英语听力—环球英语 945 Flying Help

 　　Voice 1

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Nick Page.

　　Voice 2

　　And I'm Mike Procter. 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

　　When the country of Haiti suffered a terrible earthquake in January 2010, the world hurried to help. Governments from many countries sent all sorts of aid because the people of Haiti were in such great need. Ships and airplanes arrived with food, water, clothes and tents.

　　But it was not just governments that raced to help. The tragedy touched the hearts of people all around the world. All kinds of organisations and individual people wanted to be involved. Some of them sent equipment to lift the broken buildings and to rescue the people who were buried under them. Others sent medicines. Doctors and nurses came to care for the hundreds of thousands of people who were injured.

　　Voice 2

　　An organisation² called Mission³ Aviation⁴ Fellowship⁵ - or MAF - was already working in Haiti before the earthquake. This organisation has a lot of experience in flying in difficult situations. In Haiti MAF had three small airplanes to assist⁶ other aid organisations to do their work more easily. In the earthquake, many of the roads in Haiti were destroyed. Large numbers of people were cut off from the towns. They could not buy food. Medical help could not get to them.

　　The small airplanes from MAF were able to fly to these areas. They took food, water, clothes, doctors and nurses. Sometimes they re-united families who had been separated because of the broken roads.

　　Voice 1

　　MAF has been flying in these kinds of situations for over sixty years. The organisation began just after the Second World War. Some pilots and engineers decided⁷ to use their wartime flying experience to bring life instead of death. By 1950 they had one airplane, working in Sudan. Now, there are more than 120 airplanes working in more than 35 countries. An MAF airplane takes off or lands somewhere in the world every few minutes.

　　Voice 2

　　MAF airplanes go quickly to countries or areas where there is a sudden emergency - like they did in Haiti. They bring food when there is a famine⁸. They rescue people from floods - like they did after the tsunami⁹ in South East Asia in 2004. But they also work in some countries all the time. Every day, they bring help and hope to people who live in difficult situations.

　　Voice 1

　　In Southern Sudan Maluak Tat and his friend were caring for their cows. It was early in the morning. Suddenly they were attacked by men who wanted to steal the cows. Bullets¹¹ flew in all directions. Maluak's friend was killed and Maluak was hit four times. One bullet¹⁰ made a large hole in his neck. He could only breath through this hole and he was in great pain.

　　An aid worker was drove Maluak to the nearest hospital a hundred kilometres away. The road was very rough and the trip took three hours. But the hospital was unable to help Maluak. However, the aid worker was a Christian¹², so he knew about MAF. He called MAF on the radio and asked for help. MAF flew Maluak to another hospital where the doctors operated for two hours, and saved his life.

　　Voice 2

　　MAF provides many different services to communities around the world. This makes it possible for other agencies¹³ to do their work better. Aid and development agencies use MAF to get people and equipment to places that are hard to reach in any other way. In some areas there are no roads at all. In other places, people cannot use the roads for several months each year because of rain. Deserts or mountains could also make travel very difficult. MAF saves everyone a lot of time and trouble.

　　MAF flies supplies of medicine and medical equipment to hospitals in country areas. In 2009, they flew 524 kilograms of blood supplies to three hospitals in country areas in Uganda. Getting there by road could take up to two days. The only way for the blood to arrive in good condition was by air.

　　Voice 1

　　In some cases, the airplane flies doctors to treat sick people in their own villages. The news that a doctor is coming travels very fast. Sometimes people walk for days to get to a village when they know a doctor is coming.

　　In Bangladesh a third of the country is under water during the monsoon¹⁴ season. MAF flies doctors to two floating hospitals there.

　　But airplanes cost a lot of money to run. The people MAF help are often very poor. How can they pay for a ride in an airplane? The answer is that most of MAF's funds¹⁵ come from gifts. MAF has many supporters around the world. Most are Christians¹⁶. They support MAF as a way of helping¹⁷ people far away. Agencies that use MAF also pay a small amount towards the real cost.

　　Voice 2

　　Keeping airplanes flying takes more than just paying for the fuel. Many engineers work hard to keep them in good repair. Other people prepare the right places for the airplanes to land. MAF airplanes often have to land far from a real airport. They find a piece of land near where they want to visit. If there are trees in the way, local people help by cutting them down. Then they make the land firm and flat so that the airplane can land safely.

