环球英语 — 448：Waste Workers in India

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I’m Joshua Leo. 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
Usha Chaumar was born to a poor family in Alwar, India. For most of her life, she had a bad job. Usha worked as waste collector. She visited homes in her town and emptied human waste from toilets. She also gathered household waste from the town. She was a waste worker – a sanitation² worker. Her employer³ only gave her seven to ten dollars a month for this work. And even worse than the job, people did not respect her. She was untouchable. People did not want to go near Usha.
Voice 2
For centuries, people in India followed a system that separated⁴ people into groups. This is called the caste system. The caste system limited a person’s work, and social position. It limited who people could marry. It limited where people lived. It limited where people ate and drank. India made this system illegal⁶ in 1950. But many people continue to follow caste traditions.
Voice 1
At the top of the caste system are the Brahmins. This is the caste of priests⁷, scholars⁸, and teachers. Under the Brahmins are the Kshatriya. This is the caste of the military⁹ and kings. Next is the Vaishyas, the caste of traders¹⁰. After that is the Shadras. This is the caste of farmers, service workers, and some artists. The bottom caste is the Dalits. This is the lowest caste. These are the “untouchables”.
Voice 2
The caste system causes great suffering, especially for untouchables. Untouchables have to do the worst jobs – the jobs no–one else will do. They are often born into their work. This was true for Usha, and many other waste workers. She did not choose her job – but it caused her great difficulty¹¹ and sadness.
Usha tells of her experiences buying rice as an “untouchable”:
Voice 3
“Store owners would drop the rice to me. They would not touch me. They made me put my money down, away from them. They threw water over it before taking it.
Voice 1
Usha was not the only untouchable sanitation worker in her town. Three hundred [300] other women had the same job. And untouchables do this job in many other areas of India too. This job is necessary, wherever people use dry toilets. These toilets do not have pipes to carry waste away. A person must empty these toilets. India has outlawed¹² dry toilets, but it takes time to replace the old toilets. So the work still exists. The women working to clean the waste want different jobs. But since the women are “untouchable”, they cannot find other work.
Voice 2
But, one man wanted to help them. Doctor Bindeshwar Pathak is from the highest caste. He remembers as a child being punished for touching¹³ a woman from the lowest caste. As he grew older he saw how other people lived. He saw the women of the “untouchable” caste, and their difficult situations.
Voice 1
Dr⁵. Pathak wanted to help these women. In 1970, Dr. Pathak started the group Sulabh International. The group works¹⁴ to encourage human rights, clean the environment, teach people, and manage waste in better ways. Managing waste is how Dr. Pathak hopes to help the women in Alwar.
Voice 2
Sulabh International has developed new kinds of toilets. They are replacing the dry toilets. They are cleaner, and work better. This also means¹⁵ that women like Usha are not needed any more. But Dr. Pathak has a solution for this problem as well.
Voice 1
In 2003, Dr. Pathak started a school for the sanitation workers. Usha has attended this school. Here, she learned¹⁶ to read and write. She learned new skills for work. This included learning¹⁷ to make clothes – including beautiful blue saris. These saris are a common kind of clothing for Indian women.
Voice 2
But Dr. Pathak did not just want to give job training. Dr. Pathak wanted to change people’s minds about these women. When he started the school in Alwar, he took the women to the places that they were not permitted¹⁸ to enter. First, he took the women to a Hindu temple. He then took them to a costly¹⁹ restaurant. The owner of the eating place did not want to let the women in. Like most people, he had existing ideas about “untouchables.” He thought they did not know how to behave – and might steal or break something. But Dr. Pathak knew this was not true. To prove this, he offered to pay for any damage. At the end of the meal, everything was fine and the restaurant owner apologized. This proved to the women that opinions could change!
Voice 1
Dr Pathak’s work became famous across the country. People outside of the country also began to hear about his positive influence. And in 2008 the United²⁰ Nations invited Dr. Pathak and the former sanitation workers to travel to New York. At a special event, the women took part in a fashion show. They wore the saris they had made, to show their beautiful work. Usha was one of these women. Only a few years ago, she was cleaning human waste. But on this day Usha was crowned²¹ the “Princess of Sanitation Workers”.
Voice 2
And after Usha returned to India, she had another honour. On July 27, 2008 Usha met Pratibha Patil, the president of India. The president talked with Usha about Usha’s life and experiences. The president even touched her.
Usha spoke²² about how her life has changed:
Voice 3
“I never imagined that I would get a chance to stand in front of the president and speak. I never imagined that I would get on an airplane. My life has changed.”
Voice 2
Usha thanks Dr. Pathak and his group Sulabh International.
Voice 3
“About sixty [60] of us have been empowered. We sew, cook and make clothes. Our self–respect has been returned. And we now expect a promising²³ future for our children.”
Voice 1
Dr. Pathak and Sulabh International continue to help people throughout²⁴ India and the world. Sulabh has built three other schools like the one Usha attended. The group says that it has provided²⁵ new jobs to over thirty five thousand [35,000] people. It has made two hundred forty [240] towns waste–worker free.
Voice 2
More than help for waste workers, Sulabh has provided new toilets for people’s homes. It has also placed public pay toilets in city centres in India, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Afghanistan. Sulabh International is not just making life better for waste–workers. It is improving the health of people all over the world one toilet at a time!
Dr. Pathak believes that bringing change in people’s lives is easy.
Voice 4
“We have everything we need to change things. It is SO SO simple. If only people have the desire.”
 

