課文內(nèi)容

詞匯：Poverty 貧窮

When looking at Western Europe, we don't usually think about poverty - but in fact, some people in modern-day Britain are so?hard up?that they can't?afford?to buy food.

當(dāng)我們看到西歐的時(shí)候，我們通常不會(huì)想到貧窮，但事實(shí)上，現(xiàn)代英國(guó)的一些人非常窮，他們買不起食物。

Back in 2008, the?financial crisis?caused a lot of?redundancies. Then there were the cuts to the?welfare system?in 2013 which added to the problem - and many British people?fell into debt. It's estimated that 500,000 people in the UK have turned to?food banks, just?to get by.

早在2008年，金融危機(jī)就造成了大量裁員。2013年，政府削減了福利制度，這加劇了這個(gè)問題，許多英國(guó)人陷入了債務(wù)之中。據(jù)估計(jì)，英國(guó)有50萬(wàn)人求助于食物銀行，勉強(qiáng)度日。

Steph Hagen, who works in a Nottingham food bank, says: "People do not go to a food bank because it's an open door. It's a case of they go to it because they need to. With our food bank - we are an independent one, and we have?limited stocks?- everyone who comes through our door has no income whatsoever."

在諾丁漢一家食品銀行工作的斯蒂芬?哈根(stephen Hagen)表示:“人們不會(huì)去食品銀行，因?yàn)槟鞘且簧瘸ㄩ_的大門。他們之所以去是因?yàn)樗麄冃枰ァＮ覀兊氖称枫y行是一個(gè)獨(dú)立的機(jī)構(gòu)，我們的庫(kù)存有限，每個(gè)來(lái)我們這里的人都沒有任何收入?！?/p>

There are checks and?referrals?to make sure nobody is?abusing the system. If a doctor or a social worker thinks someone needs to use a food bank - even for a short time - they can give them?vouchers. Then the people in need take the vouchers along to the food bank and they get?handouts?for three days.

有檢查和轉(zhuǎn)介，以確保沒有人濫用該系統(tǒng)。如果醫(yī)生或社會(huì)工作者認(rèn)為有人需要使用食物銀行，即使是很短的時(shí)間，他們也可以給他們發(fā)放代金券。然后有需要的人拿著代金券去食品銀行，他們會(huì)得到三天的救濟(jì)。

Churches and individual?donors?provide most of the food in the banks. But some businesses might help out too.And what sort of food is offered in food banks? Hagen says: "Basically, we've got porridge. We do occasionally get fresh produce but it's very rare, especially in the winter months. It's like, tinned fruit, tinned?ready meals. We have to give out 'no-cooking' food parcels because people can't afford the gas and electricity".

教堂和個(gè)人捐贈(zèng)者提供了銀行里的大部分食物。但一些企業(yè)可能也會(huì)提供幫助。食物銀行提供什么樣的食物?哈根說:“基本上，我們有粥。我們偶爾會(huì)有新鮮的農(nóng)產(chǎn)品，但非常罕見，尤其是在冬季。就像罐頭水果，罐頭即食食品。我們不得不分發(fā)‘免煮’食品包裹，因?yàn)槿藗冐?fù)擔(dān)不起燃?xì)夂碗娏??！?/p>

Community spirit?has a lot to do with food banks.?Volunteers?say they are a great meeting place for people who are lonely and depressed. And when facing a crisis, some?beneficiaries?might need to feed not only their belly - but also their soul.

社區(qū)精神與食物銀行有很大關(guān)系。志愿者們說，對(duì)于那些孤獨(dú)和沮喪的人來(lái)說，他們是一個(gè)很好的聚會(huì)場(chǎng)所。當(dāng)面臨危機(jī)時(shí)，一些受益者可能不僅需要養(yǎng)活自己的肚子，還需要養(yǎng)活自己的靈魂。

詞匯表

hard up 拮據(jù)，經(jīng)濟(jì)困難

to afford 負(fù)擔(dān)得起，買得起

financial crisis 金融危機(jī)

redundancy 裁員

welfare system 福利體系

to fall into debt 負(fù)債

a food bank 食物銀行（食物賑濟(jì)處）

to get by 勉強(qiáng)過活

limited stock 有限的存貨，庫(kù)存有限

a referral （官方的）送交、移交，引見

to abuse the system 濫用制度、體系

a voucher 票券，代金券

a handout 救濟(jì)品

a donor 捐贈(zèng)者

a ready meal 現(xiàn)成食品

community spirit 社區(qū)精神

a volunteer 志愿者

a beneficiary 受益者，受惠者

測(cè)驗(yàn)與練習(xí)

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What caused many British people to fall into debt?

2. How do food banks make sure people are genuinely in need?

3. Where do the items in food banks come from?

4. Why do food banks mostly offer people tinned food?

5. Which word in the article means 'stomach'?

2. 請(qǐng)你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習(xí)。選擇一個(gè)意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Martin lost his job about a year ago. Now he lives off _________ from his parents.

a voucher ? ? ?handouts ? ? ?referrals ? ? ?redundancies

2. Ann needs _________ to help her distribute food and clothes to the victims of the earthquake.

volunteers ? ? ?beneficiaries ? ? ?doctors ? ? ?welfare system

3. You've got to control your spending! It's not good to _________.

get by ? ? ?cut the welfare system ? ? ?afford nothing ? ? ?fall into debt

4. Mr Jones, take this _________ to the food bank and they will give you a food parcel.

handout ? ? ?voucher ? ? ?income ? ? ?crisis

5. Sorry, mate, I can't lend you money. I'm _________ myself.

volunteer ? ? ?handout ? ? ?redundancies ? ? ?hard up

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What caused many British people to fall into debt?
The 2008 financial crisis and redundancies, followed by?the cuts to the welfare system in 2013.

2. How do food banks make sure people are genuinely in need?
They use checks, referrals and a voucher system to make sure that only the needy are able to access the food banks.

3. Where do the items in food banks come from?
They are donated mainly by churches, individuals and some businesses.

4. Why do food banks mostly offer people tinned food?
Because the beneficiaries might not have gas or electricity, and most of these items don't need refrigeration or cooking.

5. Which word in the article means 'stomach'?
Belly.

2. 請(qǐng)你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習(xí)。選擇一個(gè)意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Martin lost his job about a year ago. Now he lives off?handouts?from his parents.

2. Ann needs?volunteers?to help her distribute food and clothes to the victims of the earthquake.

3. You've got to control your spending! It's not good to?fall into debt.

4. Mr Jones, take this?voucher?along to the food bank and they will give you a food parcel.

5. Sorry, mate, I can't lend you money. I'm?hard up?myself.

文章來(lái)源BBC，侵權(quán)刪。