英语听力—环球英语 495 Seafarers: Life at Sea

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Ryan Geertsma.
Voice 2
And I'm Ruby² Jones. 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 3
‘It is three thirty in the morning - I get up. I wash and put on my seaman's clothes. I get a cup of coffee and I take my notebook. Four o'clock - I report for my morning watch. I watch for other boats or objects in the water. I check the ship's position and change its direction when necessary. Eight o'clock: I finish my duty as a watchman. I complete my report and go to the chief officer for the day's orders. He tells me we will arrive at Jebel Ali port at eleven o'clock tonight. I eat my morning meal - cereal³, coffee, toasted bread covered with fruit.
Voice 1
This is a typical start to a day for David Corkish. He lives and works⁴ on ships that travel around the world. He knows that many people would call him a sailor. But today the ships do not have sails. So sailors like people to call them seafarers. David Corkish spends many months on the large container ships that he works on. These ships transport goods around the world.
Voice 2
Living life at sea raises several issues. Today's Spotlight looks at the lives of people who live and work at sea. It also looks at one organisation⁵ that works to support these seafarers.
Voice 1
You are probably listening to this programme on a radio or computer. If you are, then you probably have a seafarer to thank for it. Ships transport about ninety five percent of the goods that are traded in the world. But travelling by sea between Europe, Asia and America takes weeks. It can also be dangerous. Seafarer David Corkish says,
Voice 3
‘Danger comes from several areas. Firstly, the work. The nature of our job is dangerous. We are always watching for each other's safety... Then, the weather. The weather can also change in a very short time. This adds its own problems... We also face danger from pirates⁶ - sea robbers⁷. Crews can be held hostage⁸, beaten, robbed and killed. Sometimes pirates leave the crew floating in the ship's emergency lifeboats. Then they steal the ship and its cargo⁹.'
Voice 2
There are good things about living life at sea, however. Seafarers travel the world, visiting new and exciting countries. They also meet many different people. But spending so much time away from home can be difficult. And some ship owners treat their crew very badly.
Voice 1
One organisation that helps with these problems is the Sailors' Society. The Sailors' Society started in Britain but it is now international. In 2008 it celebrated¹⁰ its 190th birthday. The Sailors' Society is a Christian¹² organisation. It has centres in many ports all over the world. The centres have workers called chaplains. The chaplains do what they can to help any seafarer who arrives in the port. David Potterton is from the Sailors' Society. He says their work is important to the seafarers.
Voice 4
‘Seafarers often depend on help. Organisations like ours provide that help. We have a group of international port chaplains. The port chaplains will visit the ship. Every seafarer has individual needs. And usually seafarers want to call or e-mail their homes. So we are happy to take them to one of our Seafarer centres. Or we find a local internet cafe so they can e-mail their families.'
Voice 2
The Sailors' Society is just one of many Christian organisations that works with seafarers. Similar organisations also exist in other countries around the world. Together these organisations have formed one large group.
Voice 1
The group is called the International Christian Maritime¹³ Association¹⁴ - or ICMA. The group's aim is to help organisations from different countries to work together better. The ICMA has 27 member organisations. Together they work in 126 countries. The ICMA says that their aim is to encourage people to live peacefully, and to accept each others' differences. Their job is to do this for all seafarers - no matter what nationality, religion, culture, language, sex or race they are.
Voice 2
The organisations' workers may speak different languages And, they may express their faith in slightly different ways. But the ICMA exists to prevent this being a problem. All the organisations are united by one belief. They all believe in the teachings¹⁵ of the Christian Bible¹⁶. David Potterton from the Sailors Society says this is the reason they do their work.
Voice 4
‘There is a very clear command in the Bible. It tells us to care for foreigners and people whom we do not know. These can be people who arrive in a new place for many kinds of reasons. We want to show the love of Christ¹¹ to these people.'
Voice 1
But why seafarers? Why do these organisations choose to serve this group of workers? David Potterton says it is because seafarers can be very lonely people.
Voice 4
‘Of course the biggest problem for them is that they are away from their friends and families for many months. But on the ship they can feel alone because of their language. They may be the only seafarer that speaks a particular language. They also may not have anyone else to share their faith with - Christian or Muslim.'
Voice 2
David Corkish agrees that feeling lonely is one of the biggest problems for seafarers. But he says seafarers have to learn to live and work together.
Voice 3
‘When someone goes off to sea it is important to forget about differences. These differences can be with culture, religion or nationality. One thing joins everyone together - they are all in the same boat. So they work together. One sailor suffering causes the whole team to suffer.'
Voice 1
Loneliness can be felt by anyone at any time. You do not have to be away at sea for many months to know this. But for seafarers the problem does seem particularly bad. Organisations like the Sailors Society do what they can to support seafarers.
Voice 2
Sometimes people who are feeling lonely just need someone to talk to. Or they just need a little bit of help. These are things any one of us can do. We just need to stop what we are doing, and make time.
 

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 cereal   

n.谷类，五谷，禾谷

参考例句：

• I have hot cereal every day for breakfast.我每天早餐吃热麦片粥。
• Soybeans are handled differently from cereal grains.大豆的加工处理与谷类的加工处理不同。

4 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。

5 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

6 pirates   

n.海盗( pirate的名词复数 )；剽窃者；侵犯版权者；非法播音的人（或组织）

参考例句：

• Children dressed (themselves) up as pirates. 孩子们假扮成海盗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The pirates treated their captives with barbarity. 海盗们残暴地对待他们的俘虏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 robbers   

n.抢劫者，强盗，盗贼( robber的名词复数 )；盗匪

参考例句：

• The robbers fled empty-handed. 抢劫犯一无所获地逃走了。
• The policeman discharged his gun at the fleeing robbers. 警察向逃跑的强盗开了枪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 hostage   

n.人质，抵押品

参考例句：

• One group claimed to have executed the American hostage.一个组织声称已经处决了那名美国人质。
• Have you read the article about the rescue of the hostage?你看了关于营救人质的文章了吗？

9 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

10 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

11 Christ   

n.基督，救世主，耶稣

参考例句：

• I regarded him as the Christ.我把他当作救世主。
• Christ preached that we should love each other.基督在布道中说人们应该互爱。

12 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。

13 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

14 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

15 teachings   

n.教学( teaching的名词复数 )；教学工作；教诲；学说

参考例句：

• We must never be unworthy of our teachers' untiring and sincere teachings. 我们决不要辜负老师的谆谆教导。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Party's teachings were ringing in her ears. 党的教导在她耳边回响。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 bible   

n.《圣经》；得到权威支持的典籍

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• This dictionary should be your Bible when studying English.学习英语时，这本字典应是你的主要参考书。