VOA慢速英语2021--在尼日利亚，二手轮胎成新宠

Nigeria depends heavily on money from its oil exports. But businesswoman Ifedolapo Runsewe has identified another local resource that brings in money: used car tires.

Last year, Runsewe set up the Freetown Waste Management Recycle factory in Ibadan, a city in southwest Nigeria. Workers there turn old tires into material used for paving¹ bricks, floors and other goods that are in high demand in the country.

"Creating something new from something that will otherwise be lying somewhere as waste was part of the motivation," Runsewe told Reuters.

Waste removal systems are poor in Nigeria. In villages, towns and cities, large amounts of waste are a common sight. People often burn the waste at night because safer removal methods are not available. Tires are often found among the waste.

The Freetown factory depends on people who collect old tires from areas where waste is left. They are paid 70 to 100 naira, or 17 to 24 cents, for each tire.

Some tires are also supplied directly by automobile² repairmen like Akeem Rasaq. He told Reuters he is happy to have found a place where he can make some money from old tires.

Freetown started operations with just four employees. The factory now has 128 workers. So far, more than 100,000 tires have been recycled into everything from speed bumps⁴ to soft paving for playgrounds.

Houssam Azem is the founder⁵ of the Lagos Jet Ski Riders Club. He bought paving bricks from Freetown for a children's play area. "It is important to support anybody that recycles in our country," he said.

Azem added: "Taking tires... and turning them into what children can play on, I think it is a win-win for everybody."

Words in This Story

paving brick - n. a brick slightly larger than building brick used in the construction of pavement surface

motivation – n. a motivating force, stimulus⁶, or influence; drive

speed bump³ – n. a low raised ridge⁷ across a road or parking lot that causes people to drive more slowly

win-win – adj. providing a good result for everyone involved

1 paving   

n.块石面路v.铺( pave的现在分词 )；为…铺平道路

参考例句：

• Weeds grew through the cracks in the paving. 杂草从铺石路面的缝隙中长出来。
• a firm that does paving and walling 从事铺地砌墙的公司

2 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

3 bump   

v.（against,into）碰，颠簸；n.碰撞，隆起物

参考例句：

• I heard a bump in the next room.我听到隔壁房间传来“砰”的一声。
• He got a bad bump on his forehead.他碰得前额隆起一个大包。

4 bumps   

碰撞( bump的名词复数 )； 肿块； 轻微撞车事故； 隆起物

参考例句：

• I had goose bumps when we watched the fireworks. 我们看烟火的时候，我起鸡皮疙瘩。
• E was kind of zig-zagging across the pavement, and I bumps into 'im accidental-like. 他有点歪歪斜斜地在人行道上走，我一不小心撞到了他的怀里。 来自英汉文学

5 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

6 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

7 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。