VOA标准英语2012--Son of Sex Worker Struggles to Preserve Pakistan History

时间：2012-10-02 09:57:00

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（单词翻译）

Son of Sex Worker Struggles to Preserve Pakistan History

House of treasures

Tucked¹ away in Iqbal Hussein’s house are treasures of Lahore's history: doors big enough for an elephant to walk through, hand-carved balconies, Hindu statues.

Many art pieces are from the now torn-down homes of prostitutes in Lahore’s old red-light district, a once-colorful community that is disappearing.

“It is almost lost now. There used to be, early morning, used to be so lovely voices, practicing going on, musicians used to come over, classical, the echo² of a voice, training till 12 the training started, it was so elegant³," he recalled. "There used to be beautiful voices, it was so elegant. So all finished now, very sad.”

In the streets where he grew up, the ornate brothels are gone. The area is still known as a red-light district, but Hussein says as prostitution went underground, it became more dangerous, run by criminals and infested⁴ with drugs.

Hussein kept the house where he was raised -- at the foot of the city's most famous mosque⁵. He says despite pressure from religious groups, he plans to stay, run the popular restaurant he has built on the roof of his home, and continue painting the women of the local community.

Painting for dignity

Hussein says painting sex workers safeguards⁶ the dignity of their lives, much like his art collection protects the city’s history. “It’s very painful, as a sensitive person, as a painter, only I can bring them into my paintings to show them, these are human being also, they want to breathe also, they want to lead a respectable⁷ life,” he said.

He is aware that his views and activities pose⁸ serious risks from religiously inspired militants⁹ in today’s Pakistan. His own death is a subject of one painting.

“I’m a little concerned. Everyone has to leave this world, and it should be preserved," Hussein stated. "Dignity should be given to this.”

But although he worries that society is becoming more intolerant, he says he hopes that with time people will come to appreciate the history and art he has spent his life preserving.

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收听单词发音

1 tucked
塞进( tuck的过去式和过去分词 )；翻折；盖住；卷起
参考例句：
She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。 She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. 她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。

2 echo
n.回音，共鸣；vi.发出回声；vt.模仿，附和
参考例句：
She shouted on the mountaintop and listened for the echo.她在山顶上大声喊着，然后聆听着回声。 I should like to echo the words of the previous speaker.我想重复前面一位发言者的话。

3 elegant
adj.优美的，文雅的，简练的，简结的
参考例句：
She was an elegant and accomplished woman.她是位优雅的才女。 She has a life of elegant ease.她过着风雅悠闲的生活。

4 infested
adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于
参考例句：
The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。 The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

5 mosque
n.清真寺
参考例句：
The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。 Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

6 safeguards
防护措施，安全设施( safeguard的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We will introduce legal safeguards against fraud. 我们将推行防止欺诈的法律条款。 There is a price to be paid for maintaining these safeguards. 维持这些防范措施是要付出代价的。

7 respectable
n.品格高尚的人；adj.值得尊重的，人格高尚的，不少的
参考例句：
She seems respectable enough.她看上去挺体面的。 His savings were just enough to pay for a respectable funeral.他的存款刚好够办一个体面的葬礼。

8 pose
vt.造成，陈述；vi.摆姿势，装腔作势；n.姿势
参考例句：
He sat in a relaxed pose.他轻松自如地坐着。 He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend.他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

9 militants
激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。 Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

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