环球英语 — 264：Seeds of Sudan

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Marina Santee.
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
There are many people at the airport. They are flying all over the world. Some people are going on business trips. Others are going on holiday. But no one is more excited than John Majok. He is going to see his family - his mother and sister. His will also see his fiancee - his future wife. John is finally returning to Africa!
Voice 2
John is a refugee² from Sudan. An earlier Spotlight programme told of the civil war in southern Sudan. It was called ‘From Lost Boy to Priest’. It told how in 1983 many people were killed. And thousands fled³ to nearby countries. In today’s Spotlight we tell John’s story. We talk about his people. And we talk about how their values helped John to survive the hardships⁴ of war.
Voice 1
John is from the Dinka people. Community is very important to the Dinkas. People work together to help each other. And families are very close. John came from a loving family of eight brothers and sisters. He was very happy living in his village.
Voice 2
John was six years old when his village was attacked. He got separated⁵ from his family. This was a very frightening time. He did not know what to do. And there were thousands of children in the same situation as him. Their villages had also been attacked. And they had lost their parents too. These children, mostly boys, fled for their lives. But how would they survive? Where could they go?
Voice 1
Some of the rebels⁷ found the boys. They told the boys to go to the bordering country of Ethiopia. The children did not know how far Ethiopia was - but they did not have a choice. The leader of the rebel⁶ group tried to encourage the children. He told them they were ‘the Seeds of the future Sudan’. These children were the hope for the future. They had to make it to safety.
Voice 2
So the children started walking. They walked through jungle and desert. They were hungry and thirsty. Many of them died along the way. And they had to be careful to avoid soldiers and wild animals. They walked hundreds of miles to find safety. Later, John remembered this time. He said:
Voice 3
“I was very tired. But I did not think of going to sleep. If I did, I knew I would die”
Voice 1
John was in Ethiopia for about five years. But then there were political⁸ problems in Ethiopia - and the children had to flee⁹ again. Finally, they went to Kakuma, in northwest Kenya. Aid workers were surprised to see so many boys without their parents. These boys were called ‘the Lost Boys’. And Kakuma became a United¹⁰ Nations refugee camp.
Voice 2
More and more people started to arrive in the camp from South Sudan. Families saw each other again after years of being separated. John hoped to see his family too. Would he be able to find them? Were they still alive? Then, he had a wonderful surprise. He was reunited¹¹ with his mother and sister. John was so happy to find them. But they told him some very sad news - seven of his brothers and sisters had died.
Voice 1
Although life in Kakuma was not easy, John was happy to be with his family. He did not know what would happen in the future. But as he became a man, he knew he wanted to help his family. And he wanted to help his country.
Voice 2
John heard about an education programme offered by the United States. He could have a new life there. He could go to university. John did not know what to do. He wanted to be with his family. But he also wanted educational opportunities. Finally John accepted the offer. But before he left Kakuma, he met a beautiful young woman called Yom. He thought she was very special. And he asked her to wait for him. He promised that he would return.
Voice 1
John was one of almost four thousand [4000] Sudanese refugees¹² that went to the United States. He was sent to Arizona. There he went to university. And he worked very hard. He also tried to help his family by sending money home. Sharing is a big part of Dinka culture. One Dinka man explained:
Voice 4
“If you can help, you have to do it. We have a cultural responsibility¹³ to help each other. We cannot say ... I am fine, I have money in the bank, knowing people back home do not have enough to eat. That is why we work two or three jobs and send money back.”
Voice 2
In 2005, John finished university with honours. Only the best students get honours. That same year peace finally returned to South Sudan. After more than twenty years of civil war, people could start rebuilding their country. Now John is part of this process. He works¹⁴ for an aid organization. His job is to find experts to work on rebuilding projects within Sudan. John has also spoken before many important officials in the United States government. He told them about the needs and hopes of his country.
Voice 1
John’s family are very proud of him. In the summer of 2007, John had the chance to return to Kakuma. His mother was so excited to see him. She said:
Voice 5
“I thank God. I am very happy that he has protected John... I am a mother of nine and I only have two of my children left.”
Voice 1
John is also grateful¹⁵ to God. He has a strong Christian¹⁶ faith.
Voice 3
“I have never lost my faith in God. I feel like God has a special plan for me.”
Voice 2
John and Yom were finally married. They had waited six long years. Now, they are waiting for Yom to get a visa¹⁷ for the United States. They do not know what the future will hold. Will they live in the United States? Or will they return to Sudan? The only thing John knows for certain is that he is working to make his country better. He is being a seed for Sudan. John said:
Voice 3
“I want to be someone who makes a change. This world is our global¹⁸ village. And we need to make it more livable for humans. We need to deal with anything that interferes¹⁹ with the value of human life.”
 

