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美国国家公共电台 NPR--Coal mining is a dangerous job. In Afghanistan, kids often do much of the work

时间:2023-09-22 01:33:03

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Coal mining is a dangerous job. In Afghanistan, kids often do much of the work

Transcript1

As the Taliban government steps up its coal exports to resuscitate2 a shattered economy, miners are working harder than ever. In Afghanistan, it's often kids who do some of the most grueling work.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

While world leaders have been talking about limiting global warming at the U.N. climate summit, Afghanistan has been moving in another direction and ramping3 up its production of coal. Mining for that coal is dangerous and sometimes deadly. And as NPR's Arezou Rezvani reports, in Afghanistan, kids often do much of the work.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTIST: (Singing in non-English language).

AREZOU REZVANI, BYLINE4: You don't have to travel too far outside of Kabul to see signs that coal is king in Afghanistan's economy these days.

So we left Kabul just a couple of hours ago. We're about to make our way through the Hindu Kush mountains on these backbreaking roads built to buy the Soviets5 years ago. And already we're passing truck after truck after truck, all of them full of coal. Some are carrying so much, it's just spilling over the sides. When the old Afghan government collapsed6 last year, its economy collapsed with it. Foreign governments withdrew billions of dollars in economic assistance when the Taliban returned to power. Now, after a year of isolation8, the cash-strapped Taliban government is increasing its coal production and exports to fill the void. And those bringing that coal to market aren't who you'd expect.

(SOUNDBITE OF FOOTSTEPS ON GRAVEL)

REZVANI: We've driven through mountains, through riverbeds, and we're now walking this final stretch to get to the coal mines. And headed in the other direction, headed down the mountain are a lot of miners with coal dust all over them. And some of these faces we see are quite young.

It's not uncommon9 to see children work hard jobs in poor countries - in factories, farms or food stalls. But the scene atop this mountain is still astonishing. Inside a narrow tunnel, the distant, faint glow of headlamps appears first.

FAZEL: Be careful here.

REZVANI: OK.

As we go deeper, the young faces come into focus.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #1: (Speaking Dari).

REZVANI: Older boys are swinging pickaxes, digging for coal. Some are busy fixing wood beams for the crumbling10 tunnel walls.

(SOUNDBITE OF WOOD BEING SANDED)

REZVANI: The younger boys escort coal-laden donkeys out of the mines. Among them is 12-year-old Mansour. When he emerges from this mountain's womb, the boys outside greet him with a tune11 from a toy flute12. They take turns playing.

(SOUNDBITE OF FLUTE)

REZVANI: It's a humble13 celebration for making it out alive, they say.

(SOUNDBITE OF FLUTE)

REZVANI: Like everyone here, little Mansour wears no helmet, no goggles14, just a pair of cheap rubber shoes he sliced open to air out his little black toes peeking15 out.

MANSOUR: (Speaking Dari).

REZVANI: "My workday starts at dawn," he tells me. He shepherds donkeys up and down this mountain for 10 hours a day.

MANSOUR: (Speaking Dari).

REZVANI: "The work's not hard," he says, but he looks bone tired. His delicate hands are black and calloused16.

ABDUL: (Speaking Dari).

REZVANI: Much of the coal Mansour takes down is carried out of the earth by older boys, like Abdul Salaam17. He's 17 and already a veteran of these lands.

ABDUL: (Through interpreter) I've been working here most of my life. I started working in these mines when I was 9.

REZVANI: The child labor18 that existed under the old government has grown worse in the last year. The Taliban government wants to fix that. But with an economy in shambles19, more families are sending younger kids here, says Jawad Jahed, the engineer who oversees20 this mine for the government.

JAWAD JAHED: (Through interpreter) Kids under 18 aren't supposed to work here. But our people are so poor, families have no choice. They send their children to work because they need the money. And it's hard for us to turn them away.

REZVANI: The boys earn a few dollars for a day's work. It's a strong, steady wage in these cruel economic times, even if it comes at great risk. Heavy rains last winter caused one of the tunnels here to collapse7. A dozen workers were killed. When I asked 17-year-old Salaam if he's worried about getting hurt, he shrugs21.

ABDUL: (Through interpreter) It is the work of destiny. If it is my destiny to die in these mines, then so be it.

REZVANI: But that destiny may already be taking shape. As the sun sets, we head back down the mountain. A few young miners are sitting on a ledge22 overlooking this vast, blackened landscape. One of them pulls out the flute.

(SOUNDBITE OF FLUTE)

REZVANI: He plays it for a few seconds. Then he stops.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #2: (Speaking Dari).

