环球英语 — 208：Listener Mail 86

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Liz Waid,
Voice 2
And I’m Adam Navis. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier to understand, no matter where in the world you live.
Voice 1
Welcome to today’s listener mail program. Today, we answer mail from Maria, Michel, Melissa and Joffre. And we share some English sayings in the language hodgepodge.
Voice 2
Let’s get started. Our first e-mail comes from Maria. She wrote in about the program, “Religion and the Environment”. This program was about the importance of religious people in protecting the environment. Many religious groups are getting involved with environmental issues. In particular, we looked at the group ARC², or Alliance³ of Religions and Conservation.
Maria writes:
Voice 3
“This subject especially made me think, to see the different religions united in help of a good cause. I respect the different religions a lot, although I have not been able to work closely⁴ with some. I believe that religions, like people, also have their problems, but it is necessary to support their good qualities. I support all that goes to help the good in nature and humanity⁵.”
Voice 1
Maria goes on to share a particular problem in her community. Many poor people live in the hills surrounding her community. They do not have a way to get rid of waste – including human waste. This waste pollutes the local water system, and this causes a problem for all the people in the area. Maria wonders how she can help.
Voice 2
The group, ARC, provides a good model. First, get organized. What groups are working in your area? If you are organized, and know what you need, it will be easier to ask for help.
Voice 1
Then, find other people who also care about this problem. It is important to work with the local community – the people who live on the hills. Religious groups may be able to help. For example, the leader of a local church may be able to get local people involved. Then you can work together to understand the problems and find solutions. You may also want help from the government, or from non–government organizations.
Voice 2
The group ARC encourages communities to work together to protect the environment – and to recognize the things they have in common. We hope that Maria and her community can solve their water problem. And we hope that this encourages all of you to work together for your communities too.
Voice 1
You know what that sounds means! It is time for the Spotlight Language Hodgepodge. On today’s Hodgepodge, we share some sayings about working together. They come from the English poet and writer John Heywood. He published these and many other traditional sayings in the year 1546. He did not invent these sayings, but he did make them more popular, and more widely used. John Heywood is also the grandfather of John Donne, the famous English poet and Christian⁶ leader. You may have heard a Spotlight program about him. But now, the sayings:
Voice 3
“Many hands make light work.”
Voice 2
In any big project, if many people work together, the work will be less for each of them – the work will be lighter⁷. Sometimes, it may seem easier to do a job on your own – but sharing the work with other people often means less work for everyone!
Voice 3
“Two heads are better than one.”
Voice 1
This saying does not mean that a person is better if he has two heads! No, it means that two people can develop better ideas together than one person working by himself. Two minds working together, sharing ideas and problems, are better than one.
Voice 2
Our last quote is still popular today,
Voice 3
“Rome was not built in a day.”
Voice 2
The city of Rome is famous for its beautiful buildings and long history. It has been a centre for politics and culture for more than two thousand years. It has grown and developed in new ways over these two thousand years. It definitely⁸ was not built in just one day! Often, at the start of a project, we want to see success right away. The city of Rome shows us that success takes time.
Voice 1
That is all we have time for today. But remember these sayings the next time you have a big project!
Voice 2
Our next letter comes from Michel, in France. He shares his own big project with us. Michel writes,
Voice 4
“I have followed your podcast for many months and like it very much! I have recently released⁹ a social network named eFriends Network. In it, I have created a group for French people learning¹⁰ English. I am suggesting your website.”
Voice 1
Thank you, Michel! We wish you, and your visitors, success. The internet is an excellent way to meet people from all over the world. We have included a link to your website on our website: http://www.radio.english.net. Just look to the script¹¹ page for this program – Listener Mail 86. There, other listeners can also join you in downloading Spotlight programs.
Voice 2
Our next letter comes from Melissa. She is involved in her own big project – education! She writes,
Voice 5
“Spotlight is very interesting for me because soon I will be an English teacher. When I hear your program, I improve my pronunciation of English words.”
Voice 1
Congratulations on finishing your program, Melissa! At Spotlight, we think teaching¹² is a very important job. Teachers can make a big difference to their students. And learning to say words is a big part of learning any language. We hope that Spotlight will continue to help you in class and out of class!
Voice 2
Our final letter comes from Joffre in Ecuador. Joffre writes,
Voice 6
“The Spotlight method is very helpful for me. And the subjects are very interesting. Often, after listening to them, I continue to think about them.”
Voice 1
Thank you for this comment Joffre! This is true for the Spotlight writers and producers too – we often continue to think about these subjects after the programs are finished. We learn a lot from Spotlight too. If you would like to hear more about a particular subject, please write to us! It will be a chance for all of us to learn more.
 

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 arc   

n.弧形（物），弧，电弧，弧光

参考例句：

• The sun appears to move in an arc across the sky.太阳看起来在天空中以弧形运行。
• The rainbow described an arc in the dark sky.彩虹在昏暗的天空划出了一道圆弧。

3 alliance   

n.同盟，同盟国，结盟，联姻

参考例句：

• China will not enter into alliance with any big power.中国不同任何大国结盟。
• The new alliance was very much in evidence.新的联盟上星期很引人注目。

4 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

5 humanity   

n.人类，[总称]人(性)，人道[pl.]人文学科

参考例句：

• Such an act is a disgrace to humanity.这种行为是人类的耻辱。
• We should treat animals with humanity.我们应该以仁慈之心对待动物。

6 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

7 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

8 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

9 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

10 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

11 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

12 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。