英语听力—环球英语 1017 Blue Heart Against Slavery

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹.  I’m Marina Santee.

 

　　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 3

 

　　“Many people do not know about modern slavery³. But there is also a lot of good will to fight it. The blue heart will teach people about a crime⁴ that shames us all. It shows our support of the victims⁵.”

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Antonio Maria Costa is the leader of the United⁶ Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. In 2009, he shared these words about a new campaign⁷: The Blue Heart Campaign. This movement teaches people about the problem of human trafficking and modern slavery. Today’s Spotlight is on the Blue Heart Campaign.

 

　　Around the world, every year more than two million people are sold as slaves⁸. It is this problem that the Blue Heart Campaign addresses. The organizers⁹ chose the symbol of a Blue Heart. Blue is often the color of sadness. So the blue heart represents¹⁰ the sadness of the slaves. But it is also a cold color. So it also represents the cold heartedness of the owners - slave² owners do not care for the well being of their slaves. The organizers hope that the blue heart will become an important symbol - just like the red AIDS ribbon¹¹. They want people to wear and share the symbol to show their support.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The Blue Heart Campaign also shares the story of these slaves. By sharing information, Blue Heart hopes that more people will recognize the problem. It hopes that governments and individuals will work against this crime and protect the victims.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The Campaign reports that more than 80 percent of slaves are girls and women. And more than 25 percent are children. Some slaves work in homes, caring for children and cleaning. Other slaves are forced to work in factories or on farms. This was the situation for Kevin and Peter. The Blue Heart Campaign shares their story.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Kevin and Peter were young men. In their home country, they did not have jobs or homes. They lived on the street. A man named Edgar became friendly with Kevin and Peter. He gave them a building job, some food, and a place to live. Soon Edgar told Kevin and Peter that they could earn more money in a different country. They travelled with another young man named Jim. Jim was legally¹² a child, only 17 years old. Edgar gave the three men false passports. He also organized their travel.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　But in the new country, things did not go well. The men worked at people’s homes doing building jobs. Edgar did not pay the men enough money. They worked for many hours every day. They lived in poor conditions. Edgar hit them. And he often moved them to new places. They did not know where they were. They could not escape. When they tried, Edgar found them again.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Then Edgar left. He returned to their home country. The men had their chance to escape. Kevin walked to the main city and visited the embassy¹³ of his home country. Peter and Jim received help from the police.  As a result, the police started a case against Edgar. Edgar went to prison for two years. He also had to pay some money to the men. But the men were afraid. Today, they receive protection¹⁴ from the police.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Edgar had made the men work long hours, for little money. But he had first built up a sense of trust by giving them what they needed. Then he took them to a place where it was more difficult for them to escape. These conditions are common for many slaves. It is also true for one of the worst kinds of slavery: sexual¹⁵ slavery. This problem affects women in particular. In his introduction¹⁶ of the Blue Heart Campaign, Mr. Costa said,

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　“It is the worst kind of violence¹⁷ against women. It is even worse that people make money from it. The shaming of women as property¹⁸, or sex objects, damages all of our human honour.”

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　One of these slaves was Maria. She became a slave at the age of fifteen. It started when Maria became friends with an older woman named Sofia. Sofia invited Maria to go with her to the city. She told Maria that Maria could get a better job there. Maria hoped to earn more money for her family. Sofia took Maria to the capital city. There, a man took her to a hotel with two other girls. Then, he forced her to have sex.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Maria felt broken. She felt powerless, and she could not get away. The man brought her to a restaurant. There, she served food and drinks. The restaurant paid her, but she did not get the money. After one month, Sofia returned. Sofia said that she was Maria’s mother. And she took Maria’s wages. But things became much worse. Her owners forced her to work in different restaurants. And sometimes they also forced her to have sex with men.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　But things began to get better for Maria. Sofia took Maria to a dancing house. She had to dance for men, but she did not have to have sex. One day her father’s brother visited the house and recognised Maria. He told her parents where she was. They asked a human rights organisation¹⁹ to rescue her. Maria was safe at last. Sofia went to prison. She also had to pay Maria some money. But the authorities²⁰ did not charge Sofia’s partner, the man who forced Maria to have sex. They did not look for witnesses²¹.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The organizers of the Blue Heart Campaign shared Maria’s story on their website. They say that Maria’s story is common among slaves. Just like the men from our first story, Maria was too frightened to get help. She did not have any money of her own. And her family did not know where she was. After she escaped, the authorities did not work to charge ALL the people involved.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The Blue Heart Campaign hopes to prevent situations like Maria’s. The Blue Heart Campaign is organizing for better laws against slavery. But they are also encouraging normal people to learn about slavery in their own countries. They encourage all people to protect the victims, and future victims of this crime. Wearing a blue heart symbol is only the beginning.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The writers of this program were Shelagh Godwin and Christy VanArragon.  The producer was Nick Mangeolles. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes²² were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .program is called ‘Blue Heart Against Slavery’.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. 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 slave   

n.奴隶，附件，卑鄙的人；vi.拼命工作

参考例句：

• Don't be a slave to custom.不要做风俗习惯的奴隶。
• Why should I slave away all my life!我为什么要辛辛苦苦地干一辈子呀！

