VOA标准英语2008年-Young Sisters Join Fight Against HIV/AIDS

By Malcolm Brown
Washington
03 January 2008
 

Two sisters, just seven and five years old, are starring in a film aimed at saving people's lives. The short documentary follows the girls around the 2006 International AIDS conference in Toronto, as they talk to those at the vanguard of the fight against the pandemic. Malcolm Brown has the story.

Seven-year-old Vineeta Hennessey and her five-year-old sister Sevilla are in the spotlight¹ for a documentary called "Please Talk to Kids About AIDS".

In it, experts and activists² face questions that only a child would ask.

Vineeta asked, "How does AIDS get into your body?'" A doctor responds, "Well, AIDS gets into your body in ways that can be complicated to explain to little girls!"

That gets a laugh from the audience at Johns Hopkins University's School of Public Health.

But the girls also elicit³ frank responses from leading experts, such as prize-winning science writer Laurie Garrett. She explains, "What's sneaky about the AIDS virus is that, guess what it infects, what kinds of cells it goes inside of? The immune cells. So, the army you have inside of you to protect you is exactly where this virus goes…."

That sort of jargon-free language has drawn⁴ attention to the film. There is also praise for the way it breaks taboos⁵ about discussing sex. A doctor explains what a sex worker is. She says, "A sex worker is someone who gives sex services to another person in exchange for money…"

In spite of the film's subject matter involving prostitution or condoms, the girls are supported by their parents -- both international public health advocates.

The family's efforts have won praise from a prominent figure, who appears in the film. Dr. Anthony Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy⁶ and Infectious Diseases and heads up all U.S. government-funded research into HIV/AIDS..

"To have children, in their innocence⁷, ask those questions and really force people to give a straight answer to this, I think really exemplifies why we need to talk straight about HIV," Dr. Fauci said.

The documentary's young stars are promoting the film and discussing the answers they got.

Vineeta offering her reaction, says, "Some of them were real difficult -- like sexual. I was like, 'Whoa, what is that?'"

Sister Sevilla adds, "And like this sex worker, they…"  Vineeta interrupts, "Yes, she was, like, it's not a real job!"

The sisters' film has already attracted interest from various non-governmental and international organizations keen to use it as an educational tool in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 elicit   

v.引出,抽出,引起

参考例句：

• It was designed to elicit the best thinking within the government. 机构的设置是为了在政府内部集思广益。
• Don't try to elicit business secrets from me. I won't tell you anything. 你休想从我这里套问出我们的商业机密, 我什么都不会告诉你的。

4 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

5 taboos   

禁忌( taboo的名词复数 )； 忌讳； 戒律； 禁忌的事物（或行为）

参考例句：

• She was unhorsed by fences, laws and alien taboos. 她被藩蓠、法律及外来的戒律赶下了马。
• His mind was charged with taboos. 他头脑里忌讳很多。

6 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

7 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。