2007年VOA标准英语-Video Game Promotes Peace

By George Dwyer
Washington
20 February 2007
 
watch Peacemaker Video Game

 
Peacemaker is a game-simulation for Middle East peace
A new video game was released in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. It challenges users to participate in creating solutions to the decades old Arab-Israeli conflict.  Called "PeaceMaker," the new game reflects a growing trend in the videogame industry: using entertainment to promote learning and problem solving in socially constructive¹ ways. VOA's Bill Rodgers narrates².

"PeaceMaker" is designed to simulate aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Players are challenged to promote peace through cooperation and multilateral negotiation³.

 
Asi Burak
Israeli-born Asi Burak helped create the game. "And what we wanted to do was [develop a game] that someone can just dive in[to] in a minute and deal with the real issues, which are the conflict, the way to approach it, how to take leadership," he says.

PeaceMaker's official premiere was held earlier this month at the World Affairs Council of America conference in Washington, D.C. The game is now available to consumers -- in Hebrew, Arabic, and English -- as a download from the Internet, for about $20 U.S. 

Burak's partner, designer and businessman Eric Brown, is confident it will attract customers. "It is no different than any other strategy game in terms of engagement. There are a lot of games that are similar to what we have created."

What is different from many of the most popular video games on the market is that PeaceMaker does not rely on violent action sequences to attract players. Its developers are just part of a growing number of people who believe the video gaming market is ripe for new and innovative⁴ content.

"Why would it need to actually have that, killing⁵ people a thousand times in thirty seconds to be engaging,” wonders Brown. “And I think that people are engaged because they are challenged and as long as we can do that we should be able to be the same as any other business."

Today a growing number of organizations and software developers have come to believe that video games can be put to socially useful applications in promoting health awareness⁶, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Called by many the "serious games" initiative, Burak believes this trend is showing signs of blossoming into a serious social movement.

 
Eric Brown
"The serious games initiative and games for change is a growing trend due to the fact that many people feel that video games [have] become the dominant⁷ media form of this century."

The idea that video games might be uniquely suited to helping⁸ train peacemakers is an idea that has been endorsed⁹ by both educators and professional diplomats¹⁰, including former U.S. Mideast Envoy¹¹ Dennis Ross.

He says, "In these kinds of games you are looking for everyone gaining. If it is a game that is something that promotes a zero-sum mentality¹², then it works against conflict resolution. If it promotes the imagery that you gain by cooperating, you gain by adjusting, you gain by giving up mythologies¹³ then it actually is responding to what any negotiation requires."

The game's designers point out that many workers entering today's work force grew up playing video games and that it is a natural way to learn new skills. And if those skills can help contribute to solving some of society's most nagging¹⁴ problems, all the better.

1 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

2 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

3 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

4 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

5 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。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

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。

9 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

12 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

13 mythologies   

神话学( mythology的名词复数 )； 神话（总称）； 虚构的事实； 错误的观点

参考例句：

• a study of the religions and mythologies of ancient Rome 关于古罗马的宗教和神话的研究
• This realization is enshrined in "Mythologies." 这一看法见诸于他的《神话集》一书。

14 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》