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 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

3 fled   

v.逃走，逃掉( flee的过去式和过去分词 )；逃离，逃避

参考例句：

• The robbers fled empty-handed. 抢劫犯一无所获地逃走了。
• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 hardships   

n.艰难( hardship的名词复数 )；困苦；艰难情况；艰辛

参考例句：

• He underwent a lot of hardships in his childhood. 他在童年时代经历了许多坎坷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She spoke with great seriousness of the hardships she had endured. 她非常严肃地讲述了自己经历的苦难。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 separated   

adj.分开的v.分开(separate的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Her parents are separated but not divorced. 她父母分居但没离婚。
• No child should ever be separated from his mother by force. 绝不能强行使任何一个孩子与母亲分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 rebel   

n.叛徒，起义者；vi.造反，反抗，反感；adj.造反的，反抗的，反叛者的

参考例句：

• The rebel army is attempting to subvert the government.反叛军队企图颠覆政府统治。
• The rebel army has readjusted its strategy.叛军已经重新调整了策略。

7 rebels   

n.反政府的人( rebel的名词复数 )；反叛者；造反者；叛逆者v.反抗政府( rebel的第三人称单数 )；反抗权威

参考例句：

• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。
• The rebels went on an orgy of killing. 叛乱者肆意杀人。

8 political   

adj.政治上的，政党的，政略性的，政治的

参考例句：

• He was forced to leave his homeland for political reasons.因为政治原因他被迫离开自己的祖国。
• In ideas those two political parties are worlds apart.那两个政党在思想上有巨大分歧。

9 flee   

vt.逃避，逃跑，逃走；vi.逃，消失

参考例句：

• Why does she always flee any kind of responsibility?她为什么总是逃避责任？
• He was lucky to flee the burning hotel.他很幸运逃出了失火的旅馆。

10 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。

11 reunited   

v.(使)再结合 ；(使)重聚；(使)团聚

参考例句：

• Last night she was reunited with her children. 昨天晚上，她和她的子女团聚。
• Having reunited after a long departure, the two certainly have a lot to talk about. 两人久别重逢，自有许多话说。

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 responsibility   

n.责任，职责

参考例句：

• The safety of the ship is the captain's responsibility.确保船的安全是船长的责任。
• The matter is outside my area of the responsibility.此事超出我的责任范围。

14 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

15 grateful   

adj.感谢的，感激的，受欢迎的，表示谢意的

参考例句：

• If you will help us, we shall be very grateful.如果你愿意帮助我们，我们会很感激你。
• He closed his letter with expression of grateful thanks.他在那封信的结尾表达了自己的感激之情。

16 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。

17 visa   

n.签证；vt.签准

参考例句：

• You'll have to get a passport,and you'll also need a visa.你必须申办护照，同时还需要有签证。
• The visa expires next month.签证下月到期。

18 global   

adj.全球的；球形的；世界的

参考例句：

• A global environmental meeting is going to be held here.一个全球环境会议将在这里举行。
• The report takes a global view of the company's problems.这份报告对公司的问题作了综合性的论述。

19 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。