环球英语 — 208：Listener Mail 86

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Welcome to Spotlight 1. I’m Liz Waid,

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And I’m Adam Navis. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier to understand, no matter where in the world you live.

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Welcome to today’s listener mail program. Today, we answer mail from Maria, Michel, Melissa and Joffre. And we share some English sayings in the language hodgepodge.

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Let’s get started. Our first e-mail comes from Maria. She wrote in about the program, “Religion and the Environment”. This program was about the importance of religious people in protecting the environment. Many religious groups are getting involved with environmental issues. In particular, we looked at the group ARC 2, or Alliance 3 of Religions and Conservation.

Maria writes:

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“This subject especially made me think, to see the different religions united in help of a good cause. I respect the different religions a lot, although I have not been able to work closely 4 with some. I believe that religions, like people, also have their problems, but it is necessary to support their good qualities. I support all that goes to help the good in nature and humanity 5.”

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Maria goes on to share a particular problem in her community. Many poor people live in the hills surrounding her community. They do not have a way to get rid of waste – including human waste. This waste pollutes the local water system, and this causes a problem for all the people in the area. Maria wonders how she can help.

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The group, ARC, provides a good model. First, get organized. What groups are working in your area? If you are organized, and know what you need, it will be easier to ask for help.

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Then, find other people who also care about this problem. It is important to work with the local community – the people who live on the hills. Religious groups may be able to help. For example, the leader of a local church may be able to get local people involved. Then you can work together to understand the problems and find solutions. You may also want help from the government, or from non–government organizations.

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The group ARC encourages communities to work together to protect the environment – and to recognize the things they have in common. We hope that Maria and her community can solve their water problem. And we hope that this encourages all of you to work together for your communities too.

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You know what that sounds means! It is time for the Spotlight Language Hodgepodge. On today’s Hodgepodge, we share some sayings about working together. They come from the English poet and writer John Heywood. He published these and many other traditional sayings in the year 1546. He did not invent these sayings, but he did make them more popular, and more widely used. John Heywood is also the grandfather of John Donne, the famous English poet and Christian 6 leader. You may have heard a Spotlight program about him. But now, the sayings:

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“Many hands make light work.”

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In any big project, if many people work together, the work will be less for each of them – the work will be lighter 7. Sometimes, it may seem easier to do a job on your own – but sharing the work with other people often means less work for everyone!

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“Two heads are better than one.”

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This saying does not mean that a person is better if he has two heads! No, it means that two people can develop better ideas together than one person working by himself. Two minds working together, sharing ideas and problems, are better than one.

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Our last quote is still popular today,

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“Rome was not built in a day.”

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The city of Rome is famous for its beautiful buildings and long history. It has been a centre for politics and culture for more than two thousand years. It has grown and developed in new ways over these two thousand years. It definitely 8 was not built in just one day! Often, at the start of a project, we want to see success right away. The city of Rome shows us that success takes time.

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That is all we have time for today. But remember these sayings the next time you have a big project!

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Our next letter comes from Michel, in France. He shares his own big project with us. Michel writes,

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“I have followed your podcast for many months and like it very much! I have recently released 9 a social network named eFriends Network. In it, I have created a group for French people learning 10 English. I am suggesting your website.”

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Thank you, Michel! We wish you, and your visitors, success. The internet is an excellent way to meet people from all over the world. We have included a link to your website on our website: http://www.radio.english.net. Just look to the script 11 page for this program – Listener Mail 86. There, other listeners can also join you in downloading Spotlight programs.

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Our next letter comes from Melissa. She is involved in her own big project – education! She writes,

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“Spotlight is very interesting for me because soon I will be an English teacher. When I hear your program, I improve my pronunciation of English words.”

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Congratulations on finishing your program, Melissa! At Spotlight, we think teaching 12 is a very important job. Teachers can make a big difference to their students. And learning to say words is a big part of learning any language. We hope that Spotlight will continue to help you in class and out of class!

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Our final letter comes from Joffre in Ecuador. Joffre writes,

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“The Spotlight method is very helpful for me. And the subjects are very interesting. Often, after listening to them, I continue to think about them.”

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Thank you for this comment Joffre! This is true for the Spotlight writers and producers too – we often continue to think about these subjects after the programs are finished. We learn a lot from Spotlight too. If you would like to hear more about a particular subject, please write to us! It will be a chance for all of us to learn more.