And I'm Beth. Are you a big reader, Phil?

我叫貝絲你喜歡看書嗎 菲爾

Sure, I enjoy reading and it's also a great way to pass the time on my daily commute to work. But reading isn't just a nice thing to do. It's an essential skill, something you need for everyday activities, whether that's finding out the news by reading a newspaper or buying groceries by reading the labels.

當然，我喜歡閱讀，這也是我每天上下班途中打發時間的好方法。但閱讀不僅僅是一件美好的事情。無論是通過閱讀報紙瞭解新聞，還是通過閱讀標籤購買食品雜貨，閱讀都是一項基本技能，是日常活動所必需的。

And that's why I was shocked by a recent UN report estimating that around the world, over 700 million adults are illiterate, which means they can't read or write.

是以，聯合國最近的一份報告讓我感到震驚，據估計，全世界有 7 億多成年人是文盲，這意味著他們不會讀寫。

Wow, that's a huge number of people excluded from doing basic day-to-day things. So what can be done to get more adults reading and writing? In this programme, we'll be hearing about projects in two very different countries trying to do just that. And as usual, we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.

哇，這是一個無法從事基本日常工作的龐大數字。那麼，怎樣才能讓更多的成年人閱讀和寫作呢？在本節目中，我們將聽到兩個截然不同的國家為實現這一目標而開展的項目。和往常一樣，我們還將學習一些有用的新詞彙。

But first, I have a question for you, Phil. I mentioned a recent UN report on the high numbers of people unable to read and write. But illiteracy is not a new problem. Since 1967, the UN has been highlighting the importance of literacy – being able to read and write – with a day of celebration called International Literacy Day. But when does it take place?

但首先，我有一個問題要問你，菲爾。我提到了聯合國最近的一份報告，其中提到有很多人不會讀寫。但文盲並不是一個新問題。自 1967 年以來，聯合國一直在強調識字的重要性--能夠閱讀和書寫--並將這一天定為 "國際掃盲日"。但國際掃盲日是什麼時候呢？

Is it… a. the 8th of March, b. the 8th of June, or c. the 8th of September?

是...... a. 3 月 8 日，b. 6 月 8 日，還是 c. 9 月 8 日？

I think International Literacy Day is on the 8th of September.

我想國際掃盲日是在 9 月 8 日。

OK, Phil, we'll find out if that's correct at the end of the programme.

好的，菲爾，節目結束時我們就會知道這是否正確。

The biggest reason people grow up illiterate is not going to school, and that's especially true for people living in the coastal towns of Bangladesh. Because these towns flood regularly, families are always on the move, making it hard for children to get an education.

人們長大後成為文盲的最大原因是沒有上學，對於生活在孟加拉國沿海城鎮的人們來說尤其如此。由於這些城鎮經常被洪水淹沒，家庭總是四處遷移，兒童很難接受教育。

The Friendship Project teaches reading and writing to groups of Bangladeshi women and girls.

友誼項目向孟加拉婦女和女孩團體教授閱讀和寫作。

They also teach numeracy, which means the ability to do basic maths like counting and adding up.

這些課程還教授計算能力，即進行計數和加法運算等基本數學運算的能力。

Here, one student, Rashida, explains the impact it's had on her to BBC World Service programme,

在這裡，一位名叫拉希達（Rashida）的學生向英國廣播公司（BBC）的世界服務節目解釋了這對她的影響、

People Fixing the World.

修復世界的人們

My parents never sent me to school and I've suffered from not being able to read and write.

我的父母從未送我上過學，我也是以飽受不識字之苦。

My children were embarrassed that I was illiterate. I couldn't even do basic accounting.

我的孩子們因為我是文盲而感到尷尬。我甚至不會做基本的會計。

Until now, I've had to use my fingerprint as a signature as I was illiterate.

直到現在，我還不得不用指紋作為簽名，因為我不識字。

But now I can sign my name because I can read and write the alphabet, and I'll also be able to keep an account of my expenses. No one can cheat me anymore.

但現在我可以簽上自己的名字了，因為我會讀寫字母表，我還能記下我的開支賬目。再也沒有人可以欺騙我了。

Before the Friendship Project, Rashida couldn't write her signature, her name, written in her own handwriting. Instead, she had to use her fingerprint.

