VOA慢速英语2010年-Development Report - Film Captures Ris

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

"Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders" is a documentary¹ by movie director Mark Hopkins. It tells the story of four doctors and their volunteer work in Liberia and the Democratic² Republic of Congo.

The award-winning film was first shown at the two thousand eight Venice Film Festival. It opened in the United States last month.

Doctors Without Borders is a humanitarian³ organization also known by its French name, Medecins Sans Frontieres. It handles emergencies caused by war, infectious⁴ disease⁵ and natural disasters.

The group says this was the first time it gave a documentary crew unrestricted access to its field operations. Mr. Hopkins and his crew filmed the doctors working under some of the most extreme and dangerous conditions imaginable.

Scene from ''Living in Emergency"

The director says "Living in Emergency" is a story about how things are, not how you wish things were.

Doctor Tom Krueger from the United States volunteered in Liberia in two thousand three, after two civil wars.

TOM KRUEGER: "It was pretty much of a shock when I got here. I mean, if you're going to talk to some of your friends about some of the stuff⁶ you saw -- and you can't describe the smells, the feeling of the heat on your body and the sweat running down your back. The smell of the pus that hits your nose, and of unwashed bodies in a closed room. You know, the circulation⁷, and the smell of your own panic, you know, when you're not sure what to do."

Another doctor in the film, Australian Chris Brasheer, has been with Doctors Without Borders for nine years. He has served in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spent time in Liberia. He describes some of the conditions he faced.

Chris Brasheer: "No water, no electricity, no food -- pretty apocalyptic⁸ really."

Doctors Without Borders was established in nineteen seventy-one by doctors and journalists in France. Today, the group provides humanitarian medical aid in nearly sixty countries.

On an average day, it says, almost twenty-seven thousand doctors, nurses and others work in teams of local and foreign aid workers.

Doctor Chiara Lepora from Italy also appears in the film. She spent several years working with the group, and told VOA's Penelope Poulou that she will probably return.

CHIARA LEPORA: "There are a lot of doctors who are willing to volunteer once, but not many doctors who are willing to repeat their experience."

Doctors Without Borders is structured as an international movement. It has organizations in nineteen countries, including the United States. Ninety percent of its money comes from private sources. In nineteen ninety-nine the group received the Nobel Peace Prize.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. Transcripts⁹, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember
 

1 documentary   

adj.文献的；n.纪录片

参考例句：

• This case lacked documentary proof.本案缺少书面证据。
• I watched a documentary on the Civil War.我看了一部关于内战的纪录片。

2 democratic   

adj.民主的；民主主义的，有民主精神的

参考例句：

• Their country has democratic government.他们国家实行民主政体。
• He has a democratic work-style.他作风民主。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 infectious   

adj.传染的，有传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。
• What an infectious laugh she has!她的笑声多么具有感染力啊！

5 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

6 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

7 circulation   

n.循环，流通，传播，发行，发行量

参考例句：

• There is a large circulation in the musical public.在音乐界销路很广。
• The ideas have been in circulation for some time.这些想法已经流行了一段时间。

8 apocalyptic   

adj.预示灾祸的，启示的

参考例句：

• The air is chill and stagnant,the language apocalyptic.空气寒冷而污浊，语言则是《启示录》式的。
• Parts of the ocean there look just absolutely apocalyptic.海洋的很多区域看上去完全像是世界末日。

9 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句