VOA慢速英语2020--封锁的好处与坏处

Starting in early 2020, governments around the world ordered lockdowns, closures and other social distancing rules to slow the spread of COVID-19. The severity of the measures differed from place to place. But, most people around the world were affected¹ by coronavirus restrictions².

Now, as the world starts to re-open in many places, people are sharing their experiences living under stay-at-home orders. Reuters spoke³ with people in Africa and the Middle East about the good and bad of being in lockdown.

In Kenya, 39-year-old businesswoman Mable Selina Etambo talked about the good side of the restrictions. She said when the lockdown ends, she will miss her time alone.

She explained that her culture is very social. She said the recent social separation made her realize that she needs time to sit alone, to reflect and to plan her life – "without people bothering" her.

A 29-year-old photographer, Adetona Omokanye, lives in Lagos, Nigeria. He said the lockdown has given him time "to breathe" and reexamine how he lives his life. Now, in his words, he is, "trying to focus more on the things that truly matter."

Alexander Caiafas also lives in Lagos. The 25-year-old said he has enjoyed spending time with family, studying and connecting with friends online.

A performer also praised some of the changes the restrictions brought. A dancer with Israel's Batsheva Dance Company told Reuters that she likes the time spent doing nothing.

Yael Ben Ezer said, "I will miss the comfortable feeling of ‘it's OK [to not] do anything.' "

"Things would come and go, the sun would rise and set, and I would just be living. And that's totally enough," she said of living under stay-at-home orders. However, the dancer did add there were things she missed, like the excitement of her public dance performances.

In the countryside of Eastern Cape⁴ Province, South Africa, Zodidi Desewula feels markedly different about COVID-19 restrictions. She reported about the difficulties she faced.

"Myself and my husband were stuck in this single room house -- unable to go to work," she said. She added that they struggled to get food because they were not making money.

In the Egyptian capital Cairo, 20-year-old student Nada Maged described lockdown as "prison."

"When I look out, I see the same view but have a different feeling. The streets are more sad and mysterious ...," she said. She added that "there is no hope of getting out soon."

Cairo resident⁵ Zineb Mohamed misses her family. "I need to go to the zoo with my grandchildren. Also, I want to take them to the sea," the 59-year-old said. She added that she has dreamed about that many times.

A 28-year-old woman in Tyre, Lebanon has a sea view from her window. Lama Nadra looks at it every day. "I like the calm," she said, "and being away from the noise of the capital, Beirut."

For her, the end of lockdown also will mean seeing family less. She said that her brother will go back to Dubai and she will return to Beirut. And, Nadra will also be separated from her father and mother once lockdown is over.

However, an end to the lockdown means Nadra can go swimming again. She said, she looks forward to that.

For many though, the pandemic did not change much.

Abu Ghazi lives in a temporary cloth shelter on the edge of a burial place in northern Syria. Like millions of others, he has been displaced⁶ by nine years of civil war in the country.

He said he longs to return home.

"We quarantined ourselves with the dead," the 53-year-old told Reuters. "We wake up and sleep looking at graves⁸."

I'm Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

reflect – v. to think seriously and carefully about

bothering – v. to annoy (someone) : to cause (someone) to feel annoyed

focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific

comfortable – adj. allowing you to be relaxed : causing no worries, difficulty, or uncertainty⁹

markedly – adv. very noticeable¹⁰

quarantined – v. to keep (a person or animal) away from others to prevent a disease¹¹ from spreading

grave⁷ – n. a hole in the ground for burying a dead body

1 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。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 resident   

a.居住的，居留的；住校的，住院的

参考例句：

• I've been resident in this place for five years. 我已经在这个地方住了五年。
• They engaged a resident tutor. 他们聘用了一名住家的家庭教师。

6 displaced   

移动( displace的过去式和过去分词 )； 替换； 移走； 撤职

参考例句：

• Gradually factory workers have been displaced by machines. 工厂的工人已逐渐被机器取代。
• He was displaced by another young man. 他已被另一个年轻人顶替。

7 grave   

n.墓穴，坟墓，雕刻工，抑音；adj.庄重的，严肃的，重大的，低沉的；vt.雕刻

参考例句：

• Marriage is the grave of love.婚姻是爱情的坟墓。
• This is a very grave matter indeed.这问题的确非常严重。

8 graves   

n.（法国）格拉芙葡萄酒；坟墓( grave的名词复数 )；死亡；钝重音符；沉音符v.坟墓( grave的第三人称单数 )；死亡；钝重音符；沉音符

参考例句：

• He went to visit the graves of his forefathers. 他去拜谒他祖先的墓地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were eating themselves into their graves. 他们吃喝过度，在自找死路。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

10 noticeable   

adj.显而易见的；值得注意的

参考例句：

• The effect of the medicine is not yet noticeable. 药的效果还不显。
• There's been a noticeable improvement in his handwriting.他的书法有了明显的进步。

11 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。