VOA慢速英语2017--喀麦隆英语区的教师继续罢工

Teachers in English-speaking Areas of Cameroon Remain on Strike

Thousands of teachers celebrated¹ World Teacher's Day in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital on October 5.

Ernestine Tabe, a teacher, came to the capital in September to look for a job. She used to live in Kumba, an English-speaking town.

Tabe had not been paid for five months because of an ongoing² strike in Cameroon's English speaking areas.

"I decided³ to come here in order to get myself involved in teaching, so that the zeal⁴ in me would not die down because, as a teacher, you are always eager to teach others to know."

Last November, most of the schools in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions closed when lawyers and teachers went on strike. The strikers demanded that the government reform how it uses the French language in the country.

Gideon Tanda is a leader of one of the teacher's trade unions that called the strike.

Tanda spoke⁵ about some of the issues the teachers' union is concerned about. He said English-speaking teachers are often sent to French-speaking regions and French-speaking teachers are sent to English-speaking areas. He added that the teachers often have to teach in areas outside of their training. "What do you think? That person [teacher] cannot perform. There is bad faith," he said.

Tanda also said that he is concerned that teachers will miss more school.

“[The] Government is not listening, and it is so deplorable now that we have had a lot of killing⁶. People are on the run, others are nowhere to be found, just missing. I feel terribly bad as a teacher that at this point in time people have to miss classes for a whole year and they are about to miss another year."

English-speaking separatist groups have joined the strike. They are demanding that English-speaking regions form a new state called “Ambazonia.”

Thousands of people demonstrated in the streets in support of calls for independence earlier this month. However, the rights group Amnesty International said security forces reacted violently, killing at least 17 people.

In response to the strike, the government says it has given jobs to 1,000 English-speaking teachers and paid subsidies⁷ to private schools. Officials also say they have released some of the leader of teachers' unions from jail.

The governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, is urging teachers to return to their classrooms. He says the state is here to guarantee their security. He says officials will continue to talk with teachers to deal with their concerns throughout the year.

But other violence also has been reported. Unknown arsonists⁹, possibly from militant¹⁰ groups, have targeted schools that have ignored the call to take part in the strike. Some parents say it is not safe to send their children back to school.

The government estimates that only 20 percent of expected students in the English-speaking regions have shown up for class since the school year began in September.

I'm John Russell.

Words in This Story

celebrate – v. to do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion, holiday, etc.

zeal – n. a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very eager or determined¹¹ to do something

eager –adj. very excited and interested

regions –n. part of the world or of a country that is separate

faith – n. strong belief or trust in someone or something

deplorable – adj. very bad, causing fear and shock

subsidy¹² – n. money or support usually from a government that is meant to keep the cost of a product or service low

arsonist⁸ – n. a person who commits the illegal burning of a building or other property

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 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。

4 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 arsonist   

n.纵火犯

参考例句：

• You're pretty sure you can identify a single arsonist?你确信你能鉴别出一个特定的纵火者？
• The arsonist confessed that he set fire to six businesses.那纵火犯承认他给6家商场纵过火。

9 arsonists   

n.纵火犯( arsonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The factory was destroyed in a fire started by arsonists. 工厂在纵火犯引起的火灾中烧毀了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland said suspected arsonists could face murder charges. 澳大利亚总检察长罗伯特麦克莱兰说，怀疑纵火犯可能面临谋杀指控。 来自互联网

10 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

11 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

12 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。