环球英语 — 209：Ruth Bell Graham

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Mike Procter.
Voice 2
And I’m Rachel Hobson. 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
On the fourteenth of June 2007, people around the world mourned the death of Ruth Bell Graham. Many people had heard her speak. Many had read her books. And many had experienced² her kindness in their lives.
Voice 2
In today’s Spotlight we tell about Ruth Bell Graham. Who she was – and how a private woman survived a public life. How did she deal with struggles and difficulties? Where did her courage and strength come from?
Voice 1
Ruth never wanted to be famous. She wanted a simple life. As a girl Ruth even declared that she would never marry. She said she would live her days serving God and other people. And she did, but just not in the way she expected.
Voice 2
Ruth was born in China in 1920. Her parents were from the United States. But they worked as doctors for a Christian³ hospital north of Shanghai. They also talked to many people about God. At that time things were difficult in China. There was conflict and civil war. As a young girl, Ruth saw much violence. And this affected⁴ her. It gave her a concern for victims of suffering.
Voice 1
Although there were problems there, Ruth deeply loved China. This country was her home. But at the age of thirteen, Ruth had to leave China! She had to go to a school in Pyongyang, Korea. Ruth wrote:
Voice 3
“I will never forget the night before I sailed for Korea from Shanghai. I cried myself to sleep. I prayed that I would die before morning. But morning arrived in that great, grey city. And clearly God had not answered my prayer. But I learned⁵ things during the separation from my family. I did not know that God was preparing me for a life of many goodbyes.”
Voice 1
Ruth missed her family very much. She felt lonely during her three long years in Pyongyang. Finally, her parents sent for her. And she went to the United States with them to finish high school and to go to college.
Voice 2
College was an interesting time for Ruth. She was very intelligent. She enjoyed learning⁶. And it was here that she changed her feelings about marriage. She started to believe that she could serve God even with a husband. Then, she met an amazing young man – Billy Graham. He was kind, intelligent, and he had bright blue eyes. But most of all he was devoted⁷ to God.
Voice 1
Ruth and Billy feel deeply in love. And they were married soon after finishing college. She did not know then that her husband would become one of the most famous men in the world.
Voice 2
Their life started simply enough. Billy felt the best way he could serve God was to become an evangelist – a Christian minister that travels to many places to talk about God. Ruth supported Billy’s decision. She felt that his work was very important. And she helped him. She spent many hours doing research for him.
Voice 1
Ruth and Billy had five children. Often Ruth had to raise the children alone while Billy was away. She felt sad without him. So she began writing about her feelings. She wrote many poems that talked about her feelings and about God.
Voice 2
In 1949, Billy Graham talked at a large conference in Los Angeles, California. He talked in a very powerful way about the love of God. Thousands and thousands of people heard him. Billy Graham started to become famous.
Voice 1
At home, Ruth started having problems. People wanted to see the family of the famous minister. They kept driving up to her house. She even found someone looking in her bedroom window. Ruth and the children needed a more private place to live.
Voice 2
Ruth found the privacy⁸ she was looking for by moving to a new house. It was in the mountains and difficult to get to. She could raise her children there without being troubled by strangers. Ruth spent most of her time with her family. And she continued to write. She wrote many poems and several books.
Voice 1
In one book she talked about the problems she had with her sons. Many people expected her family to be perfect. They were a famous Christian family. But her sons could not deal with the pressure. And for a while, they did not follow God. This was a difficult time for Ruth. But she continued to show love to her sons.
Voice 2
Many people liked the fact that Ruth was open about her problems. They liked that she did not try to hide anything. And many people who read the book felt very encouraged. Ruth also helped her husband write books. In total she wrote and helped to write fourteen [14] books!
Voice 1
When her children grew up, Ruth was able to travel more with her husband. She spoke⁹ at some of his conferences. She told the crowds the message of hope that she found so important, the Christian belief in everlasting¹⁰ life with Jesus:
Voice 3
“You can come to Jesus as you are, with your wrong doing and your need. If you trust him to save you, he will be faithful¹¹ to you. He will not let you down... He has not promised that life will be an easy trip. But he has promised a safe arrival.”
Voice 2
Ruth met many important people from around the world – including presidents and the Queen of England. Billy and Ruth received an award from the United States government for their service to other people. Although she became famous, Ruth never forgot about other people. She especially cared about the people the world often rejects – people in prison and drug addicts¹².
Voice 1
In the last twelve [12] years of her life, Ruth developed spinal¹³ meningitis. This infection in her back was very painful. And it was made worse because of an earlier back injury. So Ruth lived in pain for the rest of her life. But she continued to offer encouragement. She said:
Voice 3
“Looking back on my life, I thank God – especially for the tough times. That is when Jesus becomes most real to you.”
Voice 2
Ruth died at the age of eighty–seven [87]. Her life was very different from what she had expected. But one clear truth stayed with her through all her days – the simple peace of God’s love.
 

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 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

3 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。

4 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。

5 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

6 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。

7 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

8 privacy   

n.私人权利，个人自由，隐私权

参考例句：

• In such matters,privacy is impossible.在这类事情中，保密是不可能的。
• She wept in the privacy of her own room.她在自己房内暗暗落泪。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

11 faithful   

adj.守信的，忠实的，如实的，可靠的

参考例句：

• They promised to be faithful to their ideal for ever.他们保证永远忠于自己的理想。
• We must be honest and faithful to the people.我们对人民必须忠诚老实。

12 addicts   

有…瘾的人( addict的名词复数 )； 入迷的人

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• There is counseling to help Internet addicts?even online. 有咨询机构帮助网络沉迷者。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

13 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。