环球英语 — 427：Afghan School for Girls

　　Voice 1
Welcome to 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
All across the world children leave their homes to go to school. It is a normal part of life. But for a group of girls in Afghanistan, walking to school is a dangerous thing to do. Today's Spotlight is on the Mirwais Mena School for Girls and the dangers its students face every day.
Voice 2
On November 12, 2008 a group of girls in Kandahar, Afghanistan walked to school as usual. But this day would be different. The girls left their homes in the morning and walked together. As they walked, they heard the sound of motorcycles. Three motorcycles drove toward² them. Each vehicle had one man driving and one man riding on the back.
Voice 1
The men wore cloth on their faces. And some of the men on the motorcycles carried containers of battery acid³. This liquid is so dangerous, it can destroy metal. The men rode in circles around the girls. Then they moved closer.
Voice 2
One of the men jumped off the motorcycle and ran toward a girl named Shamsia. He asked her, "Are you going to school?" The man pulled off her cloth head scarf. Then he threw the acid in her face. Shamsia shouted. Her face and eyes felt like they were on fire. The man reached for Shamsia's sister, Atifa. He pulled off Atifa's scarf. Then he covered her back with acid. The man ran to another group of girls. He left Shamsia and Atifa lying on the ground, crying in pain.
Voice 1
The men on the motorcycles were members of the Taliban. This religious group attacked many schools in the past. The Mirwais Mena School for Girls is only a few miles from the birthplace of Mullah Muhammad Omar. He was the creator of the Taliban. The school was in the center of a Taliban controlled area. The Taliban has strong rules about what women are permitted to do. Members of the Taliban do not approve of teaching⁴ girls to read. This is why they attacked the girls walking to school.
Voice 2
The Mirwais Mena School for Girls does more than teach girls to read. The school teaches many subjects. Girls study chemistry, English, geography, and math. Girls from six years old to twenty three [23] all study at the school.
Voice 1
Mahmood Qadari is the leader of the Mirwais Mena School for girls. After the attack, he closed the school. He decided⁵ it was not worth the risk to the girls. But one week later, the girls and their parents were at the door of the school. The girls asked why the school was closed. They wanted to know when classes would begin again. The girls and their parents wanted the school to continue, no matter the risk. Mr. Qadari was excited to see how much the girls wanted to go to school. He told the girl's parents:
Voice 3
"If you do not send your daughters to school, then the enemy wins."
Voice 2
Dexter Filkins is a writer for the New York Times. After the attack, he wrote about what happened to the girls. He told the story of Shamsia. People from all over the United States and Europe read the article. They felt sad about what happened. Mr. Filkins received many emails and letters. They wanted to help Shamsia and the other girls at the school.
Voice 1
When Mr. Filkins went back to the school he saw that the school was filled with smiling girls. They all came back to school. And most of the girls who were burned with acid returned as well. Even Shamsia was in school. Her injuries were not fully⁶ healed⁷. Her face was damaged. Her eyes did not work well enough to read. But the teachers still encouraged her to come to school. They wanted her to learn, even if she could not read.
Voice 1
Shamsia spoke⁸ with Mr. Filkins. She told him:
Voice 4
"I cried a lot after the attack. But my parents told me to keep coming to school even if I am killed. The people who did this to me do not want women to learn. They want us to be stupid things."
Voice 2
When Mr. Filkins returned to New York City, he had many letters to read. Many people sent thousands of dollars to give to Shamsia and the school. Other people offered their time to help. Doctors offered to treat Shamsia's injuries for free.
Voice 1
Mr. Filkins was happy that so many people wanted to help the girls. He wanted to help too. Usually, newspaper writers do not get involved in the lives of people they write about. But Mr. Wilkins knew he had to help the girls at the Mirwais Mena School. He knew that these girls deserved⁹ to go to school and be safe.
Voice 2
Mr. Filkins brought the money people sent him to the school in Afghanistan. All the teachers and parents gathered together at the school. Mr. Filkins asked the people how the money should be used. The teachers and parents said that most of the money should go to help Shamsia. Because she was the reason people sent money. They heard her story.
Voice 1
The group said that the rest of the money should be used to purchase a bus with a driver. The bus could carry the girls to and from school safely. It would also make the Long walk to school much shorter.
Voice 2
The school purchased a bus shortly before school started in the autumn. They used any money that was left to purchase gasoline¹⁰. Mr. Filkins spoke with Shamsia's parents. He asked them if a doctor in the United States could treat Shamsia's injuries. Her parents were not sure if they wanted to let Shamsia leave Afghanistan. Shamsia has not yet received treatment.
Voice 1
The Mirwais Mena School for Girls continues to hold classes. And many girls continue to attend. One teacher tells the girls in his class an important message.
Voice 5
"A woman can do whatever she attempts. But she needs skills, she needs effort and learning¹¹. This school, for example, was built by humans - people with skills."
 

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 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

3 acid   

n.酸；酸性物质；adj.酸的，酸性的

参考例句：

• Handle with care,or the acid may get out.小心轻放，否则酸会溢出来。
• The acid has been eating away the sides of the container.酸腐蚀着容器的四壁。

4 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

5 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。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 healed   

v.（使）愈合( heal的过去式和过去分词 )；治愈；（使）结束；较容易忍受

参考例句：

• The surgeon healed the soldier's bullet wound in the leg. 医生治好了那位士兵腿部的枪伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The doctor applied an unguent to the wound,which speedily healed it. 医生给伤口涂了些油膏，伤口很快就愈合了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 deserved   

adj.应得的，当然的v.应受，应得，值得( deserve的过去式和过去分词 )；应受报答；应得报酬；应得赔偿

参考例句：

• Some of you deserved to succeed and others only scraped through. 你们当中有些人成功是理所当然，而有些人只是勉强及格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Don't glare at me like that, you deserved the scolding. 不要那么瞪着我，你本该受到训斥的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 gasoline   

n.(美)汽油

参考例句：

• This car runs 5 miles on a gallon of gasoline.这部汽车一加仑汽油可以行驶五英里。
• There is still some gasoline left in the tank.油箱里还剩下一些汽油。

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。