英语听力—环球英语 526 Saving the River Jordan

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Steve Myersco,
Voice 2
And I'm Marina Santee. 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
"Lot looked up. He saw the whole Jordon River valley. It had plenty of water. It was like God's own land". These words are from the Jewish² and Christian³ Bible⁴. They describe the Jordan Valley thousands of years ago. It was so fertile⁵! But, today, the Jordan Valley is very different. The river does not have plenty of water. Over the past one hundred years, the river has become smaller and smaller, and dirtier and dirtier.
Voice 2
Today's Spotlight looks at how one group is trying to bring new life back to the Jordan Valley. The programme also describes how the river is uniting people who live along it.
Voice 1
The lower part of the Jordan River flows from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. It is the most famous part of the river - the ‘Jordan' of the Bible. It flows along the borders of Israel, the Palestinian West Bank, and Jordan. The river is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, its religious history. Jewish and Christian history records important events that happened at the River Jordan. Much of the land around the river is also very important to Muslims.
Voice 2
People in the surrounding countries depend on the river for water. But, as more and more people use the water, the river is getting smaller. This is having an effect on the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest area of water on earth. It is also famous for the high amount of salt that is in it. Many holiday visitors visit the Dead Sea every year. But the Dead Sea is also getting smaller. Every year it goes down one more metre. This is because less water is reaching it from the River Jordan.
Voice 1
One group that is concerned about this is Friends of the Earth Middle East. This environmental group is worried about the Jordan River, and the effect it is having on the Dead Sea. Gidon Bromberg is one of the directors of Friends of the Earth Middle East. He says,
Voice 3
‘Since the beginning of time, it was the Jordan River that filled the Dead Sea. In just 50 years, we have managed to turn the holy Jordan into a river of human waste. A third of the Dead Sea has also been dried up.'
Voice 2
Gidon Bromberg is one of three directors of Friends of the Earth Middle East. Each director is from one of the areas that borders the Jordan River. Gidon Bromberg is from Israel. Munqeth Mehyar is from Jordan. And Nader Al-Khateeb is from the Palestinian West Bank. They show how people from all along the river need to work together to save the Jordan River.
Voice 1
Currently⁶, authorities⁷ on both sides of the river often take as much water as they want. But Friends of the Earth Middle East say this needs to change. The organisation⁸ thinks that the different authorities need to act now to control the use of the river's water. This is so that they are able to use the river in the future. Co-president Munqeth Mehyar says,
Voice 4
‘Over the past ten years Friends of the Earth Middle East has made politicians think more about key water issues. This has happened both locally and internationally. We should all be concerned about saving⁹ the Lower Jordan River and the Dead Sea. They are part of our shared human history.'
Voice 2
So Friends of the Earth Middle East brings together people who live along the River Jordan. Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian town leaders meet to discuss how to manage the river. They discuss the issues that they are all experiencing. This builds relationships between groups that normally¹⁰ do not work together. Communities are all encouraged not to use too much water.
Voice 1
Another project that Friends of the Earth Middle East is working on is called the Peace Park. This is a protected area of land that will improve the local environment. Authorities would stop other developments in the area so that the wildlife can increase. Friends of the Earth Middle East believe this would not only improve the environment. It would also improve relationships between communities on opposite sides of the river. People would be free to visit the park without worrying about the national border that runs through it.
Voice 2
The Peace Park would include a new lake. Project leaders plan to create this by flooding some of the land. This would also encourage birds to visit the area. Friends of the Earth Middle East hope foreign visitors would then come to visit the park. People who live near the park could also visit the river. Currently, even this is often not possible. Military authorities control much of the area around the Jordan River. So, most people cannot see the current state of the river. This is one reason why people have not taken care of it in recent years.
Voice 1
Over the next few years Friends of the Earth Middle East hopes to start the first part of the Peace Park project. Town leaders on both sides of the river are supporting the idea. Three leaders from Israeli and Jordanian areas published this joint¹¹ letter.
Voice 5
‘We three mayors¹² see the development of the Peace Park as a joint effort. It is at the centre of peace building efforts between communities. Today, the River Jordan is heavily polluted. It has become a place for people to leave their waste. This is destroying the wildlife. Today mayors and citizens of the communities want to change this. The mayors want the Peace Park to be the start of a larger project to bring life back to the River Jordan. We support the work of Friends of the Earth Middle East. It is helping¹³ to support good relations between the communities. These relations are based on peace and the environment.'
Voice 2
So the Peace Park is not just important to save the local environment. It is also helping to bring traditionally divided groups together. In the past, many efforts to bring peace to the area have failed. The Peace Park could be one small way of bringing the different groups together. The future of the Jordan River may also depend on how these groups work with each other. So, the same river that divides the nations, could become one thing that unites them.
 

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 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。

3 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。

4 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。

5 fertile   

adj.肥沃的，富饶的；多产的，丰产的

参考例句：

• The district is fertile of wheat.该地区盛产小麦。
• Plants grow well in fertile soil.植物在肥沃的土壤里长势良好。

6 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

7 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

9 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

10 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

11 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

12 mayors   

（民选的）市长( mayor的名词复数 )； 镇长； （英格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰由议员选举产生的）镇长

参考例句：

• Mayors wear chains round their necks as badges of office. 市长们戴着象征职位的项链。
• The mayors of two towns petitioned the President to stop sending their sons to Vietnam. 两个城镇的市长向总统请愿，要求停止把他们的青年派往越南。

13 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。