英语听力—环球英语 901 Playing For Change

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I'm Steve Myersco. 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
It was a normal day in New York. The subway was full of people. They were using these underground trains to travel to work and school. Mark Johnson was on his way to work. As he entered the subway, he heard unusual music. He described the musicians to the Epoch² Times newspaper.
Voice 3
"I heard these two monks³ playing music. These religious men were painted all white, from head to toe. They were wearing long, flowing robes⁴. One was playing a music instrument, a guitar. The other was singing in a language I did not understand."
Voice 2
But then Johnson observed the behaviour of the other subway travellers. People gathered around the musicians. In fact, about two hundred [200] travellers stopped to listen. He told the Epoch Times what he thought about this event,
Voice 3
"I recognized that here is a group of people that would normally⁵ run by each other. But instead they are coming together. And it is the music that brought them together."
Voice 1
For Johnson, this experience was an example. It showed him that music is universal. It goes past the limits of language, race, culture, and place. It unites people in ways that language and tradition cannot.
Voice 2
Johnson's experience in the subway gave him an idea. His idea was that music could bring peace to the world. So in 2005, he gathered together a few other people who also believed in the power of music. They believed that the power of music is stronger than the differences between people. Together this team of people started the project Playing for Change. Johnson says,
Voice 3
"Playing for Change was born out of the idea that we have to encourage and influence each other to come together as a human race. And that music is the best way to do this."
Voice 1
The team members of Playing for Change record and film songs. Some of these songs are new and other songs are old. Each song takes about a year to record. This is because they use voices and instruments from many cultures.
Voice 2
The first song they recorded was called "Stand By Me." Mark Johnson had heard a street musician singing this song in Santa Monica, a city in California. This musician was named Roger Ridley. Johnson remembers talking to Ridley about the project.
Voice 3
"I told him I would love to record his performance and take it around the world, with other people adding to his song... He looked at me like I was insane⁶."
Voice 1
But that is exactly what Johnson did. He and his team members recorded Ridley singing and playing his guitar. Then they travelled around the world to look for other singers and instruments.
Voice 2
Johnson and his team had a goal. In each song, they wanted to unite many different cultures, instruments, and kinds of music. So, as they travelled, they added new voices and instruments to the song. In South Africa they recorded Sinamuvu, a singing group of men and women. In Russia they added Dimitri playing a large string instrument called the cello⁷. In Italy they added the sound of a saxophone played by Stefano. They also added singing from Clarence Bekker, a Dutch performer.
Voice 1
When it was finished, the song "Stand By Me" included 37 musicians from around the world. Using travelling sound and film equipment, the Playing for Change team put the whole song together.
Voice 2
In a short film on the Playing for Change website, Mark Johnson explains why each musician shared in the project.
Voice 3
"These musicians had never met in person. It was the music that brought them together. And it was the belief that we can do a lot more for this world if we work together, than we ever can separately."
Voice 1
For the next four years, Playing for Change travelled around the world recording⁸ more songs. They combined all the songs on to one music album called Songs Around the World. They also made films of the musicians playing each song. These films are on the Playing for Change website. They are also on film sharing websites like YouTube and Vimeo. Over eighteen million [18,000,000] people have watched the film of "Stand by Me." Millions of people have also watched the films of their songs "One Love" and "Don't Worry."
Voice 2
In 2007, Playing for Change decided⁹ to give something back to the musicians who helped them. So Mark Johnson created the Playing for Change Foundation¹⁰. This organization works¹¹ to help the communities of the musicians. It does this by building music schools. These schools continue the cultural traditions of music among a community's children.
Voice 1
In 2008, Playing for Change released¹² a second film about their work. It is called Playing for Change: Peace through Music. The film included five of the songs and more than one hundred singers and musicians from around the world. It also included discussions¹³ with many of the singers and musicians. The musicians talked about how music helped them get through struggles and unite people together.
Voice 2
Playing for Change has created many good relationships. They continue to share their songs in music performances all around the world. Millions of people from many countries have enjoyed the music, films, and performances by the Playing for Change musicians. In thinking about the large amount of positive reactions to the Playing for Change project, Mark Johnson says,
Voice 3
"The intense¹⁴ reaction to this project is exciting. It is very satisfying to all the people who have worked to make it happen. It demonstrates¹⁵ the great power of music to bring people together and make the world a better place - something we had faith in all along."
Voice 1
If you would like hear the Playing for Change songs or see their films, visit the Playing for Change website. You can find a link to their website on the script¹⁶ page of this program.
 

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 epoch   

n.(新)时代；历元

参考例句：

• The epoch of revolution creates great figures.革命时代造就伟大的人物。
• We're at the end of the historical epoch,and at the dawn of another.我们正处在一个历史时代的末期，另一个历史时代的开端。

3 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 robes   

礼服( robe的名词复数 )； 法衣； 睡袍； 长袍

参考例句：

• cardinals in scarlet robes 身披红袍的枢机主教
• His Indian robes contrasted oddly with his fluent English. 他的印度长袍与他流利的英语形成奇特的对照。

5 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。

6 insane   

adj.蠢极的，荒唐的，精神错乱的，疯狂的

参考例句：

• Insane people are sometimes dangerous.精神病人有时非常危险。
• The letter made her insane with jealousy.那封信使她妒忌得发疯。

7 cello   

n.大提琴

参考例句：

• The cello is a member of the violin family.大提琴是提琴家族的一员。
• She plays a melodious cello.她拉着一手悦耳的大提琴。

8 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

13 discussions   

n.讨论( discussion的名词复数 )；商讨；详述；论述

参考例句：

• Discussions are held on an informal basis within the department. 讨论限于在本部门内非正式地进行。
• Her specialist input to the discussions has been very useful. 她在这些讨论中提供的专家建议很有助益。

14 intense   

adj.认真的，专注的；强烈的；紧张的；热情的

参考例句：

• Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
• The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。

15 demonstrates   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的第三人称单数 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• I hope this message demonstrates my feelings to the students. 我希望这个祝词能表达出我对学生们的感情。
• I hope this demonstrates to you how I feel. 我希望这能向你表明我的感受。

16 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。