Clip Angela Simpson

Angela Simpson, a police officer
Clip Angela Simpson
When I spoke 1 to my mother about joining the police service she was dead set against（竭力反对，坚决反对） it because of the fact that I’m female and I’m black and because of all the negative publicity 2 that the police had had in her era when she actually came to the country so she was totally dead set against me joining.
Sue: In Private lives today we meet Angela Simpson. Angela is 29 years old, and she was born and brought up in Leeds, a large city in the north of England. Angela is a police officer, and she has special responsibility for recruiting young people from ethnic 3 minorities（少数民族） who are interested in a career in the police service. During the programme, we’ll hear Angela talk about where she lives, and what she enjoys doing on a typical night in and a typical night out. She also talks about her family, and she describes how she thinks being a police officer has changed her over the years. First, we learn a little about Angela’s background and her childhood in a multicultural 4 （多种文化的）suburb of Leeds.
 
Clip Angela Simpson
My parents came to England in the 1960s, early 1960s from Jamaica, and I remember living in the Harehills area of Leeds which I really enjoyed as a child because of the fact that I distinctly （明显的，清楚的）remember that on my left there were neighbours who were Irish and from there we had people who were Sikh, Hindu, Pakistani, African-Carribbean all in this long street. I remember at school, it was quite a multicultural environment the fact that I had friends from different backgrounds and different walks of life and for me I have really happy childhood memories it wasn’t until really I started working where I felt like I was in the minority.
Sue: Angela began her working life at Customs and Excise 5 - a British government department which is responsible for collecting duty on imported goods for example. She had an administrative 6 job and she was bored. When she decided 7 she wanted to become a police officer, her mother tried to discourage her, fearing her daughter would face racial prejudice（偏见，成见） and sexual discrimination（歧视）. Angela wasn’t put off - although the training was tough, and she says she found it especially difficult, since she was from an ethnic minority background. After training school, Angela became a foot patrol （巡逻，巡查）officer, and her day-to-day duties included dealing 8 with shoplifters, domestic incidents and road accidents. She worked in a different part of Leeds from where she was brought up and she explains why. 
 
Clip Angela Simpson
I would never ever work in the area that I was brought up in which is Leeds in the Harehills area because of the fact that I do know a lot of people that I went to school with, a lot of people who have been in trouble as well and just from some of the comments that have been said when I’ve been out with my friends, especially if somebody doesn’t like somebody from the police force then they’re going to say negative things about you. And I’ve got to think of my family as well who still live in that area which is the most important thing to me regardless of the job really so I would never, ever work in Leeds where I was brought up.
Sue: Angela is no longer a foot patrol officer “on the beat” - on duty, walking the local area she was responsible for. She enjoys her new role as a recruiting liaison 9 officer（联络官）, and she’s working very hard to attract young people from ethnic minority backgrounds into the police service. However, Angela is clear that her police work on the beat - some of it with people whose living conditions shocked her because they were so poor - made her a more confident, committed officer and a stronger person.
 
Clip Angela Simpson
I was on the beat for 6 . years and initially 10 when I first joined the police service I was quite quiet, very reserved, surprisingly enough, yeah just very quiet natured really and over the years it’s helped me develop my confidence, develop the way I can communicate with people. I think that’s quite important because there were quite a few times where initially where I thought well is this really job for me - I don’t think I can make the grade - but I’m glad that I stuck at it and it has sort of like made me the person that I am today.
Sue: Police work often means irregular working hours, or “shifts”, so keeping up with friends outside the police service can be difficult. Also, not surprisingly, police officers tend to socialise together when they’re not on duty, and sometimes romantic relationships develop. 
 
Clip Angela Simpson
You will find that police officers male and female will actually get together I think that it’s probably because they work quite closely, they’re working similar shifts - sometimes it’s very difficult to form a relationship outside the job especially if the other person doesn’t understand the shift system. It’s like another family really. The disadvantage is that sometimes your whole life can revolve 11 around（以。。。为主要内容）the police service and I think you’ve got to be very, very careful that you’re not sort of like isolating（孤立的，绝缘的） your other friends. I think it’s very important to have friends outside the job, as well as inside.
Sue: When Angela was a fairly new police officer she met another probationer（试用人员） working the same shifts as her. She says that because they were “both in the same boat” they became good friends, and then they started going out together. It was to be a significant relationship in her life. 
 
Clip Angela Simpson
I used to live with a police officer about a year and a half ago now. Initially we were really good friends because of the fact that we worked on the same shift. From then on obviously（显然的） romance blossomed and we became quite close and we finally lived together for quite a while. All in all we were together for five years. However, we then decided it was time to go in different directions which is fine really.
Sue: Since then, Angela has had more time to spend with her female friends, and recently, she even sold her furniture to pay for a holiday with a girlfriend. They went to Tenerife in the Canary Islands - which is a popular destination for British holiday-makers. Angela says it’s a little like Blackpool. Blackpool is a hugely popular sea-side resort on the North West coast of England, with hi-tech roller-coaster rides and discos. 
 
