环球英语 — 260：Elias Chacour: Blood Brothers

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby¹ Jones. Welcome to Spotlight². 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
An old man looks across the open fields. His mind travels back to years before, when he was a boy. In his memory, he can see fine fruit trees, vegetables. The crops grew on fertile³ land. He was playing with other children on the open fields. The old man sees his mother smiling.
Now, many years later, he looks over the same land. He thinks of the pain that many people have suffered. Blood has spilled for this land. People have lost their homes. Elias Chacour and his family were among the victims. Yet today he is working to bring unity⁴ and peace in the Middle East. He is the Archbishop of Galilee. In today’s programme, we tell his story. We base it on his book, Blood Brothers.
Voice 2
The year was 1947. Elias was a young boy. He sat on his mother’s knee. Quietly, he listened to his mother’s soft words:
Voice 3
‘God blesses people who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
God blesses people who mourn. They will know comfort.
God blesses people who hunger for what is right. They will be filled.
God blesses the pure in heart. They will see God.
God blesses the peacemakers. They will be called children of God...’
Voice 2
These words were strangely beautiful to the young Elias. He knew that they are some sayings of Jesus Christ⁵. But what did the words mean? How could someone be blessed, or happy, if they are poor and mourning? What is a peacemaker? The words were a mystery to the young boy. But his heart and spirit warmed when he heard them.
The village of Biram, Palestine, was lively. The people were preparing for some special visitors. Elias’s father gathered his children together and explained;
Voice 4
‘In Europe there was a man called Hitler. For a long time he killed men, women, grandparents - even boys and girls like you. He killed them because they were Jews. There was no other reason.
‘Now this Hitler is dead. But our Jewish⁶ brothers have been badly hurt and frightened. They cannot go back to their homes in Europe. The rest of the world has not welcomed them. So they are coming here to look for a home. In a few days, children, Jewish soldiers will be travelling through Biram. They are called Zionists. A few will stay in each home. Some will stay right here with us for a few days. They have machine guns. You have no reason to be afraid. We must be especially kind to them and make them feel at home.’
Voice 2
The children were troubled. So, their father stood up. And in a cheerful voice he said;
Voice 4
‘We are going to prepare a big meal for our Jewish brothers. They were threatened with death. But they are alive!’
Voice 2
Immediately the atmosphere changed. He was right, this was something to celebrate! Their father finished with a prayer. He spoke⁷ softly⁸:
Voice 4
‘Father in heaven. Help us to show love to our Jewish brothers. Help us to show them peace to quieten their troubled hearts.’
Voice 2
As he continued, the young Elias imagined his words rising into the night sky.
Voice 2
Two weeks later, large vehicles arrived on the quiet hills of Biram. Elias later wrote of his childhood memories:
Voice 5
‘These Zionist soldiers were not like our Jewish friends in the village - who spoke to my father over coffee. It was not much of a celebration.’
Voice 2
The military commander called the men of the village together. He said he had some urgent⁹ news:
Voice 6
‘Our informers say that Biram is in serious danger. My men can protect you. But your safety would be at risk if you stay in your homes. You need to move out into the hills for a few days. Lock everything. Leave the keys with us. I promise nothing will be moved.’
Voice 2
The men of the village were concerned. There had been reports of bombing in Jerusalem, of trouble between the British and the Zionists. They decided¹⁰ they should do as the soldiers said - leave their village. Elias’s father locked the door behind them. He gave the key to one of the soldiers, saying;
Voice 4
‘I know that God will protect our house. And you will be safe too.’
Voice 2
The families of Biram walked through the streets. They aimed for the hills. They were people of the land. They often slept under the stars when looking after animals. This would not be much different.
However, time passed and the people became worried. The military commander sent no signal for them to return. And so some of the men decided to return to their homes to investigate.
Back in their village, the men were not prepared for their discovery. Their homes were damaged. Their property lay broken. Anger and fear filled their minds. Then, soldiers with guns shouted at them. The soldiers forced the men to leave.
The village men hurried away. Betrayal¹¹ cuts deep, like a knife. There, on the hill outside their village they were left homeless. The people of Biram had become refugees¹².
Their anger and fear was soon to deepened¹³. They travelled to the next village. There, they found more tragedy. What was happening to their people? Elias wrote,
Voice 5
‘The summer of 1947 passed. We waited as refugees. We prayed for the news that we could return to our homes in Biram. In November, refuges¹⁴ fleeing from bigger towns bought more tragic¹⁵ news.’
‘Palestine was to be divided. The United Nations called it a ‘compromise?!’
Voice 2
Events that followed deeply troubled the minds of local Jews and Palestinians. But they were powerless. Elias wrote:
Voice 5
‘I was just an eight year old boy then. The old people’s talk was just words to me. It would be years before I discovered the truth that had led to this tragedy. For now, I only knew that my peaceful homeland of Palestine, the Holy Land, had become a land of war.’
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 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。

3 fertile   

adj.肥沃的，富饶的；多产的，丰产的

参考例句：

• The district is fertile of wheat.该地区盛产小麦。
• Plants grow well in fertile soil.植物在肥沃的土壤里长势良好。

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 Christ   

n.基督，救世主，耶稣

参考例句：

• I regarded him as the Christ.我把他当作救世主。
• Christ preached that we should love each other.基督在布道中说人们应该互爱。

6 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。

7 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。

8 softly   

adv.柔和地，静静地，温柔地

参考例句：

• He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻，她听不见。
• She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。

9 urgent   

a.紧急的，急迫的，紧要的

参考例句：

• He asked to see the manager for something urgent. 他有急事求见经理。
• A part of this urgent task was allotted to us. 这项紧急任务的一部分分给了我们。

10 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。

11 betrayal   

n.背叛，暴露

参考例句：

• Any deviation from the party's faith is seen as betrayal.任何对党的信仰的偏离被视作背叛。
• His defection to the other side was the ultimate betrayal.他变节投向另一方是最终的背叛。

12 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。

13 deepened   

v.变深，加深( deepen的过去式和过去分词 )；加浓

参考例句：

• Their friendship soon deepened into love. 他们的友谊很快发展成为爱情。
• The gloom deepened as the election results came in. 选举结果陆续传来，失败的情绪越来越重。

14 refuges   

n.避难（所，处）( refuge的名词复数 )；避难所；庇护者；慰藉

参考例句：

• But, anyhow, there will be two refuges left for civilization. 但无论怎么说，世界还会给文明留下两个庇护之所。 来自名作英译部分
• In the summer heat these refuges must be especially grateful. 在炎热的夏天，这些避暑的地方一定特别受人欢迎。 来自辞典例句

15 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。