VOA标准英语2013--Turkey Provides Schools for Syrian Refugee Children

 

Turkey Provides Schools for Syrian Refugee Children

School for displaced Syrians

Gaziantep's school for Syrian refugees. These fourth graders are studying in their native Arabic though their coursework follows Turkey's curriculum. They also are learning the Turkish and English languages.

The school was opened in October when it became clear that they would not be going home anytime soon.

Nearly 600 Syrian children study in the eight classrooms here, the younger ones in the morning, the older ones in the afternoon. At night more than 300 parents come to learn Turkish.

Like most children, these kids love to draw. Many drawings show disturbing scenes. Director Orhan Buyukaslan says art helps them deal with trauma¹. “As you see in the drawings, the children have witnessed war, fighting, violence, bombings. They and their families are tense," he said. "They can start shouting, fighting, even over little things. We understand what's going on inside them. That's why we tolerate it.”

Funding

The Gaziantep city government funds the school and pays student expenses. Mayor Asim Guzelbey says the presence of so many foreigners can cause tensions. But he says local people remember Turkey's suffering following the First World War.

“Gaziantep has seen terrible war [in 1918-21] where 25 percent of its population was killed. The people here know what it's like to lose everything and survive without food. That's why we understand the Syrians' situation," stated Guzelbey. "We have embraced them.”

Guzelbey is disturbed by the humanitarian² suffering and the destruction in Syria, which shows no sign of ending soon.

As classes end, the Syrian children are dismissed, leaving Gaziantep officials to worry about how to possibly handle thousands more waiting to escape the violence engulfing³ their country. 

1 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

2 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。

3 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句