环球英语 — 99：Non-Violent Protest

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for Spotlight¹. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special method of broadcasting. It is easier to understand no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi changed the country of India. He did this by walking over three hundred [300] kilometres to the sea and making salt.
Today’s Spotlight is on non-violent protest².
Voice 2
Salt is very important to people. People use salt to keep food fresh. They need salt in their bodies to live. Over seventy-five [75] years ago, salt also changed the country of India. For over one hundred [100] years, India was a British colony³. The British government ruled over India. But the British government made the people of India pay a lot of money for salt. The government put a high tax on salt in India.
Voice 1
It was usual for people to make their own salt. People also bought locally produced salt. It did not cost a lot of money. The British government made it illegal for people in India to make their own salt. The government forced people to buy government approved and taxed salt. They punished people who did not follow the salt laws. The police would take people’s salt away. Police would even put people in jail⁴ for up to six months for breaking the salt laws.
Voice 2
Mohandas Gandhi did not think that this tax was fair. He wanted India to be its own country. He did not want to be ruled by the British government any longer. But Gandhi did not want to use violence to gain freedom. He wanted to change people’s minds. He wanted them to understand that India needed to be free. He decided⁵ to do something about the problem.
Voice 1
On March 2 1930, Gandhi sent a letter to Lord⁶ Irwin, the British colony leader of India. He asked Lord Irwin to stop the salt tax. Gandhi said that if Lord Irwin did not listen, Gandhi would not pay the salt tax.
Voice 2
Eleven days later, Gandhi and seventy-eight [78] other people started walking to the salty waters of the Arabian Sea in protest. They had many kilometres to travel. As they walked through cities and villages, more people joined them. The group of people walking became large. Soon, thousands of people were marching to the sea. The line of people stretched more than two hundred [200] kilometres. They all wanted to end the salt tax.
Voice 1
After walking for twenty-three [23] days, the group of people reached the sea in the city of Dandi. Gandhi bent⁷ down and gathered some dirt and salt in his hand. He raised it above his head and shouted, “With this, I am shaking the foundations⁸ of the British empire.” He then boiled the dirt and salt in seawater and made something illegal. He made salt. He encouraged other people to make their own salt. This is known as the “Salt March to Dandi.”
Voice 2
After the march, the police arrested many people. They arrested Gandhi too. But the march did not fail. This non-violent protest encouraged people in India to use non-violence to fight for their freedom. Gandhi protested⁹ many times. Every protest was non-violent. People all around the world have followed Gandhi’s example of non-violent protest.
Voice 1
Gandhi inspired Erion Viliaj. Erion saw problems in his country, Albania. He saw that the Albanian people blamed the country’s problems on the old Soviet¹⁰ Union government. He found that people did not want to work for change. Erion wanted to do something to solve the problems. In 2003 Erion formed a group named Mjaft.
Voice 2
Mjaft is an Albanian word for “enough”. The members of this group have had enough of the problems in their communities. Mjaft wants to make positive changes in Albania. They want people to become more involved in the Albanian government. Mjaft uses protest to teach people about the problems in Albania. They use protests¹¹ to change the problem.
Voice 1
In Albania, protests have often been violent. Many protest groups around the world use an image of a fist or closed hand to represent their group. They use an image of a fist to show that their group uses force or power to change things. But Mjaft uses the image of a red open hand. They use this image to show that they want to change things with peace. They want the government and the citizens to work together, not to fight. Mjaft uses protests, but they are not violent.
Voice 2
Mjaft protests in new and creative ways. Once, Mjaft protested telephone companies because of an unfair price increase. The group spread toilet paper on the telephone company’s property. People use toilet paper to clean human waste. When the Albanian government reduced the amount of money given to education, Mjaft protested again. They walked a donkey¹² around the parliament¹³ building. They put a sign on the donkey. The sign said “Ignorance is cheap.” Mjaft used the sign on the donkey to communicate with the government. Mjaft said that education may cost a lot. But without education, people will lack important knowledge and skills.
Voice 1
These strange protests have helped the group become more popular. Newspapers often write about the group because of their protests. The newspaper articles help Mjaft spread information about their group.
Voice 2
Mjaft has made a difference in Albania. Mjaft has caused the government to give more money to education three [3] times. They have caused the power company to lower its rates. Mjaft has also helped to educate people about voting for government officials.
Voice 1
Many people in Albania are happy that Mjaft exists. Here is what some citizens have to say:
Voice 3
“[Mjaft] sees that something is not right. They raise their voices. It is a good thing.”
Voice 4
“The work is very important here. We need them here.”
Voice 1
Edi Rama, is the mayor¹⁴ of Tirana, the Albanian capital. He believes that Mjaft will be an important part of Albania’s future.
Voice 5
“[For me today], Mjaft is the representation¹⁵ of hope for the future of this country.”
Voice 2
But Mjaft is not just popular in Albania. Groups all around the world support Mjaft’s work. Western countries have donated half a million dollars to the group. The United Nations has given Mjaft an award for the work that they are doing.
Voice 1
Mjaft is changing Albania. It is improving the way the country works¹⁶. It has encouraged citizens to work for change in their country. It has reached many of its goals by using non-violent protest. Mjaft understands the power of people working together towards change. Gandhi also understood the power of cooperation. Are there problems in your community? Who can you cooperate¹⁷ with to solve these problems? Will you use peace and non-violence to reach your goals?
 

