2006年VOA标准英语-Once Again Afghans Take to the Skies

By Jeff Swicord
Kabul, Afghanistan
07 November 2006
 
watch Kite Flying report

For centuries, kite flying has played a significant role in Afghan culture.  Banned under Taleban rule, it has made a comeback in recent years.  And once again the skies above Kabul are filled with activity. 

 
Kites are once again freely flown in Kabul
For centuries they have filled the skies above Kabul, often engaged in aerobatic battle.  "Gudiparan bazi", or kite flying, is a sport that many Afghans have raised to the status of an art. 

 
Mohammad Ashare
Afghans, like 12-year-old Mohammad Ashare, enjoy kite fighting with other flyers, trying to break the string of opponents and send their kites floating off in the wind.  "Depends on how good your string is, then it is your technique," says Mohammad.  "For example, you roll your string on top of the other kite's string, and never pull the string, just let roll."

Banned during the Taleban years because it was considered un-Islamic, kite flying has made a comeback in Kabul.  And kite shops can now be found all over the city.

 
Abdul Shkur
Abdul Shkur came to one shop to buy some kites for his children. "Compared to other countries, we do not have parks here, places to take our kids to play.  So kites are a good thing for our children, so that they can play." 

If the Taleban found someone flying a kite, they would beat him, break the spool¹ of string, and tear up the kite.  Sixty-nine-year old Mohammad Anwar remembers that time well. "During the Taleban time everybody just left here because we could not have a shop like this and we were not allowed to fly kites.  So they were treating us very badly and everybody left the country to go to Pakistan and Iran."

 
Mohammad Anwar
Kite fighting, or "jang" is a big part of the sport.  Kites are often flown close together from the rooftops and neighbors engage in battle trying to cut the string of their opponents.  Some go to great lengths to improve their odds² by mixing a paste of finely ground glass and adhesive³, which is applied⁴ to the string. 

It can be a dangerous sport. And many lose their footing in the heat of battle and fall from the rooftop.  Each year there are injuries and some deaths.  To some, this is a serious sport and each neighborhood will have its "sharti" or kite-fighting champion. 

 
Khan Tazada
Khan Tazada, who often enjoys a good battle, says there is nothing secret about his technique. "You need good wind, not very fast and not very slow.  Medium wind to keep it in the sky.  Then, we put it in battle with other kites and this is the best part of the game."

But most people fly kites for the pleasure of it.  Standing⁵ on a hilltop above this city that has seen so much misery⁶ and pain over the past 40 years, there is something peaceful, almost lyrical about launching a kite to the will of the wind.  It's soothing⁷ to the spirit and for a moment provides respite⁸ from the problems of the day.

1 spool   

n.（缠录音带等的）卷盘（轴）；v.把…绕在卷轴上

参考例句：

• Can you wind this film back on to its spool?你能把这胶卷卷回到卷轴上去吗？
• Thomas squatted on the forward deck,whistling tunelessly,polishing the broze spool of the anchor winch.托马斯蹲在前甲板上擦起锚绞车的黄铜轴，边擦边胡乱吹着口哨。

2 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

3 adhesive   

n.粘合剂；adj.可粘着的，粘性的

参考例句：

• You'll need a strong adhesive to mend that chair. 你需要一种粘性很强的东西来修理那把椅子。
• Would you give me an adhesive stamp?请给我一枚带胶邮票好吗？

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

7 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

8 respite   

n.休息，中止，暂缓

参考例句：

• She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。
• Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。