英语听力—环球英语 470：Body Image: A Guide to Being Anorexic

　　Voice 1
Hello. Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Ruby² Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
‘At first I believed my thoughts were normal. You do not expect your eyes to lie! I looked at myself in the mirror. I hated what I saw. I hated myself so much that I reduced the amount of food that I ate. I did lots of exercise. Then, I felt better about myself. I decided³ that once I had reduced my weight a little, I would eat normally⁴ again. But when that time came, I was afraid. It felt good to lose a kilogram⁵ or so. I made sure I did lots of exercise everyday. In the end, my body felt terrible. But my mind said I am a horrible⁶ person who deserves⁷ pain.”
Voice 1
The opening words are from a young girl with anorexia⁸ nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is a condition that affects the mind – and the body. Anorexics have a false image of themselves. They work to make themselves as thin as possible. Anorexia damages a person’s health. It can lead to death. Anorexia can affect anyone at any time. But it is most common among young women and girls.
Today’s programme on anorexia is one of three Spotlight programmes on the subject of ‘Body Image.’
Eva Joy Musick is a woman who used to suffer with anorexia. One thing Eva learnt is that knowledge can bring power. Many former anorexics wish they had known⁹ about the sickness before it fully¹⁰ developed. Then, they may have been able to avoid it. So Eva wrote a short story to communicate some facts about anorexia. Eva tells the story through the eyes of a seventeen year old girl who has had anorexia, but who has been cured. In the story, this girl is in a car with Heather. Heather is a younger girl who does not understand that anorexia is a serious condition. Heather even speaks about becoming anorexic as if it is a good thing – something to be desired. Eva decides to shock Heather by telling her what an anorexic’s life is really like.
Voice 2
“So you want to be anorexic then?” I asked Heather.
“Yes”, she replied. “And don’t try and tell me all the bad things about how anorexia will kill me and ...”
I stopped her: “No, no, I am not here to do that. I am here to welcome you to the group! I was anorexic once. Now, I just help new girls”. Heather seemed shocked!
We drove¹¹ to my house and I gave Heather a pen and piece of paper. I said, “Now, write down everything you enjoy and love in life.”
Just then, the telephone rang. It was my friend, Shawna. She and Nikki were going out to eat pizza. And they invited me. I told them I was with Heather. I said that I would bring her too. Heather passed me the piece of paper. “Finished!” she said. I looked at it.
“Let me see what you have written. You have your friends, family, boys... Is that all? Let us add these words too – life and future, OK?” Heather agreed. I put the piece of paper into my bag. And we left for the pizza place.
When we arrived my friends were waiting. The huge tasty pizza was already on the table. We sat down. And I reached for a piece of pizza to eat. Heather reached for a piece too. “Urm what are you doing?” I asked. “You can’t do that remember? You are anorexic.” And I pushed her hand back.
“But you are eating!” She protested¹².
“That is not the point”, I said. “Anyway, I said I show people how to be anorexic. I am not anorexic.” Angrily, Heather sat back in her chair.
A few minutes later, a group of Heather’s friends came in. Heather stood up to go and sit with her friends. But I held her arm and turned to her friends; “I do apologise¹³. Heather cannot spend time with you anymore. She is anorexic now and she cannot have friends.”
Heather shouted, “What are you talking about?”
“No need to be angry Heather. You may as well start this right. Anorexics do not have time for friends, do they Nikki?” I said.
“No, you did not have time for us,” Nikki agreed. “Sorry Heather, but anorexia is your only friend now. You want to stay thin don’t you?”
Heather lowered¹⁴ her head. “Sorry friends, some other time.”
On the way home, I drove very slowly. We passed a man and a woman, holding hands. “You see those people Heather? Well, you can forget all that. Anorexics do not have time for love.” Then we passed an old woman sitting in front of her house. “Well, one good thing.” I said. “You will not have to worry about being like that. You will die before you are old! So, pass me that piece of paper you wrote on. Now, we better get rid of some of these things. Let me see ... friends, marriage, future.”
“What?!” Heather shouted. “That only leaves my family!”
“Oh yes, you better get rid of that too. You will cause your family great sadness Heather.”
“But I love my family.” Heather said, sadly. She began shouting and hitting her hand on the car door. By that time I had stopped in front of her house. “But Heather, you will not have time for...”
“Do not tell me that because I will! You are insane¹⁵! I will have time and you know why? Being thin is not worth all that!” She shouted as she got out of the car.
So that is how I taught Heather to become the perfect anorexic!
Voice 1
No one fully understands why anorexia develops in some people and not others. It is a complex¹⁶ sickness. But many people believe that anorexia is caused by deeper, mental issues¹⁷. One theory concerns the need to control. Imagine a girl who feels that she has no control in areas such as family conflict¹⁸, school pressures, growing problems or some situation of violence¹⁹. The theory suggests that such a girl could turn her need to control on herself. She may take firm control of her own body – even denying²⁰ it food. Then she may become anorexic.
Theories like this suggest that treatment for anorexics is not only about gaining weight. It is about giving sufferers other tools to deal with life’s difficulties²¹. These tools can include self belief, love, a sense of belonging, knowledge that someone has faith in them. These are all tools that will empower young people – in a way that will not bring damage to their bodies.
In another Spotlight programme we tell how one girl’s religious²² faith helped her fight anorexia. That programme is called; ‘Running on Empty.’
 

