环球英语 — 127：Riders for Health

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Welcome to Spotlight¹. 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 1
Welcome to the world of motorcycles! These two-wheeled machines can reach speeds of up to three hundred [300] kilometres an hour. The people who ride them need many skills. They need strength to control the motorcycle. They need courage to ride as fast as they can. And they need brains to know how to beat the other riders. Winners of a motorcycle race receive lots of money. This is a world for rich and famous people.
Voice 2
A lonely motorcycle speeds along a dusty Zimbabwean road. This road is full of bumps² and holes. But the rider does not worry about this. Motorcycle experts have trained him to deal with any situation. After some time, he reaches a small village. Suddenly, a crowd of people gathers around his motorcycle. Two men are carrying a child. This child is very sick. She needs to go to hospital straight away. The men place the little girl on the motorcycle. She sits on a little seat beside the rider. The men make sure that she is safe. Then, the rider starts his motorcycle. He rides off in a cloud of dust.
Voice 1
What link is there between the world of motorcycle racing³ and small villages in Africa? Former motorcycle racer, Randy Mamola, explained:
Voice 3
“I was one of the best motorcycle riders in the world during the nineteen eighties. I knew that I was lucky. I was making a lot of money. And I was doing something that I loved - riding motorcycles. Not everybody has that chance in life. And so I wanted to give something back. I raised a lot of money. I gave it to aid agencies⁴ in Africa. They were able to help many children with it. But I felt that I could do more.”
Voice 1
Randy Mamola’s interest in motorcycles helped him to understand something. Africa had transport problems - especially in country areas. And the vehicles that were on the road were often in poor condition. This affected⁵ people’s lives in many ways. But most importantly, it affected their health. Randy Mamola says:
Voice 3
“What happens when people in far-away communities need aid? Health workers have the knowledge and medicine to help them. But what if these health workers cannot get to the village? Then, that knowledge and medicine is of no use at all!”
Voice 2
Randy had friends who shared his concerns. Barry and Andrea Coleman also worked in the motorcycling world. Andrea had also been a motorcycle racer. And Barry wrote about motorcycling for a newspaper. In 1988, the three friends decided⁶ to start a transport aid agency⁷. They called it, “Riders for Health”.
Voice 1
Andrea Coleman explains their idea:
Voice 4
“‘Riders for Health’ aims to help with problems of people living in country areas. It is centred on local health workers. We train them to ride motorcycles and to care for them. They can then go to far-away villages and offer their services. Something may go wrong with the motorcycle. But the health workers should know how to fix it. So village people no longer have to just hope that someone will come to help them. They can now expect it.”
Voice 1
“Riders for Health” started in Zimbabwe. The organisation’s main concern is to train health workers in two ways. Firstly, they need to know how to ride the motorcycles in the correct way. This is particularly important where road surfaces are difficult. Secondly⁸, health workers need to know how to deal with any possible motorcycle problems. “Riders for Health” also has a system in place to help the workers keep their motorcycles in good condition.
Voice 2
This plan has worked very well in Zimbabwe. In fact, “Riders for Health” is now responsible for all the motorcycles belonging to its Ministry⁹ of Health. And now, “Riders for Health” has projects in five African countries.
Voice 1
“Riders for Health” has also developed a special motorcycle for carrying sick patients to hospital. This motorcycle is called “Uhuru”. Uhuru is the Swahili word for “Freedom”. The motorcycle has thick tyres so the rider can drive off-road. It has a side-car. This is really a seat with an extra wheel. It is fixed¹⁰ to the side of the motorcycle. It can carry a sick person. The motorcycle can also pull a wheeled box behind it. The box can hold necessary supplies such as medicine or fuel. The “Uhuru” motorcycle has brought freedom to many individuals and communities. Alex Matsika lives in Marowa village in Zimbabwe. He told his story:
Voice 5
“One day I was working in my field. Suddenly, I felt a pain under my left eye. I could hear a buzzing¹¹ noise near my head. A large cloud of bees were attacking me! I was very afraid. I tried to run away. But it was too late. The bees stung¹² me all over my body. I was in so much pain. I cried out. Then I fell to the ground. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital twenty-five [25] kilometres away. How had I got there? The village people explained it to me. When I cried out, some people heard me. So they ran to call the Uhuru motorcycle rider. She drove me to the hospital as quickly as she could. I owe my life to the Uhuru - through it God saved my life.”
Voice 1
Mrs. Tenha also lives in Zimbabwe. For her, the Uhuru is an economic lifeline:
Voice 6
“I grow corn in my field. But there is no machine in our village to grind¹³ the corn. So I have to walk to Nyabadza Business Centre. There, I can grind my corn and sell it. But it takes me three or four hours to walk there! But now, the Uhuru has changed all that. We now give our corn to the Uhuru rider. He puts everything into the trailer box. Then he rides with it to the Nyabadza Business Centre. It takes him less than an hour to reach the market and grind the corn. When he returns we collect our things. We pay a small amount for the fuel used by the motorcycle.”
Voice 2
Aid agencies agree that “Riders for Health” is saving¹⁴ people’s lives. Pamela Hartigan is chief of one such agency, the Schwab Foundation¹⁵. She said:
Voice 7
“Giving money to find a cure for diseases¹⁶ is good. But if you cannot get the medicine to people then it is no use. ‘Riders for Health’ is such a simple idea. It works¹⁷ so well. It is easy to see how many lives it has saved. And it can work anywhere.”
 

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 bumps   

碰撞( bump的名词复数 )； 肿块； 轻微撞车事故； 隆起物

参考例句：

• I had goose bumps when we watched the fireworks. 我们看烟火的时候，我起鸡皮疙瘩。
• E was kind of zig-zagging across the pavement, and I bumps into 'im accidental-like. 他有点歪歪斜斜地在人行道上走，我一不小心撞到了他的怀里。 来自英汉文学

3 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

4 agencies   

n.代理( agency的名词复数 )；服务机构；（政府的）专门机构；代理（或经销）业务（或关系）

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations. 联合国有许多专门机构。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The project is funded by the World Bank and other multilateral agencies. 这项计划由世界银行和其他多国机构资助。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 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。

7 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

8 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

11 buzzing   

adj.嗡嗡响的v.发出嗡嗡声( buzz的现在分词 )；（发出）充满兴奋的谈话声[闲话，谣言]；忙乱，急行；用蜂鸣器（发信号）

参考例句：

• The computer made a buzzing noise that she found off-putting. 计算机发出的嗡嗡声让她心烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Bees are humming [buzzing] around from flower to flower. 蜜蜂在花丛中嗡嗡地飞来飞去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 stung   

螫伤，刺伤( sting的过去式和过去分词 )； 感到剧痛； 激怒； 使不安

参考例句：

• I was stung on the arm by a wasp. 我的胳膊给黄蜂蜇了一下。
• Her arm was beginning to swell up where the bee had stung her. 她胳膊给蜜蜂蜇了，肿了起来。

13 grind   

n.（常贬义）用功的学生，书呆子；vt.磨，磨碎

参考例句：

• Would you please grind a pound of coffee for me? 请给我磨一磅咖啡好吗？
• Do you find learning English a grind?你觉得学英语是一件苦差事吗？

14 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

15 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

16 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

17 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。