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #3: (Speaking Dari).

REZVANI: "Carry on," the other boys say. But he can't.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #4: (Speaking Dari).

REZVANI: After a long day at the mines, he doesn't have the breath to go on.

Arezou Rezvani, NPR News, Nahrin, Afghanistan.

(SOUNDBITE OF HARIPRASAD CHAURASIA'S "RAAG BHUPALI")


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 transcript JgpzUp     
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书
参考例句:
  • A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
  • They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。
2 resuscitate 1D9yy     
v.使复活,使苏醒
参考例句:
  • A policeman and then a paramedic tried to resuscitate her.一名警察和一位护理人员先后试图救活她。
  • As instructed by Rinpoche,we got the doctors to resuscitate him.遵照仁波切的指示,我们找来医生帮他进行急救。
3 ramping ae9cf258610b54f50a843cc4d049a1f8     
土堤斜坡( ramp的现在分词 ); 斜道; 斜路; (装车或上下飞机的)活动梯
参考例句:
  • The children love ramping about in the garden. 孩子们喜欢在花园里追逐嬉戏,闹着玩。
  • Have you ever seen a lion ramping around? 你看到过狮子暴跳吗?
4 byline sSXyQ     
n.署名;v.署名
参考例句:
  • His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
  • We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。
5 soviets 95fd70e5832647dcf39beb061b21c75e     
苏维埃(Soviet的复数形式)
参考例句:
  • A public challenge could provoke the Soviets to dig in. 公开挑战会促使苏联人一意孤行。
  • The Soviets proposed the withdrawal of American ballistic-missile submarines from forward bases. 苏联人建议把美国的弹道导弹潜艇从前沿基地撤走。
6 collapsed cwWzSG     
adj.倒塌的
参考例句:
  • Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
  • The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
7 collapse aWvyE     
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷
参考例句:
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
8 isolation 7qMzTS     
n.隔离,孤立,分解,分离
参考例句:
  • The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
  • He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后,生活比较孤寂。
9 uncommon AlPwO     
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的
参考例句:
  • Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
  • Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。
10 crumbling Pyaxy     
adj.摇摇欲坠的
参考例句:
  • an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
  • The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。
11 tune NmnwW     
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整
参考例句:
  • He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子,并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
  • The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。
12 flute hj9xH     
n.长笛;v.吹笛
参考例句:
  • He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。
  • There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
13 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
14 goggles hsJzYP     
n.护目镜
参考例句:
  • Skiers wear goggles to protect their eyes from the sun.滑雪者都戴上护目镜使眼睛不受阳光伤害。
  • My swimming goggles keep steaming up so I can't see.我的护目镜一直有水雾,所以我看不见。
15 peeking 055254fc0b0cbadaccd5778d3ae12b50     
v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 );偷看;窥视;微露出
参考例句:
  • I couldn't resist peeking in the drawer. 我不由得偷看了一下抽屉里面。
  • They caught him peeking in through the keyhole. 他们发现他从钥匙孔里向里窥视。 来自辞典例句
16 calloused 7897851b401f223edd1460a8f5ec37f3     
adj.粗糙的,粗硬的,起老茧的v.(使)硬结,(使)起茧( callous的过去式和过去分词 );(使)冷酷无情
参考例句:
  • A most practical and emotionally calloused Youth interrupted. 一个非常讲究实际而心肠很硬的年轻人插了一嘴。 来自辞典例句
  • McTeague exhibited his hard, calloused palms. 麦克梯格摊开那双生满老茧坚硬的手掌。 来自辞典例句
17 salaam bYyxe     
n.额手之礼,问安,敬礼;v.行额手礼
参考例句:
  • And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好,灿然微笑着和我打招呼,说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
  • Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。
18 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
19 shambles LElzo     
n.混乱之处;废墟
参考例句:
  • My room is a shambles.我房间里乱七八糟。
  • The fighting reduced the city to a shambles.这场战斗使这座城市成了一片废墟。
20 oversees 4607550c43b2b83434e5e72ac137def4     
v.监督,监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网
21 shrugs d3633c0b0b1f8cd86f649808602722fa     
n.耸肩(以表示冷淡,怀疑等)( shrug的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany shrugs off this criticism. 匈牙利总理久尔恰尼对这个批评不以为然。 来自互联网
  • She shrugs expressively and takes a sip of her latte. 她表达地耸肩而且拿她的拿铁的啜饮。 来自互联网
22 ledge o1Mxk     
n.壁架,架状突出物;岩架,岩礁
参考例句:
  • They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
  • Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上,摔倒了。

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