英语听力—环球英语 531 Hope in Eritrea

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Liz Waid
Voice 2
And I'm Joshua Leo. 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
Government corruption².
Voice 2
Lack of rain
Voice 1
War and violence
Voice 2
Lack of food
Voice 1
All these things have affected³ the lives of people in Eritrea. Life can be very difficult here. But people are also finding⁴ hope. They are learning⁵ new ways to support themselves. Today's Spotlight is on the work of one group in this troubled country.
Voice 2
Eritrea is a country on the North East side of Africa. It is one of the poorest countries in the world. People here struggle with the most basic problem: food. Even in times with enough rain, people lack food. The country imports about half of its food.
Voice 1
But why has this happened? The first reason is conflict. Eritrea and its neighbour, Ethiopia, have been at war for many years. Today, the two countries have a peace agreement. But there is still concern that the conflict could start again.
Voice 2
In Eritrea, this conflict directly affected the farms. Farms along the border with Ethiopia were damaged. Farmers had to leave these areas. In many places, they cannot return because of land mines buried in the ground.
Voice 1
Many men also left their families to fight in the conflict. Then the women have all the responsibility to get food and care for their families. One third of homes in Eritrea are led by women. They work very hard to provide for their families. And starting in two thousand two, the country faced three years of very little rain. As a result, the country did not have enough food for its people.
Voice 2
Today, almost two thirds of homes in the country do not have food security⁶. That is, two thirds of the people do not know if they will have food in the future. But people in Eritrea are getting help from a group focused on developing successful farms.
Voice 1
The group is called the International Fund⁷ for Agricultural Development or IFAD. They work to help women and men in developing countries. They work especially for people who live in country areas. IFAD's goal is to work with people, and support their work. They help people to use natural resources well. They encourage new ways to earn money. And they find new ways for people to get health services and clean water.
Voice 2
The group also gives people information and new technology for farming. It helps people with small loans⁹ to start a farming business. It also helps them find people who will buy the food they grow. And finally, the IFAD works¹⁰ with governments to find the best ways to help people in need.
Voice 1
One of the ways IFAD is working in Eritrea is by helping¹¹ people keep animals. In many dry areas of Eritrea, it is difficult to grow plants. But it is easier to raise animals. Animals, such as cows, can survive through dry times.
Voice 2
There is one special kind of cow that is especially useful. This cow is from Sudan, a country near Eritrea. It is called the Hamerenya cow. Gbazghi Kefle organized the use of these cows. He describes the cows:
Voice 3
"This is a very special breed¹² of cow. It is calm. It does not get diseases¹³ easily. It provides more milk than other cows. And it can be milked when it is pregnant¹⁴."
Voice 1
The group gives farmers these cows as a loan⁸. The farmers can pay back the cost of the cow over six years. Or they can pay the loan by giving a pregnant cow back to the group.
Voice 2
These Hamerenya cows were given to families in Adi Quala, a village in the center of the country. The cows have changed the lives of people there. The milk is a good healthy food for the families. But these cows produce more milk than other cows. This means the families have extra milk to sell.
Voice 1
Adi Quala is far away from a milk collection center. This caused a problem for the farmers. There was not a good way to sell their extra milk. So the farmers found their own solution to this problem. They created a trading group to sell to families and eating places in the area. The group lets farmers sell about three litres of milk every day.
Voice 2
IFAD did not just give the cows. They also gave training on ways to care for the cows. They showed the farmers how to save money from this business. In this way, the farmers can also pay for medicine and materials to keep the cows healthy.
Voice 1
But Hamerenya cows are just one way that IFAD is helping people in Eritrea. Another way is by helping women earn money.
Voice 2
Women in Eritrea have always been an important part of communities. They have helped grow food and raise animals. As we said earlier, one third of homes in Eritrea are lead by women.
Voice 1
Supporting women is a good way to support whole families.  So, in Western Eritrea, IFAD is working with women to develop new ways to earn money. The group has held classes for local women. The classes teach the women how to make things from palm leaves. The women weave the long leaves together. They make large flat mats, fans to move air, and basket containers.
Voice 2
After the women finish their work around the house and take the animals out to feed, they all gather together. The women sit and create products from palm leaves. Brri Weldemariam talks about the new work she has.
Voice 4
"We received training on how to work with palm leaves. Recently we have started using colored dye¹⁵ to make more beautiful products."
Voice 1
The women sell their products at markets in the town center.
Voice 4
"Before, we did not have any way of making money and depended entirely¹⁶ on our husbands' money. Now that we make these palm products, we are able to meet with other women and also make money. This is allowing us to buy food for the family and also tools to help us make our products. Our dream is to open a store on the main road to sell our products."
Voice 2
These women's lives have changed because of a simple thing. The lives of farmers in Adi Quala have changed because of a new kind of cow. IFAD knows that even in a troubled country like Eritrea, making positive changes is not difficult. It is as easy as making a basket or milking a cow.
 

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 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

5 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

6 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。

7 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。

8 loan   

n.贷款；借出的东西；借；vt.借出；贷予

参考例句：

• I asked the bank to help me with a loan.我请银行给我一笔贷款。
• Has the bank okayed your request for a loan?银行批准你的贷款要求了吗？

9 loans   

n.借出物，借款( loan的名词复数 )v.借出，贷与（尤指钱）( loan的第三人称单数 )；出借（贵重物品给博物馆等）

参考例句：

• They are offering loans at extortionate rates of interest. 他们在放高利贷。
• Government loans have been the salvation of several shaky business companies. 政府的贷款救活了几家濒临倒闭的公司。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 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。

11 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。

12 breed   

n.品种，种类；vi.繁殖，产仔；vt.养殖，产生

参考例句：

• The parents are trying to breed their son a musician.这对父母尽力要把儿子培养成为音乐家。
• This breed of horses is both tall and heavily grown.这种马既高且大。

13 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

14 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

15 dye   

n.染料，染色；v.染，染色

参考例句：

• Black will dye over other colours.黑色能把大多数其他颜色盖住。
• This material does not dye well.这料子染不好。

16 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。