在參加 "友誼計劃 "之前，拉希達無法用自己的筆跡書寫簽名和姓名。相反，她必須按手印。

Now Rashida has learnt the alphabet and also some basic maths, so she knows how much money she's spent and how much she has left.

現在，拉希達已經學會了字母表和一些基本數學知識，知道自己花了多少錢，還剩多少錢。

This means no one can cheat her, can trick or swindle her into taking her money.

這意味著沒有人可以欺騙她，騙取或詐騙她的錢財。

The Friendship Project is free and so far over 11,000 adults have completed it.

友誼項目是免費的，迄今已有 11,000 多名成年人完成了該項目。

But it's not just developing countries that struggle with literacy.

但掃盲困難的不僅僅是開發中國家。

Our second project takes place much closer to home, the north of England, where charity

我們的第二個項目在離家更近的英格蘭北部開展，那裡的慈善機構

Read Easy matches adult learners with trained volunteers for one-to-one lessons.

輕鬆閱讀 "計劃將成年學習者與訓練有素的志願者配對，進行一對一教學。

In the UK, one in six adults struggle with reading and writing, including Peter.

在英國，每六個成年人中就有一個在閱讀和寫作方面有困難，彼得也不例外。

Peter had hearing problems as a child, fell behind at school and never learnt to read.

彼得從小就有聽力問題，在學校成績落後，從未學會閱讀。

Here he is, talking with BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World.

下面是他與 BBC 世界服務節目 "修復世界的人們 "的對話。

Everyone takes for granted that you just open a letter and you read it.

每個人都想當然地認為，只要打開信就能讀到。

Before I met my wife, I used to have to knock on the neighbour's door, could you read this for me? Can you imagine the embarrassment?

在遇到我妻子之前，我經常要去敲鄰居的門，你能幫我讀一下這個嗎？你能想象那種尷尬嗎？

I've tried, college, twice, nothing works, so as far as I'm concerned, I'm thick, I'm stupid, if I'm just one of those people, it's never going to work for me and that was my life.

我試過，大學，兩次，都沒有用，所以在我看來，我很粗，我很笨，如果我只是那些人中的一個，那對我來說永遠不會有用，這就是我的生活。

Many of us take it for granted that everyone can read and write.

我們中的許多人認為人人都會讀寫是理所當然的。

If you take something for granted, you assume it's true without checking.

如果你想當然地認為某件事情是真實的，而不去核實。

Peter had to ask his neighbours to read his letters, something he found very embarrassing.

彼得不得不請鄰居讀他的信，這讓他覺得非常尷尬。

He thought he was thick, stupid and unintelligent.

他認為自己粗笨、愚蠢、不聰明。

Now, Peter says learning with ReadEasy has changed his life.

現在，彼得說閱讀易的學習改變了他的生活。

He's literate and is reading his way through the Harry Potter books.

他識字，正在讀《哈利-波特》。

And he always celebrates International Literacy Day.

他總是慶祝國際掃盲日。

Which reminds me of your question, Beth.

這讓我想起了你的問題，貝絲。

When does the UN's International Literacy Day take place?

聯合國國際掃盲日是什麼時候？

I said it was on the 8th of September.

我說是 9 月 8 日。

And that was the correct answer!

這就是正確答案！

OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learnt from this programme, starting with illiterate, meaning unable to read and write.

好了，讓我們來回顧一下我們在這個節目中學到的詞彙，首先是文盲，意思是無法閱讀和書寫。

Numeracy is the ability to understand basic maths, count and add up.

計算能力是指理解基本數學、計數和加法的能力。

Your signature is your name written in your own handwriting style.

您的簽名就是用自己的筆跡書寫的姓名。

It shows that something has been written or agreed by you.

這表明某些內容已由您撰寫或同意。

To cheat someone means to trick or deceive them in order to get their money or valuables.

欺騙是指欺騙或矇騙他人，以獲取其錢財或貴重物品。

If you take something for granted, you assume that it's true without checking up.

如果你認為某些事情是理所當然的，你就會認為它是真的，而不去核實。

And finally, the adjective thick is an informal word for stupid.

最後，形容詞 thick 是一個非正式的詞，指愚蠢。

Once again, our six minutes are up.

我們的六分鐘時間又到了。

But remember to join us again next time for more trending topics and useful vocabulary here at 6 Minute English.

不過，記得下次再來 6 Minute English 觀看更多熱門話題和實用詞彙。

Goodbye for now.

暫時再見。

Bye.

再見。

you

你