环球英语 — 42：Benny Prasad

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Elizabeth Lickiss.
Voice 2
And I’m Mike Procter. Welcome to Spotlight¹. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
How many musical instruments can you hear playing? A guitar maybe? It sounds like someone’s fingers are moving up and down strings² on a guitar. And drums - maybe Indian drums - bongos? You can hear a hand hitting bongos. Well that is right. This is the sound of a guitar and bongos! But, there is only one instrument playing! This instrument is one of its kind! It is the only guitar in the world like it. On the surface of the guitar are bongos. The guitar can play like a normal guitar. Or, it can play like an Indian guitar - a sitar. And the person playing it is just as amazing - Benny Prasad. Benny has played his guitar in countries all over the world. Everyone praises his skill and creativity³. But the beginning of Benny’s life was very different to his life now. In fact, people told Benny that he would never play the guitar! Here is his story.
Voice 3
‘My father was a scientist. He designed airplanes. He had very high expectations for me. I was the first born in the family. But I was a failure. I failed in my studies. I failed in my personality⁴. I failed in my health - in every part of my life. This included my talent - my abilities. People said to me - Benny you will never be a music player. At school, my teachers laughed at me. They asked me why I was there. I brought shame to the school. I was not an intelligent person. My life was meaningless.’
Voice 1
Benny also had health problems. He suffered from the breathing condition asthma⁵. Sixty percent of Benny’s lungs are damaged. And Benny also has rheumatoid arthritis⁶. This disease⁷ affects the joints⁸ - where the bones join. It is a very painful condition. He said,
Voice 3
‘Medically speaking my joints are damaged from my neck to my toe. Doctors told me I would not be able to play the guitar.’
Voice 2
So how did this child ‘without talent’ become a famous musician?
Voice 1
Benny had heard other people playing the guitar. He loved the sound. He really wanted to learn to play the guitar too. But how could he? He did not have enough money to buy a guitar. And his physical condition would make playing the guitar very hard. Also there was no one to teach him. It seemed to be a hopeless situation. Then, Benny found a dusty⁹ old guitar at his college. It was not in the best condition. It did not have any strings. But he collected broken parts and repaired the guitar. He played for seven hours every day. At the end of two months his skill was clear to people around him.
Soon, he was making music - good music! How was this possible? Benny believes that it was the power of God! He says,
Voice 3
‘Jesus made me useful! I recognise my skill as a gift from God. I use it to honour and praise him. Wherever I go I tell people what he has done for me’.
Voice 2
In 1999 Benny had the chance to go to a music college. He went to New Mexico in the United¹⁰ States. He studied at the ‘School of Music In Missions’. Here he met a famous music teacher and writer, Tommy Coomes. Tommy recognised Benny’s skill and musical talent! He wanted to do something special to support Benny. So what could he do? He gave Benny a wonderful gift. Benny remembers,
Voice 3
‘You would not believe what happened there (at the college.) They presented me with one of the world’s best guitars! This was a wonderful gift.’
Voice 1
Benny carries his guitar around with him. He wants to be able to share his music with everyone. He uses music to honour God. He tells people what God can do for them. Benny says God has given him more than just musical gifts. God has changed him completely¹¹. Benny now looks at life in a very different way. His Christian¹³ faith is at the centre of everything he does and believes. He says,
Voice 3
‘I believe that Jesus Christ¹² came to earth to die for people’s wrong doings. His death set me free from my sin¹⁴. I know that he can set others free too. He changed my life around. And he can do the same for anyone.’
Voice 2
Benny believes that God has used him to bring God’s message of hope to other people. He says,
Voice 3
‘It is amazing how Jesus can use a person like me. The Bible¹⁵ says he uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong. I am one small example’.
Voice 1
We finish with the beautiful sounds from Benny Prasad.
 

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 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

3 creativity   

n.创造力，创造

参考例句：

• There is limited scope for creativity in my job.我的工作中发挥创造力的空间有限。
• She got an unusually low score for creativity.在创造力方面，她得了异乎寻常的低分。

4 personality   

n.个性，人格，名人

参考例句：

• Einstein was a great personality.爱因斯坦是个伟大的人物。
• She has a powerful personality.她有坚强的个性。

5 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

6 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

7 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。

8 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

9 dusty   

adj.积满灰尘的；无聊的，含糊的，粉末状的

参考例句：

• He was pulling dead roots from the dusty earth.他正在从土中拔出枯死的根茎。
• One spring it was very windy and dusty here.有一年春天这里风沙很大。

10 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

11 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

12 Christ   

n.基督，救世主，耶稣

参考例句：

• I regarded him as the Christ.我把他当作救世主。
• Christ preached that we should love each other.基督在布道中说人们应该互爱。

13 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

14 sin   

n.罪，罪孽，过失；vi.犯罪，违反

参考例句：

• It's a sin to waste food.浪费食品是一种罪过。
• It's a sin to be indoors on holiday.假期中待在家里实在是罪过。

15 bible   

n.《圣经》；得到权威支持的典籍

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• This dictionary should be your Bible when studying English.学习英语时，这本字典应是你的主要参考书。