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 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

3 employer   

n.雇用方，雇主

参考例句：

• My employer deducted ten pounds from my wages this week.我的雇主从我本周的工钱中扣除了十英镑。
• His monthly salary is paid into the bank by his employer.他的月薪由雇主替他存入银行。

4 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》

5 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。

6 illegal   

adj.不合法的，非法的，犯法的

参考例句：

• I don't want to get mixed up with any illegal organization.我不想与任何非法组织有牵连。
• It's illegal for people under 17 to drive a car in Britain.在英国，不满17岁的人驾驶车辆是违法的。

7 priests   

n.（基督教和罗马天主教的）神父( priest的名词复数 )；牧师；（非基督教会的）教士；祭司

参考例句：

• the ordination of women priests 女司祭的授职礼
• The clergy remain divided on the issue of women priests. 在女性教士的问题上，牧师们意见不一。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 scholars   

n.奖学金获得者( scholar的名词复数 )；学者；聪颖勤奋的学生；文人学士

参考例句：

• Many scholars have argued thus. 许多学者都这样论证过。
• This university has turned out some first-rate scholars. 这所大学培养了一些第一流的学者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 military   

n.军队；adj.军事的，军人的，好战的

参考例句：

• The area has been declared a closed military zone.这个地区已宣布为军事禁区。
• The king was just the tool of the military government.国王只是军政府的一个傀儡。

10 traders   

n.商人( trader的名词复数 )；经商者；商船；（证券交易中不为他人作代理而自行交易的）交易人

参考例句：

• Beware of dishonest traders in the tourist areas. 在旅游区一定要谨防奸商。
• Many traders went under during the war. 战争时期，许多商人破产。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 difficulty   

n.困难，费劲；难事，难题；麻烦，困境

参考例句：

• If there is any difficulty,please let us know promptly.倘有困难，请迅速通知我们。
• A little difficulty like this is nothing to us.这点困难算不了什么。

12 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

13 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

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 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。

16 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。

17 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。

18 permitted   

允许( permit的过去式和过去分词 )； 许可； 许用

参考例句：

• Radios are not permitted in the library. 图书馆内不许使用收音机。
• Entrance is permitted only on production of a ticket. 出示门票才可进入。

19 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

20 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。

21 crowned   

adj.有王冠的，王室的

参考例句：

• to be crowned queen 加冕为女王
• The coin has a crowned lion on its reverse. 这枚硬币反面的图案是个戴皇冠的狮子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 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。

23 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

24 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。

25 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。