VOA标准英语2012--DC Community Activists Work to Curb Youth Violence

DC Community Activists¹ Work to Curb² Youth Violence

From street corner fights to school yard assaults, violence among young African-Americans is on the rise. While youth violence has decreased nationally since 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says black children represent an overwhelming majority of crime victims and crime perpetrators.
"I literally³ have seen my friends die. My friends got shot in front of me. I have held my friends while they die," said Tony Lewis Jr., who knows the tragic⁴ consequences of youth violence in Washington. He grew up on this crime-ridden neighborhood block known as Hanover Place. When he was just nine, his father was given a life prison sentence for his role in a large cocaine⁵ distribution network.
"In these type of [poor] neighborhoods a lot of people went towards crime because that is what poverty does, and when crime comes violence comes," he said.
Lewis says youth violence among African-Americans also stems from a lack of educational opportunities. He says there's a need for adult mentors⁶ to get young people to change their harmful behavior.
"I really try to get them to see how special they are and how being in the street or choosing a life of crime really negates⁷ all of their gifts," he said.
Elementary school principal J. Harrison Coleman has launched a program to examine the reasons why young people use violence to resolve conflicts.
"Children are becoming crueler and crueler to each other. They are fighting back rather than talking things out, rather than working together," he said.
"My grandmother said hit her back or she said she will beat me. I did hit her back but I didn't feel good about it," said one student.
"We want to give them other vehicles that they can follow to go back and say what needs to be said rather than hitting someone or hurting someone,” said Coleman.
Wilmer White's grandson Ricardo is in second grade. "It's important that we now as parents and grandparents start formatting⁸ a more positive role. Do things with your children. Do things with your grandchildren,” she said.
Teacher Diane Woods believes peer mediation⁹ programs can help.
"Have a central person, a friend maybe, who can help you de-escalate a situation because not all the time will an adult be present. Things can go on in the community, but you still need to learn how to communicate without using violence,” she said.
Back on the streets Tony Lewis is trying be a peacemaker.
The area around Hanover Place is now a safer environment than it was several decades ago. Community activists like Tony Lewis and others say they will continue their efforts to try to curb youth violence in the nation’s capital.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

3 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

6 mentors   

n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Beacham and McNamara, my two mentors, had both warned me. 我的两位忠实朋友，比彻姆和麦克纳马拉都曾经警告过我。 来自辞典例句
• These are the kinds of contacts that could evolve into mentors. 这些人是可能会成为你导师。 来自互联网

7 negates   

v.取消( negate的第三人称单数 )；使无效；否定；否认

参考例句：

• Alcohol negates the effects of the drug. 酒精能使药物失效。
• The lack of deep hardening in these alloys negates their use. 这些合金缺乏深层硬化能力使它们无法利用。 来自辞典例句

8 formatting   

n.格式化v.使格式化( format的现在分词 )；规定…的格式（或形状、大小、比例等）；安排…的格局（或规格）；设计…的版面

参考例句：

• Select the block of text and-click and choose Default Formatting. 选择目标文字块，点击鼠标右键，选择默认格式。 来自互联网
• There are emerging conventions about the content and formatting of documentation strings. 这里介绍文档字符串的概念和格式。 来自互联网

9 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。