环球英语 — 249：Seeds of Peace Experiences

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. 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
What words do you think of when you think of peace? Many people think of love. Other people think of understanding. And still others may think of togetherness. But have you ever thought of seeds?
Voice 2
Seeds may not be a word that many people connect to peace. But, there are some people who do. Recently, Spotlight did a program on the group Seeds of Peace. Seeds of Peace is a group that brings people who are at war, together. This group believes that it is important to teach young people about peace. So, when they are older, they can teach others about peace too. It is like planting a seed, a seed of peace, and watching it grow.
Voice 1
Many of these young people attend a camp in the state of Maine, in the United² States. They come from India and Pakistan, Iraq and the United States, and Israel and Palestine. All these places are experiencing conflict³. Their governments choose them. Their governments believe that these young people will be important leaders in their countries in the future.
Voice 2
At the camp these young representatives⁴ live together in small cabins⁵. They share meals together. They learn about each other’s cultures and religions. They discuss many important issues⁶ in groups. They are given particular jobs and they complete those jobs together. Often, it is the first time these young people have come face to face with someone from the other side of the conflict.
Voice 1
Spotlight wanted to know more about the Seeds of Peace camp. So, we e-mailed two students who attended the Seeds of Peace camp in Maine. We asked them to write about their experiences. Here are Ibrahim and Sophia’s Seeds of Peace experiences. Their words have been adapted into Specialized⁷ English.
Voice 3
I am Ibrahim. I am sixteen [16] years old. I live in Bethleham, Palestine. This summer I attended the Seeds of Peace program in Maine.
The group was a mix of Palestinians and Israelis. We thought we could get a solution for peace. When I first met the Israeli people I thought they came to talk about us. I did not think they came in peace. I thought they hated us. Since we were in the program I found they came to talk to us. They came to talk to us about peace.
I shared that peace to me means⁸ a huge word. It does not mean war, because we usually have wars between Palestine and Israel. When there is no war, we are able to love each other. We cannot be haters. This is how we can make peace.
I also learned⁹ how important it is to listen. I should not just talk. If we listen to the Israelis, they will listen to us. I did that and found they respected what I had to say. I, in turn, respected their thoughts too.
I had such a great experience in Maine at Seeds of Peace. I hope we will have peace in our country Palestine.
Voice 1
It sounds like Ibrahim learned a lot at Seeds of Peace. He shared some very important ideas. Listening seems like a very important part of peace.
Voice 2
Yes. I thought it was important that Ibrahim found it easy to love the Israelis once they were away from war. I agree with Ibrahim when he says that war does not lead to peace. Only when there is no war are people able to love each other.
Voice 1
Next, we have Sophia’s experience. Sophia is sixteen [16] years old and lives in Palestine. She has many good things to share about peace too.
Voice 4
The Seeds of Peace camp was a life-changing experience for me. Apart from all the different activities and sports that I enjoyed, Seeds of Peace offered me more than just fun. Seeds of Peace gave me a special opportunity to meet the other side of the conflict.
One famous sentence that I heard was, “The enemy has a face.” My comment on this sentence is that I saw the enemy’s face and became friends with it. Even though we disagree, and have many differences, there is nothing that stops us from becoming friends.
We can always have hope in gaining peace in the future. This camp taught me in four weeks what the world could not learn throughout¹⁰ history. The Seeds of Peace organization has achieved what no country has achieved before. That is, peace.
In my opinion peace is living in a safe place and having freedom. I believe that every person should have the right of living peacefully. Peace has been taken away from many people around the world. We live in abuse¹¹ of our freedom and rights to peace every day. Peace is being able to live a normal life without the fear of being shot¹² by a gun, without the fear of your school closing at any time, and without the fear of your house being destroyed.
A peaceful world gives freedom of thought, action and speech to all people. A peaceful world would let you live happy, without fear of what might happen in a day, a month, or a year.
I hope the leaders of Palestine and Israel go to the Seeds of Peace camp. The camp made a big difference in my life. And, I hope that it would change them too. I think that the leaders of both countries have no idea what peace means. Both countries have been in a conflict for many years. The problem is that both governments do not work on agreeing. Instead they only work on having what belongs to them - in their opinion.
I would like to tell them that it is time to make a change. Both of our countries have been living in misery¹³ and suffering long enough. It is time for us to overcome our problems and work on peace. This way we can set an example for the whole world. We can show them the good effects of peace. We can show the world that peace is necessary in every country.
Voice 2
Thank you Sophia! You and Ibrahim have already set a good example for the world. You have planted seeds of peace. Because of you, peace will grow.
 

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 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

3 conflict   

n.冲突，矛盾，争执；vi.争执，撞斗，冲突，抵触

参考例句：

• Your statement is in conflict with the rest of the evidence.你的陈述同其余证据有矛盾。
• The conflict between them seems ceaseless.他们之间冲突似乎没个止息。

4 representatives   

代表，典型的

参考例句：

• The country is governed by elected representatives of the people. 这个国家由民选代表统治。
• The representatives pronounced against the decision made at the conference. 代表们对会议作出的决定表示反对。

5 cabins   

n.小木屋( cabin的名词复数 )；（飞机上的）驾驶舱；客舱；（轮船上工作或生活的）隔间

参考例句：

• The cabins are in the bowels of the ship. 舱房设在船腹内。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hsin-mei and Hung-chien formally thanked Ku and Li for the cabins. 辛楣和鸿渐为舱位的事，向郑重道谢。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

6 issues   

（水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题

参考例句：

• Let's start with the more easily addressable issues. 我们先从较容易处理的问题着手。
• Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics. 就业和征税是很重要的政治问题。

7 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

8 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

9 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。

10 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。

11 abuse   

vt.滥用；辱骂；诋毁；n.滥用；恶习；弊端

参考例句：

• You can't make personal abuse on her.你不可对她进行人身攻击。
• She screamed abuse at me.她尖声责备我。

12 shot   

n.炮弹，射击，射手；v.射击，发出，发芽；vbl.射击，发出，发芽

参考例句：

• He shot a wild duck.他射中一只野鸭。
• All the children shot out their hands for the money.所有的孩子突然伸出手来要钱。

13 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。