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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Voice 1
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 2
Imagine a large theatre in London, England. The theatre is full of people. They are all waiting for something. At the front there are performers2 - singers and musicians. Then a small, thin, excited young man walks to the front. The singers stand. The young man lifts his hand - and the performers begin to play and to sing. The music was written nearly three hundred years ago by a German musician - J S Bach. It describes the story of how Jesus Christ3 was executed4 - yet he was an innocent5 man. This story is very important to Christians6. The music is very emotional7. It is very difficult to play and sing. And it lasts for three hours. At the end the people clap and clap. The young man is happy. He has wanted to perform this concert for a long time. But he is also very tired. After the performance he needs to go to hospital. He will stay in the hospital for the next three weeks.
Voice 1
All this happened in April 2009. The young man's name is Alex Stobbs. Alex lives in the south of England. He is a university student - and he has a gift for music. He loves to sing and to play and to direct8 a performance, as he did at that concert. But Alex also has a big problem.
Voice 2
Soon after Alex was born doctors discovered that there was something wrong with him. He could not use his lungs very well. He could not breathe as well as most people. Also, his body could not fully9 process his food. Doctors discovered that Alex has a disease10 called cystic fibrosis, or CF. In CF, important organs in the body become blocked by a thick fluid11 called mucus. The mucus prevents normal processing of food and air. Most people who have CF die in their thirties. There is no cure.
Voice 1
This did not worry Alex. He said:
Voice 3
'I have spent most of my time trying to ignore it and simply getting on with my life.'
Voice 1
Music has been Alex's love in life - his passion12. When he was a baby, some friends give him some toy musical instruments. When he was three years old he could play a little music on the piano .When he was seven years old he went to a school where he began to learn more musical instruments, and where he could sing.
Voice 2
When Alex was nine years old he went to Kings College School in Cambridge. This famous school has a tradition of music teaching13. It is linked with one of the most famous choirs15 in the world. A choir14 is a group of people who sing together - but this choir is special. The choir of Kings College is especially famous for its radio broadcast at Christmas. It is broadcast all over the world. The choir members work very hard. The choir boys live in the school. They do not go home to their parents at the end of each day.
Voice 1
Over the years, Alex has spent a lot of time in a hospital in London. The medical workers there were very kind. Sometimes, Alex would play music for the people in the hospital. He would organise16 special performances for them.
Voice 2
When Alex was thirteen he moved to Eton, another famous school. Again, he had to live in the school. But the teachers at the school were very kind. They provided17 a person who could look after Alex. And they allowed him to have a special vehicle18 which could carry him around the large grounds of the school. This gave him more time to work on his music, which is what he wanted to do. He wanted to play, to sing, and to direct performances. And this is what he did! He still had to go to hospital many times. But he said:
Voice 3
'I prefer that people do not see me as someone with CF.'
Voice 2
Instead, he tried to sing as much as possible, because singing is good for the lungs.
Voice 1
Every morning Alex has to do special exercises to clear his lungs. And he has to take many medicines. At night, he is connected to a machine which gives him food while he sleeps. Because of his disease Alex needs a lot of food.
Voice 2
Alex has had plenty of support from his family. His mother is very strong. She drives long distances to visit Alex, to encourage him, to take his favourite food to him, and to help him with his medicines.
Alex said:
Voice 3
'My mother works19 very hard. I am very lucky to have her. My life simply would not happen in the way it does without her. She provides me with a huge amount of support'.
Voice 2
Alex's mother admits there have been difficult times in caring for Alex, especially at times when the disease is at its worst. But she is very proud of Alex. She said, 'He brings out the best in us all'.
Voice 1
Now Alex is at King's College at Cambridge University. He still sings in the choir. And he is very busy studying music and giving concerts. He rides on his special vehicle all round the town. He speaks to many people about music. He does not like to talk about his sickness - but he has been the subject of two films on television. He says he enjoyed being followed everywhere by men with cameras. They followed him into hospital, into school, into college, and into the choir performances.
Voice 2
Alex has now written a book, called 'A Passion for Living'. He wants people to know his story. He wants them to give money to organisations who are seeking a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. He wants this money to help other people who have the same disease.
And, above all, Alex Stobbs wants to live. His disease means20 that he could die tomorrow, but he wants to enjoy living today.
Voice 3
'I want to show people that having CF does not mean sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. I think it is better to try to achieve things, not to keep thinking about what is bad about it all.'
Voice 1
The writer of today's programme was Shelah Godwin. The producer was Nick Mangeolles. The voices you heard were from the United21 Kingdom. All quotes22 were adapted and voiced by Spotlight.
This programme and many more are on our website – http://www.radio.english.net This .programme is called 'A Passion for Living'.
We welcome comments and questions about our programmes. You can email us at [email protected], or you can leave comments on our website.
Thank you for listening to Spotlight today. Goodbye.
点击收听单词发音
1 spotlight | |
n.公众注意的中心,聚光灯,探照灯,视听,注意,醒目 | |
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2 performers | |
n.演出者( performer的名词复数 );演奏者;表演者;履行者 | |
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3 Christ | |
n.基督,救世主,耶稣 | |
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4 executed | |
v.执行(法令)( execute的过去式和过去分词 );(按计划或设计)作成;履行;演(戏) | |
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5 innocent | |
adj.无罪的,清白的;无害的;天真的,单纯的 | |
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6 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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7 emotional | |
adj.令人动情的;易动感情的;感情(上)的 | |
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8 direct | |
adj.直接的;直达的;v.指挥;知道;监督;管理 | |
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9 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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10 disease | |
n.疾病,弊端 | |
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11 fluid | |
n.流体,液体;adj.流体的,流动的 | |
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12 passion | |
n.热爱,强烈的感情,热情,耶稣的受难 | |
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13 teaching | |
n.教学,执教,任教,讲授;(复数)教诲 | |
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14 choir | |
n.唱诗班,唱诗班的席位,合唱团,舞蹈团;v.合唱 | |
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15 choirs | |
n.教堂的唱诗班( choir的名词复数 );唱诗队;公开表演的合唱团;(教堂)唱经楼 | |
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16 organise | |
vt.组织,安排,筹办 | |
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17 provided | |
conj.假如,若是;adj.预备好的,由...供给的 | |
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18 vehicle | |
n.车辆,交通工具,运载工具;媒介,表现手段 | |
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19 works | |
n.作品,著作;工厂,活动部件,机件 | |
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20 means | |
n.方法,手段,折中点,物质财富 | |
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21 united | |
adj.和谐的;团结的;联合的,统一的 | |
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22 quotes | |
v.引用,援引( quote的第三人称单数 );报价;引述;为(股票、黄金或外汇)报价 | |
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