VOA标准英语2016--“太阳能帐篷”帮马拉维渔民烘干鱼肉

AS IT IS 2016-10-18 ‘Solar Tent’ Produces Better Results for Fishing Community in Malawi “太阳能帐篷”帮马拉维渔民烘干鱼肉

In the African country of Malawi, fishing is a way of life for people who live near lakes.

The fishers have several methods to dry the fish for market. But since the fishers dry their catch in the open air, about half of it decays. It slowly breaks down and goes bad.

Now, solar tents are being used to help dry fish on Lake Chilwa, Malawi’s second-largest lake. The tents are helping¹ communities to dry fish more effectively. When the fish dries quicker, less of it decays. It is ready for market sooner.

The solar tent is made from clear plastic. The plastic is stretched over a large wooden structure. The tent looks like a greenhouse, a glass building where plants can grow in cold weather.

Jennifer Mussa, a local fish trader, spoke² to VOA.

“When we collect fish from the lake, we dry them inside this solar fish dryer³ and it does not take long to dry because it is so hot,” she said.

Dried fish is the main form of protein in Malawi. Fishing also employs over 50,000 people there, according to the Reuters news service.

Traditionally, the fishers have other ways to dry the fish. They include frying, smoking, or placing them on wire racks. But, by using those methods, the fish can decay during the drying process. Some animals try to eat the catch. The solar tent protects the fish.

Mangani Katandu is a fisheries expert from the University of Malawi. He told VOA that the solar tents decrease the time needed to dry the fish.

“Normally, they would take one-and-a-half to two days to dry. In here, they will put it in in the morning; by the evening, they would be taking the fish out.”

The solar tents have also helped the fish traders get higher prices at market for cleaner, better-quality fish.

Financing for the tents came from Cultivate Africa’s Future, a joint⁴ project between Canada and Australia. The project works to improve fishing and farming methods with simple innovations or machinery⁵. The goal is to increase access to food, resources, and markets for the communities.

The project urges people to use energy-saving kiln⁶ ovens to smoke fish, not open fires. This helps the environment because people will need to cut down fewer trees for firewood.

Loveness Mphongo, another fish trader, said there are good reasons for using solar tents.

“We are using very little wood and it takes a short time to smoke lots of fish,” she said.

Fishing communities on Lake Malawi are also using solar tents. Lake Malawi is the third-largest lake in Africa.

Words in This Story

decay - v. to be slowly destroyed by natural processes; to be slowly broken down by the natural processes that destroy a dead plant or body

solar - adj. of or relating to the sun

tent - n. a portable shelter that is used outdoors and is held up with poles and ropes

preserve - v. to keep (something) in its original state or in good condition

rack - n. a frame or stand that has shelves, hooks, slots, etc., in which or on which you place things

innovation - n. a new idea, device, or method

access - n. a way of being able to use or get something

kiln - n. an oven or furnace that is used for hardening, burning, or drying something

1 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。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

4 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。

5 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

6 kiln   

n.（砖、石灰等）窑，炉；v.烧窑

参考例句：

• That morning we fired our first kiln of charcoal.那天上午，我们烧了我们的第一窑木炭。
• Bricks are baked in a kiln.砖是在窑里烧成的。