环球英语 — 181：Crystal Meth: A Drug Problem

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Ruby¹ Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. 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.
A small candle burns. It represents life - that was. It represents the lost promise of a future. The candle is a picture, on a website. It is on a ‘memorial wall.’ On the ‘wall’ is a long list of names. There are hundreds of names. Each one represents a life lost. Messages fill the website pages. There are messages from mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Each message tells its own powerful, tragic³ story. All the stories are united by death and drugs.
Voice 1
June the twenty sixth is the International Day Against Drug Abuse. Drug abuse means that the drugs are not being used to cure people of a sickness. Today, we share thoughts and words from different people. Drug abuse has changed their lives forever.
Voice 3
‘We lost our daughter, Meggin, to drugs. She was twenty one years old. Meggin was the light of our life. It seems like our light has gone out. We will never forget the promise that she held for a brighter tomorrow.’
Voice 4
‘I recently lost my beautiful son, Eddie. He died from drugs. He was my best friend. He was the kind of son any mother would wish to have. It was an honour being his mother.’
Voice 5
‘February 29th, 2004. Cause of death - methamphetamine. Our daughter, Jillian was fifteen [15]. She tried methamphetamine for the first and last time. She paid for her mistake with her life. We will continue to suffer for the rest of our lives.’
Voice 1
The number of drug related deaths each year is difficult to know. But one thing is for sure. The number is too high. The United Nations has an organisation⁴ to fight drug abuse. It is the UNODC. The UNODC estimates that two hundred million [200,000,000] people around the world use illegal drugs. It also estimates that around sixteen million [16,000,000] people use one form of the opium⁵ plant - such as heroin⁶ or morphine. And, around thirteen million [13,000,000] people use the ‘party’ drug cocaine⁷.
Voice 2
Recently the UNODC has become concerned about another ‘party drug’ - crystal methamphetamine, or crystal meth. Methamphetamine is a powerful man-made drug. Doctors sometimes use amphetamine drugs to help people with narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder⁸ - it causes a person to sleep too much! Amphetamines help to energise the brain, and so keep people awake.
Voice 1
The problem is that some people take amphetamines for fun. This is very dangerous - and illegal. Drug suppliers mix amphetamines with other substances. They form different kinds of dangerous drugs. One of these is crystal meth. Crystal meth looks like clear pieces of rock. Drug users often heat and smoke these small rocks. On the streets, crystal meth has different names - ‘ice, glass, crystal, and jibb’.
Voice 2
Crystal meth gives users energy and feelings of well-being⁹. However, it also damages the brain, lungs and liver. And it affects a person’s behaviour - making him violent and depressed¹⁰. Too much crystal meth can burst blood tubes in the brain - causing death. Yet many people continue to use it.
Voice 1
Kanani Kahalioumi grew up around drugs and alcohol. But, he managed to resist using them. Instead, he did water sports! He surfed the waves of the ocean with great skill - and enjoyment¹¹. However, when he reached international level, he started to take drugs. Mike Procter reads his story.
Voice 6
‘In the World Championships of 1988, I came third! I was seventeen [17]. I had lots of money and nice clothes. But I was not prepared for all the success! I got involved in a particular way of life. Everywhere I went, I drank alcohol and smoked marijuana. So, I did not compete at the level I could. At the age of twenty-two [22], my professional surfing career ended.
“I lost everything. I became very depressed. I flew back home to Hawaii. My childhood friends and I all grew up in poor conditions. But now I discovered that they were dealing¹² drugs. I got involved straight away. I started dealing drugs - crystal meth, cocaine, marijuana. But in the end, I started taking them. I became highly addicted¹³ to crystal meth. I could not stop using it. Crystal meth makes you violent. When you use it, you are likely to get into trouble with the law. I was in and out of prison. My life was bad. I stole. I had no money, no home, broken relationships. I had nothing. I wanted to kill myself.
“My worst moment came when I was twenty-seven [27]. I had been drinking alcohol and using crystal meth. I went into a bar, a drinking place. I had a big fight with my girlfriend. The security men tried to stop me. I remember, they held me to the ground and hit me. I told them I would kill them. I went home and put my shotgun in my truck. Then, I drove my truck back - straight into the bar. I pushed the security men to the floor. I was ready to shoot them. I got my gun out.
“But suddenly, I stopped feeling the effects of the drugs and alcohol. I was shocked at myself. What was I doing? I left. But later, the police arrested me. They charged me with three attempted murders.
‘The judge said I needed drug treatment. So, I went to a centre called "Ho’omau Ke Ola". In English, this means "to live life as it was meant to be".
‘At the treatment centre they made us work on a farm. We farmed a taro¹⁴ field. Taro is an imprortant plant in Hawaiian culture. Taking care of the land, I discovered my identity.
‘The recovery programme offered me a new way of living. It gave me a set of guidelines¹⁵ that I can live by. All I have to do is stay without drugs one day a time.’
Voice 1
Today, Kalani Kahalioumi manages a programme to help young drug addicts¹⁶ in Hawaii. Stories like Kalani’s offer hope for people already trapped by drugs. But Kalani knows that he is one of the lucky ones.
The memorial wall website helps us remember those who were not so lucky. The message is clear - avoid taking drugs.
 

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 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

4 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。

5 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

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 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

8 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

9 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

10 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

11 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

13 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。

14 taro   

n.芋，芋头

参考例句：

• Main grain crop has taro,corn,banana to wait.主要粮食作物有芋头、玉米、芭蕉等。
• You celebrate your birthday with taro,red bean and butter.用红豆、芋头和黄油给自己过生日。

15 guidelines   

n.指导方针，准则

参考例句：

• The government has drawn up guidelines on the treatment of the mentally ill. 政府制订了对待精神病人的指导方针。
• Planners seem a little uncomfortable with the current government guidelines. 规划师似乎不太接受现行的政府指道方针。

16 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