2006年VOA标准英语-Muslims Find Cultural Bridge in Scouting

By June Soh
Washington, DC
25 July 2006
 
watch Muslim Scouts² report

Muslim children are finding a cultural bridge with American kids by becoming Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. Many Muslims find scouting³ has similar values to their faith.   Amy Katz narrates⁴ this report.

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Muslim Girl Scouts   
  
The girls recite the Scout¹ Oath: "I will try to serve God and my country, to help people all the time, and to live by the Girl Scout law."

Every Friday evening, Amina, her friend Thuraya, and several  other girls gather in this classroom at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society or ADAMS in Sterling⁵, Virginia.  They belong to a Brownie troop, a Girl Scout group for six to eight year olds. 

Amina says she likes being a Girl Scout. Another scout, Thuraya,  says she knows why. "Because you help your community and you earn things.  You have a fun time.  You help your nation."

 
Sarah Hasan
  
Sarah Hasan, an Indian descendant raised in Kuwait, is the leader of the Brownie troop. "We want to teach the basic values of the Girl Scout promise: kindness, helpfulness, being honest, integrity, and working together as a group."

Thuraya's father, Arash Hazer, from Iran, finds those characteristics are compatible with Islamic values. So he sends his two home-schooled daughters to the Girl Scout program. "They need to be involved in life here. So Girl Scout service to the country, service to the community certainly is a big value in our (Islamic) belief system."

Muslim Boy Scouts   
  
The Boy Scouts of America says U.S. Muslim scout troops have been increasing in the past two decades. It reports 112 troops with almost 2,000 members chartered through Islamic schools or mosques⁶.

Rizwan Jaka is the president of ADAMS and a Boy Scout leader.  He says scout activities are also helpful to building bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims.

 
Rizwan Jaka
  
"After the tragedy of 9/11 it is important for Muslims to get to know other people and other people get to know Muslims.  So we actually encourage our children and our scouts to get to know their fellow scouts."

For many Muslim children, living in the U.S. means constantly balancing between being an observant Muslim and an American kid.

Thuraya says she feels a little bit different from other American girls. "Because I don't do the things like they do. I don't wear things like they wear, like belly⁷ shirts. I cover myself completely. But I don't feel angry that I can't be like them.  Everybody has their own way."

At  the year-end graduation ceremony, Thuraya says she is proud of herself for earning more patches for what she has done.  And she will remain in the Girl Scout program as long as she can ... having fun with friends, learning cultures, and helping⁸ communities.

1 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

2 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

3 scouting   

守候活动，童子军的活动

参考例句：

• I have people scouting the hills already. 我已经让人搜过那些山了。
• Perhaps also from the Gospel it passed into the tradition of scouting. 也许又从《福音书》传入守望的传统。 来自演讲部分

4 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

5 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

6 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

7 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

8 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。