2007年VOA标准英语-Rock Stars Perform Around World to Raise Awaren

By Tendai Maphosa
London
07 July 2007

Big name rock stars and musicians from around the globe performed at concerts on six continents to raise awareness¹ about climate change. A sold-out crowd rocked London's Wembley Stadium, and other concerts were held in Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro and New York. Tendai Maphosa files this report for VOA from London.

The London show like the shows at other venues² attracted some of the biggest names in the music business, including Genesis, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Foo Fighters, Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Madonna, to name but a few.

They all came together to draw attention to what former U.S. Vice³ President turned environmental activist⁴ Al Gore⁵ called "an SOS, a wake-up call to the entire world."

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks during Live Earth concert, a 24-hour global concert series to raise awareness about climate change, at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington

Gore, who is one of the organizers of the concerts, spoke⁶ to the London audience live via satellite from Washington. He explained the idea for the concerts, which organizers hoped would reach up to two-billion people through broadcasts on radio, television and the Internet. "In Africa, there is a proverb that says, 'if you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' We have to go far quickly. So, today, we are gathered on all seven continents in eight giant concerts -- two billion people, we are gathered with one message," he said.

While the shows have a lot of support, there are some who question the idea of the Live Earth concerts. The music is an obvious draw, but some people attending the concert in London also were divided about the long-term impact of the concerts.

"It's something that the world really needs to wake up to, climate change," said one. "I think we are all a bit too naïve, and I know there has been a little bit of criticism towards today - is it actually going to cause more harm than good?"

Another said "There is a lot of awareness out there already. People know that there is global warming. So, a concert is not going to help us."

There are also those who believe that no matter how well intentioned the organizers of the concert are, governments need to take the lead in ensuring a reduction of carbon emissions⁷.

Zac Goldsmith is the editor of the Ecologist magazine. "The government can raise the bar in this, and there is a lot it can do. The government spends each year 125 billion pounds on goods and services, tax payers' money. It should be investing that money in the most sustainable goods, in the most sustainable services," he said.

Gore says he hopes the concerts will jump-start "an unprecedented⁸ and sustained⁹ global movement" against climate change.

1 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。

2 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

6 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。

7 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

8 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

9 sustained   

adj.持久的，持续的v.维持( sustain的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；忍受；长期保持

参考例句：

• Without correct leadership, the enthusiasm of the masses cannot be sustained. 没有正确的领导，群众的积极性就不可能持久。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He has sustained a great loss by the death of his father. 他父亲的去世使他蒙受巨大的损失。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》