VOA标准英语2009年-Video Games Promote Peace and Democracy

By Deborah Block
Washington
21 September 2009

Video games are fun, but besides providing entertainment, some of them actually teach people how to resolve global conflicts without violence. Several organizations are using video games and other virtual simulations to promote peace, build democracies and support for disaster relief.

War and drought have put people on this imaginary island on the brink¹ of starvation. Millions of them will die unless food is airlifted to them.

This is the premise² of "Food Force," a free Internet download from the UN World Food Programme that helps children understand the challenges of getting food into war zones.

 
Jennifer Parmalee
Spokeswoman Jennifer Parmalee says the game has been translated into 17 languages. "It helps them feel like they can be part of a solution. That's something that's empowering and fun for them," she said.

Another video game, "A Force More Powerful," demonstrates non-violent strategies to help remove oppressive governments. 

It takes place in a fictional³ city reminiscent of Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia.

Ten years ago, the game's designer, Ivan Marovic was a leader in a non-violent movement calling for the removal of President Slobodan Milosevic. 

Marovic was a university student who organized demonstrations⁴ that led to the ouster of the president. Milosovic resigned after disputed election results in 2000. He was arrested and tried for war crimes in the Hague but died before the proceedings⁵ finished. 

 
Animation includes strategies to fight oppressive governments
Marovic incorporated tactics into the game which he says can be used to fight oppressive governments around the world. "Like strikes, boycotts⁶, civil disobedience, street protests, in order to force the regime either to concede or to step down," he explains.

He says another aim is to win the hearts and minds of the people. "The goal of the non-violent struggle is to win over people who are supporting the regime, and to cause loyalties⁷ to shift," he says, "and also to increase the enthusiasm of the people who are on your side."

In this virtual world, the focus is on the conflict in the Darfur region in western Sudan. There has been a sharp decrease in violence there over the past year. But after years of clashes between rebels and militias⁸ supported by Sudan's government, three million people have been displaced. 

An anonymous⁹ person created the scenario¹⁰ in the Darfur video game using "Second Life," an Internet site where users can build their own virtual world and talk with others through voice and text chats. 

Scott Sechser works for Linden Lab, which created "Second Life." "Someone has gone in to create an environment that allows others to come in and see what is taking place in Darfur, listen to a family who left Darfur, and is now in a refugee camp," he explains.

Sechser says he can communicate with people from around the world since text chats on "Second Life" can be translated into many languages. "I've talked to people from Japan," he says, "I could type in words that would be automatically translated into Japanese."

Sechser says there are many other scenarios¹¹ on "Second Life" that promote democracy and conflict resolution. They include a courtroom where people can learn about legal systems in a democracy.

1 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

2 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

3 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

6 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？

7 loyalties   

n.忠诚( loyalty的名词复数 )；忠心；忠于…感情；要忠于…的强烈感情

参考例句：

• an intricate network of loyalties and relationships 忠诚与义气构成的盘根错节的网络
• Rows with one's in-laws often create divided loyalties. 与姻亲之间的矛盾常常让人两面为难。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

9 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

10 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

11 scenarios   

n.[意]情节；剧本；事态；脚本

参考例句：

• Further, graphite cores may be safer than non-graphite cores under some accident scenarios. 再者，根据一些事故解说，石墨堆芯可比非石墨堆芯更安全一些。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Again, scenarios should make it clear which modes are acceptable to users in various contexts. 同样，我们可以运用场景剧本来搞清楚在不同情境下哪些模式可被用户接受。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