英语听力—环球英语 612 Bulembu: Rebuilding a Community

　　Voice 1
Hello and welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Liz Waid,
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 3
‘What will happen to this lovely little country?
Voice 1
A man named Stephen Lewis asked this question. He worked for the United² Nations. He was responsible³ for reporting on the state of HIV/AIDS in Africa. In his report he talked about one particular country - Swaziland. Mr Lewis continued,
Voice 3
‘Swaziland now holds the unwanted record of having the highest HIV rate in the world. HIV/AIDS has reached into the heart of Swaziland and is tearing it to pieces. And there is one other problem that you cannot escape from in Swaziland. This problem comes from the virus⁴ - from the large number of infected women. It is the orphans⁵. Children with no parents are everywhere. I have never seen anything like it.'
Voice 2
Swaziland is a country which suffers greatly from HIV and AIDS. In today's Spotlight we look at a project in this southern African country that is trying to help. We spoke⁶ to a member of a group trying to improve the lives of many people in Swaziland. These people are struggling with poverty⁷ and poor health.
Voice 1
Bulembu is a small town in Swaziland. Bulembu was built around a mine. Many of the ten thousand people who lived in the town worked in the mine. However, in 2001 the mine closed. Suddenly people living in the town had no way of getting money. So they moved to other towns to find work.
Voice 2
In a few years, the population dropped to zero. The houses and the streets were all empty. Everybody had left. This was because there were no longer any jobs in the town.
Voice 1
But today, Bulembu is the centre of a new project in Swaziland. People are returning to the town. Now, about two thousand people live there. They have jobs. And children affected⁸ by HIV/AIDS are receiving care.
Voice 2
Bulembu is coming back to life thanks to an organisation⁹ called Bulembu International. A small group of businessmen started this organisation. One of these men was James Woller. Like the other members of the group he is a Christian¹¹. He explains why they wanted to help people in Swaziland.
Voice 4
‘Swaziland has the highest AIDS rate in the world. It is now over 38 percent. And it is the only developing¹² country in the world that is experiencing negative population growth¹³. Recently the population was about 1.1 million. Now it is below 950 thousand. So if that continues over the next fifty years, it is very possible that the Swazi people will no longer exist. Even the United Nations has stated this. The reason we are getting involved is to try and make a difference to the future of Swaziland. We want to bring hope back. This is part of the Christian message. We believe this is at the centre of the Christian message - Jesus Christ¹⁰ brings hope.'
Voice 1
Bulembu International works¹⁴ in two different ways in the community. Firstly¹⁵ it creates jobs. Secondly¹⁶ it provides care and education to adults and children affected by AIDS. The organisation has helped to create about 600 jobs in the town. These jobs are in four main businesses. One business sells honey. The Bulembu Honey business owns over a thousand bee hives¹⁷. Workers collect the sweet honey stored in them and sell it. Another business bottles water from the area to sell. Another business grows trees and sells the wood. Bulembu has also built holiday homes where people can stay.
Voice 2
The money from the businesses helps to pay for development projects in the town. These include a medical centre where people can receive help. The centre runs a special programme for people with HIV and AIDS. The town also has a school that has about 185. Another project is a centre that cares for orphans. This provides care for about 200 children.
Voice 1
The members of Bulembu International know that any changes in Swaziland may be slow. The effects of HIV and AIDS have been very severe¹⁸. But they hope that the children growing up in Bulembu may be the people who help to change Swaziland. James Woller says the team members in the Bulembu projects have high hopes for these children,
Voice 4
‘These children now have greater chances and they have a quality education. We believe that they will make an amazing difference to their country. This is because they love their country and they love being Swazi. They will be part of the government, or start businesses, or help other people in need in Swaziland. I believe that they will have a big effect on the country.'
Voice 2
One big problem that the Bulembu workers hope to fix soon is the old mine. Much of the old mine still remains¹⁹, even though it is not used. The area of the mine contains large amounts of waste. Experts need to clear this waste before the area can be developed. James Woller says this is an important job.
Voice 4
‘The areas of waste are very clear to see. And it is more than just not looking good. They make people remember the past. We are really trying to find organisations to help us clear the land and plant new trees and grass. That way we can take away that memory of the past.'
Voice 1
The Bulembu project was started in 2006. Currently²⁰ the town still depends on people who give money to the town. But one day Bulembu International hopes that the town will not need this help from other people. James Woller says,
Voice 4
‘Our real goal is that the community of Bulembu will be able to survive by itself. We have set a goal for 2020. By that year we hope the community will no longer need money from other countries to support it. At that point we hope the community will have it own leaders and management. They will take the dreams for this community forward.'
Voice 2
So, what will happen to the lovely little country of Swaziland? Well hope for the country is growing in Bulembu. The town has showed that a community can come back to life. The next question will be if this community can bring new life to their country. The children of Bulembu may just be the people who answer that question.
 

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 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

3 responsible   

adj.有责任的，应负责的；可靠的，可信赖的；责任重大的；vi.休息，睡；静止，停止

参考例句：

• He must be responsible to me for this matter.这件事他必须对我负责。
• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。

4 virus   

n.病毒，滤过性微生物，毒害，恶毒；（一个能够复制、感染其他程序或破坏操作系统的程序）

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a virus infection.他受到病毒感染。
• There is a virus going round the world.世界上流行着一种病毒性疾病。

5 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 poverty   

n.贫穷， 贫困， 贫乏， 缺少

参考例句：

• We must continue to war against poverty and disease.我们一定要继续同贫穷和疾病作斗争。
• He showed his poverty in his knowledge of agriculture.他表现出缺乏对农业知识的了解。

8 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。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 developing   

adj.发展中的

参考例句：

• Transport has always been the key to developing trade.运输一直是发展贸易的关键。
• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。

13 growth   

n.生长，栽培

参考例句：

• All living things depend on the sun for their growth.万物靠太阳生长。
• Youth is the time of physical growth.青年时期是长身体的时期。

14 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。

15 firstly   

adv.第一；首先

参考例句：

• Firstly,you must be loyal to your homeland.首先，你必须忠于你的祖国。
• Firstly,let us deal with the most important issue.首先让我们来处理最紧要的问题。

16 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

17 hives   

荨麻疹； 蜂箱( hive的名词复数 )； 蜂巢； 蜂群； 喧闹地区

参考例句：

• A scent of honey wafted up from the hives. 一股蜂蜜的香味从蜂房里飘上来。
• The scientist's experiments have thrown great light on the amazing ways honeybees communicate in their dark hives. 这位科学家的实验很清楚地表明了在黑暗的蜂房里，蜜蜂是怎样以很巧妙的方式传递信息的。

18 severe   

adj.严格的，凶猛的，严肃的，严重的，严厉的，朴素的

参考例句：

• The severe storm did for most of the crops.猛烈的暴风雨毁掉了大部分庄稼。
• The pace was too severe to be kept up for long.跟上这步伐太难了，无法持久。

19 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

20 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。