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VOA慢速英语2013 AS IT IS - The power of music…in Nigeria, Turkey and Pakistan

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AS IT IS - The power of music…in Nigeria, Turkey and Pakistan

Welcome to AS IT IS, from VOA Learning English.

I’m Christopher Cruise1.

Today, we report on the power of music…in Nigeria, Turkey and Pakistan.

Ted2 Greenfield tells us about a band that is working to keep rock and roll alive in Pakistan as the country grows more conservative3.

I will tell you about one of the most popular music groups in Turkey. The group’s members are not popular with the government, however.

But first, we go to the Nigerian capital Abuja -- where a band is playing music its members hope will be good for their country…

Many bands in Nigeria play songs based on traditional tribal4 music. Members of one band say they want to be more than rich and famous. They hope their songs can help save some ancient values and strengthen the country’s economy.

Marsha James has our story.

Becoming successful in the music business is never easy. But in Nigeria, musicians say it could be their best and only way to escape a life of poverty.

Ifeyinwa Samuel Ndukwu is known as “Ify De Diva” to fans of Heroes Band International, an Afro-Pop group. She is the group’s lead singer. She supports new musicians and singers by letting them perform with her band.

“As they are featuring with my band, maybe they may be engaged on a show. Somebody may see them to engage them for (a) performance. Maybe people will give them something, you know -- reasonable thing. But it’s better than to steal.”

Olawale Akinduro plays bass5 with Heroes Band International. Like many musicians, he needs a second job to survive. He says many Nigerian parents urge their children not to enter the music business.

“They don’t believe music is something that you can make money with so they can put food on your table.”

These musicians say they make music not just to earn money. They say it is also about the love of music and their love for their country.

I’m Marsha James.

The Turkish folk music group called Grup Yorum has faced political oppression since it was formed in 1984. Members of the group have been repeatedly arrested and put on trial. Police have barred them from performing, and seized their record albums. Yet Grup Yorum has been one of the top-selling groups in the history of Turkey.

The group recently celebrated6 its 25th anniversary with a concert at a sports center in Istanbul. More than 25,000 people attended the performance.

The government has targeted Grup Yorum because of its mixture of music and politics. The group faced especially strong pressure in the 1980s, when Turkey was ruled by the military.

Group member Ibrahum Gokcek says he and other members still face legal action.

“At 4:15 in the morning, the police came and started knocking at our doors, he says. We were in our studio here working on our new album. They took away the computer with our new songs. They pushed us to the floor and tear-gassed us. We were not able to breathe; they stepped on us and handcuffed us and they made us crawl up the street to the police van.”

Last month, Grup Forum’s cultural center was again raided7.

Because of Turkey’s anti-terror law, Grup Yorum has often been accused of supporting the banned DHKC. That group was blamed for an attack on the American embassy8 in Ankara in February.

Under the anti-terror law, even those attending Grup Yorum concerts are at risk of legal action.

Turkish government actions against Grup Yorum have done little to reduce the group’s appeal or success. Grup Yorum broke all Turkish records in 2011, when more than 250,000 people attended an open-air concert in Istanbul. Singer Dilan Balci remembers.

“We were expecting a large crowd, but never that many, she says. It was such an honor to be there. I was happy not for me, but for all our audience, for all of us. To see and hear so many people chanting ‘We want a free Turkey,’ to hear them singing our songs, it was an unforgettable experience. I think this is what disturbs the authorities -- that they saw how strong we are.”

The government defends its efforts against Group Yorum. It says Turkey is facing a terrorist9 threat. But critics argue such prosecutions10 of a hugely-successful band show the problems with the country’s anti-terrorism laws.

Pop music and rock bands performed in Pakistan during the 1980s. But few do so now.

VOA’s Sharon Behn found one band still playing and working with other musicians in an effort to keep rock and roll alive in the country.

Ted Greenfield has more.

Rock and roll never really died in Pakistan. But it did fade away.

Aaron Smith plays drums in a rock band called “RockLite.” He says many bands were playing in clubs, discos and at parties across Pakistan 20 years ago. Now, he says, there are only five.

“A lot of people went abroad from Pakistan. And, we have this whole new group of people that have come into Pakistan, I guess, and have changed the idea, and you know -- totally just believe, you know that this music shouldn’t be played, and you know, you shouldn’t have this outfit11, you shouldn’t have long hair.”

Pakistan’s increasing conservatism12 and threats from extremist groups have caused advertisers to stop supporting rock concerts. And television programs rarely talk about rock bands.

Musicians like Aaron Smith say they survive by playing in several bands.

“I keep telling our musicians, I say don’t give up hope. You could never say…it could get better.”

I’m Ted Greenfield.

And that’s “As It Is,” our daily show from VOA Learning English.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 cruise 2nhzw     
v.巡航,航游,缓慢巡行;n.海上航游
参考例句:
  • They went on a cruise to Tenerife.他们乘船去特纳利夫岛。
  • She wants to cruise the canals of France in a barge.她想乘驳船游览法国的运河。
2 ted 9gazhs     
vt.翻晒,撒,撒开
参考例句:
  • The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
  • She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。
3 conservative jprzC     
adj.保守的,守旧的;n.保守的人,保守派
参考例句:
  • He is a conservative member of the church.他是一个守旧教会教友。
  • The young man is very conservative.这个年轻人很守旧。
4 tribal ifwzzw     
adj.部族的,种族的
参考例句:
  • He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
  • The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。
5 bass APUyY     
n.男低音(歌手);低音乐器;低音大提琴
参考例句:
  • He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
  • The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。
6 celebrated iwLzpz     
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的
参考例句:
  • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
  • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
7 raided 3d4117546c2bc627fd1eb0b513b2f4d3     
对…进行突然袭击(raid的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The enemy raided the docks. 敌人突然袭击了码头。
  • Enemy troops raided our border areas. 敌军对我边境地区进行袭击。
8 embassy HPWz2     
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。
9 terrorist 9Iaz2     
n.恐怖主义者,恐怖分子
参考例句:
  • Without the gun,I'm a sitting duck for any terrorist.没有这支枪,我就成了恐怖分子下手的目标了。
  • The district was put on red alert during a terrorist's bomb scare.这个地区在得到恐怖分子炸弹恐吓后作了应急准备。
10 prosecutions 51e124aef1b1fecefcea6048bf8b0d2d     
起诉( prosecution的名词复数 ); 原告; 实施; 从事
参考例句:
  • It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
  • Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来,政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
11 outfit YJTxC     
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装
参考例句:
  • Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
  • His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
12 conservatism VYPyN     
n.保守,守旧性,保守主义
参考例句:
  • the innate conservatism of older people 老年人固有的保守性
  • Wherein lies the difference between conservatism and liberalism? 保守主义和自由主义的区别在哪里?

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