英语听力—环球英语 637 The Great Orchestras of Christmas Charity

　　Voice 1
Hello and welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Steve Myersco,
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. 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
Today's Spotlight is on a music organisation² that does more than just make music. It is called ‘the Great Orchestra³ of Christmas Charity⁴'.
Voice 3
‘It is sometimes very cold at this time of year, but the hearts of people are warm as the music plays. It performs in big cities and small cities. When the Orchestra visits, the people of Poland show how they are able to help others. There is nothing like it. There is so much joy.'
Voice 2
That was what Jacek told Spotlight. He was talking about a special event that happens in Poland every year - in January. Jacek is a listener⁵ to Spotlight. He wrote to us and suggested that we make a programme about this event. So, today's Spotlight is all about the "Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity".
Voice 1
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is a Polish⁶ organisation. It raises money for sick children in Poland. Every year its members organise⁷ events across the country. The main event is in the Polish capital, Warsaw. This is called the Great Finale. It is a big musical show. It happens on the second Sunday of every New Year - not long after Christmas. Thousands of people go to watch - millions more watch on television.
Voice 2
Many of these people give money to the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. The organisation spends the money on medical equipment for children. Each year it chooses a particular problem that it wants to help with. In the past the Orchestra has helped children with cancer, children with heart problems, children who are hurt in road accidents and new born babies.
Voice 1
In English, the short name for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, is G-O-C-C. But in the Polish language the short name is W-O-S-P, or WOSP. WOSP began in 1993. Since that time the organisation has raised over 100 million US dollars.
Voice 2
Jerzy Owsiak is the leader of WOSP. He is proud of the success of the organisation. He says,
Voice 4
‘Our achievements are often discussed during medical conferences⁸ around the world. We can proudly say that nowhere else in the world is there a money collection similar to the WOSP Great Finale. Aid workers from many other countries think our work is very good.'
Voice 2
The WOSP Great Finale is now famous across Poland. Here is what a few Polish people think of it.
Voice 5
‘It is a great idea. It feels good to be helping⁹ others. If you are willing¹⁰ and have an open heart, you simply give.'
Voice 6
‘Because you know what the money is spent on, you are very pleased to give.‘
Voice 7
‘Sometimes I think that this country would break without WOSP. WOSP does a lot for our hospitals. And it also unites people across Poland in a great way.'
Voice 1
Polish people living in other countries also celebrate the WOSP Great Finale where they live. Many Polish people live in British cities, like Edinburgh and Newcastle. These communities have organised their own WOSP events to help raise money. Polish communities in North America have also raised money in a similar way.
Voice 2
The idea behind WOSP is also spreading to other countries. The Heart to Heart Foundation¹¹ is an organisation in Ukraine. It is very similar to the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. However Heart to Heart is a much younger organisation. Heart to Heart began in 2006. Since this time it has raised over 200,000 dollars. In 2009 the money helped children who are blind or partly blind.
Voice 1
Every August WOSP organises another event. But this time, its aim is to give something back to people who gave money to WOSP. The summer event is called the Woodstock Stop Festival. The name comes from the Woodstock music show. This famous event happened in 1969 in the United¹² States. Many people enjoyed different kinds of music for free! The same is true of the Woodstock Stop Festival in Poland. Many singers and musicians perform. And hundreds of thousands of music lovers¹³ come to watch and listen.
Voice 2
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity also works¹⁴ through the rest of the year. One thing it does is to train people how to save lives. It trains them in ‘first aid'. ‘First aid' is helping someone who is injured¹⁵ or who suddenly becomes sick. Members of WOSP's ‘Peace Patrol¹⁶' receive this training. The Peace Patrol is a group of people who work for WOSP but are not paid. They work at the summer music event for free. First aid is one of the things they learn during special training days. One of the teachers described what these training days are like.
Voice 8
‘The people from Peace Patrol will have an exciting time! During the next three days they will learn first aid. They will learn how to co-operate in a group, and how to manage extremely¹⁷ difficult conditions. Some of these people will treat their time here as a test of the things they can and cannot do. But for many others it will be the beginning of an exciting story. It will be the beginning of new friendships and a relationship with the WOSP Foundation. This is what we hope will happen.'
Voice 1
WOSP also provides the first aid training to school teachers. The teachers learn how to give basic medical help to their students and other people. They also learn how to help someone who is having a heart attack - whose heart has stopped.
Voice 2
WOSP says that it has trained over 19,000 teachers. These teachers come from 8,500 different schools. The idea is that these teachers can then teach the same skills to their students. WOSP says that over one million school children have been helped by their life-saving classes.
Voice 1
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity helps millions of children in Poland. But the children are not the only people that the organisation is helping. The organisation is also giving Polish people a chance to help others. And this joy of helping others is a gift that everyone can share.
Voice 2
The writer and producer of today's programme was Steve Myersco. All quotes¹⁸ were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom and the United States.
 