Clip Angela Simpson
The last time I went on holiday was last April. I sold all my furniture and my house and went to Tenerife with my girlfriend. It’s a holiday that I’ve never been away with a female friend before and it was something that I always wanted to do but never had the opportunity, so I did it. Tenerife is quite a lively, touristy place a bit like sunny Blackpool in England. Although I enjoyed it it’s something that I would never do again it’s somewhere I would never, ever go again but it was something I had to do then, so I did. I would like to go to Jamaica, the last time I went was when I was seven, and although quite a lot of my family have moved away from Jamaica and now live in England, Canada and America there’s still some family left there and plus I’d like to see where my roots are really - where my parents are from.
Sue: A trip to Jamaica is one of Angela’s long-term ambitions（雄心，野心）. This year, she can’t afford a holiday. So, she plans to visit friends in other parts of Britain, driving her jeep-like car, which her friends have nick-named “monster truck”. On the cassette player, （卡式录音机）as Angela drives, she’ll play a cover version of song called “I will survive”. Because she’s still adjusting to life as a single young woman again, the lyrics 12 have special meaning for her.
 
Clip Angela Simpson
At the moment I’m continuously playing the old Gloria Gaynor hit ‘I will survive’. It’s a new version by a soul singer called Chantay Savage 13, which I play over and over again. For me I just love that song because it says everything. The fact that this woman has obviously gone through a bad time, a bad relationship but she’s saying despite that I’ve come up on top, I will survive and I don’t really need you any more.
Sue: Angela’s recently moved house. And, according to her friends, she’s made an unusual choice for an energetic, outgoing, young person. 
 
Clip Angela Simpson
I live just outside of Wakefield which is called the Hall Green area and I live in a two bedroomed bungalow 14 with a front and rear garden, two bedrooms, a dining room, living room kitchen and bathroom. I’ve only lived there for a week but I really like it, it’s quiet, which is what I like. Some of my friends have commented and actually said that it’s funny I live in a bungalow （平房）because a bungalow is associated with somebody that’s elderly and it’s not really the image that they expect me to live in something like that but I like it, it’s really nice.
Sue: On a typical evening in, Angela can be found watching television in the living room. She admits that she doesn’t cook for herself very often - she’s more likely to go to her mother’s or a friend’s house for an evening meal. And on a typical night out, Angela enjoys eating at one of her many local restaurants. 
 
Clip Angela Simpson
A night in for me would be possibly sitting in front of the television eating a box of chocolates that’s my favourite really. I’m not a person that cooks very often and if anything I do tend to go to my mother’s or my friend’s house who lives near by and I do like eating out at different restaurants Chinese, Indian and Italian are my favourites. 
Sue: To end the programme, Angela talks about her family. They’re very close and spend a lot of time together. Angela admires her sister, who’s 5 years older than her and a midwife （助产士，接生员）at a local hospital. But both sisters, share the same role model.
 
Clip Angela Simpson
I think for me my mother is my role model because she’s a very humble 15 person and the fact that if anything she brought myself and my sister up single handedly ‘cos my father wasn’t around and to do something like that is something I’m very, very proud of and I remember that she’s always said that you can do anything you want don’t let anybody say to you can’t do that and she’s always strived for me and my sister to do well and I just really hope that she’s, well in fact I do know she’s proud of me now although she had her reservations about me actually joining the police she’s very, very proud now.
(本文由在线英语听力室编辑整理)




点击收听单词发音  






1
spoke

  
 


n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说


参考例句：





They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。












2
publicity

  
 


n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告


参考例句：





The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。












3
ethnic

  
 


adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的


参考例句：





This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。












4
multicultural

  
 


adj.融合多种文化的，多种文化的


参考例句：





Children growing up in a multicultural society.在多元文化社会中长大的孩子们。
The school has been attempting to bring a multicultural perspective to its curriculum.这所学校已经在尝试将一种多元文化视角引入其课程。












5
excise

  
 


n.(国产)货物税；vt.切除，删去


参考例句：





I'll excise the patient's burnt areas.我去切除病人烧坏的部分。
Jordan's free trade zone free of import duty,excise tax and all other taxes.约旦的自由贸易区免收进口税、国内货物税及其它一切税收。












6
administrative

  
 


adj.行政的，管理的


参考例句：





The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。












7
decided

  
 


adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的


参考例句：





This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。












8
dealing

  
 


n.经商方法，待人态度


参考例句：





This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。












9
liaison

  
 


n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通


参考例句：





She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.她在病人与医护人员间充当沟通的桥梁。
She is responsible for liaison with researchers at other universities.她负责与其他大学的研究人员联系。












10
initially

  
 


adv.最初，开始


参考例句：





The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。












11
revolve

  
 


vi.(使)旋转；循环出现


参考例句：





The planets revolve around the sun.行星绕着太阳运转。
The wheels began to revolve slowly.车轮开始慢慢转动。












12
lyrics

  
 


n.歌词


参考例句：





music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。












13
savage

  
 


adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人


参考例句：





The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。












14
bungalow

  
 


n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房


参考例句：





A bungalow does not have an upstairs.平房没有上层。
The old couple sold that large house and moved into a small bungalow.老两口卖掉了那幢大房子，搬进了小平房。












15
humble

  
 


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。