VOA标准英语2013--Displaced Syrian Children Struggle for Education

 

Displaced Syrian Children Struggle for Education

During a school day at the Bab al-Salama school in northern Syria, several classes study under this tent, with one of four pitched on the edge of camp not far from the border with Turkey.

About 1,000 children attend classes for three hours each day. Because of a lack of space, there are two shifts - one in the morning, another in the afternoon.

Hassan, 20, fled from Aleppo six weeks ago. A teacher of Arabic by training, he instructs several different classes including these fourth-graders.

“We have books, but we need the materials to prepare the courses. We are trying to develop a curriculum,” he said.

Hassan said attendance is not mandatory¹. Some children help their parents by working in the camp. But most of them want to go to school.

“Before we got the tents, some children were studying in the mosque². They like having the school and they like learning,” he said.

Hassan said school provides some structure to the children's lives and it exercises their minds, which is important. It also helps them fight boredom³ and forget the trauma⁴ of war. 

1 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

2 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

3 boredom   

n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊

参考例句：

• Unemployment can drive you mad with boredom.失业会让你无聊得发疯。
• A walkman can relieve the boredom of running.跑步时带着随身听就不那么乏味了。

4 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。