英语听力：自然百科 马里：独特的成人礼

 In the Dogon village of Komokan in Mali, preparations are underway for a rare event, the Village Dama. Damas can be held only after a good harvest, and in this environment, that doesn’t happen very often.

 

The Dama is a mask festival that honors deceased elders, it is more than a celebration. The Dama is a door to Dogon manhood.

 

To wear a mask and dance at a Dama is what every boy lives for. Without a Dama young men can feel suspended between boyhood and manhood. This is the case for Atime Dogolo Saye, who was 29, but doesn’t yet consider himself a man.

 

"If you are not initiated², you are not a whole man. You are thought to be a bit like a woman. That’s why the Dama is so important to us. "

 

Atime is from another Dogon village, where his grandfather is the oldest man in the village, the revered³ keeper of the masks. It’s his responsibility to determine the timing⁴ of the Dama. But there is a conflict. Some years ago, a spirit told the village fortune-teller, that the next Dama would herald⁵ the grandfather’s death. The last Dama in Atime’s village was 20 years ago.

 

Back in Komokan, the whirring song of the bullroarer announces that the celebrations would soon begin. Meanwhile Atime decides to act. He asks the fortune-teller to contact the spirit that seems to condemn⁶ him to eternal childhood. The old man is the village shaman（萨满黄教的教徒或巫师 ）. And the figure who predicts the future with him, is the pale fox. The shaman draws patterns in the sand, for the divination(占卜). The elusive⁷ pale fox emerges in the cool of the night. Looks like he may have his answer. Atime, the shaman says, will be part of the Dama with thousands.

 

Back in Komokan , the new day heralds⁸ the start of the ceremony that Atime can only dream of. Every household offers millet(粟草) to thank spirits. The old men of Komokan lead the dancing, showing the youngsters how it’s done.

 

Atime may have the fox’s blessing⁹, but he still has to persuade his grandfather. Atime knows his quest will benefit all the young men in his village. He implores(恳切) his grandfather to initiate¹ the Dama. Eventually, the old man relents, even though it may seal his fate. The Dama, however, would not be this year for Atime’s village.

1 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

2 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

3 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

4 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

5 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

6 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

7 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

8 heralds   

n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The song of birds heralds the approach of spring. 百鸟齐鸣报春到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountain. 山雨欲来风满楼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。