VOA慢速英语2021--一些比利时人呼吁国王开放私家花园

Some Belgians Shout: ‘King! Open Your Garden'

During this time of pandemic restrictions¹ in Belgium, people in the capital city of Brussels want to experience open spaces.

However, public spaces with tree and green grass have become so crowded that social distancing is impossible. Yet one family has a large garden in the city just for themselves. And it is creating some anger.

The large garden in the city's center belongs to the Belgian royal family. The garden, surrounding their palace, is about 200 hectares or almost the size of the city-state of Monaco.

More and more Belgians are now asking King Philippe why his garden should be closed to the public during the world's worst health crisis² in 100 years.

So far, however, the garden is closed.

"They hardly ever get in there. Come on! Those gardens are simply empty," said Luckas Vander Taelen. He is a Brussels historian³ and a former member of the European Parliament⁴.

Also, the royal gardens are surrounded with overcrowded and poor neighborhoods in the Laeken area of Brussels. Most families who live there do not have any outdoor space and lack the money to travel to green areas.

"The local people want a park right here because they don't have the means to pay for transport," said Saliha Mahdi. She is a social worker in Laeken.

King Philippe appears not to understand people's anger. He permitted a drone to fly over the large garden to show that his family, like all Belgian families, was in lockdown at home. Inside the garden, the royal family had written in large letters, "Courage Strong Together."

Together? asked some. Not really.

The pandemic has made the King's private garden a political issue as the spring nears. The governing parties and some of the opposition⁵ parties support the idea of opening the gardens to the public.

"People really need spaces, public spaces...to play, to meet," said Brussels lawmaker Hilde Sabbe. "Couldn't you just let them in?" Sabbe asked of the King.

It is more difficult than simply letting them in, however.

If the garden is opened to the public, should it be managed by the city, the country or the royal family? Also, the palace needs to remain secure⁶ for the king, his family and visitors.

Then there is the garden itself. The place is filled with unusual plants and endangered animals. Some fear the crowd will interfere⁷ with nature.

The royal family has not commented about the garden. But historian Vander Taelen believes the king will soon decide to open the garden.

"They would show solidarity⁸ with the needs of their people, of their city," he said.

Words in This Story

garden – n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown

royal – n. something to do with a king or queen

palace – n. the place where a king or queen lives

park – n. a garden with places for children and families

drone – n. a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot

solidarity – n. showing agreement with someone or something

1 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

2 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

3 historian   

n.历史学家，编史家

参考例句：

• As a historian,he was most typical of the times in which he lived.作为历史学家，他是他所处时代最有代表性的人物。
• He calls himself a historian,but his books are a mere journalism.他自称为历史学家，但是他的书都是些肤浅的通俗作品。

4 Parliament   

n.议会，国会

参考例句：

• She won a seat in Parliament at the election.她在选举中赢得了议会中的席位。
• The drug was banned by an act of parliament.议会的法案明令禁止该药品。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 secure   

adj.无虑的，安心的，安全的；adj.牢靠的，稳妥的；vt.固定，获得，使...安全；vi.(海上工作人员)停止工；vi.(船)抛锚，停泊

参考例句：

• He found a secure foothold and pulled himself up.他找到了一个稳固的踏脚处并爬了上去。
• Extra men are needed to secure the camp against attack.需要增加兵力以保护军营免受攻击。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

8 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。