VOA慢速英语2019--Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words

 

Malala Yousafzai is known for promoting education as a basic right, especially education for women and children.

The 21-year-old Pakistani activist¹ became world famous after she was shot in the head by a Taliban militant².

At the time, the Taliban was fighting for control of her hometown in northwest Pakistan. She was attacked for expressing support for the education of girls.

Malala Yousafzai has won awards for her human rights work. In 2014, at the age of 17, she was the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She shared the 2014 peace prize with a child rights campaigner from India.

Yousafzai has written books and many books have been written about her.

A bookstore in Vienna, Virginia, had a special event on a Saturday morning last month. It asked two women who have books about Yousafzai to come and read from their works³.

Young children, their parents and grandparents came to hear the two authors.

“Malala was recovering from a serious injury. It was a miracle⁴ she could stand up at all. But she stood up in front of the whole world to prove that words have power.”

That was Karen Leggett Abouraya reading from her book, ‘Malala Yousafzai: Warrior⁵ with Words.’ The crowd also heard from Jenni L. Walsh, author of the book, ‘She Dared – Malala Yousafzai.’

“Malala was a very good speaker, much like her father. People listened to him and it seemed like people wanted to listen to Malala, too. Her first speech was publicized across Pakistan with the title, ‘How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education.’

In the year 2007, the influence of the Taliban was growing in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Malala Yousafzai’s father owned a school and supported her writing about life under the Taliban for a British website. Pakistani forces and the Taliban fought for control of the Swat Valley. Schools for girls were closed. Malala continued to write and speak publicly about the importance of education for all children, especially girls.

Her life changed forever in 2012, when she was 15 years old. On a ride home from school, a Taliban gunman got on her bus. He shot Malala and two of her friends. They survived, but Malala’s wounds were severe. She was taken to a hospital in Birmingham, England, where wounded soldiers were treated. There, she recovered with no lasting⁶ injury to her brain.

Less than a year later, when she turned 16, Malala was at the United Nations in New York, speaking out for education.

Karen Leggett Abouraya says the speech was a turning point.

“And there she is in front of the United Nations. It was a group of young people, she was speaking on her birthday. ‘We will bring change through our voice,’ she said. She asked every nation to make it possible for all children to go to school and live in peace. ‘Our words can change the world.’

Author Jenni L. Walsh continues the story.

“Malala wondered out loud: ‘How can they stop more than 50,000 girls from going to school in the 21st century?’”

Today, Malala Yousafzai is studying philosophy, politics and economics⁷ at the University of Oxford⁸. And, she says she fights every day so that all girls receive 12 years of free, safe and quality education.

I’m Dorothy Gundy.

Words in This Story

promoting – v. helping⁹ (something) to happen, develop, or increase

miracle – n. an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 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。

4 miracle   

n.奇迹，令人惊奇的人或事

参考例句：

• The doctors said that his recovery was a miracle. 医生们说他的复原是件奇事。
• It is simply a miracle that rice should grow in such a place.稻子竟能在这样的地方生长，这实在是个奇迹。

5 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

6 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

7 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

8 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

9 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。