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 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。

3 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。

4 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

5 kilogram   

n.千克，公斤(略作kg)

参考例句：

• Apple costs five dollars a kilogram.苹果每千克5美元。
• The kilogram is the international standard of weight.公斤是国际通用的重量标准。

6 horrible   

adj.可怕的，极可憎的，极可厌的

参考例句：

• This is a horrible monster.这是一个可怕的怪物。
• That is a horrible accident.那是一次可怕的事故。

7 deserves   

v.应受，应得，值得( deserve的第三人称单数 )；应受报答；应得报酬；应得赔偿

参考例句：

• A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon. 不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is the only poet in this country that deserves the name. 他是这个国家唯一的一位名副其实的诗人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 anorexia   

n.厌食症

参考例句：

• Anorexia can creep up on young girls when they least expect it.年轻女子可能在最没有防备的情況下患上厌食症。
• Anorexia is a common eating disorder.厌食是一种常见的饮食紊乱症。

9 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

10 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。

11 drove   

vbl.驾驶，drive的过去式；n.畜群

参考例句：

• He drove at a speed of sixty miles per hour.他以每小时60英里的速度开车。
• They drove foreign goods out of the market.他们把外国货驱逐出市场。

12 protested   

v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• He protested he was being cheated of his rightful share. 他提出抗议说他被人骗取了他依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Amy protested she was being cheated of her rightful share. 艾米提出抗议，说有人骗取了她依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 apologise   

vi.(=apologize）道歉

参考例句：

• You forgot to apologise.你忘记道歉了。
• I must apologise that if I offended you I didn't mean to.我必须向您道歉，如果冒犯了您，我不是有意的。

14 lowered   

v.（使）降低， （使）跌落( lower的过去式和过去分词 )；削弱；削减；减少

参考例句：

• Every evening at sunset the flag was lowered. 每天傍晚日落时都要降旗。
• She lowered her eyelids, then sprang them open. 她低垂着眼睑，然后突然睁开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 insane   

adj.蠢极的，荒唐的，精神错乱的，疯狂的

参考例句：

• Insane people are sometimes dangerous.精神病人有时非常危险。
• The letter made her insane with jealousy.那封信使她妒忌得发疯。

16 complex   

adj.复杂的，合成的，综合的；n.联合体

参考例句：

• What he said was too complex for me to understand.他说的太复杂了，我无法了解。
• Justice is part of the complex machinery of the law.正义是复杂的法律机器的一部分。

17 issues   

（水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题

参考例句：

• Let's start with the more easily addressable issues. 我们先从较容易处理的问题着手。
• Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics. 就业和征税是很重要的政治问题。

18 conflict   

n.冲突，矛盾，争执；vi.争执，撞斗，冲突，抵触

参考例句：

• Your statement is in conflict with the rest of the evidence.你的陈述同其余证据有矛盾。
• The conflict between them seems ceaseless.他们之间冲突似乎没个止息。

19 violence   

n.暴力，暴虐，暴行，猛烈，强烈，强暴

参考例句：

• It was an absolutely senseless act of violence.这是毫无意义的暴力行为。
• They attacked with violence.他们猛烈攻击。

20 denying   

v.拒绝( deny的现在分词 )；拒绝承认；拒绝…占有；否认知情

参考例句：

• The President issued a terse statement denying the charges. 总统发表了一份简短的声明，否认那些指控。
• It's no use denying it; the evidence is conclusive. 证据确凿，不容狡赖。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 difficulties   

n.困难( difficulty的名词复数 )；难度；难事；麻烦

参考例句：

• I am acutely aware of the difficulties we face. 我十分清楚我们面临的困难。
• the difficulties of English syntax 英语句法的难点

22 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。