VOA标准英语2010年-Jakarta Man Leads Slums Tours to Raise

Urban poverty is often hidden, relegated¹ to neighborhoods tourists rarely visit. But in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, Ronny Poluan gives guided tours of city slums to tourists. Critics say he exploits poor people for personal gain. Poluan says he is trying to make a difference by raising awareness² and money for development programs.

Ronny Poluan says the purpose of his weekly tour of Jakarta's poorest neighborhoods is not sightseeing but bringing people and cultures together.

 

"My idea is how a person, like an Indonesian person, meets with another person, comes together to see and then talk to each other and they can share what is their life," he said.

Poluan is an artist who began giving tours to his friends, then decided³ to open them up to the public to raise awareness about urban poverty. Participants peek⁴ inside cramped⁵ rooms where entire families live, see the harsh conditions under which they work. Many residents, like Wartini, are happy to open their homes to tourists.

She says she likes it that these foreigners want to know about them.

In Jakarta, as in cities all over the developing world, urban poverty is a growing problem. The World Bank says nearly 25 million people live in the Jakarta area, and every year 250,000 more come. Many end up living in tents and shacks⁶ next to rail lines.

The tour participants are mostly foreigners - ranging from the curious to students studying urban development, like Australian Lauren Naulty.

"I don't think you can come to Jakarta and not see it. It is Jakarta," said Naulty.

Critics say the tour exploits the poor for personal profit. Poluan rejects that argument, saying his foundation "Interkultur" gives half the nearly $50 fee to the community, in payments to area organizations, no-interest micro-loans and medical care.

And he has inspired some participants like Cheryl McKenzie, a teacher from Australia, to contribute skills, time and money. She is helping⁷ start a school.

"I had visions of, well this will help these children to grow up and aspire⁸ to go forward, to do more," she noted⁹.

Poluan has become friends with many in the neighborhoods along the tour. He is inspired by the spirit of people who endure great hardship.

"I learn so much to see them. How they survive. How they are very tough guy[s] and what I see is their peaceful mind," he said.

Polaun hopes his tour will attract visitors with the expertise¹⁰ and funding to fight urban poverty and not keep it hidden.

1 relegated   

v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类

参考例句：

• She was then relegated to the role of assistant. 随后她被降级做助手了。
• I think that should be relegated to the garbage can of history. 我认为应该把它扔进历史的垃圾箱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 peek   

vi.偷看，窥视；n.偷偷的一看，一瞥

参考例句：

• Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。
• Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛，别偷看。

5 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

6 shacks   

n.窝棚，简陋的小屋( shack的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They live in shacks which they made out of wood. 他们住在用木头搭成的简陋的小屋里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Most people in Port au-Prince live in tin shacks. 太子港的大多数居民居住在铁皮棚里。 来自互联网

7 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。

8 aspire   

vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于

参考例句：

• Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。
• I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。