英语听力—环球英语 898 Zero for Tea Money

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Robin² Basselin.
Voice 2
And I'm Ryan Geertsma. 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
Corruption⁴. It is a problem all over the world. Corrupt³ government officials or dishonest people take money that they have no right to take. One common form of corruption is bribery⁶. A bribe⁵ is an unofficial and often illegal payment⁷ of money. For example, a company may receive a big business deal from the government by secretly paying a bribe to a dishonest government official.
Voice 2
India is one country where bribery is a major problem. Indian citizens often have to pay small bribes⁸ for even the most basic services - services which are supposed to be free. Corrupt officials will ask Indian citizens for money "for tea." However, tea is never served. And people understand that when an official asks for "tea money" he is really asking for a bribe. A citizen who does not pay the bribe may have to wait an extra long time for important documents, building permits and other requests.
Voice 1
Many Indian citizens accept bribery as a normal part of life. However '5th Pillar⁹' is one organisation¹⁰ that does not agree. It believes that individual Indians have the power to end India's culture of bribery. Today's Spotlight is on 5th Pillar and its 'Zero Rupee bank note' movement.
Voice 2
Indian bank notes are printed in seven values. The smallest is 5 rupees; the largest is 1000 rupees. But the 5th Pillar organization has also started to print another kind of rupee note. This note looks like the 50 rupee bank note. It is same size, the same color, and it has the same picture of Mahatma Gandhi on the front. However, 5th Pillar's note is very different. In place of the number 50 on the bank note, 5th Pillar's note has a 0. Yes, a zero. And 5th Pillar's zero rupee bank note is worth just that - zero rupees.
Voice 1
It does not seem to make sense that anyone would print a zero rupee note. The note is not real money. It cannot be used to purchase anything. And it does not appear to have any real value. However, 5th Pillar is not printing these notes for profit. Instead, it prints the notes as part of an effort to fight bribery in India. The zero rupee note contains the words "End corruption at all levels" where the words "Reserve Bank of India" would usually be found. It also contains the statement "I promise to neither accept nor give a bribe."
Voice 2
In 1997, Satindar Mohan Bhagat created the zero rupee idea. Bhagat was an Indian citizen, but he lived and worked in the United States. On a trip home to India, Bhagat was angered by the amount of bribery and corruption that he saw. So he decided¹¹ to design and print a zero rupee note. His idea was to give the note to any person that asked him for a bribe.
Voice 1
Ten years later, The 5th Pillar organization learned¹² about Bhagat's idea. 5th Pillar decided to use the zero rupee in their fight against corruption. Since 2007, 5th Pillar has printed and given out over one million zero rupee notes.
Voice 2
5th Pillar's president is Vijay Anand. He told CNN:
Voice 3
"Our only goal is to encourage zero acceptance¹³ of corruption in the future. Corruption is one of the greatest barriers to developing as a country... It has become a poisonous custom in our culture - and we need to defeat it."
Voice 1
Many experts agree that bribery has a negative effect on a country's national economy. And with a smaller national economy, a country is less able to compete with larger economies. However, bribery has negative effects at a personal level too. The worst result of bribery is its damaging effects on poor people.
Voice 2
Shashi Tharoor is a member of the Indian government. He has a popular website. On it, he wrote:
Voice 4
"Really, the biggest victims of corruption in our country are the poor. For the rich, corruption is just a minor¹⁴ problem. For the middle class, it can be troublesome. But for the poor, it is often a tragedy."
Voice 1
Without money to pay bribes, India's poor have little chance to get the goods and services they need to survive. This is why 5th Pillar thinks the zero rupee note is so important. It is a simple tool that individuals, poor or rich, can use to fight back.
Voice 2
Bribes are common in India, but they are illegal. In fact officials caught accepting bribes can go to jail¹⁵. The problem is that people are often afraid not to pay bribes. And they feel it is useless to report bribery, because bribery is also common among the police.
Voice 1
Without support from the police, people feel alone in their struggle. However, the zero rupee note is a way people can refuse to give bribes without reporting the corrupt official. It is a way for one person to remind a corrupt official of the illegal nature of the request. The hope is that officials will change - that they will stop asking for bribes.
Voice 2
But how is giving someone a zero rupee note different from simply refusing to pay them anything? Bribe-takers are not fooled. They do not think the money is real. The zero rupee note works¹⁶ because bribery is a crime in India, even though it is so common. And most officials only ask for bribes because they think they will not get caught. When they are given a zero rupee note, they are ashamed and worry that they will be caught. The zero-rupee notes weaken¹⁷ the crime by bringing it into the open.
Voice 1
Anand told Public Radio International:
Voice 3
"When the zero rupee is handed to an official, that makes a strong statement that the citizen is not alone in the fight against corruption."
Voice 2
But does the zero rupee note really work? Anand would say yes. 5th Pillar has recorded many, many examples of its success. One small example concerns an Indian man named Rajesh Chandran.
Voice 1
He told the National newspaper about a train trip from Madurai to Chennai.
Voice 5
"There were several beds in the train, but the worker did not want to give one to me. He said that he would get me a bed only if I paid a bribe. I gave him a zero rupee note. I looked at him in his eyes, letting him know that I would not pay the bribe. He looked worried and shamed and within a few seconds, he gave me a bed."
Voice 2
The zero rupee note is working for many individual people in India like Chandran. Now the idea is spreading. Organizations in other countries are considering trying their own zero money note.
 

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 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

4 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。

5 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

6 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

7 payment   

n.付款，支付，偿还，偿还，报应

参考例句：

• I gave ten pounds in payment for the goods I bought.我买那些东西付了10英镑。
• This last payment will wipe out your debt to me.这最后一笔付款将了结你欠我的债务。

8 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

9 pillar   

n.柱子，柱状物；有力的支持者；栋梁

参考例句：

• He was a pillar of the club for over thirty years.30多年来他一直是这个俱乐部的顶梁柱。
• I fell asleep against a pillar.我靠在一根柱子上睡着了。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 acceptance   

n.接受，接收，验收，接纳；承认，认可

参考例句：

• The new laws gained widespread acceptance.新法令受到广泛赞同。
• It took years for Einstein's theory to gain acceptance.爱因斯坦的理论经过多年才被人们接受。

14 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

15 jail   

n.监狱，看守所；vt.监禁，拘留

参考例句：

• The castle had been used as a jail.这城堡曾用作监狱。
• If she carries on shoplifting,she'll end up in jail.她如果还在店铺里偷东西，最终会被抓进监狱的。

16 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。

17 weaken   

v.(使)变弱，(使)虚弱

参考例句：

• You can weaken the tea by adding water.你可以加水把茶弄得淡一些。
• We never weaken our efforts in face of difficulties.我们在困难面前从不软化我们的努力。