英语听力—环球英语 579 The Last Village

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Robin² Basselin,
Voice 2
And I'm Steve Myersco. 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 1
Tall buildings reach to the sky. Crowds of people walk past on their way to work. The roads are filled with cars and other vehicles³. And the whole area is completely⁴ clean. It is the perfect example of modern city life.
Voice 2
This is Singapore today. This small island country is one of the most modern countries in the world. Everybody here lives in the city. Well, almost everybody. A small group of about thirty [30] families do not. They live in a place that many people from Singapore do not know exists. It is the only remaining village in Singapore - Kampong Buangkok.
Voice 1
In today's Spotlight we hear about some of the people still living in this village. They explain why they like living in Singapore's last village. They also discuss the question: is it better to live in a city or in the village?
Voice 3
‘In this village all of us are friendly towards each other. We like to help each other. That is why we like to stay in the village.'
Voice 2
Fatimah lives in Kampong Buangkok. She is happy to live in a part of Singapore's history. The village of Kampong Buangkok was created in 1956. Over the past fifty [50] years the village has grown and changed. But it has not changed as much as the rest of Singapore. Singapore has changed from a small island with a few villages to one big modern city.
Voice 1
Singapore is a very crowded place. Four and a half million [4,500,000] people live in this country. That may not seem like a big number, but Singapore is very small. It is the smallest country in Southeast Asia. On average, six thousand [6,000] people live in every square kilometre of Singapore. That makes it about twenty [20] times more crowded than India.
Voice 2
Finding⁵ room for everyone to live in Singapore is an important issue⁶. That is why most people now live in large buildings with many homes. These homes are apartments, or flats. These flats were built by the government's Housing⁷ and Development Board. So people call them HDB flats. HDB flats replaced all the other villages - but not Kampong Buangkok. These flats are more modern and have many things that the village houses do not have. But people living in Kampong Buangkok say life is better in their village.
Voice 1
One person who has lived in both Kampong Buangkok and an HDB flat is Ainun. She grew up in the village but now lives in the city with her husband. She says she enjoys living in the village because it is so friendly.
Voice 4
‘At the village it is all about the relationships between people. Gathering⁸ with other villagers and getting to know each other is easy. If we need anything, it is easy to meet them. But if you live in a HDB flat it is very difficult. You cannot just go to their door. You have to call them first to tell them that you are coming today.'
Voice 1
Ainun's husband is called Ahmad. He does not enjoy life in the village so much. He says he is most happy in the city, where he grew up.
Voice 5
‘I like staying in the city more than staying in the village. I feel that it is more exciting. In the city you get to meet a lot of different people. In the village it is just the same people. So the way you look at life may be a bit limited.'
Voice 2
The city and village do have one thing in common. They are full of people from many different ethnic⁹ groups. This is because Singapore grew rich by being a centre of trade. People from all over the world would come to the island to buy and sell their goods. This has given Singapore a rich mix of ethnic groups. The biggest ethnic group is Chinese. Other Singaporeans are from the Malay ethnic group. Others are of Indian origin, and still others come from other parts of the world.
Voice 1
In the 1960s this mix created trouble between the ethnic groups. But in Kampong Buangkok there was no such trouble. People living in the village say there was a special feeling of togetherness there - and that there still is.
Voice 6
‘In the village, even though we are different races, we are family. We mix around.'
Voice 7
‘Some of the Grandmas and Grandpas here have watched me grow up. So I love these old people. They have been almost like my own parents because we are from the same village. So I do not care if they are Malay or Chinese'
Voice 1
However, the village of Kampong Buangkok is now at risk. It seems that the government may soon develop the area. It would become a part of the city. The people living in the village would need to move to HDB flats. The government may give the villagers money to help with the difficulties¹⁰ of losing their homes. But the people of Kampong do not want to lose their village. Fatimah - who we heard from at the beginning of the programme - says,
Voice 3
'We are all neighbours and we have stayed here for a long time. Also, all my children were raised here so I am very sad. We have all become like brothers and sisters. That is why I will be sad to leave the village. If it is possible I hope the authorities¹¹ will not destroy this village. But I do not think it is. I think it will be destroyed.'
Voice 2
The story of Kampong Buangkok is not just one for Singapore. It is an example of something that is happening all over the world. More and more people are living in cities. Normally¹² this is because they are looking for a job. In fact, more people in the world now live in cities than live in the country. So the issues¹³ faced by the people of Kampong Buangkok may also be faced by many other people in the 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 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 vehicles   

n.运载工具；传播媒介；（为展露演员才华而）特意编写的一出戏（或电影等）；[画]展色剂；交通工具( vehicle的名词复数 )；车辆；传播媒介；手段

参考例句：

• There is not much clearance for vehicles passing under this bridge. 车辆在这座桥下通过时没有多少余隙。
• to carry out random spot checks on vehicles 对车辆进行抽检

4 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

5 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。

6 issue   

n.出版，发行，（报刊等）期、号，论点，问题，结果， （水，血等的）流出；vt.使流出，放出，发行（钞票等），发布（命令），出版（书等）发给；vi.发行，流出，造成...结果，进行辩护，传下

参考例句：

• I bought the book the day after its issue.这书出版后的第一天，我就去买了它。
• I'll support her down the line on that issue.在那个问题上我将全力支持她。

7 housing   

n.房屋，住宅；住房建筑；外壳，外罩

参考例句：

• Do you think our housing sales will turn around during this year?你认为今年我们的住宅销路会好转吗？
• The housing sales have been turning down since the summer.入夏以来，房屋的销售量日趋减少。

8 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。

9 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

10 difficulties   

n.困难( difficulty的名词复数 )；难度；难事；麻烦

参考例句：

• I am acutely aware of the difficulties we face. 我十分清楚我们面临的困难。
• the difficulties of English syntax 英语句法的难点

11 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 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。

13 issues   

（水等的）流出( issue的名词复数 )； 出口； 放出； （特别重要或大众关注的）问题

参考例句：

• Let's start with the more easily addressable issues. 我们先从较容易处理的问题着手。
• Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics. 就业和征税是很重要的政治问题。