英语听力—环球英语 1147 A Life in Pictures

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Robin² Basselin.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I'm Ryan Geertsma. 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

 

　　Have you ever seen a man riding a donkey³? For some people, this sight would seem strange. However, in the country of Colombia, it is not strange at all. In Spanish, donkeys⁴ are called "burros". And travelling on burros is common. However, what is uncommon⁵ is the way Luis Soriano travels with his donkeys. Luis uses his donkeys as "biblioburros," or book-donkeys. Today's Spotlight is on Luis Soriano and his biblioburro idea.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Luis is a school teacher in La Gloria, a small town in Colombia. In the beginning of his teaching⁶ career, he noticed a problem. Many of his students had difficulty reading or doing their school work at home. Many of the students' parents could not read or write, so they could not help their children with their studies. Luis also noticed that there were very few books in the homes and small villages where his students lived. So Luis decided⁷ to help his students and their parents. He would visit their villages.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In Colombia, people who do not own cars or trucks often use donkeys for transportation. A donkey costs much less than a car. It can also travel on dirt paths or narrow roads that cars cannot travel. Many people in Colombia, like Luis' students, live in villages far away from the cities. Often the only way to travel in these country areas is by walking or using a donkey.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　So, Luis began to travel to these country areas with his donkeys. On his donkeys, Luis put books. And these donkeys carried the books to children who live in the villages. The donkeys served as a travelling library. People who live in cities can go to a library any time. They can visit this public building filled with books. And they can freely⁸ borrow the books to read and learn. However, until Luis started his biblioburro, children and adults in country areas had little chance to read.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Luis travels to the country areas on days when there is no school. His donkeys' names are Alfa and Beto. Luis rides or leads them to the country villages. Each donkey can carry over one hundred books. On every trip, Luis and his donkeys visit 15 villages. Often, Luis travels as far as nine kilometres. And this trip takes Luis and his donkeys four hours.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　At a village, Luis sets up a small table and a large ground cover for children to sit on. He puts the books out for the children to look at. The children can borrow the books for free. They can take them home and read them. When they are finished, they return the books to Luis next time he visits.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Luis also helps some young children learn how to read. For his students, he gives them help with their school work.

 

　　The children love to hear Luis read stories about other places and people. Parents and other adults often take part in the classes too, and some of them have learned⁹ to read through Luis's teaching. Adults can also borrow books from Luis. Many of the adults enjoy reading the books as much as the children do.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Not long ago, a film maker¹⁰ from the United States came to La Gloria to learn more about Luis and his donkeys. She followed Luis to one of the villages to watch him give out books. She talked to some of the children and adults. One child said,

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　"I am happy that the teacher brings in these books and makes us read."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Another said,

 

　　Voice 4

 

　　"Learning¹¹ is important. Because when your parents ask you to read them a letter they do not understand, you can read it to them."

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　An adult from one of the villages told a CNN reporter,

 

　　Voice 5

 

　　"You can see that the children are excited when they see the biblioburro coming this way. It makes them happy that he continues to come. His program aids what the children learn in school. The books they do not have here, they can get from the biblioburro."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　When people from larger cities and from other countries learned about Luis' biblioburro, they wanted to help. Many of these people have sent Luis books. At first Luis stored the books in his house, but soon there were too many. Luis and his wife Diana had very little room left in their house. They had over five thousand books!

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Other people sent Luis money. Luis used this money to build a library building. Luis and Diana built the library using only their own labor¹². It took five years. They also built a restaurant. Here people can buy a meal. They can also read. Luis provides a lot of reading material, mostly newspapers and magazines. Using these resources, people can read and discuss what they are reading while they eat.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Luis Soriano is very devoted¹³ to his library and his biblioburro. This is because books were very important in his own life. When he was a boy, his home was in La Gloria. At that time, the area was full of violence. Many violent criminals caused trouble for the villages. Luis and his family moved hours away to be safe in a large city.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　In the city, Luis was lonely. He was away from his home, but he found a peaceful place - the city's library. At the library, Luis began to love reading. He imagined many things -- a whole new world that literature offered to him. Luis became friends with one of his teachers. This teacher let him borrow many books. And when Luis had enough money, he bought his own books.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Luis has always remembered how important reading was to him. This is what made Luis begin his biblioburro travels. He has now brought books to villages for over ten years.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Luis told the CNN reporter,

 

　　Voice 6

 

　　"For us teachers, it is an educational victory. And for the parents it is a proud time when a child learns how to read. That is how a community changes. That is how the child becomes a good citizen and a useful person. Literature is how we connect them with the world."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　When the U.S. film maker asked why his project was so important, Luis answered,

 

　　Voice 6

 

　　"With the biblioburro we are fighting what we call 'the farmer's ignorance'- or lack of education. In a book we can find cities, cultures, rights, duties. A child that we teach today is a child who learns his rights and duties. And a child who knows these things is a child informed to say 'no' to war. We are building Colombians of the future, citizens who will think."

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The writer of this program was Jeff Carpenter. The producer was Ryan Geertsma. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. Computer users¹⁴ can visit our website at http://www.Radio.English.net You c.an also find Spotlight on Facebook at facebook.com/spotlightradio. This program is called "The Book-Donkey of Colombia." We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!

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 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 donkey   

n.驴子；蠢人；顽固的人

参考例句：

• This donkey can carry two sacks of grain.这头驴能驮两袋粮食。
• "I'll buy your donkey,"said the two.“我想要买你的驴子”两人异口同声说。

4 donkeys   

n.驴( donkey的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some medieval towns raced donkeys or buffaloes. 有些中世纪的城市用驴子或水牛竞赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Donkeys are related to horses, and both are part of the equine family. 驴是马的近亲，两者都是马科家庭的一员。 来自辞典例句

5 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

6 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 freely   

adv.自由地，随便地，无拘无束地

参考例句：

• She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水，痛痛快快地哭了起来。
• A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动，无固定形态。

9 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

10 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

11 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

12 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

13 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

14 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。