2007年VOA标准英语-World Bank Retail Store Brings Afghan Crafts, C

By Mil Arcega
Washington
11 April 2007 

Afghan artisans are getting a helping¹ hand from a small retail² shop in Washington D.C.  The store, called Pangea, is operated by the World Bank's International Finance Corporation.  As VOA's Mil Arcega reports, the retail store is giving artists from developing countries a chance to show off their handicrafts to consumers in the U.S. 

This store in Washington D.C., called the Pangea Market, stocks handmade products produced by some of the poorest people in the world.

As a result, glassworks that might have been sold in a small shop in Kabul are now finding customers on the other side of the world. 

To mark Afghanistan Day (March 21st), which commemorates³ the country's liberation from occupying forces, Pangea launched its first ever collection of Afghan made products in an event aptly named - "Elements For Change."

Mariam Nawabi, points to items for sale

Mariam Nawabi, is a business director at Afghanistan Market Development International explains the name, "And the reason they selected the name is because a home element, something that you may put on a table top is an element, but it also helps change somebody's life in Afghanistan."

Afghanistan Market Development International, AMDi for short, Nawabi says the event provides a vital trade link between Afghanistan and the world. "So it is a way for us to bridge culture and bridge opportunity through functional⁴ items, beautiful items that people can put in their homes."

AMDi works with Samira Atash of Artizan Serai, a U.S. based label, which imports handcrafted jewelry⁵, embroidered⁶ items and original works of art from Afghanistan. "And we export the pr oducts to America, which is our goal. Initially⁷ it was to increase the amount of exports from Afghanistan to western markets. So we are hoping our collection will be viewed by buyers and stores all around the United States to elevate the image of Afghan products."

World Bank Project Director Harold Rosen says the partnership⁸ benefits everyone. "It is also a very good way for us to make new partnerships⁹ that can help us do the work more efficiently¹⁰.  We are very excited about it and it is a very good way for us to become a more active member of the development community."

By insisting that global suppliers undergo regular inspections¹¹ to insure that all goods are made without child labor¹², unhealthy working conditions or damage to the environment, Pangea helps promote responsible trade around the world.  It also insures that the artisans who make these products have a ready market for their works.

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 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

5 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

6 embroidered   

adj．绣花的

参考例句：

• She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
• She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

9 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

10 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

11 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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。