VOA慢速英语2015 志愿者援助巴尔的摩骚乱的受害者

AS IT IS 2015-05-06 Volunteers Aid Victims of Riots in Baltimore 志愿者援助巴尔的摩骚乱的受害者

Calm has returned to Baltimore, Maryland.

There were riots in parts of the city after a funeral was held for an African-American man who died after being arrested.

Baltimore officials cancelled a night-time curfew last weekend. They had earlier ordered people to stay off the streets from 10 o’clock at night to five o’clock in the morning because of the rioting.

Twenty-five-year-old Freddie Gray suffered spinal¹ injuries while being detained by police. He later died from those injuries.

Government lawyers have charged six police officers, three of them African-American, with crimes related to his death.

The city is working to get back to normal after a week of violence. Volunteers are helping² people in the neighborhoods that were affected³ by the unrest.

Antonio Hayes is a Maryland lawmaker. He represents parts of Baltimore in the state’s legislature. He says he had no problem finding people to help victims of the riots.

“They want to see Baltimore be better. Everything is not back to a normal state, as we still have somewhat of an occupied city by the different law enforcement agencies here, but I think overall the majority of Baltimore residents are reclaiming⁴ their community and standing⁵ up.”

Some volunteers created a food bank -- a place where people can get free food and prepared meals.

Cavette Buford lives on the other side of Baltimore. Volunteers like her came to help this neighborhood.

“We are just trying to give everybody the things they need, and also after the CVS (drugstore) burnt down, a lot of the stores out here were looted.”

The meals, fresh fruit and other foods were a big help to Trakiesha Peels and her two children.

“It means a lot especially with a lot of the stores messed up and stuff and people just cannot get the stuff that they need. So it definitely means a lot.”

Nearby, a number of faith-based organizations are helping young boys and girls to smile again. Loir McDaniel is a religious leader. He organizes the after-school activities for the children.

“It's trying to help the children have positive influences in their community.”

Joann Brewer⁶ helps children deal with the loss of a family member to violence. Her son and grandson were murdered years ago.

“This community can bounce back. It don't take that long. It bounce back since yesterday.”

Many people in the neighborhood are thankful for the time and energy the volunteers are giving to help the area recover and build hope for the future.

Words in This Story

food bank – n. a place that has free food for poor people

loot – v. to steal things from (a place, such as a store or house) during a war or after destruction has been caused by fire or rioting

messed up – idiom destroyed; in poor condition

stuff – n. (informal) materials, supplies or equipment; a group or pile of things that are not specifically described

bounce back – idiom to recover after a disability, illness, blow or defeat

1 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

2 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。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 reclaiming   

v.开拓( reclaim的现在分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救

参考例句：

• People here are reclaiming land from the sea. 这儿的人们正在填海拓地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• How could such a man need reclaiming? 这么一个了不起的人怎么还需要别人拯救呢？ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 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。

6 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。