英语听力—环球英语 488 Riding Across Ghana

　　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
It is 2001. Emmanuel Yeboah rides his bicycle down village roads in Ghana. The two wheels of this machine have taken him a long way! In cities he meets with children, city officials, and church leaders. He has been riding for over a month. He has already travelled over one hundred kilometres down difficult roads. As he rides, he wears a red shirt. The letters on his shirt read “The Pozo”, Ghanaian slang² for a disabled person. Emmanuel is riding his bicycle to change people’s opinions about disabled people. He himself is disabled.
Voice 2
Today’s Spotlight is on Emmanuel Yeboah and his fight for the rights of disabled people.
Voice 1
Emmanuel was born in Ghana in 1977. When he was born, his parents were sad. Emmanuel was born without a tibia, the large bone in the lower³ part of his right leg. His foot hung uselessly from his leg.
Voice 2
In Ghana at that time, people thought of disability in a bad way. If a child was born with a disability, people thought that the child’s mother had done something wrong. They thought that the disability was a punishment. So when Emmanuel was born, his father left the family.
Voice 1
But Emmanuel’s mother, Comfort, was strong. People in the community told Comfort to leave the baby, or even kill him. But she did not do either of these things. She cared for her baby. She wanted Emmanuel to grow up, and become a great man. She did not have much money, but she made sure that Emmanuel attended school. At first, she even carried him there! Later, Emmanuel would go on his own. He jumped on one leg all the way. He continued, even though the other children did not treat him well.
Voice 2
But when Emmanuel was 13, he left school. Comfort was sick, and the family needed his help. So Emmanuel travelled to the city of Accra to earn money. Many disabled people in Accra begged on the street - they asked other people for money and help. But Emmanuel did not want to do this. Instead, he found a job shining shoes. He made just enough money to save a little for his family.
Voice 1
But Comfort’s health did not improve. She was dying⁴. Emmanuel visited her one last time, during Christmas. Before she died, Comfort pulled him close and said “Do not let anyone put you down because of your disability.”
Voice 2
These words from his mother felt strong in Emmanuel’s heart. He went back to shining shoes but he dreamed of doing something more. And one day he got an idea. He decided⁵ to a bicycle around Ghana to let people know more about disability.
Voice 1
But first, Emmanuel needed a bicycle. A Christian⁶ doctor told Emmanuel of a group in California⁷ called the Challenged⁸ Athlete Foundation⁹, or CAF. This group helps disabled sports players. Because of Emmanuel’s desire to help others, the group sent Emmanuel a bicycle, and money for the trip.
Voice 2
Before he left, Emmanuel exercised and prepared his body. He also tried to meet with the king of Ghana. He wanted the support of his country. And finally, the king agreed to meet with Emmanuel. It was the first time a disabled person had entered the king’s home. The king asked Emmanuel why Emmanuel was planning this trip. And what did Emmanuel want from the king? Emmanuel replied:
Voice 3
“I want to prove that just because you have a disability does not mean you cannot use your god given gifts. And I need your support”
Voice 1
Emmanuel got the king’s support. He rode his bicycle through villages and cities. He spoke¹⁰ about the rights of disabled people. And he requested that disabled people be given the same respect as able-bodied people. Many people heard of Emmanuel and his long bicycle ride. He was becoming famous in Ghana.
Voice 2
After Emmanuel finished the bicycle trip, the CAF invited him to travel to the United¹¹ States for a race. Emmanuel accepted and competed. When the race was over, some doctors looked at Emmanuel’s leg. They asked him if he would like to be fitted with a prosthetic, or man-made¹², leg. In the race Emmanuel saw other people running and bicycling with prosthetic legs. He thought he could do the same thing.
Voice 1
So he agreed. The doctors removed Emmanuel’s useless leg and replaced it with a prosthetic. Normally¹³ this kind of operation would have cost thousands of dollars. But the doctors did it for free. And people at the hospital even gave money to help Emmanuel and his family while he was in the United States.
Voice 2
Six weeks after the operation Emmanuel joined another triathlon race. But this time he was competing with two legs. He finished the race in three hours less time then before. With his new leg, it was much easier. And then, Emmanuel returned home to Ghana. He walked down the streets of his home for the first time. He walked on his own two feet into his church for the first time. And at the end of that year, he stood up and got married to a woman named Elizabeth.
Voice 1
But Emmanuel’s story does not stop there. Emmanuel has continued to work for disabled people in Ghana. For his work, he received award money from the Nike shoe company and other organizations. With this money, he created the Emmanuel Education Fund¹⁴ in Ghana.
Voice 3
“My goal is to make sure that children with disabilities can go to school, receive good medical care, and play sports whenever they want.”
Voice 2
Emmanuel has promised to put 15 disabled students through school each year. He has also helped give hundreds of wheelchairs¹⁶ to people in Ghana. Even King Osagyefou of Ghana has helped Emmanuel. The king has provided¹⁷ money and support for the Emmanuel Education fund. The king has also helped Emmanuel receive academic and sports training. The king describes Emmanuel as:
Voice 4
“A man who leads by example and who is not driven by self but driven to help others.”
Voice 1
Emmanuel is also working to help other disabled sports players. He created bicycling and running teams for disabled athletes. And he created a wheelchair¹⁵ basketball team. And he even created a Ghanaian Paralympics team, to compete at the international level with other disabled sports players. Emmanuel followed his mother’s words. He did not let anyone put him down for his disability. He has become the great man she hoped and prayed he would be.
 

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 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。

3 lower   

adj.较低的；地位较低的，低等的；低年级的；下游的；vt.放下，降下，放低；减低

参考例句：

• Society is divided into upper,middle and lower classes.社会分为上层、中层和下层阶级。
• This price is his minimum;he refuses to lower it any further.这个价格是他开的最低价，他拒绝再作任何降价。

4 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

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 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。

7 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。

8 challenged   

adj.残疾的，有伤的；有缺陷的或缺少的；受到挑战的v.“challenge”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• a competition for physically challenged athletes 残疾运动员的比赛
• His claim to that piece of property is being challenged. 有人就他对那份财产的声明提出异议。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

10 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。

11 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。

12 man-made   

adj.人造的，合成的，人为的

参考例句：

• Nylon is a man-made fibre.尼龙是一种人造纤维。
• Many countries have sent up man-made satellites to circle the earth.许多国家已经发射人造卫星围绕地球运转。

13 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。

14 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

15 wheelchair   

n.(病人等用的)轮椅

参考例句：

• He used a wheelchair for the rest of his life.他的后半生依靠轮椅生活。
• He collapsed the wheelchair and put it on the boat.他将轮椅折叠起来放在船上。

16 wheelchairs   

轮椅( wheelchair的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The building has been specially designed to provide easy access for people in wheelchairs. 这幢房子特地设计得便于坐轮椅的残疾人进出。
• Men in wheelchairs reeled around the room, shouting and singing. 坐轮椅的男子们大喊大唱，绕着房间回旋移动。

17 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。