作多少。
• The buoy floated back and forth in the shallow water.这个浮标在浅水里漂来漂去。

9 buoys   

n.浮标( buoy的名词复数 )；航标；救生圈；救生衣v.使浮起( buoy的第三人称单数 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神

参考例句：

• The channel is marked by buoys. 航道有浮标表示。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Often they mark the path with buoys. 他们常常用浮标作为航道的标志。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

11 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

12 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。

13 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

14 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。

15 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。