(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Sierra Leone to Sell Multi-million Dollar Diamond to Help Poor
Sierra Leone hopes to raise millions of dollars for development projects by selling a large uncut diamond. It is believed to be one of the largest diamonds in the world. The public sale will take place in New York in December.
The 709-carat gemstone is known as the Peace Diamond. This will be the second time Sierra Leone tries to sell the diamond. The government rejected the highest bid of $7.8 million at its first public sale in New York in May.
More than half of the earnings from the sale will be used for water, electricity, education and health projects in Sierra Leone, especially to aid Koryardu. That is the eastern village where the diamond was found.
Martin Rapaport is chairman of Rapaport Group, an organization of diamond companies which will manage the sale. He told Reuters, "There's a reason God gave these diamonds to the poorest people in the world and made the richest people want them...this is making the world a better place."
The Rapaport Group described the diamond as the 14th largest in the world. A Christian clergyman discovered it in March and gave it to the government.
Diamonds were a conflict resource in Sierra Leone's 10-year civil war, which ended in 2002. Rebels would buy weapons with earnings from diamond sales. This led to the creation of the term ‘blood diamond.'
I'm Jonathan Evans.
重点解析
1.uncut diamond 尚未切割的钻石
The uncut diamond is a third bigger than a golf ball.
这颗尚未切割的钻石比一只高尔夫球还要大三分之一。
2.think about 思考；考虑
I told him I'd have to think about that one.
我告诉他那个问题我必须考虑一下。
3.led to 导致
Frustration, anger and desperation have led to a series of wildcat strikes.
挫败感、愤怒和绝望引起了一系列自发性的罢工。
4.Christian clergyman 基督教牧师
He is an economist and a Christian clergyman.
他是一位经济学家和一个基督教牧师。
5.Diamonds were a conflict resource in Sierra Leone's 10-year civil war, which ended in 2002.
civil war 内战
Civil war and famine sent the nation plunging into anarchy.
内战和饥荒使该国陷入了无政府状态。
Years of civil war have wrecked the country's infrastructure and destroyed its social fabric.
经年内战已破坏了国家的基础设施，摧毁了其社会结构。
6.The public sale will take place in New York in December.
take place 发生；举行
A total solar eclipse is due to take place some time tomorrow.
明天某个时刻会发生日全食。
Elections were postponed the day before polling was due to take place.
在预定进行投票的前一天选举被延期。
参考译文
塞拉利昂拍卖“血钻”造福民众
塞拉利昂希望通过拍卖一颗未加工的钻石，为多个发展项目募集数百万美元的资金。据称，这颗钻石是全球最大的钻石之一。拍卖会将于12月在纽约举行。
这颗709克拉宝石名为“和平钻石”。这是塞拉利昂第二次拍卖这颗钻石。今年5月份，塞拉利昂政府在纽约举办的拍卖会上拒绝了780万美元的竞拍价格。
拍卖所得的一多半资金将用于塞拉利昂的用水、电力、教育和健康项目建设，尤其是对Koryardu村落的援助。这颗钻石正是在这一东部村落发现的。
马丁·雷派帕特（Martin Rapaport）是雷派帕特集团的主席，该集团由多家钻石公司组成，负责这次的拍卖事宜。他在接受路透社采访时表示，上帝将钻石赐予最贫穷的人，而让那些最富有的人解囊……这是为了让世界变得更美好。
雷派帕特集团称，这颗钻石是世界上第14大钻石。3月份，一名基督牧师发现钻石后将其上交给当地政府。
塞拉利昂因钻石引发十年内战，战火直到 2002年才停息。叛军利用拍卖钻石所得收益扩充武器。这就是“血钻”的由来。
乔纳森·埃文斯为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
