英语听力—环球英语 759 Mother to Many

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Ryan Geertsma.
Voice 2
And I'm Ruby² Jones. 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
Can you imagine having ten children? How about 20, or even more? JoeAnn Ballard and her husband Monroe can. They were parents to over 75 children! But how can this be?
Voice 2
JoeAnn and Monroe were not the biological, or natural, parents of all these children. In fact, they gave birth to only four children. But during their 40 years of marriage, the Ballards took in many foster³ children who were without families or homes of their own.
Voice 1
Today's Spotlight is on JoeAnn Ballard. Her life has been an example of great service. It began with a simple choice to help a motherless child. From there, it became a life devoted⁴ to changing a whole community, one child at a time.
Voice 2
JoeAnn was born in the state of Mississppi in the United⁵ States of America. Her home was not a happy place. There was much anger. At the age of three months, JoeAnn's parents separated⁶. And they left their children, including JoeAnn, with distant family members.
Voice 1
These family members were DeLoach and Ora Mae Benjamin. The Benjamins were amazing people. Before taking in JoeAnn, they cared for 45 other children without families. They were foster parents. They did not have a lot of money. They grew their own food and had a small business in their home. But they always had enough.
Voice 2
JoeAnn wrote about her early life with her foster parents on her website.
Voice 3
"We were never hungry or without clothes. My parents loved us, made sure all of our needs were met, and made sure that we all went to school."
Voice 1
DeLoach, JoeAnn's new foster father, was 55 years old when JoeAnn and her siblings⁷ joined their family. He was older than most fathers, but to him that did not matter. He knew the children needed a home. And, he knew he had a home and love to give. JoeAnn wrote,
Voice 3
"My foster father worked hard and sacrificed a great deal to make sure we could succeed in life. My father helped me to understand what it meant to sacrifice. His example also made me understand that one person can make a difference."
Voice 2
JoeAnn's father was a major influence on her life. She learned⁸ from his example. And he taught her why he helped so many children. You see, he believed it was part of his duty as a citizen. But he also believed that it was what God wanted him to do with his life.
Voice 1
After college, in 1965, JoeAnn moved to the city of Memphis in the state of Tennessee. She worked in Memphis rebuilding and improving a poor African American church. It was here that JoeAnn met her husband, Monroe. He was a teacher in a local school. Soon after they married, JoeAnn and Monroe began serving children in the community.
Voice 2
In the beginning, JoeAnn and Monroe would invite children to stay for a few meals or days. These children had many needs. Often, these short visits turned into long stays. Soon, the Ballards began to offer these children a permanent⁹ home. JoeAnn wrote,
Voice 3
"Like my father, my husband and I saw a need and God provided¹⁰ us with the strength and wisdom¹¹ to help. We loved the children. They became a part of our family and it was a joy to have them in our home."
Voice 1
After forty years of marriage, JoeAnn and Monroe had cared for over seventy five children. Some children stayed with them as little as one year. Others stayed as long as 11 years. However, each one became a part of the Ballard's family.
Voice 2
Becoming part of the Ballard family meant following certain rules. The children could not drink, smoke, use bad language or stay awake past ten o'clock in the evening. They were also expected to attend church with the family. However, life at the Ballard home was not all about rules. There was also much love and joy involved.
Voice 1
JoeAnn talked with the magazine Christianity Today. She talked about the children's success. She said,
Voice 3
"Not one of them got pregnant¹³, and only one went to prison."
Voice 2
JoeAnn is proud of this achievement. Many foster children in the United States become pregnant at a young age or become involved in crime¹⁴. In fact, an American study of three states showed that in these states, half of all girls in foster care became pregnant before the age of 19.
Voice 1
Life can be difficult for foster children. It is very important for children to have long-time positive relationships with adults. And many children without families lack these kinds of relationships. However, it often takes just one person to change a child's life.
Voice 2
The Ballards became well known¹⁵ in the community for their service to children. People also recognized JoeAnn's skills as a community organizer¹⁶. In 1978, leaders in the Ballard's poor Memphis community decided¹⁷ to start a community center. And the local leaders decided they wanted JoeAnn to lead the center.
Voice 1
Because of this, JoeAnn's service to children and her community expanded greatly. She became the leader of Neighborhood Christian¹² Centers. This organization started small. However, today it serves 100,000 people each year from the Memphis area. The Center has almost 20 programs for children, families, single women and those in need. Some of the programs are educational, some are religious¹⁸ and some are for meeting basic needs - such as food, clothes and shelter¹⁹.
Voice 2
JoeAnn has built a major organization around her desire to help children and her community. However, it all began with the choice to help one child. And JoeAnn believes all people can make a difference - just like she has. On her website, JoeAnn shares about how all people are responsible²⁰ for the children of our communities. And she encourages people to help take care of local children who do not have families.
Voice 3
"Each time I hear of a child dying²¹ violently²², I ask myself several questions: Who may have lived close by to prevent this? Did those living in the community know the child's name? Were they crying out for help but no one noticed or heard their cry? There are clear signs in children who are suffering. They are the same signs we notice in our own children every day. The only difference is we take care of it before it gets too far. Children in our communities, churches, and schools are looking for that friendly, caring face that is willing²³ to help."
 

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 foster   

vt.收养，培养，促进；adj.收养的，收养孩子的

参考例句：

• Nowadays young couple sometimes foster.现今年轻夫妇有时领养别人的孩子。
• The captain did his best to foster a sense of unity among the new recruits.队长尽力培养新成员之间的团结精神。

4 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

5 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。

6 separated   

adj.分开的v.分开(separate的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Her parents are separated but not divorced. 她父母分居但没离婚。
• No child should ever be separated from his mother by force. 绝不能强行使任何一个孩子与母亲分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

8 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

9 permanent   

adj.永久的，不变的，固定的

参考例句：

• The coat gives permanent protection against heavy rain.这种防雨衣经久耐用。
• It's difficult to find a permanent cure for this disease.这病很难除根。

10 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

11 wisdom   

n.智慧，明智的行为，学识，名言，贤人

参考例句：

• Experience is the mother of wisdom.经验为智慧之母。
• Ancient Greece was a fountain of wisdom and philosophy.古希腊是智慧和哲学的发源地。

12 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。

13 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。

14 crime   

n.犯罪，罪行，罪恶

参考例句：

• You'll have to pay for your crime.你得为你的罪行付出代价。
• Crime in our big cities is on the increase.在我们大城市里犯罪率正在增长。

15 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

16 organizer   

n.组织者，编制者，创立者

参考例句：

• A good organizer pays attention to detail.善于组织者考虑问题无微不至。
• She was the organizer of the meeting.她是会议的组织者。

17 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

18 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

19 shelter   

n.掩蔽，掩蔽处，避身处；庇护所，避难所，庇护；vt.庇护，保护，隐匿；vi.躲避

参考例句：

• We took shelter from the rain in a cave.我们在一个山洞里避雨。
• Trees are a shelter from the sun.树木可以遮挡阳光。

20 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。

21 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

22 violently   

adv.猛烈地； 暴力地

参考例句：

• She shook her head violently.她拼命摇头。
• He reacted violently only under provocation.只因为被激怒，他才暴力相向。

23 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。