　　Voice 1

　　MAF pilots do not have easy jobs. They face many difficulties and sometimes, danger. They may have to fly in bad weather conditions. Or they may find the landing¹⁸ area is not safe because no-one has cared for it. They do not take unnecessary risks. But they always try hard to reach the people who need them.

　　Voice 2

　　MAF workers are driven in part by their Christian beliefs. They feel that they are following Jesus Christ's example by helping people. They believe it is important to care for the physical and the spiritual needs of people. They carry teachers and books to far away schools or materials for new building projects. They fly equipment to dig new wells or bring tools and plants for farmers to grow more food.  They transport church workers who take care of the spiritual needs of the people. And they even carry Bibles to Christians in far away places.

　　Voice 1

　　In more than 2500 places around the world, people know they can trust the airplane to come with the things they need to survive. Glenda Giles is a teacher in Papua New Guinea. She said,

　　Voice 3

　　'We are very dependent¹⁹ on the Mission Aviation Fellowship. MAF is our only link with the outside world. There is no other way'.

　　Voice 2

　　The writer of today's programme was Joy Smith. The producer was Bruce Gulland. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom. This programme and many more are on our website - www.radio.english.net. This programme is called 'Flying Help'

　　Thank you for listening to Spotlight today. Goodbye.

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 mission   

n.使命，任务，天职；代表团，使团

参考例句：

• He was charged with an important mission.他受委托承担一项重要使命。
• I'll leave you to undertake an important mission.我要让你承担一项重要使命。

4 aviation   

n.航空，航空学，飞机制造业

参考例句：

• Ten years ago,they began to develop the aviation. 十年前，他们开始发展航空工业。
• Pilots of large aircraft are masters of aviation.大型飞行器的驾驶员是航空学方面的专家。

5 fellowship   

n.伙伴关系，团体，奖学金，研究员职位

参考例句：

• You'll lose your fellowship if you do that.你如果做那件事就会丧失研究员职位。
• It looks that they'll be admitted to the fellowship.看来他们要被吸收入会了。

6 assist   

vt.协助，帮助，促进；vi.帮忙，参加

参考例句：

• He asked us to assist him in carrying through their plan.他要我们帮助他实施他们的计划。
• We'll assist at your wedding.我们将出席你们的婚礼。

7 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。

8 famine   

n.饥荒；严重的缺乏

参考例句：

• We're collecting for the famine victims.我们正在为遭受饥荒的灾民募款。
• Famine stared us in the face.饥荒迫在眉睫。

9 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

10 bullet   

n.枪弹，子弹

参考例句：

• The bullet wound in his shoulder was opened up for treatment.切开他肩上的枪伤进行治疗。
• The bullet missed me by a hair's s breadth.那颗子弹差一点就打中了我。

11 bullets   

n.弹药；军火

参考例句：

• The bodies of the hostages were found riddled with bullets. 在人质的尸体上发现了很多弹孔。
• The bullets and cannon-balls were flying in all directions. 子弹和炮弹到处乱飞。

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 agencies   

n.代理( agency的名词复数 )；服务机构；（政府的）专门机构；代理（或经销）业务（或关系）

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations. 联合国有许多专门机构。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The project is funded by the World Bank and other multilateral agencies. 这项计划由世界银行和其他多国机构资助。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

15 funds   

n.pl.资金

参考例句：

• He absconded with the company funds. 他卷走公司的资金潜逃了。
• They held a harambee meeting to raise funds for a new classroom. 他们为筹款建新教室而办了个募捐会。

16 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

17 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。

18 landing   

n.登陆；着陆；楼梯平台

参考例句：

• Owing to engine trouble,the plane had to make a forced landing.由于发动机出了毛病，飞机不得不进行迫降。
• When are we landing?我们什么时候着陆？

19 dependent   

adj.依靠的，依赖的，依赖他人生活者

参考例句：

• He has a mother completely dependent on him.他有一个完全靠他赡养的母亲。
• The country is dependent on foreign aid.这个国家靠外援生存。