VOA慢速英语2021--书籍换食物计划帮助危地马拉战胜饥饿

Books for Food Program Helps Fight Hunger in Guatemala

A books-for-food program in Guatemala is helping¹ feed needy² children as hunger rates rise during the coronavirus crisis³.

The program began about a year ago in the city of Quetzaltenango. It is run by a local nonprofit organization that aims to feed nearly 400 children.

Bonifaz Díaz works for the program. He delivers books on his bicycle to people across the area. When people receive the books, they give him food in return.

On a recent day, Díaz dropped off a sociology⁴ book to the home of a local teacher. In return, he picked up four bags of Incaparina, a high-protein drink mix widely used in the country to fight child hunger.

Guatemala has long suffered high rates of child malnutrition⁵. But the coronavirus pandemic has worsened the problem. Since the pandemic hit, Díaz has traveled more than 2,000 kilometers on his bicycle. He has delivered loads of books and carried back thousands of kilograms of Incaparina for the nonprofit group 32 Volcanoes.

The program is simple. People choose a book they want from a list of donated titles, and in return give bags of Incaparina. By bringing the books-for-food program directly to people's homes, the 44-year-old Díaz makes sure donations keep flowing. The hunger crisis has intensified⁶ as many people stay home to avoid catching⁷ or spreading the coronavirus.

"People want to provide support, but ... stay-at-home (restrictions) have gotten very strong," said Díaz, an actor by profession. "People get motivated if I go to their home with my bike."

Díaz sometimes pulls a small cart that helps him carry up to 57 kilograms of product. He has traveled as far as 60 kilometers for a delivery to a town in the Western Highlands, where road conditions are poor.

The World Bank estimates that nearly half of the population in Guatemala's highlands, a majority-indigenous⁸ area, suffers from malnutrition.

Incaparina has been a lifesaving product for many families. One bag provides 24 servings and costs about $1.15. But that price is still costly⁹ for the families that 32 Volcanoes serves, said the program's co-founder, Dr. Carmen Benítez. The number of children her group serves has increased from 120 to 382 during the pandemic.

Nearly a year into the books-for-food program, two more cyclists have joined Díaz and donations keep flowing in.

Ana Castillo is the 29-year-old high school teacher who recently received the sociology book from Diaz. She donates to the program often. The 1.8 kilograms of Incaparina she provided will help one family eat for a month.

Castillo looks forward to choosing her books from the titles Díaz posts on social media. She told The Associated Press that she also loves the feeling of a "growing circle" of giving and receiving. "You might not get to those places, but your help can," she said.

Díaz said he plans to continue cycling against hunger as long as the need exists. He has faced his own economic difficulties since the theater company he co-founded closed last spring. But the program has kept him active.

"It's an opportunity to serve in which we all benefit," Díaz said.

Words in This Story

deliver – v. to take goods from one place to another

bicycle – n. a vehicle with two wheels that you sit on and move by turning two pedals¹⁰

sociology – n. the study of society and the relationship between people in society

title – n. the name of a book, film, etc.

motivate – v. to give someone a reason for doing something

cart – n. a small vehicle that is pulled and is used for carrying goods

indigenous – adj. produced in or existing naturally in an area

opportunity – n. a period of time or situation when something can be done

benefit – v. to be helped by something

1 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。

2 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

3 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

4 sociology   

n.社会学，社会关系学，群落生态学

参考例句：

• He is studying sociology.他正研究社会学。
• A pioneer of legal sociology in Germany was Max Weber.德国法律社会学的先驱是马克斯·韦伯。

5 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

6 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 pedals   

n.（自行车或其他机器的）踏板( pedal的名词复数 )；脚蹬子；（钢琴、风琴等的）踏板；踏瓣

参考例句：

• I couldn't reach the pedals on her bike. 我骑她的车够不到脚蹬子。
• The pedals of a cycle are attached to a crank. 自行车的踏板与曲柄相连。 来自辞典例句