VOA标准英语2010年-Las Vegas Poker Tournament Raises Mone

A charity poker¹ tournament in Las Vegas has raised millions of dollars and is working to raise awareness² about the conflicts in Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

In a Las Vegas Casino, players are laying their cards on the table to  promote change in Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  This is Ante Up for Africa, a charity tournament where celebrities³ and professional poker players team up to raise money and awareness for Africa.  Tournament organizer Annie Duke wants to support sustainable change.

"The more that you can do to create stability in an area and create jobs and create infrastructure⁴ the more sustainable change you are creating," said Annie Duke.

Co-organizer actor Don Cheadle says there has been some progress in the four years since they began this event.

"It is one of those situations that sometimes feels like two steps forward and one step back, when we started this there was no special envoy⁵ to Sudan, now he is in place," said Don Cheadle.

 

The money raised here helped build a school in Darfur this year.  Since it began, the event has raised more than $3 million.  Boxer⁶ Evander Holyfield and actor Matt Damon are among this year's players

"To build a school in Darfur, that is wonderful, and it is tangible⁷, and so for people who are donating they can really see a direct impact in changing kid's lives," said Matt Damon.

Professional poker players say they have been moved by what they have learned about Africa.

"It is brutal⁸, it is absolutely brutal to see what is going on there, it makes you cry," said player Jennifer Harmon. "I know this tournament is more about raising awareness than raising money and hopefully there will be a lot of awareness being raised."

"We are on one planet, we are all intertwined, what happens in Africa, does affect us here eventually and we need to spread goodwill⁹ and help educate the entire world," said professional player Erich Bloch.

While the conflict in Darfur first inspired the tournament, money is also going to projects in Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This year's Ante Up for Africa event coincides with the the launch of a new campaign against conflict minerals, used to make computers and cellphones.  They are mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the trade is fueling the conflict there.

"Five million people killed in the last 10 years, hundreds of thousands of woman and girls raped¹⁰, horrible stuff," says a video by Enough Project.

Money from Ante up for Africa helped the charity Enough Project make this video.

"Here is some tin and this is called Tantalum, and this is Tungsten."

"Our militias¹¹ use violence to control mines, and trading routes and then make hundreds of millions selling these minerals to electronics companies," continues the video.

Advocacy group Refugees International is another beneficiary. Sara Fusco, the assistant director for online communications, says the tournament offers unique exposure.

"It raises the profile of our work in a segment of society that maybe are not completely exposed to our work," said Sara Fusco.

A seat at the table here cost $5,000, and the winners usually donate all the prize money to the charity.  Participants say even if the cards do not go their way, in this game at least, everybody wins. 

 

1 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

2 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

3 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

7 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

8 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

9 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

10 raped   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
• We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致，不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句

11 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网