英语听力—环球英语 514 Arts and Freedom

　　Voice 1
Hello and 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
‘This award is not just for me. It is also for artists that have become victims for working with me. And it is an award for theatre in this country.'
Voice 1
Cont Mhlanga is a man who mixes intelligence with courage. These are necessary qualities for artists in Zimbabwe. In November, 2008, Cont Mhlanga received an award for his work from ArtVenture. This organisation³ works to help artists who use their art to help people to improve their lives. The group awarded Mhlanga the ‘ArtVenture Freedom to Create Prize'. The prize is worth about 50,000 dollars. In today's Spotlight we look at ArtVenture, and artists under pressure.
Voice 2
It is easy to see that Cont Mhlanga is an artist. His wide dark eyes tell you that they have something important to say. They tell a story that comes from years of experience of life in Zimbabwe. His once pure black hair has started to go grey. But most of all - he has an air of determination. He refuses to surrender to the hopelessness around him - or to the authorities.
Voice 1
Cont Mhlanga has written over 20 plays - stories for actors to perform. The authorities banned his last two plays for their political content. In his plays, Mhlanga often uses a particular kind of intelligent humour: satire⁴. The play that won the award for Mhlanga is, ‘The Good President'. The play is presented as imaginary, as fiction. In the first part of the play, protestors gather together. But police chase them away. A gathering⁵ of more than five is against the country's law. The play also shows an elected opposition⁶ leader being badly beaten at the police station.
Actors performed the play in Zimbabwe in 2007. Authorities banned the play because they said it was political. But ArtVenture gave the award for that very same reason. The judges of the award described the play as;
Voice 4
‘.. a political satire that shows an African dictator who has ruled Zimbabwe for 27 years since the country became independent in 1980.'
Voice 1
Mhlanga said:
Voice 3
‘People are free to create whatever meaning they want from the play. That is the purpose of theatre.'
Voice 2
Another award went to a South East Asian artist. This man made thousands of people laugh. But now he stands behind prison bars. Zarganar is a popular comedian⁷ in Burma - famous for making people laugh. And he is the winner of the ArtVenture "Freedom to Create: Imprisoned⁸ Artist" Prize. Zarganar freely uses humour to speak about the military government. Burmese authorities have arrested him for this in the past. But they have always released him. But in November 2008, the authorities sentenced Zarganar to 45 years imprisonment⁹. Earlier that year Zarganar had helped victims of Cyclone¹⁰ Nargis. He organised a group to deliver private aid. Normally a government would welcome this kind of help. However, Zarganar also publicly criticized the government for being slow to help the victims of the cyclone. It seems Zarganar represented a threat to the government's authority. Human rights groups have condemned¹² Zarganar's trial.
Voice 1
There were many artists who came close to winning ArtVenture's main prize. ArtVenture published a ‘short list' of these artists and groups. The list included popular singer ‘Deeyah. In the music world, she is often called ‘the Muslim Madonna!' Deeyah is famous for her work with female victims of violence as well as for her music. She has been at the centre of debate. Some people have praised her work and singing. Other people have condemned her. These people do not approve of the clothes she wears, or the way she dances.
Voice 2
In Eastern Europe, the Belarus Free Theatre group were also on ArtVenture's shortlist of winners. The Belarus Theatre group started in 2005. And it is all about being free to express different opinions through art. This is a new idea in Belarus. The actors are showing the people new ways of thinking.
Voice 1
The spotlight moves back to Africa, this time on an artist from Uganda. The artist's name is Peter Oloya. His work of art is a sculpture - a statue. The brown statue is in the form of a small person bending under a heavy load. On his back is a huge rock - many times bigger than he is. Peter Oloya is another artist on ArtVenture's ‘short list.' He came close to winning their main prize. Peter uses traditional African art to show the hard reality of war. He works with young people in the districts of Kitgum and Gulu, Northern Uganda. Here, he started the Art for Community Development organisation. This group trains young people in arts and education. Peter explains that most of the children are suffering mentally from the war. But he says that training helps with the healing process. He says,
Voice 3
‘It is important to bring some kind of normal life to young, innocent lives. They are the future. One day they will help to bring peace to the country.'
Voice 1
Peter can relate to these children's suffering on a personal level. He said,
Voice 3
‘Art has given a structure to my life. I have lived through war and experienced death all through my early years. I used art to help me through those difficult times.'
‘In fact, it continues to help me to this very day.'
Voice 1
ArtVenture's young people's prize went to Latin America - to a music group called City of Rhyme. The group contains 14 young musicians. They live in the extremely poor areas of Recife, northern Brazil. They condemn¹¹ violence in their singing.
Voice 2
ArtVenture launched its awards in 2008. It hopes that it will encourage and help artists around the world. The rest of the year, the group continues to award money to art groups working for change. The organisation believes that culture and art can change the world. It says:
Voice 4
‘Art empowers people through the free expression of ideas, hopes and dreams. It helps create our future.'

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 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。

4 satire   

n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品

参考例句：

• The movie is a clever satire on the advertising industry.那部影片是关于广告业的一部巧妙的讽刺作品。
• Satire is often a form of protest against injustice.讽刺往往是一种对不公正的抗议形式。

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

8 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

9 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

10 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

11 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

12 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。