英语听力—环球英语 925 Sisters in the Sky

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Colin Lowther.
Voice 2
And I’m Rena Dam. 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
A group of people stand in a large room. Above their heads there is a small white airplane. But it is not flying in the sky. It is hanging from the ceiling². It is part of an art show. Other art hangs on the walls. There are many pictures of women. Some are wearing green clothes that cover their whole body. The women are pilots. They fly airplanes.
Voice 2
This art show is at San Diego State University in the United³ States. It is part of a meeting about women’s rights. It is called “Seize the Sky.” All the art is by Simone Aaberg Kaern. She is an artist from Denmark. Today’s Spotlight is on the work of this artist.
Voice 1
Simone’s first art work was about the air and the sky. She saw the air as a place where people can be free. She produced paintings and videos to represent⁴ this freedom. Simone began to think that this freedom was especially important for women. She had heard about women who had flown airplanes in World War Two. So for her next project, she decided⁵ to talk to these women. She wanted to produce art about their lives.
Voice 2
But one of the women pilots would only meet with Simone under one condition. The woman wanted Simone to learn how to fly an airplane. So Simone took flying lessons. She became a pilot. She flew herself to the United States. There she met with the female⁶ pilots from World War Two. She took pictures of them and made drawings. The result was an art show called “Sisters in the Sky.”
Voice 1
Simone loved flying. While flying, she felt free from the limits of land. And she believed this feeling was important for all women. She travelled around the world to meet other female pilots. She made a film about the first female pilot in Iran. Simone also spent time with female fighter pilots in Turkey. She took their pictures and included them in another art project. She put many photographs together to make interesting images.
Voice 2
Then a few years later Simone was reading a Danish newspaper. She read a story about a sixteen year old girl in Kabul, Afghanistan. The girl’s name was Farial. Farial’s story gave Simone an idea for her next project. Simone told Cinema Netherlands about the story she read:
Voice 3
“The story begins with a girl in Kabul, just out of Taliban rule. She comes to school and her wish for the future is to fly. I read about it and decided to test it! At least she should have a chance to try to fly an airplane”
Voice 1
So in September 2002, Simone flew a small airplane from Denmark to Kabul, Afghanistan. She travelled with another pilot, Magnus Bejmar [MAG-noose bedge-mar]. Their airplane was very old and small. Simone told the television show Wide Angle⁷ about the difficulties⁸ of the journey:
Voice 3
“There are so many it is hard to tell them all. Generally, weather plays a large part in relation to the challenge⁹ of flying in any country. This is especially true when flying in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan. We were not very sure of the airplane’s performance as we reached heights up to 12,000 feet.”
Voice 2
It was also difficult to get permission to fly. Airplane pilots must tell people on land about their plans to fly. But in 2002 Afghanistan was at war. This area of the sky was very controlled. The authorities¹⁰ were not permitting¹¹ any airplanes in the sky. But Simone wanted to show that the sky can be free.
Voice 1
Simone and Magnus faced many troubles on their flight. It was difficult for them to find fuel. They had to talk to many people for permission to fly or land their airplane. But they met many people along the way who were willing¹² to help them.
Voice 2
They finally landed their airplane in Kabul. This was very dangerous because they did not have permission to fly there. But Simone found Farial and taught her to fly. Farial was able to reach her dream of flying an airplane. And Simone was very happy to reach her goal too.
Voice 1
Simone and Magnus spent some time with Farial and her family. Then they returned to Denmark. Magnus made a film about their journey. It is called “Smiling in a War Zone.” It shows how Farial learned¹³ to fly. But Simone and Magnus also learned many things. Magnus tells the Danish Film Institute about a discovery that he made:
Voice 4
“As it turns out, there are already two sisters in Afghanistan who are helicopter¹⁴ pilots. We came to Afghanistan with a completely¹⁵ developed idea. We thought that Farial would be the first girl in that country, after the Taliban, to fly. Here we come with our artistic¹⁶ ideas and our dreams, and...they are already flying!"
Voice 2
Two sisters did train at the Afghan Air Force Academy¹⁷. They flew together for over 16 years. One of them, Lailuma, died a few years ago. The other sister is now the ONLY female pilot in the Afghan army. Her name is Colonel¹⁸ Latifa Nabizada. She flies a helicopter that brings supplies to Afghan soldiers.
Voice 1
Colonel Latifa came to speak at San Diego University. She was part of the meeting about international women’s rights. Simone Aaberg Kaern’s art show “Sieze the Sky” was also part of this meeting. First, people saw the videos and art about female pilots. Then they listened to Colonel. Latifa tell her story. The U.S. Air Force reports that at the meeting, Colonel Latifa said:
Voice 5
“I am very happy to attend. It is a good opportunity for me to share my experiences with other women. I am very happy that I can participate as a woman pilot. I am proud for me and for my country and for Afghan Air Corps¹⁹."
Voice 2
Above Colonel Latifa, the small airplane hangs from the ceiling. It is the airplane that Simone and Magnus flew to Afghanistan. Farial flew the same airplane in Kabul. Colonel Latifa is encouraging girls like Farial to one day become pilots. Then they will join what Simone Aaberg Kearn calls the “sisterhood across cultures and generations.”
 

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 ceiling   

n.天花板；(规定价格、工资等的)最高限额

参考例句：

• It took more or less a whole day to paint the ceiling.粉刷天花板用了将近一整天的时间。
• A fly is on the ceiling.一只苍蝇在天花板上。

3 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。

4 represent   

vt.表现，表示；描绘，讲述；代表，象征；回忆；再赠送，再上演；vi.提出异议

参考例句：

• I'll represent to him the risk he is running.我要向他指出他所面临的险境。
• We selected her to represent us.我们选她作为我们的代表。

5 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。

6 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

7 angle   

n.角，角度，立场，观点

参考例句：

• The high jumper took off at a bad angle.跳高运动员的起跳角度不好。
• The old house leans to the right at a dangerous angle.那所老宅向右斜得很危险。

8 difficulties   

n.困难( difficulty的名词复数 )；难度；难事；麻烦

参考例句：

• I am acutely aware of the difficulties we face. 我十分清楚我们面临的困难。
• the difficulties of English syntax 英语句法的难点

9 challenge   

n.挑战；v.向...挑战

参考例句：

• The job doesn't really challenge him.这项工作不能真正地考验他。
• She looked at me with challenge.她带着挑战的目光看着我。

10 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 permitting   

允许( permit的现在分词 )； 许可

参考例句：

• We will go out for a walk, weather permitting. 如果天气好，我们就出去散散步。
• For her it was a special relationship, permitting intelligent exchanges. 对她来说，那是一种特殊的关系，可以用明智的方式进行角逐。

12 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。

13 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。

14 helicopter   

n.直升飞机；vt.用直升飞机载送；vi.乘直升飞机

参考例句：

• The helicopter flying at a height of 5,000 meters.这架直升机正在五千米的高空飞行。
• The pilot landed the helicopter in a rice field.飞行员将直升飞机降落在一片稻田里。

15 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

16 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

17 academy   

n.(高等)专科院校；学术社团，协会，研究院

参考例句：

• This is an academy of music.这是一所音乐专科学院。
• I visited Chinese Academy of Sciences yesterday.我昨天去访问了中国科学院。

18 colonel   

n.(英国陆军、美国陆空军及海军陆战队)上校

参考例句：

• It's a pity we didn't mend our fences with the colonel.可惜我们还没有和上校先生调整好关系。
• An army major ranks between a captain and a colonel.陆军少校的军阶在上尉与中校之间。

19 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。