环球英语 — 26： Modern Slaves

　　Voice 1
Hello. Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Rachel Hobson.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
‘I was born a slave. I have wounds from where they hit me with a stick. It was my master’s children who did it .’
Voice 2
You may think these words are from the distant past. But they are not. They are from the twenty-first [21st] century. Modern slavery is a very real, tragic², truth in today’s world. Aid group Amnesty International said this:
Voice 4
‘All countries officially ban slavery. Yet there are still more slaves in the world today than ever before. The legal slave trade of the past lasted for four hundred years. During that time, thirteen million [13,000,000] people were shipped from Africa. Estimates³ say that there are twenty seven million [27,000,000] slaves in the world today!’
Voice 2
Who are these modern day slaves? And what can we do about them?
Voice 1
Modern slavery has different forms. All over the world, there are people working in poor and dangerous conditions - against their will. There are children forced to work in the sex trade. Some of these people work in countries away from home. Human trafficking is big businesses. Human traffickers trick people into leaving their home countries. Then, they force them into slave labour. Here is one story from China.
Voice 3
‘My name is Liu. I was born in 1976. Someone in my village told me about a man who could organise⁴ work for me in America or Canada. I said I was interested. So, a man called Wang Yi Xiong came to our village. Wang said he was able to organise the official documents, travel and job! But he said this would cost almost forty thousand [40,000] dollars. It was my dream to go to America. But how would I pay this money? Wang suggested that my parents pay some of the money. And then I could pay the rest later - when I had my job in America. Wang said I would earn more than enough money to pay back the debt to my parents. I would be able to look after my parents in their old age! This is very important in our culture. So, I decided⁵ to do it.’
‘I have been working now for three years, but not in America. Wang’s men took me to Europe. I work in a Chinese food place. There are many other Chinese people living together here. I sleep on the floor. I work for sixteen to eighteen [16-18] hours a day. Wang’s men say I still have much debt to pay. I must work every day. They beat me if I stop. They say if I stop, I will never pay for my travel. And my parents will stay poor until they die.’
‘I feel very tired of living.’
Voice 1
Human traffickers trick millions of adults and children, just like Liu. Traffickers force them into slave labour. Many children are tricked into working in the sex trade. Rosa is from Mexico. Here is her story,
Voice 3
‘I was fourteen [14] when the man came to my parent’s house. He asked me if I wanted to make money in the United States. He told me about all the other Mexican girls there - like me. They were earning much more money. I could do the same job there - work in a hotel.
It was my dream to travel! My parents did not want me to go. But, finally I persuaded them!
I did not have money or official papers. But, some men took me into the US illegally. It was then that my dream was broken. They told me that my job would be having sex with men, for money. I would be selling my body.
I had been a virgin⁶ up to then, but the men raped⁷ me - again and again. And so it began. It was like a long terrible dream.’
Voice 1
Aid groups around the world are working to stop the illegal slave trade. These include ‘Anti-slavery International’, ‘World Vision,’ and ‘Tearfund.’ They encourage people to work together to help stop the slave trade. But what can normal people really do to stop the slave trade?
Voice 2
Well, it is important to remember one thing. Knowledge is power. And knowing about the human slave trade can prevent you and other people becoming victims. Do you know people who want to travel to Europe or America? Do you know men who claim that they can help? You can warn people about the dangers. There is no way to get legal travel documents except from an embassy⁸ or consulate⁹. There are no honest people who make illegal travel documents! If someone offers these things, you cannot trust them.
Voice 1
You can also report cases in your area. Maybe there are factories where people are forced to work in poor conditions? Maybe you know of cases where people are not free to leave their jobs. You can report these to your local government officials. They have the authority¹⁰ to act and change situations. If governments are not trustworthy, human rights groups can intervene¹¹.
We too have the power to help protect each other. We can do this through education and then sharing information.
Voice 2
Regivaldo Pereira da Silva lives in Brazil. A local labour employer¹² cheated Regivaldo and his wife. He made them work in a far-off place. They had little food and poor shelter. When they escaped, they tried to get their earnings¹³. The employer refused. However, the employer did not know that Regivaldo possessed¹⁴ something powerful. Regivaldo had knowledge. He knew who to ask for help - a trained lawyer. Fernando de Paiva Gomes is an expert in law. Fernando helped Regivaldo go to court - and win his case!
Now Regivaldo has a good job. And, many people know about his case. Hopefully this will make some dishonest employers¹⁵ in his area think again before they act.
Voice 1
Knowledge is power. Knowledge is free. It is key to stopping modern day slavery. People can change things by speaking to the right people. Even one person can make a difference. William Wilberforce was a member of parliament¹⁶ in England two hundred [200] years ago. He joined with other people to champion new laws banning the slave trade. Not many of us have this kind of power. But most of us influence someone, somewhere. We must not think that this is not valuable. Together, people can act, work, and pray - just like Wilberforce did all those years ago. Surely freedom is a human right we all deserve¹⁷ to have.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 organise   

vt.组织，安排，筹办

参考例句：

• He has the ability to organise.他很有组织才能。
• It's my job to organise all the ceremonial events.由我来组织所有的仪式。

5 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。

6 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

7 raped   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
• We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致，不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句

8 embassy   

n.大使馆，大使及其随员

参考例句：

• Large crowd demonstrated outside the British Embassy.很多群众在英国大使馆外面示威。
• He's a U.S. diplomat assigned to the embassy in London.他是美国驻伦敦大使馆的一名外交官。

9 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

10 authority   

n.当局，官方；权力，权威，威信；当权者

参考例句：

• He is recognized internationally as an authority in this field.国际上承认他是这方面的一个权威。
• Professor White is looked upon as an authority on mathematics.怀特教授被看成数学权威。

11 intervene   

vi.干涉，干预，干扰，阻挠

参考例句：

• When riot broke out,the police were obliged to intervene.发生暴乱时，警察有责任干预。
• You don't intervene between those two drunks.你不要在那两个酒鬼之间进行调解。

12 employer   

n.雇用方，雇主

参考例句：

• My employer deducted ten pounds from my wages this week.我的雇主从我本周的工钱中扣除了十英镑。
• His monthly salary is paid into the bank by his employer.他的月薪由雇主替他存入银行。

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

14 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

15 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

16 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。

17 deserve   

vt.应受，值得；vi. 应受报答，值得受赏

参考例句：

• You really deserve a good beating,you naughty boy.你这个调皮孩子真该打。
• I do not deserve all the praises bestowed upon me.我不配得到这些赞扬。