VOA慢速英语2015 柬埔寨马戏团给年轻演员提供更好的生活

AS IT IS 2015-05-24 Cambodia Circus Offers a Better Life to Young Performers 柬埔寨马戏团给年轻演员提供更好的生活

Many young people dream of joining the circus and performing for large crowds. Such dreams are very much alive in Cambodia, where the skills some youngsters¹ learn can change their lives. Our reporters went to one school for children from needy² families. They found the school offers training in many areas, including a few you might not expect.

Juggling³, tumbling⁴ and acrobatics⁵ -- performing difficult and often dangerous movements -- are not skills most schoolchildren learn. But such moves are as much a part of the study program as mathematics and languages at the Phare Ponleu Selpak school, or PPS.

The skills have taken former PPS students to a number of other countries in Asia, Europe and even the United States.

Among them is Pin Phunam, 23-year-old contortionist. She had a troubled childhood. Her father was an alcoholic⁶ who sometimes turned violent. At the age of seven, Pin Phunam was collecting bottles and other trash to earn money for food. At 13, she joined the circus program at PPS.

"The school helped me to change my life. That from the poor kid, from the little girl, who [was] working in the town [and] who was a trash picker to become an artist. And with this skill I travelled to the world."

Pin Phunam belongs to a troupe⁷ of performers called the Phare Cambodian Circus. Her group was one of several appearing at an international circus festival in Phnom Penh this month.

Huot Dara is chief executive⁸ of the circus. He says her performances help to support a school with a special or unique calling.

"To give these unique opportunities to young Cambodians mainly from the street and from very difficult social and economic backgrounds. To take art and culture as a means to express themselves and to have a career, to earn a living, to improve their life and to grow out of poverty."

One of the Phare troupe's shows tells about the suffering in Cambodia under Khmer Rouge⁹ rule. Pin Phunam plays the lead in a story about the school's founding. It tells about Cambodian survivors¹⁰ who had found security in the arts while living in refugee¹¹ camps. There is also a mix of humor and sharp skills.

But Pin Phunam's days as a contortionist will soon end. She wants to dance and study arts and communications.

Her big dream is to enter politics. But her friends say that’s a crazy idea.

"I want people to know girl have a dream and she will go to her dream even if it's hard but keep hope."

Until then, she will keep performing with members of her troupe, combining their skills with just enough near misses to keep crowds  on their toes.

Words in This Story

acrobatics – n. difficult and dangerous acts done by an artist

contortionist – n. a performer who twists his or her body into unusual positions

troupe – n. a group of actors, singers who work together

unique – adj. very special or unusual

1 youngsters   

n.孩子( youngster的名词复数 )；少年；青年；年轻人

参考例句：

• We followed the youngsters at a more sedate pace. 我们跟在年轻人后面，步子稍慢一点。
• The camp is for youngsters aged 8 to 14. 这次夏令营是为8至14岁的少年儿童安排的。

2 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

3 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

4 tumbling   

n.摔跤，翻跟头，翻筋斗adj.歪斜状的v.倒塌( tumble的现在分词 )；翻滚；突然摔倒；恍然大悟

参考例句：

• His eyes were fastened on the boiling, tumbling waves. 他的眼睛凝视着汹涌的波涛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The earthquake sent buildings tumbling into one another like failing dominoes. 地震使大楼哗啦啦倒塌，就像正在倾倒的骨牌一般。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 acrobatics   

n.杂技

参考例句：

• Acrobatics is hard to learn but beautiful to watch.杂技不好学，但很好看。
• We watched a performance which included a puppet show and acrobatics.我们观看了一场演出，内容有木偶和杂技。

6 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

7 troupe   

n.剧团，戏班；杂技团；马戏团

参考例句：

• The art troupe is always on the move in frontier guards.文工团常年在边防部队流动。
• The troupe produced a new play last night.剧团昨晚上演了一部新剧。

8 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

9 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

10 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

11 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。