VOA标准英语2010年-Young Footballers Play for Reconciliat

As the 2010 football World Cup enters its final hours in South Africa, another football tournament is taking place in the impoverished¹ township of Alexandra, in northeastern Johannesburg. Several hundred young people from disadvantaged communities in nearly 40 countries are competing for the 'Football for Hope' trophy².

A team of Israeli and Palestinian boys and girls, called the Peace Team, battles against a squad³ from Rwanda, called Hope, in the Football for Hope tournament.

The participants are from disadvantaged communities, many of which have been scarred by conflict and poverty. There are teams from Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia as well as from Australia, Britain and the United States.

 

There are no referees⁴ in the tournament. The players must settle any fouls⁵ or disputes themselves.

The matches have attracted thousands of fans from this struggling Johannesburg community, to celebrate hope and social change.

The football governing body -- FIFA -- sponsors the program, in partnership⁶ with 50 civic⁷ groups.

"The purpose of Football for Hope is that of using the power of the game, football, in order to address social challenges around the world," explained Federico Addiechi, FIFA's head of Corporate⁸ Responsibility. "It's a movement that was created back in 2005 in order to address those social challenges, in order to make a concrete contribution with the game of football."

On a field nearby, neighborhood children kick footballs into a net in exchange for prizes. 

The "football for hope" program seeks to promote education on health and children's rights, peace-building, anti-discrimination, HIV/AIDS and the environment.

Sello Mahlangu, 18, is the coach of Team Alexandra, which is hosting the tournament. A local volunteer, he lives with his mother and three siblings⁹ in Alexandra.

"This event has done a lot for me," he said. "I've been to many places, done many interviews. It has given me opportunities to showcase my potential."

This is the first tournament FIFA has held as part of its 'Football for Hope' program.  Addiechi says there will be more because FIFA wants the World Cup to leave a legacy¹⁰.

"The Football for Hope movement is our permanent activity," he explained. "It's part of our social responsibility and has been going on now for five years. And it will continue long after 2010 and even 2014 [the next World Cup]."

FIFA has pledged to build 20 Football for Hope Centers across Africa this year. Each center is to contain sports fields as well as facilities for education and health care.

Addiechi says FIFA wants to show that football can be a powerful force to unite communities and improve the lives of less fortunate people.

 

1 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

3 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

4 referees   

n.裁判员( referee的名词复数 )；证明人；公断人；（专业性强的文章的）审阅人

参考例句：

• The fiery player has had numerous run-ins with referees. 这位脾气暴躁的队员曾和裁判员发生过无数次争吵。
• If you want to appeal, the Court of Referees will decide. 如果你要上诉，可以由仲裁法庭去判决。 来自辞典例句

5 fouls   

n.煤层尖灭；恶劣的( foul的名词复数 )；邪恶的；难闻的；下流的v.使污秽( foul的第三人称单数 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏

参考例句：

• The player was sent off the field because of fouls. 这名运动员因屡屡犯规而被罚下场。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Jones was ordered off in the second half after repeated fouls. 由于屡次犯规，琼斯在下半场中被责令退出比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。