英语听力精选进阶版 7253

儿童福利机构专家表示近年来非洲国家儿童被领养的数量大幅上升。根据一项最新调查报告，非洲儿童政策论坛说来自美国和世界其他多个国家的领养者来非洲领养儿童的数量在过去八年内上涨了三倍。

The African Child Policy Forum¹ says more than 41,000 African children have been sent overseas for adoption² in the past eight years. Most go to the United States, others to Western Europe and Canada. The situation is especially dramatic in Ethiopia which, the report says, now sends more children abroad for adoption than any other country, apart from China.

One reason for the increase in adoption from Africa is that it is more difficult to adopt children from countries in South America and Eastern Europe because many have limited or shut down overseas adoption programmes. As a result, the report says, countries such as the United States have turned en masse to Africa to find children to adopt.

The African Child Policy Forum insists every child has the right to be reared³ in the country in which it was born, an opinion shared by Mr Bekele of the Abebech Gobena orphanage⁴ [in Ethiopia]: "We prefer local adoption to international adoption because the children will not be uprooted⁵ from their culture, from their people, and they will not forget their country or their language."

Quiz 听力测试

1. How many African children have been adopted abroad in the past eight years?

More than 41,000 children.

2. Which country, according to the report, sends the most children abroad for adoption?

China.

3. Which of these words means 'all at once': limited, en masse, or dramatic?

En masse.

4. Does the African Child Policy Forum think that children should be brought up abroad?

No. The African Child Policy Forum insists every child has the right to be reared (brought up) in the country in which it was born.

Glossary 词汇表

overseas 海外

dramatic 引人注目的

abroad 出国

apart from 除…之外

limited 限制

shut down 关闭，停止

en masse 一同地，全体地

reared 养育，抚养

orphanage 孤儿院

uprooted 背井离乡，连根拔起

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

3 reared   

v.饲养( rear的过去式和过去分词 )；养育；抚养；抬起

参考例句：

• The horse reared up on its hind legs. 那匹马后腿前立，站了起来。
• The horse suddenly reared up and threw me off. 马忽然用后腿直立起来，把我摔下马背。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 orphanage   

n.孤儿院

参考例句：

• They dispensed new clothes to the children in the orphanage.他们把新衣服发给孤儿院的小孩们。
• They gave the proceeds of the sale to the orphanage.他们把销售的收入给了这家孤儿院。

5 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》