2006年VOA标准英语-Central Americans Dare Bandits, Corrupt Co

By Nicola Fell
Mexico-Guatemala border
20 March 2006

Thousands of Central Americans leave their homes each year and embark¹ on a perilous² journey north through Mexico to end up as illegal emigrants³ in the United States and Canada. Dozens die on the way each year, most turn back, and some consider themselves lucky to make it. The Catholic Church is running a string of shelters for the intrepid⁴ travelers along the Guatamala-Mexico border where the migrants find food, a bed and time to steel themselves for the long trek⁵. Nicola Fell visited the shelters and talked to the "kamikazes of poverty," as the migrants came to be known.

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Central American migrants and Guatemalan workers cross Suchiate River; The Suchiate River, connecting Mexico and Guatemala, is a frequent crossing point for migrants trying to make it into the US   
  

All along the route through Central America to the United States, there are hostels⁷ run by the Catholic Church that provide shelter and food for migrants traveling north. At a hostel⁶ in Guatemala, on the border with Mexico, there are around 50 immigrants resting from what has already been a long journey. They huddle⁸ around tables and in hushed, furtive⁹ whispers plan the next stage of their route.

One Guatemalan girl, who did not want to be named, says the hostel gives the migrants a chance to regroup.

"Over here they give us food and give us water. They give us rooms to sleep," she said. "They give us three days to stay. Those three days we've got to plan what route we're going to take. We ask whatever questions we want to the social worker."

She says the travel is dangerous because the migrants have to look out not only for bandits who want to rob them, but also for crooked¹⁰ policemen who demand bribes¹¹.

Last year, 70 people were killed by gangs, or Maras, as they are known. Their activities stretch all the way from El Salvador to the United States. All the migrants at this hostel said they were or expect to be robbed on this journey.

The savvy¹² ones get their family to wire money to Western Union offices along the way but, this young woman is worried about more than losing her money. She says women run a great risk of being raped¹³ and getting pregnant. But she says that will not stop her from reaching the United States.

A local non-government organization, Fraya Matias, estimates that over one half of those trying to cross borders illegally are women and minors¹⁴.

Traveling down a dirt track is a bright orange jeep. The man driving is also in a bright orange uniform, the mark of Grupo Beta, an organization the Mexican government set up in 1990 to provide some protection for the thousands of migrants who travel from Central America through Mexico to the United States and Canada. Like anyone in uniform, Group Beta officers are not readily trusted.

Grupo Beta officer, Frances Aceves assures a group of a dozen or so men who emerge from a roadside brush that they will not be arrested. He says, even without valid¹⁵ travel papers, they have rights and should call for help if they are threatened.

A young El Salvadoran says he and his friend have been on the road for seven days and their ultimate destination is Canada. He says, so far, the journey has not been easy.

"Feel very tired now …my feet are so hot… In the buses the people, they steal our money," he said. "Have nothing now."

He says he was robbed on the bus and by immigration police. But he says it is his "obligation" to get to North America and do what he can to improve the life of his family. There is no way back for him, he says.

Grupo Beta patrolmen hand out cans of tuna and some crackers¹⁶ to the men, and small bottles of water. They offer to take any of them back to Mexico's southern border, but there are no takers. Still, Grupo Beta estimates that only about one in five will make it across the border to the United States. It says the trip north is just too dangerous for most migrants.

For those who run out of luck and decide to go back, there are hostels at the Guatemalan border as well.

Juan Luis from El Salvador is one of them. His legs are two stumps¹⁷ below his waist. He draws himself up to a sitting position to tell his story.

Juan says he was trying to get to the United States, but had a train accident in which he lost both of his legs. He says he hadn't eaten anything for three days and was so weak he couldn't stay awake and fell off the train. He says he took a big gamble trying to make it to America and lost.

The dangers for the Central Americans to make the journey to the United States are enormous and the odds¹⁸ they will make it are long. But many are determined¹⁹ to succeed, mainly because the alternative is poverty, unemployment and hopelessness at home.

1 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

2 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

3 emigrants   

n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At last the emigrants got to their new home. 移民们终于到达了他们的新家。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 'Truly, a decree for selling the property of emigrants.' “有那么回事，是出售外逃人员财产的法令。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

4 intrepid   

adj.无畏的，刚毅的

参考例句：

• He is not really satisfied with his intrepid action.他没有真正满意他的无畏行动。
• John's intrepid personality made him a good choice for team leader.约翰勇敢的个性适合作领导工作。

5 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

6 hostel   

n.（学生）宿舍，招待所

参考例句：

• I lived in a hostel while I was a student.我求学期间住在青年招待所里。
• He says he's staying at a Youth Hostel.他说他现住在一家青年招待所。

7 hostels   

n.旅舍，招待所( hostel的名词复数 )；青年宿舍

参考例句：

• The students were protesting at overcrowding in the university hostels. 学生们在抗议大学宿舍过于拥挤。 来自辞典例句
• Are there any cheap hostels in Nanjing for one person? 南京有没有便宜的旅店可以一个人住？ 来自互联网

8 huddle   

vi.挤作一团；蜷缩；vt.聚集；n.挤在一起的人

参考例句：

• They like living in a huddle.他们喜欢杂居在一起。
• The cold wind made the boy huddle inside his coat.寒风使这个男孩卷缩在他的外衣里。

9 furtive   

adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的

参考例句：

• The teacher was suspicious of the student's furtive behaviour during the exam.老师怀疑这个学生在考试时有偷偷摸摸的行为。
• His furtive behaviour aroused our suspicion.他鬼鬼祟祟的行为引起了我们的怀疑。

10 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

11 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

12 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

13 raped   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• A young woman was brutally raped in her own home. 一名年轻女子在自己家中惨遭强暴。 来自辞典例句
• We got stick together, or we will be having our women raped. 我们得团结一致，不然我们的妻女就会遭到蹂躏。 来自辞典例句

14 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

16 crackers   

adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘

参考例句：

• That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
• We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 stumps   

（被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分

参考例句：

• Rocks and stumps supplied the place of chairs at the picnic. 野餐时石头和树桩都充当了椅子。
• If you don't stir your stumps, Tom, you'll be late for school again. 汤姆，如果你不快走，上学又要迟到了。

18 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

19 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。