BBC Learning English6 Minute EnglishFighting poor sanitation(卫生)
NB: This is not an accurate word-for-word transcript6 Minute English ?
Dima: Hi, welcome to this edition of 6 Minute English with me, Dima Kostenko. Inthis programme:
With all the scientific and technological progress around the world, how comepoor sanitation still remains a mass child killer?
And - how we can save lives by learning a few lessons from the past - forexample, from the 19th century Britain - according to a new report.
In the studio with me is Jackie Dalton - thanks for joining me Jackie.
Jackie: RespondsDima: Let's start with today's key word - 'sanitation'. What does 'sanitation' actually mean?
Jackie: Well, sanitation is a very broad term. We use it to mean systems for takingdirty water and other waste products away from buildings in order to protect（保护） people's health.
Dima: And 'diarrhoea'?
Jackie: That's not a very nice thing to have! It's when your body gets poisoned by unclean water or infected food, making your stomach upset so you need to goto the toilet really often, and it can be a very serious health problem.
Dima: On to the next word, the verb 'to outweigh'.
Jackie: This just means to be greater or more important than something else.
Dima: OK, sanitation, diarrhoea and to outweigh. Jackie, do interrupt me if you hearany other words you think might need explaining.
Well, as I said at the beginning, a new report has just been published - by thecharity WaterAid. The report says that the lives of millions of children arebeing put at risk every year, because governments and aid agencies are makingthe wrong choices about health care priorities.
Jackie: Health care priorities - that's deciding which diseases or illnesses to fight first.
Dima: Exactly. Now, according to the report, diarrhoea caused by poor sanitation iskilling many more children than HIV/Aids, TB and malaria combined. Andhere comes my question for this week. If the world spent 10.8 billion dollars in2004-2006 on HIV/Aids, how much do you think was spent in the same periodon improving sanitation? Was ita) 1.5 billionb) 15 billion orc) 50 billion?
Jackie: AnswersDima: We'll check your answer later but first let's hear from Oliver Cumming, the author of the report. Oliver believes not enough is being done around the worldto improve sanitation - possibly, because politicians find it neither fashionable,nor exciting. As you listen, see if you can catch some of today's other keywords and expressions. Over to you Jackie:
Jackie: We're going to hear 'lack of political will' - that is to say that governments show no desire to act. Lack of political will 'is driving this neglect' - in otherwords, is the reason for not doing anything about the situation. And 'shocking',meaning extremely bad, very unpleasant.
Clip 1 0'15"The only reason that we can see is this lack of political will which is driving this neglect. Andit's all the more shocking when you consider the role that investments in sanitation playedhere in the developed world. If you take the example of the UK... (fade)Jackie: Oliver says, there's only one reason for politicians to do very little aboutimproving sanitation: they just don't want to get involved! And that is bad - infact, so bad that the word Oliver uses is - 'shocking'. And something, he says,makes it even more shocking. What is it? See if you can catch the answer asyou listen to Oliver again. Here is a clue for you: look out for a word thatmeans 'putting money into something worthwhile'.
Clip 1 0'15"The only reason that we can see is this lack of political will which is driving this neglect. Andit's all the more shocking when you consider the role that investments in sanitation playedhere in the developed world. If you take the example of the UK... (fade)Jackie: The key word there was - 'investment'. Or, to put it in context, 'investments insanitation in the developed world'. Sounds like time has come for a historylesson you promised at the beginning Dima?
Dima: That's right Jackie. In the next part of the interview Oliver Cumming says that sadly, the experience of history is sometimes forgotten even in places where sanitation should be a health care priority（优先）. Which country does he refer to as ahistorical example? Let's listen:
Clip 2 0'21"And it's all the more shocking when you consider the role that investments in sanitationplayed here in the developed world. If you take the example of the UK - it was governmentled investments in sanitation which in fact brought about the most significant reductions inchild mortality at the end of the 19th century. Far greater in fact that the advent of the NationalHealth System for example.
Dima: Did you hear the answer? Which country made investments in sanitation at theend of the 19th century?
…It was the United Kingdom.
Jackie: There was also some good language there. First, the phrasal verb 'to bringabout', meaning to result in something, to be the impulse for something tohappen. And second, the phrase 'significant reductions in child mortality'. Thissimply means that the number of child deaths became a lot smaller. Oliver saysthat improved sanitation 'brought about the most significant reductions in childmortality', much greater than when the National Health Service was introducedin the UK back in 1948.
Dima: And finally let's go back to the question I asked you earlier. I asked how muchmoney was spent in the world in 2004-2006 on improving sanitation.
Jackie: And I said…Dima: And you were correct/the correct answer was …. just 1.5 billion dollars.
Jackie: RespondsDima: I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Until next week.
Both: Goodbye!
See the online version and listen to the programme at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2009/05/090521_6min_sanitation.shtml（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑） |