环球英语 — 407：The Future of the Sami

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Ruby¹ Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Mike Procter. 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
A strong, cold wind blows across the white land. A thick blanket of ice and snow covers the ground. But some people are moving across it easily. They are riding snowmobiles - special vehicles made to move across snow and ice. But they are not alone in this wild, Arctic³ land. They are travelling with a large group of animals - a herd⁴. The animals are reindeer⁵. Reindeer are native to the Arctic area. Their owners are moving them across country to the north Arctic coast. This is the reindeer’s summer feeding land, free from ice and snow. But, they have to hurry. The female⁶ reindeer are pregnant⁷. And they must reach their summer home before they give birth.
Voice 2
The reindeer and their owners have been making this trip every year for thousands of years. The reindeer owners are Sami - the native people of the extreme north of Europe. They are called, “the people with four countries”. Why? Well, the Sami population is divided between Norway, Finland, Russia and Sweden. They are also a very ancient people. Experts believe that the Sami’s ancestors were looking after reindeer over two thousand five hundred [2500] years ago! One Sami writer expressed it like this:
Voice 3
“We, the Sami people, come from nowhere. We have always been here, long before anybody else.”
Voice 1
Elle Siri is seventeen years old. She is one of the Sami travellers. Her family have owned reindeer for generations. They farm them for their meat, their skin, and their horns. But many Sami people have stopped being nomads⁸ - they have stopped moving from place to place with their animals. Instead, they have settled in towns and cities. They do office jobs or work in schools and hospitals. In fact, it is estimated⁹ that less than ten percent of the Sami population still work with reindeer.
So, Elle faces a hard decision. Should she follow in the way of her mother and grandmother? Or should she try and lead a more modern life?
Voice 2
But maybe the two choices are not as different as they seem. Today’s Sami reindeer herders are using modern technology. To see how, we join Elle and her family again. They are still travelling with their reindeer to the summer feeding grounds.In the past, Sami herders used skis to travel across the snow. With skis on their feet, they could move smoothly¹⁰ and at a good speed. However, skis use a lot of physical energy. And the herders were not able to control the reindeer herd as well as they wanted.
Voice 1
However, snowmobiles changed all that. Their speed makes it easier to control the animals - to chase¹¹ any reindeer that falls behind the rest of the herd.
Voice 2
Also, two or three people can ride on one vehicle. This year, Elle’s younger brother and sister have come on the trip! They could not have managed on skis. But this way, they can learn about Sami life at an early age. And their experiences may encourage them to continue living the traditional way as they grow older.
Voice 1
The spring nights grow shorter. And the hours of darkness are few. But Elle and her family still need to sleep! Each night, they set up their tents - called lavvos in the local language. Before, Sami people made their lavvos out of reindeer skin. But now, modern, man-made material has replaced that. It is much lighter¹² to carry. And it keeps out the cold Arctic wind just as well as the animal skin.
Voice 2
In the lavvo, Elle’s mother sings her children to sleep. The Sami call this kind of traditional singing, ‘joiking’. A joik captures¹³ the special qualities about a person or a place. No two joiks can be the same. The singing works¹⁴. Soon, Elle and her brother and sister are sleeping deeply.
Voice 1
The reindeer have almost reached the coast. The ice has melted. Flowers and plants appear in the rich earth. But the reindeer have to face a very modern problem - traffic! The E6 coast road cuts across the reindeer’s travelling path. Elle explains what they have to do next:
Voice 4
“People must stand there and stop the cars. They must wear Sami clothes so that the drivers know why to stop. The drivers will then understand that the reindeer are going to cross the road.”
Voice 1
All the reindeer cross the road safely. And Elle’s father is now riding on an ATV. This four-wheeled motorcycle can travel on any kind of land. Elle’s father easily guides the reindeer safely to the edge of the sea.
Voice 2
From there, Elle and her family will take the reindeer by boat to a small island. There, the female reindeer will give birth to their young. The herd will spend the summer months on the island, eating grass and plants. This will strengthen them for the trip back to their winter home.
Voice 1
And what will Elle do? Well, in the summer months, she attends Sami school. She learns all about looking after reindeer using the latest technology. Sami herders use computers to store information about their reindeer. For example, ear markings. Each reindeer owner cuts his own special mark into his animal’s ear. He enters a picture of his design into the computer. Then, he puts his name next to it. This means that other Sami can see what mark belongs to which person. And, it avoids any arguments about who owns which animal.
Voice 2
Soon, Elle will go back to the island. She will help her family gather their reindeer together. Her father will count the new reindeer born that summer. And, he will mark their ears. You must never ask the Sami how many reindeer they have - that is a private matter. Elle is sure that it will be a good year for the family.
Voice 1
So, what does Elle’s future hold? She thinks that she would like to continue as a reindeer herder. It is a hard life. But, it is also exciting. And, Elle can make a good living from it. The Sami have been able to change with the times. And it seems that their future is safe in the hands of young people like Elle.
 

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 Arctic   

adj.北极的；n.北极

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• The sort of animal lived in the Arctic Circle.这种动物生活在北极圈里。

4 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

5 reindeer   

n.驯鹿

参考例句：

• The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
• The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。

6 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。

7 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

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 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

10 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

11 chase   

vt.追逐，追赶，追求；n.追赶

参考例句：

• The police grabbed the robbers after a long chase.警察经过长距离追赶后逮住了抢劫犯。
• Would you chase me if I did?如果我逃开了，你会来追吗？

12 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

13 captures   

俘获( capture的第三人称单数 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• King Arthur himself captures the beast and cuts off its head. 亚瑟王亲自捉住怪物，并砍下它的头。
• His book captures exactly the ethos of Elizabethan England. 他的书准确地描绘了英国伊丽莎白时代的风土人情。

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。