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 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。

3 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

4 charity   

n.慈悲，博爱，慈善团体，施舍

参考例句：

• He founded the charity in memory of his late wife.他兴办那个慈善机构以纪念他已故的妻子。
• He gave a handsome sum of money to charity.他向慈善团体捐了一笔相当可观的钱款。

5 listener   

n.听众；收听者

参考例句：

• I'm a regular listener to her show.我经常收听她的节目。
• She became an attentive listener.她变成了一个专心致志的聆听者。

6 polish   

vt.修正；文饰；（涂蜡等）打光滑；使（人、举止、仪表等）变得优雅；n.擦亮剂；擦亮，磨光；优美，优雅，精良；adj.使完美，使优美，使精炼；vi.得到改进，变得完美

参考例句：

• I'm going to New York,so I must polish up my English.我要去纽约，因此我必须提高英语水平。
• The wood won't polish.这种木材无法磨光。

7 organise   

vt.组织，安排，筹办

参考例句：

• He has the ability to organise.他很有组织才能。
• It's my job to organise all the ceremonial events.由我来组织所有的仪式。

8 conferences   

n.会议( conference的名词复数 )；讨论；（正式）讨论会；[工会、工党用语]（每年的）大会

参考例句：

• The hotel is used for exhibitions, conferences and social events. 这家饭店用于举行展览、大型会议和社交活动。
• Such conferences usually meant the loss of a valuable working day. 这种会晤通常都意味着损失一个宝贵的工作日。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 willing   

adj.愿意的，自愿的，乐意的，心甘情愿的

参考例句：

• We never lack food and clothing if we're willing to work.如果我们愿意工作,就不会缺吃少穿。
• He's quite willing to pay the price I ask.他很愿意照我的要价付钱。

11 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

12 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。

13 lovers   

爱好者( lover的名词复数 )； 情人； 情夫； 情侣

参考例句：

• They were off-screen lovers. 他们是真实生活中的情侣。
• Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet 罗密欧和朱丽叶这一对莎士比亚笔下命运多舛的恋人

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 injured   

adj.受伤的

参考例句：

• Our best defender is injured and won't be able to play today.我们最佳的防守员受伤了，今天不能参加比赛。
• The injured men have been dug out of the snow.受伤人员从雪中被挖了出来。

16 patrol   

v.巡逻，巡查；n.巡逻，巡查，巡逻队

参考例句：

• They attacked two soldiers on patrol.他们袭击了两名正在巡逻的士兵。
• Policemen patrol the streets.警察在街上巡逻。

17 extremely   

adv.极其，非常，极度

参考例句：

• The film is extremely good,I just cannot miss it.这部电影太精彩了，我非看不可。
• The old man was extremely difficult to get along with.这个老人极难相与。

18 quotes   

v.引用，援引( quote的第三人称单数 )；报价；引述；为（股票、黄金或外汇）报价

参考例句：

• He quotes a few verses from Tennyson in his paper. 他在论文中引用了英国诗人丁尼生的几行诗句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He quotes (from) the Bible to support his beliefs. 他引用圣经来支持自己的信念。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》