VOA慢速英语2020 比利时布鲁塞尔“爱心巴士”送播希望之声

The streets of Brussels are mostly quiet as people stay home to guard against the new coronavirus. But one bus traveling through the Belgian capital can be heard loud and clear. It is bringing messages of love and hope to people across the city.

由于人们都待在家里预防新冠状病毒的传播，比利时首都布鲁塞尔的街道大部分时间都很安静。但有一辆巴士经过时，整个首都都能清晰地听到它响亮的声响。它给全市人民带来了爱和希望的信息。

The bright red bus is called the Voices of Brussels. But some have named it the “love bus.”

这辆鲜红色的公共汽车被称为“布鲁塞尔之声”。但最近有些人将其称为“爱心巴士”。

Since the middle of April, the city’s public bus company has been calling on people to send in voice messages. It also wants to know where they live. The special bus then travels to those street addresses before sunset¹ to deliver the voice messages through a loudspeaker².

自4月中旬以来，该市公交公司一直呼吁人们发送语音信息。它还会问发信息的人的住所，然后这辆专用巴士会在日落前前往那些街道，通过扬声器来传递语音消息。

“We miss you a lot. Big kisses,” was recently heard coming from the Voices of Brussels as it rolled down one city street. “We are sending you a big kiss,” said another personal message as the bus continued through another neighborhood.

“我们都很想你，大大的飞吻”，最近“布鲁塞尔之声”沿着一条城市街道播出了这样的信息。“我们向您致以热烈的吻，”随着巴士驶过另一个街区时，另一条私人信息播出道。

A few peoplehearing the messages from inside their homes looked surprised, while some quickly closed curtains over their windows. But most of the time, people reacted³ with big, happy smiles.

少数人在家里听到消息时看起来很惊讶，也有些人则迅速拉上了窗帘。但大多数情况下，人们都会报以开心而灿烂的笑容。

“It gives me pleasure,” Asuncion Mendez told The Associated⁴ Press. The bus brought the 82-year-old a message from her great-grandchildren. She said it brightened⁵ her day and helped ease⁶ her worries about the coronavirus.

“它使我感到开心，”亚松森·门德斯告诉美联社。这辆巴士给这位82岁老人带来了她曾孙给她的信息。她说，这使得她的一天过得很愉快，还减轻了她对冠状病毒的担忧。

Mendez’s daughter, Carmen Diaz, watched and listened with her mother from an open window one floor above street level. “It was a beautiful surprise. It warms the heart and makes people come together despite the lockdown,” Diaz said.

门德斯的女儿卡门·迪亚兹在高一层街道的家中打开窗户与她一起观望并聆听了这则消息。迪亚兹说，“它是一个美妙的惊喜，即使在封锁期间也能温暖人们的心灵，使人们团结一心。”

Like many city bus systems, the one in Brussels has been criticized⁸ by some riders⁹. They say the buses are too late, too full or sometimes both. But in the current¹⁰ times, it is hard to criticize⁷ a bus carrying messages of love.

与许多其他城市的公交系统一样，布鲁塞尔的公交系统也受到一些乘客的批评。他们表示公共汽车总晚点，人太挤，或者有时两者都有。但当下，人们很难批评一辆载有爱的信息的巴士。

In fact, a spokeswoman for the bus company said the Voices of Brussels program has been flooded with requests. More than 750 messages have included everything from the blowing of kisses to a request by a child for someone to become her godmother.

这家公交公司的一位女发言人称，事实上“布鲁塞尔之声”项目已被众多的请求消息淹没。她们已收到超过750条消息，内容涵盖了小到一个飞吻，大到某个孩子要求某人成为其教母等各类内容。

Lorena Sanchez, the daughter of Diaz and granddaughter of Mendez, says she thinks the bus is a great idea. “It can really have an impact¹¹ on a lot of people, especially the older ones who do not have access to technology,” Sanchez said. “It brings something very special.”

迪亚兹的女儿，门德斯的孙女洛雷娜·桑切斯说，她认为巴士是个好主意。桑切斯说：“它真的会影响很多人，尤其是那些不懂新科技的老年人。它能给她们带来了非常特别的东西。”

The program is even leaving a smile on the face of the bus drivers, who are sometimes the target of abuse¹² by riders. “They are very happy that we thought of them,” said driver Alex Vandecasteele. “They are suddenly surprised, by people - their family or friends - who have thought of them.”

该项目甚至使公交车司机脸上露出了笑容，而他们则是平时部分乘客吐槽的对象

1 sunset   

n.日落；衰落时期(尤指人的晚年)

参考例句：

• They'll work on till sunset.他们将继续工作，直到日落。
• The sunset was a very beautiful sight.那落日真是一幅美景。

2 loudspeaker   

n.扬声器，扩音器

参考例句：

• The loudspeaker's stopped working.扩音器不响了。
• There is a loudspeaker in a radio.收音机里有个喇叭。

3 reacted   

起反应( react的过去式和过去分词 )； 反对； （对食物等）有不良反应； 物质起化学反应

参考例句：

• He reacted violently only under provocation . 只因为被激怒，他才暴力相向。
• Local residents have reacted angrily to the news. 当地居民对这一消息表示愤怒。

4 associated   

adj.联合的

参考例句：

• the risks associated with taking drugs 与吸毒有关的危险
• I don't want to be associated with your scheme; I'm contracting out. 我不想参与你们的计划，我要退出。

5 brightened   

（使）发亮( brighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）生色； （使）生辉； （使）快乐

参考例句：

• He brightened up when they said he could go with them. 他们说他可以一起去，他就高兴起来。
• The new teacher brightened the life of all his pupils. 新来的老师使全体学生的生活变得活跃起来了。

6 ease   

n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松

参考例句：

• His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
• You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。

7 criticize   

vt.批评；批判，指责；评论，评价

参考例句：

• Whenever you criticize him,he always has an excuse.你批评他，他总有说头儿。
• You are free to criticize my work.你可以随意批评我的工作。

8 criticized   

vt.批评(criticize的过去式)v.评论，批评( criticize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The decision was criticized by environmental groups. 这个决定受到了环保团体的批评。
• The movie has been criticized for apparently legitimizing violence. 这部电影因明显地美化暴力而受到了指责。

9 riders   

骑（马、自行车等）的人( rider的名词复数 )； 乘客； 附文； 附加条款

参考例句：

• a group of riders strung out along the beach 沿海滩散开的一队骑手
• The riders came trotting down the lane. 这骑手骑着马在小路上慢跑。

10 current   

n.涌流，趋势，电流，水流，气流；adj.当前的，通用的，流通的，现在的，草写的，最近的

参考例句：

• Electric current is often powerful enough to kill a man.电流常强得足以致命。
• There is a story about her in the current number.最近一期上有关于她的故事。

11 impact   

n.冲击，碰撞；影响；vt.装紧，压紧

参考例句：

• The computer had made a great impact on modern life.计算机对现代生活产生了巨大的影响.
• How will the war impact on such a poet?战争对这样一个诗人会产生什么影响？

12 abuse   

vt.滥用；辱骂；诋毁；n.滥用；恶习；弊端

参考例句：

• You can't make personal abuse on her.你不可对她进行人身攻击。
• She screamed abuse at me.她尖声责备我。