环球英语 — 217：Camel Library

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Recently, two large computer businesses combined. They joined together to create a new computer library. Normal libraries are found inside of buildings. They contain many books. People can use the books for free. But, the computer library will use the Internet. People will be able to search for many of the books on their computers. They will be able to read parts of the books. If they like it, they can pay a little money to read the rest. This will make life easier for people. They will not even have to leave their home to go to the library.
Voice 2
But, what about people who do not have computers? And, what about the people who live far away from libraries? How can they enjoy books?
Voice 1
Well, today’s Spotlight is on a special library in Kenya, in Africa. This special library is helping² thousands of people enjoy books. It is also helping people learn to read.
Voice 2
Camels. Some people call them “ships of the desert.” Throughout history people have used camels for many different reasons. People use them to carry heavy loads. People use them to farm. And people use them to travel long distances through the desert.
Voice 1
But now these “ships of the desert” have another purpose. They are travelling libraries!
Voice 2
Garissa is an area outside of Nairobi, Kenya – four hundred kilometres outside of Nairobi. The people living in this area do not have a lot of extra resources. They are simple herdsmen. They follow their animals from place to place. They make sure their animals have enough to eat.
Voice 1
There has been some violence in Garissa. There are tribal³ wars. And refugees⁴ coming from neighboring countries struggle to survive. Water and land for the animals can often be hard to find. Life can be difficult in Garissa.
Voice 2
But, the Kenyan government has created a few interesting plans for Garissa. They hope their plans will improve the lives of people living there. One of their plans is to bring a library into this struggling part of Kenya. And, they are using camels to carry the books! The name of this library is the “Camel Mobile⁵ Library.” It is mobile because it will follow the people as they follow their animals. The Camel Library will move from place to place. The librarian, or leader of the Camel Library is Rashid Farah. Rashid said,
Voice 3
“The people we serve lead a nomadic⁶, travelling, life. They are here today. But tomorrow they may be gone. A static⁷, or non–moving, library would be of no use to nomads⁸. So instead, we follow them, wherever they go.”
Voice 1
Rashid and his team begin working in the early morning. They work Monday through Thursday. First they load boxes with books. Each box has two hundred [200] books. And then they gather their camels. The camels have the most important job. They carry the books!
Voice 2
One camel carries two boxes of books. Another camel carries a tent. And a third camel carries Rashid’s and the team’s supplies. They have nine camels all together. When they are ready to go they separate into three groups. Each group travels with three camels. Together they visit twelve different places in the Garrissa area. The Camel Mobil Library has a set path. It visits the same places on the same day each week. That way people know when to expect the library.
Voice 1
When Rashid and his team arrive they must set up the library. They put mats and blankets on the ground. Then they unload⁹ the books. Sometimes they put a tent over the books to protect them.
Voice 2
People love the Camel Mobil Library. Children wait and wait for the camels, and the books, to arrive. There are three thousand five hundred [3500] people who are library members. That is, they can use any book they would like. Rashid says that the number of the members is high. He says there are more members of the Camel Library than libraries in cities nearby.
Voice 1
The people in Garissa know that books are important. But, they are not able to buy books of their own. They do not have enough money. They must use all of their money for food and shelter. Often people cannot pay for school either. The children must take care of the animals. Because of this, eighty–five [85] percent of the people in Garissa are illiterate¹⁰. They cannot read.
Voice 2
But, that is starting to change. Because of the Camel Mobil Library more people are learning¹¹ how to read. Rashid makes sure that the team carries books for everybody—both children and adults. They carry books for people who know how to read well. And they carry books for people who are just learning to read. Some of the books are the same books that the local schools use. That way, children who cannot go to school can still read school books.
Voice 1
The local schools have also reported a difference in their students’ learning. They say that their level of education has improved. More children are reading. And many of them did very well on their national test.
Voice 2
Rashid and his team love what they do. But, they do have limits. They feel discouraged sometimes. They would like to improve a few things about the library. First, they wish that they had more money to reach more people. With more money they could buy a motorcycle to assist¹² their camels. Second, the team would like to have land to help feed their camels. And third, they wish that they had a few female¹³ camels. Then they could mate¹⁴ their male and female camels. This would provide them with more camels. Then, they could reach even more people in Garrisa.
Voice 1
Rashid and his team may feel discouraged sometimes. But, the Camel Mobile Library is doing very good work. Being able to read is important. Literacy¹⁵ can help people do well in school. Literacy can help people get better jobs. And literacy can help to expand peoples’ worlds. Anyone can travel around the world through reading a book!
 

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 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

4 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

5 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

6 nomadic   

adj.流浪的；游牧的

参考例句：

• This tribe still live a nomadic life.这个民族仍然过着游牧生活。
• The plowing culture and the nomadic culture are two traditional principal cultures in China.农耕文化与游牧文化是我国传统的两大主体文化。

7 static   

adj.静的；静态的

参考例句：

• Don't view things as static and isolated.不要静止地孤立地看待事物。
• What is the difference between static and non-static variables?静态变量和非静态变量有何不同？

8 nomads   

n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活

参考例句：

• For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America. 她在北美游牧民中生活了十年。
• Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 unload   

vt.卸下，卸货，摆脱...之负担，(大量)倾销；vi.卸下货物，摆脱负担，退出（弹药，胶片等）

参考例句：

• They want to unload the stocks on the market.他们想把股票在市场上抛售掉。
• She began to unload her troubles on her mother.她开始把她的烦恼告诉母亲。

10 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

11 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。

12 assist   

vt.协助，帮助，促进；vi.帮忙，参加

参考例句：

• He asked us to assist him in carrying through their plan.他要我们帮助他实施他们的计划。
• We'll assist at your wedding.我们将出席你们的婚礼。

13 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

14 mate   

n.伙伴，同事；配偶；大副；v.(使)交配

参考例句：

• Where is the mate to this glove?这副手套的另一只在哪儿？
• She has been a faithful mate to him.她一直是他忠实的配偶。

15 literacy   

n.识字，有文化，读写能力

参考例句：

• I can't believe that he failed the literacy test.我无法相信他识字测试不及格。
• The literacy rate there is the highest in Central America.那里的识字率居中美洲之首。