3 slavery   

n.奴隶的身分，奴隶状态，奴隶制度

参考例句：

• The Americans abolished slavery in 1863.美国于1863年废除奴隶制度。
• He is in a state of virtual slavery.他实际上处于一种被奴役的状态。

4 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。

5 victims   

n.牺牲者( victim的名词复数 )；牺牲品；受骗者；为祭祀杀死的动物（或人）

参考例句：

• Many charities sent money to help the victims of the famine. 许多慈善机构捐款赈济饥民。
• victims of child abuse 受虐待的儿童

6 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。

7 campaign   

n.运动；竞选活动；战役；vi.参加运动；进行竞选；作战

参考例句：

• The election campaign heated up in that state.该州竞选运动激烈起来了。
• The campaign had begun during his absence.在他不在期间运动已经开始了。

8 slaves   

n.奴隶( slave的名词复数 )；苦工；完全受（某事物）控制的人；完全依赖（某事物）的人v.奴隶般地工作，做苦工( slave的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Slaves were not emancipated until 1863 in the United States. 美国奴隶直到1863年才获得自由。
• fashionistas who are slaves to the latest trends 被潮流牵着鼻子走的赶时髦者

9 organizers   

n.组织者( organizer的名词复数 )；备忘记事本，电子笔记本

参考例句：

• We need fewer organizers and more doers. 我们需要的是少些组织者，多些实干者。
• The organizers of the march were charged with assault and riotous assembly . 游行组织者被控侵犯人身及暴乱性非法集会。

10 Represents   

v.表现( represent的第三人称单数 )；代表；体现；作为…的代表

参考例句：

• This represents a volte-face in government thinking. 这代表着政府观点的彻底转变。
• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history. 俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 ribbon   

n.缎带，色带，带状物；vt.用丝带装饰，撕成条状；vi.形成带状

参考例句：

• Her hair was tied up with a ribbon.她用一条丝带系着头发。
• We decorated our car with ribbon.我们在汽车上挂满了缎带。

12 legally   

adv. 合法地，法律上地

参考例句：

• A bill of exchange is a legally recognized document. 汇票是合法票据。
• The agreement will be legally binding. 这个协议将具有法律效力。

13 embassy   

n.大使馆，大使及其随员

参考例句：

• Large crowd demonstrated outside the British Embassy.很多群众在英国大使馆外面示威。
• He's a U.S. diplomat assigned to the embassy in London.他是美国驻伦敦大使馆的一名外交官。

14 protection   

n.保护，防卫，保护制度

参考例句：

• The protection of the country is the duty of everyone.保卫国家是每个人的责任。
• The young in our society need care and protection.我们社会的年轻人需要关怀和照顾。

15 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。

16 introduction   

n.(to)介绍；传入，引进；导言，导论，绪论

参考例句：

• The introduction tells you how to use the book.引言告诉你怎样使用这本书。
• A letter of introduction will ensure you an interview.凭一封介绍信准保会接待你。

17 violence   

n.暴力，暴虐，暴行，猛烈，强烈，强暴

参考例句：

• It was an absolutely senseless act of violence.这是毫无意义的暴力行为。
• They attacked with violence.他们猛烈攻击。

18 property   

n.财产，所有物，所有权，性质，特性，（小）道具

参考例句：

• He has made over his property to a hospital.他已将财产转交给了一家医院。
• Oil has the property of floating on water.油有浮在水上的特性。

19 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。

20 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》

21 witnesses   

n.目击者( witness的名词复数 )；证词；见证（以言行证实信仰）；见证人v.作证( witness的第三人称单数 )；表示；（摆证据）…就是证据；是…的迹象

参考例句：

• The evidence was corroborated by two independent witnesses. 此证据由两名独立证人提供。
• Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident. 警方呼吁这起事故的目击者出来作证。

22 quotes   

v.引用，援引( quote的第三人称单数 )；报价；引述；为（股票、黄金或外汇）报价

参考例句：

• He quotes a few verses from Tennyson in his paper. 他在论文中引用了英国诗人丁尼生的几行诗句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He quotes (from) the Bible to support his beliefs. 他引用圣经来支持自己的信念。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》