Academic to Activist

BBC Learning¹ English6 Minute EnglishAcademic to Activist²
Yvonne: Hello - this is '6 minute English', I'm Yvonne Archer³ - and thanks to WilliamKremer for joining me today.
　　William: Hello Yvonne.
　　Yvonne: Hello William! Today, we hear from a very impressive⁴ South African manwho used to think of himself as 'an academic' - but then his studies lead him tobecome 'an activist' within the area of HIV/AIDs. William, can you explainwhat 'an activist' is?
　　William: Yeah – of course. It's somebody who works⁵ to bring about political(政治) and socialchanges. That's 'an activist'.
　　Yvonne: Great. Well, before we find out more about that man I met up with in CapeTown, I've a question for you William. Are you ready?
　　William: Yes!
　　Yvonne: OK. Which country in Africa is generally thought of as a success story interms of its battle against HIV and AIDS? Is ita) Ugandab) South Africa ORc) GambiaWilliam: Hmmm – I'm gonna go for a) Uganda.
　　Yvonne: Really?
　　
William: Yeah – I've got a good feeling about that one.
　　Yvonne: OK - we'll find out whether you're right or wrong at the end of the programme.
　　When I met up with Ralph Berold, he'd just finished his MBA- and we werecelebrating! But Ralph had also studied History, Development and Politics. So,why did his studies turn him into an activist within the field of HIV/AIDs someyears ago?
　　RALPH BEROLDI felt that it was the most pressing sort of social public work to be done in the country.
　　Yvonne: William, what does Ralph mean by 'pressing' here?
　　William: Well, 'urgent⁶' – Ralph felt that in South Africa, urgent work was needed to helppeople with HIV and AIDs immediately…This huge and important problemwas 'pressing'.
　　Yvonne: So, rather than study the problem, Ralph became a part of the solution. Hebecame manager of a non-profit organisation⁷ – a charity called TreatmentAction Campaign - or TAC.
　　While Ralph was at TAC, a group of prisoners in a very large prison in Durban contacted theorganisation for help. After discussing things with the prison services, Ralphand his team went to find out more from the prisoners themselves. About halfof them were HIV positive or suffering from AIDs. As we hear from Ralphnow, try to catch the three main problems that he found out about during hisvisit…RALPH BIRALDOvercrowding was a huge thing, you know, many people were dying⁸ in their cells – you know,looking after each other until the point of death. It was really a sad story.
　　
Yvonne: William, what were the three main problems the prisoners were facing?
　　William: Well first, the prison was 'overcrowded' - so there were too many prisoners ineach cell.
　　Yvonne: And Ralph told me how this lead to more prisoners getting TB - tuberculosis⁹.
　　William: Prisoners were dying in their cells.
　　Yvonne: Yes, so the prisoners didn't have access to hospitals or to medicines, such asanti-retroviral drugs which are used to treat and prevent infections in peoplewith HIV and AIDs. And finally?
　　William: And finally, the sick prisoners were looking after each other 'to the point ofdeath' – right up until they died, so they didn't have any doctors or nurses.
　　Yvonne: Ralph also told me that although it was difficult spending time with peoplewho'd often committed horrific crimes, it was important to remember that theywere still people. So, Ralph and his team took the case to court on behalf¹⁰ of theprisoners and, the Department（部门） of Correctional Services - the prison services –were ordered to make doctors and medicines available to treat the sickprisoners.
　　William: Wow – that's an amazing result! And they brought about a real social change,didn't they?
　　Yvonne: They certainly did. And just as importantly perhaps, Ralph and his group alsomanaged to help change attitudes towards this issue. But whose attitude didthey change?
　　
RALPH BEROLDJust because they have some rights taken away from them as prisoners, this doesn't mean theydon't have a right to life, for example. So, you know, government was therefore takingthe issue a lot more seriously and actually made those medicines available - and these are lifesavingmedicines. So it was a very powerful time. Yeah.
　　William: They managed to change the attitude of the South African government - andpoliticians began to take the issue of HIV/AIDs in prisons a lot more seriously.
　　Yvonne: And Ralph Berold, the South African academic turned activist is, quite rightly,still very proud of that achievement.
　　OK, time for today's big question: Which country in Africa is generallythought of as a success story in terms of its battle against HIV and AIDS? Andyour answer William…William: …was Uganda.
　　Yvonne: And you're right!
　　William: Yeah!
　　Yvonne: Yes, they went from having about one third of the population infected withHIV/AIDs down to- today, they think it's about six percent.
　　William: Wow, that's another success story, isn't it?
　　Yvonne: Very much so. But that's all for today's "6 Minute English". Do join us againfor more!
　　W/Y: Goodbye!(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

3 archer   

n.射手，弓箭手

参考例句：

• The archer strung his bow and aimed an arrow at the target.弓箭手拉紧弓弦将箭瞄准靶子。
• The archer's shot was a perfect bull's-eye.射手的那一箭正中靶心。

4 impressive   

adj.给人深刻印象的，感人的

参考例句：

• This cinema is so impressive that we can't help crying.这影片如此感人以至我们禁不住流下泪来。
• The suit made him look especially impressive.他穿上这套衣服真精神。

5 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

6 urgent   

a.紧急的，急迫的，紧要的

参考例句：

• He asked to see the manager for something urgent. 他有急事求见经理。
• A part of this urgent task was allotted to us. 这项紧急任务的一部分分给了我们。

7 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

8 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

9 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

10 behalf   

n.利益，方面；支持，赞成

参考例句：

• Ken is not present,so I shall accept the prize on his behalf.肯没有出席，所以我将代表他领奖。
• They fixed on him to speak on their behalf.他们已经确定他作为代表发言。