环球英语 — 180：Drug Control

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Ruby¹ Jones. Welcome to Spotlight². This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 2
‘The drug got control of me and I could not stop. I tried everything.’
Voice 1
Millions of people across the world take illegal drugs. They are addicted⁴ - that is, they depend on drugs daily. They are no longer in control of the drug. Instead, the drug controls them.
Ranjit Singh is a former drug addict³. David Bast shares his story.
Voice 2
I stopped going to school when I was sixteen [16] years old. I wanted to enjoy myself. I started working. I spent my earnings⁵ on alcohol, smoking, and finally drugs. My friends and relations advised me [not to]. But I did not listen. I always felt that I was in control.
By the age of twenty-two [22] I was addicted to the drug heroin⁶. At one point, I spent around a hundred dollars a day. I borrowed money. I even stole money from my mother. Then, I started selling drugs to make more money.
In 1985, police arrested me for carrying drugs. I went to prison for a year. In prison, I decided⁷ to change. When I came out of prison I got married. I believed that the being responsible for a family would keep me away from drugs. Sadly, I only managed to be without drugs for a year. This time was worse. Now I was not only destroying my own life. I was destroying the life of my wife and our first son.
Life became bad. I could not keep a job and provide for my family. I treated my wife and son very badly. Deep down inside me I knew that what I was doing was wrong. But I had no power over my addiction⁸. I tried to kill myself - but failed.
I grew up thinking that God exists. So I turned to him for help. One day, I just cried out. “God I do not know who you are. But I know that you exist. I believe you can help me. Please help me.” It was a real cry from my heart. In the Christian⁹ Bible God says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Three days later, I went to a church. I could not believe it! The speaker said he used to be a drug addict. Everything he said made sense to me. I learned that Jesus Christ had healed him. And Jesus Christ could heal me too. After the speaker had finished, I went to meet him face to face. He prayed for me. Then, someone took me to a Christian house for drug addicts¹⁰. It’s called, ‘The Helping¹¹ Hand.’ There, I met other people recovering from drug addictions¹². They told me how Christ had changed their lives. I decided to ask Christ to change my life too. I have learned from a man in the Bible - Paul. He said, “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot do it." But he also said "I can do everything through Jesus who gives me strength.”
God set me free from my addiction. And I learned from the Bible that I had become his child. I learned that he has a plan and purpose for my life. By his grace and mercy I am living a new life.
Voice 1
Ranjit went on to work with the ‘Helping Hand’ aid group for nine years. Today, he is a minister! His story encourages other people in similar situations.
Voice 1
Sadly, not all drug addicts have a successful escape story. Illegal drugs claim thousands of lives every year. Their stories also need to be told. Kyndall Brook¹³ Znidarsic died from the drug heroin. She was twenty three [23] years old. Her sister Nikki told her story. Liz Waid reads Nikki’s words.
Voice 3
My sister, Kyndall, was the sixth child of eleven. I am the oldest. My mother had so many young ones to care for. Kyndall became like my own. She was so quiet and good. But she did not express her feelings much. So, we were never really sure what she was thinking or feeling. But I knew that she needed extra care. I tried my best to give her that.
Kyndall was about thirteen [13] years old when our mother left home. Kyndall felt lost. A year later, she moved into a friend’s house.
At that time, Kyndall was smoking the drug marijuana. She once said, ‘It is only marijuana. It is not a big deal. It is all natural.’ But when she was fifteen [15] her friend introduced her to another drug - heroin.
Later, Kyndall was expelled¹⁴ from University because of drugs. The authorities had discovered a drug injection needle in her room.
At the age of twenty two [22] she went for help. I prayed hard. And things looked good. She completed the treatment program. Kyndall seemed to be full of life again. She had stopped the drugs. She got a job. I was so proud of her.
We will never know why she went back to drugs. I only know what I read in her writings. Her addiction was a fight for her life every day. No one really knew how hard it was for her.
One night, my father telephoned; ‘Nikki, they say she is dead.’ I screamed and I cried. It was the sound of complete defeat.
I had to see her. I walked into the hospital room alone. It was cold and very quiet. There was nothing in the room except a metal table. There was a person lying on top of it. Slowly I walked over to the table. My whole body was shaking. It was Kyndall! Her head was turned to one side. A tube was in her mouth. I moved closer to her. Her eyes were a little open. I looked into them. I knew she was not there. Her eyes were empty. She was gone. I started crying. Goodbye, my baby sister. Heroin will no longer harm you.
I hate this drug. I hate it with as much hatred¹⁵ as a person can have. Heroin, I hate it.
It only takes one bad decision to ruin your life - and the lives of the ones who love you. Education is the best prevention of drug abuse. I wish I had known more. I wish Kyndall had known more. Maybe she would still be here today.
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 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。

3 addict   

v.使沉溺；使上瘾；n.沉溺于不良嗜好的人

参考例句：

• He became gambling addict,and lost all his possessions.他习染上了赌博，最终输掉了全部家产。
• He assisted a drug addict to escape from drug but failed firstly.一开始他帮助一个吸毒者戒毒但失败了。

4 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

5 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

6 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

7 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。

8 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 addicts   

有…瘾的人( addict的名词复数 )； 入迷的人

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• There is counseling to help Internet addicts?even online. 有咨询机构帮助网络沉迷者。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

11 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。

12 addictions   

瘾( addiction的名词复数 )； 吸毒成瘾； 沉溺； 癖好

参考例句：

• He has removed the stigma of drug addictions. 他已经洗去吸毒的污点了。
• Intelligent people are good at using reason to control excessive addictions. 智慧的人善于用理性来控制过度的嗜欲。

13 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

14 expelled   

驱逐( expel的过去式和过去分词 )； 赶走； 把…除名； 排出

参考例句：

• She was expelled from school at 15. 她15岁时被学校开除了。
• After the outbreak of fighting,all foreign journalists were expelled. 战斗开始后，所有的外国记者都被驱逐出境。

15 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。