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 protest   

v.反对，抗议；宣称；n.抗议；宣称

参考例句：

• I can't pass the matter by without a protest.我不能对此事视而不见，我要提出抗议。
• We translated his silence as a protest.我们把他的沉默解释为抗议。

3 colony   

n.殖民地；(同类人的)聚居地

参考例句：

• There lived a colony of bees on the tree.树上生活着一群蜜蜂。
• They live in an artists'colony.他们住在艺术家聚居区。

4 jail   

n.监狱，看守所；vt.监禁，拘留

参考例句：

• The castle had been used as a jail.这城堡曾用作监狱。
• If she carries on shoplifting,she'll end up in jail.她如果还在店铺里偷东西，最终会被抓进监狱的。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 lord   

n.上帝，主；主人，长官；君主，贵族

参考例句：

• I know the Lord will look after him.我知道上帝会眷顾他的。
• How good of the Lord not to level it beyond repair!上帝多么仁慈啊，竟没有让这所房子损毁得不可收拾！

7 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

8 foundations   

n.地基

参考例句：

• The builders are now beginning to lay the foundations of the new school. 建筑工人正开始给新校舍打地基。
• The house is unsafe since the foundations were undermined by floods. 这栋房子不安全，因为地基被洪水损坏了。

9 protested   

v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• He protested he was being cheated of his rightful share. 他提出抗议说他被人骗取了他依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Amy protested she was being cheated of her rightful share. 艾米提出抗议，说有人骗取了她依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

11 protests   

n.[体]抗议；抗议，反对( protest的名词复数 )v.声明( protest的第三人称单数 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• The protests have forced the government to back-pedal on the new tax. 抗议活动已迫使政府撤销新的税目。
• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。

12 donkey   

n.驴子；蠢人；顽固的人

参考例句：

• This donkey can carry two sacks of grain.这头驴能驮两袋粮食。
• "I'll buy your donkey,"said the two.“我想要买你的驴子”两人异口同声说。

13 Parliament   

n.议会，国会

参考例句：

• She won a seat in Parliament at the election.她在选举中赢得了议会中的席位。
• The drug was banned by an act of parliament.议会的法案明令禁止该药品。

14 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

15 representation   

n.表现某人（或某事物）的东西，图画，雕塑

参考例句：

• The painting is a representation of a storm at sea.这幅画描绘的是海上的暴风雨。
• All parties won representation in the national assembly.所有政党在国民大会中都赢得了代表资格。

16 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。

17 cooperate   

vi.合作，协作，相配合

参考例句：

• We hope we can cooperate even more closely in the future.希望我们今后能更加密切地合作。
• I hope you can cooperate on this matter.我希望你在这件事上能给予合作。