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原版英文故事与诗歌:A Visitor to The Star

时间:2010-11-26 03:07来源:互联网 提供网友:lg343002   字体: [ ]
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A Visitor to The Starby Chris RoseAnna Winter pulled on her Gucci sunglasses and sprayed1 herself with the extra-strength mosquito repellent she had bought in the airport.  That was the biggest problem about her work, she thought.  Mosquitoes and things like that.  Bad hotels, and bad food.  How could she be a front-line, award-winning, adventurous2 journalist if she had to stay in bad hotels and eat bad food?

Anna Winter thought her job was very difficult, and she told everybody about this.

As she landed in Lagos airport, she worried about the hotel where she was staying, and how she would be able to eat for the week she was staying in Nigeria. Perhaps that would make a good article, she thought.  Lots of local colour.

Joseph Adoga collected a printed copy of the article he was working and put it in his bag as he left the small office of the Star.  The Star was a local paper in Lagos.  It came out every evening and had a mixture of stories – politics, current affairs, local news, human interest stories and sport.  It was only a small newspaper, but Joseph enjoyed his job.  He liked finding3 things out, and informing people about what was going on in the city, in Nigeria as a whole, in Africa generally, and in all the world.  When he heard that the famous international journalist Anna Winter was coming to Lagos to do a story he was interested, and was even more pleased when her agency4 got in touch with Joseph.  “You should be able to help her” the agency said, and Joseph hoped he could help her.

Instead of driving out to the usual part of the city where he lived, tonight Joseph drove into one of the rich areas of the city.  He stopped outside one of the big hotels and went in to meet Anna Winter.

Anna Winter was disappointed by the hotel.  It was one of a big international chain, so she expected more.  The air-conditioning in her room wasn’t working properly, and there were mosquitoes inside.   She hoped that the local journalist she was going to meet would be able to help her.

“Let’s go to somewhere really characteristic to eat” said Anna to Joseph when they met in the hotel foyer.  “I want a really typical little place…the kind of place where I’m sure you go to eat…somewhere full of local colour…”
Joseph thought hard about a place where they could go and eat.  Eventually he thought of somewhere and took Anna in his car to a restaurant he knew where they served traditional Nigerian food.  Joseph really liked the place, but Anna wasn’t happy.

“Hmmmm…it’s very clean” she said.  “Very clean and very quiet…”
“What did you expect?” asked Joseph.
“Well, erm, something more African” said Anna.
“How do you mean?” asked Joseph.
“More noise, more colour…lots and lots of people…”
“Well” said Joseph. “Lagos is quite a noisy and a colourful city, and there are a lot of people who live here…but we like to eat good food in good surroundings…like anyone else!”

Anna looked disappointed.  “But I’m not getting a real feel of Africa here” she said.
“Anna” Joseph tried to explain.  “Africa is a continent.  There are 54 countries in Africa, and 900 million people.  Nobody even really knows how many languages are spoken in Africa…hundreds!”

Joseph wanted to explain to Anna that it was impossible to talk about “Africa” as if it was just one place, but Anna wasn’t listening.  Joseph changed the subject of the conversation.

“So, what are you going to write abut6 Nigeria?” he asked her.
“I’m not sure yet” said Anna.  “I want to look around and get a feel for the place first.  Something about guns and crime, perhaps, and I need some pictures of starving people…starving people with guns if possible…”

Joseph thought for a minute.  “Well, like any big city, there is crime in Lagos…sure.  But I’m not sure how interesting that is.  You won’t find many starving people here though..” He pointed5 to the plates of food on their table.  “Here we eat pretty well!”

“Tell me what things you write about in your paper.” said Anna.
“All sorts of things” said Joseph.  “It’s only a small paper, so I have to write lots of the stories.  Sometimes there are crime stories, yes.  I can show you those if you like….”
“That could be interesting…I think I can use my influence to change things...”
“I’ve got a good idea” said Joseph.  “Why don’t you write an article about everyday life here in Lagos…you know, so many articles about Africa are just about famine7 or war or corruption…but that’s not the reality of many of our lives.”

Anna look confused. Joseph continued.
“Why don’t you write about some ordinary scenes, a restaurant like this, happy children at school…”
“People don’t want to hear that” said Anna.  “It doesn’t sell. I need big sunsets over the Serengeti, and I need to contrast with the darkness of Africa…I’ve already got my title, yes, ‘Darkness at noon’ I ‘m going to call the article…”

Joseph sighed and wondered why people always talked about “darkness” in Africa.   Joseph had been to London in December – now that was darkness!  It was dark at three o’clock in the afternoon.  Nigeria was the brightest, lightest place he’d ever visited.  Anna ignored him and continued.

“And I need to contrast that with the nobility of the people…”
“I see,” said Joseph, “but be clear… there are some noble people here, but there are also some very bad ones.  We are not noble just because we are African. Why not write about some of our Nigerian writers and intellectuals…there are many – Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri, Wole Soyinka…they have some fascinating things to say…”

Joseph could see that Anna wasn’t interested.  Anna thought she was the only intellectual8 and writer who mattered.

A few days later Anna was on the plane back to London.  “I have to file some copy…what can I write…?” She took out her laptop and began to type…

“As soon as I got off the plane I was in love with Africa.   Like a noble man, disappearing into the huge sunset, Africa is impossible to know, but it will always haunt9 you…”  Yes, this is good thought Anna to herself…”Jospeh Adoga is one such man, a face of Africa, a noble journalist, fighting for the cause of free speech in the Dark Continent…and without our help, he is in trouble…”

At the same time as Anna was typing, Joseph was sitting down to read the latest edition of The Star. He began to read his own article in it. “European journalists are strange people…” it began.

 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 sprayed 6d8c4528b9bcaed3560a6d0242977fdd     
v.喷( spray的过去式和过去分词 );向…扫射(或抛洒),往…上撒;尤指雄猫撒尿(以示领地占有)
参考例句:
  • They sprayed aerosol insect repellent into the faces of police. 他们将喷雾驱虫剂喷在了警察的脸上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The front of the house had been sprayed with white paint. 房子的正面已喷上了白漆。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 adventurous LKryn     
adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的 
参考例句:
  • I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
  • He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。
3 finding 5tAzVe     
n.发现,发现物;调查的结果
参考例句:
  • The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
  • That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。
4 agency iKcy0     
n.经办;代理;代理处
参考例句:
  • This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
  • He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。
5 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
6 abut SIZyU     
v.接界,毗邻
参考例句:
  • The two lots are abut together.那两块地毗连着。
  • His lands abut on the motorway.他的土地毗邻高速公路。
7 famine Ezjyi     
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。
8 intellectual O5Nxi     
n.知识分子;adj.智力的,理智的,有理解力的
参考例句:
  • Thinking is an intellectual process.思维是一个智力活动过程。
  • Chess is a highly intellectual game.象棋是需用高度智力的运动项目。
9 haunt d57yf     
vt.常出没于,使苦恼,萦绕;n.常去的地方
参考例句:
  • The area was a haunt of criminals.这个地区是罪犯经常出没的地方。
  • The college library is a favorite haunt.大学图书馆是人们喜欢的地方。
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