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VOA慢速英语2013 AS IT IS 2013-06-10 Mobile Phones Changing Lives in Kenya

时间:2013-06-14 08:59:37

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AS IT IS 2013-06-10 Mobile Phones Changing Lives in Kenya

Hello, and welcome once again to “As It Is,” our daily show for people learning American English.

I’m Christopher Cruise1 in Washington.

Today on the program, we visit with some musicians in Nigeria who are hoping to change their world…

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

But first, we hear how mobile phones are changing lives in Kenya -- and not always for the better…

Food or Phone?

Mobile phones were once something only rich people used. But with prices falling, both rich and poor people now depend on them for both personal and professional needs.

The World Bank asked two groups -- iHub Research and Research Solutions Africa -- to study mobile phone use in Kenya. They examined mobile phone use among Kenyans earning less than $2.50 a day. The groups reported their findings late last year.

Jim Tedder2 tells us more…

Angela Crandall led the project. Her group found that 20 percent of those questioned chose to give up necessities like food or transportation in order to purchase minutes to use on their mobile phone. Some said they ate rice and vegetables instead of something more costly3, like meat, so they could buy credit. Ms. Crandall says there was a reason for these decisions.

“They thought that by using this money to call their friend or by having this airtime, that they could text someone, they actually, potentially could earn more money in the future…I definitely don’t want people to blow this out of proportion, and, the idea that, you know, the mobile phone is making people hungrier, I don’t think necessarily is true. Other studies have shown that actually when people at the base of the (economic) pyramid get more money, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll spend it on food. And so, I think that this is sort of a stereotype4 or misassumption that we make, that people at the BoP (base of the pyramid) are so hungry that any extra coin will go towards food. I don’t think it’s true because we found even a small, marginal5 income increase will actually go towards entertainment, so I think that this is, you know, exemplifies6 that finding. I would say that it really shows the value that Kenyans are placing on, on, you know, potentially getting more money or even just the communication aspect of it.”

Eighteen-year-old Martha Bosibori sells fruit at a market in Nairobi. She says she has avoided eating some meals so she could buy mobile phone credit. That way, she can earn money through the business she gets by using her telephone.

“Sometimes, you know, for example, I’m hungry but I need to talk to someone, for example. So what I do, I just sacrifice that money, I don’t take (eat) that food. Then I buy that credit and use it to talk to that person who I was supposed to talk to. Okay, now for example, I, I have customers. Here, for example, I sell mangoes. Now to, to take some orders, you know, from, from maybe let’s say, like neighbors, they do know that I do sell mangoes. So sometimes, they call me and say, ‘Today Martha, you can, can just bring five like mangoes’. So, I take their orders through the cell phone.”

The study found that people chose phone credits over spending on necessities. The study also found that more than 60 percent of the poor people who were questioned own a mobile phone.

I’m Jim Tedder.

In Nigeria, Music Can Change Lives

There are many bands in Nigeria. VOA reporter Heather Murdoch spoke7 recently with members of a group called the Heroes Band International. These musicians say they want to be more than rich and famous. They hope their songs can help protect some ancient values and strengthen the country’s economy.

Kelly Jean Kelly reports.

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

Ifeyinwa Samuel Ndukwu is the lead singer with Heroes Band International, an Afro-Pop group in Abuja. She is known as Ify De Diva to people who actively8 follow the band. She supports new musicians and singers by letting them perform with the group. This helps many of them find work elsewhere.

“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 bass9 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 you can make money with so they can put food on your table. Or that music is something that can make you achieve anything.“

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 Kelly Jean Kelly.

And that’s “As It Is.” We hope you enjoyed our program today.


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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 tedder 2833afc4f8252d8dc9f8cd73b24db55d     
n.(干草)翻晒者,翻晒机
参考例句:
  • Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆?特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
  • Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆?泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网
3 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
4 stereotype rupwE     
n.固定的形象,陈规,老套,旧框框
参考例句:
  • He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
  • There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。
5 marginal Y7kzp     
adj.微小的,仅以微弱多数获胜的,有旁注的
参考例句:
  • He won the most marginal seat by only two votes.他只以两票的微弱优势当选。
  • This once important social group is becoming more and more marginal.这个一度十分重要的社会集团越来越无足轻重了。
6 exemplifies ff2b9a93724c0680056b0c297e955e8d     
是…的典型( exemplify的第三人称单数 ); 例示,举例证明
参考例句:
  • This painting exemplifies the artist's early style. 这幅画是该画家早期艺术风格的典型。
  • He exemplifies the new liberalism. 他反映了新自由主义的观点.
7 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
8 actively lzezni     
adv.积极地,勤奋地
参考例句:
  • During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
  • We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。
9 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。

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