VOA标准英语2010年-Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to Raise Awar

Joe DeCapua 23 March 2010

“There are many, many reasons why we need to focus on (water) as an integral part of our livelihood¹ as human beings and the livelihood of our brothers and sisters around the world."

Monday was World Water Day, an annual event to raise awareness² about the need for safe drinking water, sanitation³ and hygiene⁴.  This year’s theme is Clean Water for a Healthy World.

In Washington, World Water Day events continued into Tuesday, as organizers spread the word that “one out of every six people lacks safe drinking water and two out of every five people lack adequate sanitation.”

It’s personal

Among those taking part was Grammy-nominated musician Kenna, who’s now an American citizen.

“It’s personal for me because of my dad.  My father, as a child, had been exposed to water borne illness in Ethiopia, where I was born,” he says.

Kenna says his father’s brother died of water-borne disease, as did friends and neighbors in Ethiopia.

“It made me study the water crisis as a whole and learning that a billion people don’t have clean water, that 50 percent of the reason why people go to hospitals in the world is because of water-borne illnesses and the many different statistics on children dying,” he says.

Kenna says water-borne disease kills more children than HIV, malaria⁵ and TB combined.

Water, water everywhere?

“I think in general we take it for granted.  We have it in our tap.  We can take showers in the morning.  We can drink water.  We can buy water at our local stores in bottles,” he says.

However, it’s different in poor countries.

“The abundance of it in our lives makes it something that we don’t necessarily consider in the lives of people around the world,” he says.

Water is now becoming an issue here in the United States, he says.  For example, last year, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered action to deal with the state’s third consecutive⁶ year of drought.  He said California must prepare for a possible 4th, 5th and 6th year of drought.

Kenna says the U.S. city where he was raised, Virginia Beach, Virginia, relies on a lake for water.

“There are many, many reasons why we need to focus on (water) as an integral part of our livelihood as human beings and the livelihood of our brothers and sisters around the world,” he says.

Climbing to raise awareness

Kenna organized a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to draw attention to water and climate issues.  It was called the Summit on the Summit and became the subject of a documentary broadcast on MTV.

“I had climbed Kilimanjaro five years ago and I didn’t make it to the top.  So, I had a personal vendetta⁷ against the mountain.  I thought it might be an interesting way to combine extreme…risk and the idea of reaching the top of one’s life’s mountain,” he says.

Mount Kilimanjaro had been known for its snowy cap.  But with warming temperatures, the snow is receding⁸ and scientists say it may eventually disappear.

Many people took part in the climb, including entertainers, environmentalists and others.

“We had 45 climbers, 16 guides, 248 porters.  And we went at it and we all reached the top of the mountain, which is amazing.  But more importantly, we were able to raise awareness.  And I think that’s the key to the whole project for us.  It was just trying to make noise enough for the world to hear,” he says.

Before the climb, participants visited nearby villages and saw firsthand the importance of clean water, sanitation and hygiene.
 

1 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

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 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

4 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

5 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

6 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

7 vendetta   

n.世仇，宿怨

参考例句：

• For years he pursued a vendetta against the Morris family.多年来他一直在寻求向莫里斯家族报世仇。
• She conducted a personal vendetta against me.她对我有宿仇。

8 receding   

v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• Desperately he struck out after the receding lights of the yacht. 游艇的灯光渐去渐远，他拼命划水追赶。 来自辞典例句
• Sounds produced by vehicles receding from us seem lower-pitched than usual. 渐渐远离我们的运载工具发出的声似乎比平常的音调低。 来自辞典例句