英语听力—环球英语 508 Mobility without Barriers

　　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
Jamilla moved toward² the finish line. The race was almost done! It was December 4, 2008. Jamilla was 16 years old. She competed against many other girls. With a smile on her face, she raced towards the finish line. And Jamilla won!
But this was not a usual race. And Jamilla is not a usual sports player. Jamilla's legs do not work correctly. She won the race using a special machine, a Mobility³ Cycle. Today's Spotlight is on a group called Mobility without Barriers⁴. They are helping⁵ young people with disabilities to move through the world more easily.
Voice 2
On December 4, 2008, over 30,000 people gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This was Africa's largest ten kilometre road race - "the Great Ethiopian Run". This event celebrates the great running history of Ethiopia. The race is supported by the car company Toyota. But it is also supported by the aid group UNICEF. During the event, UNICEF raised money for fighting HIV and AIDS in Ethiopia. This money will go to children whose parents have died of AIDS. But UNICEF did not just support the big event! They also supported smaller events for children. Through these races, UNICEF hopes to encourage running as a good activity for children.
Voice 1
The final race of the event was held with the help of The Dream Campaign⁶ and Mobility without Barriers. This race was a mobility cycle race for children living with disabilities. The race was organized by Haile Gebreselassie. He is a famous Ethiopian runner. He even competed in the Olympics. Mr. Gebreselassie met each young person competing in the race. The racers got ready. Their mobility cycles were in a line.
But what exactly is a mobility cycle?
Voice 2
A mobility cycle is a kind of wheelchair⁷ for disabled children. It combines a bicycle and a chair. It has three wheels: two large wheels and one small one. The two large wheels sit on either side of the chair. The small wheel is behind the chair. The two large wheels are moved with hand cranks. The person sitting on the cycle turns these cranks with his hands, which moves the mobility cycle.
Voice 1
The mobility cycle is for people who cannot use their legs. The hand cranks let a person to move with the power of their arms. And the large wheels let a person move over any kind of ground.
Voice 2
The story of the mobility cycle started in 1992. The Mobility without Barriers group started in rural⁸ India. They wanted to help solve the problems facing disabled children around the world.
Voice 1
Thousands of children in the world are unable to walk from their home to school. This problem keeps many children from a positive future. Other groups have provided⁹ children with wheelchairs¹⁰. But these wheelchairs have a problem. Common wheelchairs could not easily climb hills. They could not travel over rocky¹¹ ground well. Sometimes these wheelchairs would fall over. And often, children did not have enough strength to push themselves where they needed to go.
Voice 2
Mobility without Barriers worked with designers¹² to develop a machine that would work better for disabled children. They created new ways to turn, and new ways to power the wheels. They created the mobility cycle.
Voice 1
Mobility without Barriers hopes to improve children's lives in four ways. The first way is by giving them a way in to schools and other social services. The mobility cycle lets children go to school regularly¹³. The group believes that a child's future starts with school: basic human rights, the ability to read, and the ability to get a job.
Voice 2
The second way the mobility cycle improves children's lives is by encouraging them emotionally¹⁴. The mobility cycle helps disabled children move around and travel as easily as any other child. This improves a child's opinion of himself. It helps a child to believe in his hopes and dreams.
Voice 1
The third way children's lives are improved is by helping them socially. The mobility cycle can help disabled children play with other children. The children can be included in games and visit their friends' homes. These friendships can make positive changes in a child's life.
Voice 2
And finally the mobility cycle can help a disabled child and his family economically. In many places, children help in the family business. Usually, disabled children cannot help in this way. But with the mobility cycle, disabled children can help make money for their families.
Voice 1
In India, Mobility without Barriers is changing children's lives. In addition to giving disabled children mobility cycles, the group is helping in other ways. The group has given training in particular skills. These skills will help the children get jobs in the future. Children who are not in school receive help to return to school.
Voice 2
The group has also taught local people in India how to build mobility cycles for children in the area. And children who use the cycles have helped to improve the design for new versions¹⁵ of the cycles.
Voice 1
Mobility without Barriers is also working with children in Ethiopia. Estimates¹⁶ show that around 5,000,000 children and adults in Ethiopia are disabled. But only 500 wheelchairs are produced each year. Mobility without Barriers is trying to change this. Today, 600 young people already use Mobility Cycles. The group has promised that over the next two years, 4,000 more cycles will be given to disabled children.
Voice 2
The group has also developed a special vehicle¹⁷ to help disabled children get to school. It is a cart¹⁸, pulled by a horse. The children can sit safely in the cart and travel to school. It does not cost much money, and it can carry as many as 18 children.
Voice 1
The lives of many children in Ethiopia and India have been improved by the work of Mobility without Barriers. One of these children is Jamilla, the winner of the mobility cycle race. Her disability has not stopped her from doing the things she wants. And with the help of Mobility without Barriers, even more disabled children will be able to reach their goals.
 

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 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

4 barriers   

n.障碍( barrier的名词复数 )；屏障；栅栏；分界线

参考例句：

• The crowd had to stand behind barriers. 人群只好站在障碍物后面。
• the dissolution of barriers of class and race 阶级和种族隔阂的消除

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 campaign   

n.运动；竞选活动；战役；vi.参加运动；进行竞选；作战

参考例句：

• The election campaign heated up in that state.该州竞选运动激烈起来了。
• The campaign had begun during his absence.在他不在期间运动已经开始了。

7 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。

8 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

9 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。

10 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。

11 rocky   

adj.岩石的，像岩石的；多岩石的

参考例句：

• She drives carefully up the rocky lane.她驾车小心地从这条很多石头的小路上驶过去。
• There is only one port along this rocky coast.这个多岩石的海岸只有一个港口。

12 designers   

n.设计师( designer的名词复数 )；图案设计师；打样师；制图员

参考例句：

• Have you seen that article about young fashion designers? 你见到了关于年轻时装设计师的那篇文章没有？
• Every moment of the fashion industry's misery is richly deserved by the designers and magazine poltroons who perpetuate this absurd creation. 时装工业每一个痛苦的时刻都是完全应该被时装设计师们…和那些使这种荒诞创造永久化的杂志懦夫领受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 regularly   

adv.有规则地，一丝不苟地，正式地

参考例句：

• Check the engine oil level regularly.要时常检查机油量。
• We meet regularly to discuss business.我们定期会面讨论事务。

14 emotionally   

adv.感情上，情绪上，冲动地

参考例句：

• a special school for emotionally disturbed children 为精神异常儿童开办的特殊学校
• A wide range of emotionally stressful events may trigger a relapse. 多种令人情绪紧张的事情都可能引起旧病复发。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 versions   

n.译本( version的名词复数 )；版本；（个人对事件的）描述；（原物的）变体

参考例句：

• There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本，一长一短。
• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 vehicle   

n.车辆，交通工具，运载工具；媒介，表现手段

参考例句：

• Air is the vehicle of sound.空气是声音传播的媒介。
• The power plant burns used vehicle tyres as fuel.这家电厂用废弃轮胎作燃料。

18 cart   

n.（二轮或四轮）运货马车，手推车；vt.用马车装载，用手提（笨重物品），强行带走

参考例句：

• We use this to cart the goods.我们用这个来拉运货物。
• Let's go over and help them pull the cart.咱们过去帮他们拉车。