环球英语 — 20：Unusual Ways to Fight AIDS in Thailand

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹ program. I’m Rebekah Schipper.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
HIV and AIDS is a big problem around the world. The virus spreads quickly. And many people do not have the right information about it. They do not know how to prevent or control it. It is very dangerous. And there is no cure for AIDS.
Voice 2
AIDS is a fast-growing problem in Asia. Asia has the largest population in the world. In Asia, just the countries of China and India are home to two billion [2,000,000,000] people. That is one third [1/3] of the world’s total population!
Voice 1
The UN AIDS programme says that AIDS is spreading faster in Asia than in any other place. Five million [5,000,000] people in India are infected. In parts of Indonesia, infection rates have risen to seventeen percent [17%]. And UNAIDS estimates² that ten million [10,000,000] people in China could be infected with HIV by 2010.
Voice 2
The problem was also severe in the Asian country of Thailand. The first reported case of AIDS appeared in Thailand in nineteen eighty four [1984]. Since then, Thailand has worked to slow the spread of AIDS there. Their AIDS policies are strong and effective. But some people could say that they are also a little strange! Today’s Spotlight is on the fight against AIDS in Thailand. Today we will share with you some of the strange and interesting ways that the government of Thailand deals with preventing AIDS.
Voice 1
You may have heard another Spotlight program about Mechai Viravaidya. He teaches the people of Thailand about family planning and safe sex. He also spreads information about HIV and AIDS in Thailand.
Voice 2
Some people in Thailand call Mechai ‘the condom king.’ That is because he works³ hard to encourage one hundred percent [100%] condom use in Thailand.
Voice 1
Condoms are thin rubber protective⁴ covers. Men can wear them when they have sex. Using a condom increases protection for both people. Some people use condoms to avoid becoming pregnant⁵.
Voice 2
But people can also use condoms to avoid sexually⁷ transmitted⁸ diseases¹⁰. There are many dangerous diseases a person can get when he or she has sex with an infected person. These diseases can pass through body fluids¹¹ during sex.
Voice 1
The best way to avoid getting a sexually transmitted disease⁹ is to avoid having sex. A person can save the experience of sex until he or she gets married. But, if a person does have sex, he should use a condom to avoid getting sick. Experts everywhere agree that using a condom decreases a person’s risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease, even HIV. A person can still get a sexually transmitted disease or HIV even if he uses a condom. But the risk is much lower.
Voice 2
For many people there is a stigma¹², or bad idea, attached to condoms. They think that condoms are dirty or strange. They feel shame talking about sexual⁶ things like condoms. But Mechai asks:
Voice 3
“Why do condoms (make you feel shame)? (If you are ashamed of condoms) you should also (feel ashamed) about tennis balls. They contain a lot more rubber.”
Voice 1
Mostly, Mechai tries to remove the stigma from condoms. He tries to take the mystery out of this object. And he often uses humour to get his message across.
Voice 3
“Sex sells. So does humour ... I wanted to take the seriousness and (shame) out of birth control and make it a clean fun thing. I wanted people to accept (condoms) the same way they do (cleaning) soap and toothpaste. Sometimes I shocked people, sometimes I made them laugh. The important thing was to make them think and react.”
Voice 2
Mechai encourages people to think and react through many different methods and projects. Mechai spreads his message through advertisements. The advertisements include t-shirts, special cartoon characters, and holiday greeting cards. These objects show pictures of condoms. They may also include a message encouraging people to use condoms.
Voice 1
He also spreads his message by getting other people involved. He asked taxi drivers to give out free condoms to their passengers.
Voice 2
He sets up competitions. In these competitions people blow up a condom like a balloon.
Voice 1
In the past, Mechai has also asked religious leaders to bless condoms. He asked them to put holy water on the condoms for some religious Thai people.
Voice 2
One of Mechai’s strangest, and most popular, projects is a restaurant. Cabbage, a green round vegetable, is a common part of the Thai diet. Mechai says that he wanted to make condoms as common as cabbages in Thailand. So, he started a restaurant called ‘Cabbages and Condoms.’ People can come to the restaurant for a good tasting meal. But, they also will learn about safe sex.
Voice 1
Sometimes after a meal at a nice restaurant, people get a sweet dessert mint¹³. But at ‘Cabbages and Condoms’ a person gets a package of condoms instead! And the money the restaurant earns goes toward¹⁴ more AIDS education in Thailand.
Voice 2
Mechai’s work with condoms was very successful. Experts say that his work encouraging condom use has saved over eight million [8,000,000] lives. In fact, it was so successful, that many people in Thailand have a new slang¹⁵ word for condoms. They call them ‘Mechai’s!’
Voice 1
Some people may think that some of these methods are a little strange. But Mechai hopes to export his ideas to other countries. He hopes they will also have a big effect on the AIDS problem in other parts of the world.
Voice 2
In whatever he does, Mechai tries to involve as many people as possible to spread information about AIDS. He tries to encourage banks, insurance companies, police, film stars and other businesses and people with influence to join the fight. He asks these businesses and people to give out condoms and AIDS information. When everybody joins the fight, the public understands that there is an important problem.
Voice 1
AIDS is a problem that affects whole communities. Every person must help to keep the country healthy. And Mechai is sure that with everyone’s help AIDS can disappear.
Voice 3
“This is not just a health problem. It is a societal problem. Everyone needs to be involved - the business sector¹⁶, religious sector, education sector, government...We can make the next generation almost AIDS free.”
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

4 protective   

adj.防护的，保护的

参考例句：

• A mother naturally feels protective towards her children.做母亲的天生要保护自己的孩子。
• We feel safe with a protective device in the house.我们因为家里有了防护装置而感到安全。

5 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

6 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。

7 sexually   

adv.性别上地；按性别地；性欲地；两性之间地

参考例句：

• to be sexually promiscuous 性生活淫乱
• I was depressed,withdrawn and sexually frigid. 我郁郁寡欢，离群索居，没有什么性要求。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 transmitted   

v.发射，播送，广播( transmit的过去式和过去分词 )；传播；传导；传（热、声等）

参考例句：

• signals transmitted from a satellite 从卫星传送来的信号
• The power which an engine develops is transmitted to the wheels. 引擎产生的动力传递到车轮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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。

10 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

11 fluids   

n.液体，流体( fluid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He is taking cold fluids. 他正在喝冷饮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• You can contract Aids if your bodily fluids come into contact with the bodily fluids of someone else who is infected with HIV. 如果你的体液与染有HIV者的体液接触，你就会染上艾滋病。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。

13 mint   

n.薄荷，铸币厂；vt.铸造（硬币），创造（词）等

参考例句：

• The mint makes coins.铸币厂制造硬币。
• This candy tastes of mint.这糖果有薄荷味。

14 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

15 slang   

n.俚语，行话；vt.使用俚语，辱骂；vi.辱骂

参考例句：

• The phrase is labelled as slang in the dictionary.这个短语在这本字典里被注为俚语。
• Slang often goes in and out of fashion quickly.俚语往往很快风行起来又很快不再风行了。

16 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。