英语听力—环球英语 1428 War Pigeons

 

 

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Mike Procter.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I'm Anne Muir. 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

 

　　It was October of 1943, four years into World War Two. A messenger named GI Joe was carrying an important message to army leaders. GI Joe had to deliver the message – it was urgent. The lives of over one hundred men depended on it. The men were a group of British army soldiers. Their fighting had gone well for them that day. And they had arrived early in this particular town in Italy.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　But then, they remembered something! Being early could be deadly. American airplanes were coming to bomb the town. The air strike had been ordered while the town was still controlled by the enemy. The airmen did not know the British soldiers were now there. And during the fighting the British had lost their radio communication. GI Joe had to reach the army leaders quickly to stop the air raid.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　GI Joe delivered the message only just before the airplanes arrived. The airplanes turned back and the soldiers were saved. GI Joe was a hero. Three years later, he received an award for this act. The Lord Mayor of London gave GI Joe a war medal. Was GI Joe proud of this award? No-one really knows. You see, GI Joe was a bird! He was a pigeon.

 

　　Today's Spotlight tells the amazing story of carrier pigeons during World War Two.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Many birds are able to find their way across huge distances, but pigeons offer a striking example. A pigeon is very good at finding its way back home after being released in a strange place – even a place several hundred kilometres away. No one fully² understands how pigeons do this. However, experts believe that pigeons use the sun as a guide. They also believe that pigeons use the earth's magnetic field to establish direction – much like a sailor's compass. When pigeons get nearer to home they use their eyes to identify where they are going. Some experts believe pigeons also use their sense of smell.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Many people are amazed by pigeons' natural skill for finding their way home. Because of this, people in many parts of the world raise and race pigeons for sport. Pigeon owners keep their pigeons in small buildings called 'lofts⁴'. The owners organise⁵ races and release their pigeons hundreds of kilometres away from home. The pigeon that returns to its loft³ at the highest speed wins the race.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　At the beginning of World War Two, seven thousand of Britain's pigeon owners gave their pigeons to help in the war effort. The pigeons were message carriers. During World War Two, British forces used nearly a quarter of a million [250,000] birds in this way. British airplanes flying over enemy territory would carry pigeons with them. If the airplane was shot down, the crew would release the pigeon with a message to let the British air force know what had happened.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In February 1942, a British war plane was on its way home from Europe. It had been badly damaged by enemy gun fire over Norway. Finally it crashed into the cold winter sea. It was about two hundred kilometres from home. The crew struggled in the freezing water. They did not know exactly where they were, but they had a pigeon with them. When they released the bird, it was covered in sea-water, and oil from the damaged airplane. However, it still managed to fly away. The British air force searched for the missing crew that day. But, they could find nothing in the cold, dark sea.

 

　　The following morning, the pigeon arrived at its owner's home in Scotland. It was very, very tired and dirty. The bird was safe at home, but where was the crew? A pigeon expert examined the bird carefully. He knew the time the airplane had crashed, and the time the bird had arrived. He used information about the wind and weather to estimate how far the bird could have flown. The air force used this information to establish where to launch a new search. This time, they found the crew in just fifteen minutes! The bird had saved the lives of four men. The men later honoured the pigeon at a dinner party. And they named the pigeon 'Winkie'.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Winkie was the first of 32 pigeons from World War Two to earn an award called the Dickin Medal. The medal is for animals that have served humans in a special way during times of need or conflict. The Dickin Medal is named after Maria Dickin. Almost one hundred years ago, Maria started an organisation⁶ called the PDSA. This organization provides health care for sick animals belonging to needy⁷ people. In 1943, Maria established the Dickin Medal.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Altogether, PDSA has awarded 63 Dickin Medals to animals for their brave service during war. Winkie the pigeon was the first - and GI Joe's award was also a Dickin Medal. In recent years, most medals have been awarded to dogs. The latest animal to receive it was a dog called Treo - for finding hidden bombs in Afghanistan.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　It is hard to imagine that any animal could understand the idea of a medal. Can a pigeon know that it is receiving an award for 'being brave'? A pigeon flies home because that is what pigeons do. In this way, it may seem strange to give an award to a pigeon. But the Dickin Medal serves an important purpose. It helps humans to remember that they depend on many other animals for life. Humans may be the planet's most complex, powerful and spiritual animal, but that makes us especially responsible to care for and respect other animals. Thanking animals for helping⁸ humans may not be as strange as it seems!

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The writer of today's programme was Mike Procter. The producer was Nick Mangeolles. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom. Computer users can read our scripts, hear our programs and see our word list on our website: http://www.radio.english.net This .programme is called "War Pigeons".

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　You are welcome to write to us with questions and comments about Spotlight. Our email address is [email protected], or you can leave comments on our website. You can also find us on Facebook - just look for Spotlight Radio.

 

　　Would you like to receive new Spotlight programmes free every week? You could get the Spotlight Podcast. Look for the details on our website - radio.english.net. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!

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 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 loft   

n.阁楼，顶楼

参考例句：

• We could see up into the loft from bottom of the stairs.我们能从楼梯脚边望到阁楼的内部。
• By converting the loft,they were able to have two extra bedrooms.把阁楼改造一下，他们就可以多出两间卧室。

4 lofts   

阁楼( loft的名词复数 )； （由工厂等改建的）套房； 上层楼面； 房间的越层

参考例句：

• He lofts it into the air, and hugs his head in the deep secret embrace. 他抬手甩了出去，然后赶忙把头紧紧的抱了个密不透风。
• Spring Loaded Bed Loft-Lofts bed, freeing up extra storage space underneath. 弹性床铺抬高器---抬高床铺，释放更多床底下的空间。

5 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。

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 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

8 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。