Coronavirus - lessons from an ancient plague village 新冠病毒：從阻止瘟疫傳播的英國村莊取經

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Coronavirus – lessons from an ancient plague village 新冠病毒：從阻止瘟疫傳播的英國村莊取經

學習要點

有關 “survival（生存）” 的詞匯

邊看邊答

How many people died in Eyam during the plague 350 years ago?

文字稿

In a crisis that reaches everywhere, even the remotest places could have lessons for us all. In Eyam in Derbyshire, the memory of lives lost centuries ago is motivating a response in the present.

在一場波及全球的危機中，即使是最偏遠的地方也可以給我們所有人一些值得借鑒的經驗。在英國德比郡的伊姆村，人們對幾個世紀前逝去的生命的記憶激發瞭對當下的回應。

These are the names of long-dead villagers who, 350 years ago, became infected with plague and sealed themselves off to stop the disease spreading. 260 villagers died.

這裡寫著逝去已久的村民們的名字，350年前，他們感染瞭黑死病瘟疫，為阻止疾病傳播，他們自行將村莊封鎖起來。共有260名村民死亡。

It was the rector, William Mompesson, who inspired his people to isolate and save others. Today, the rector of Eyam is himself in quarantine, as his wife has symptoms of coronavirus.

當時，正是當地主教轄區的牧師威廉·蒙佩森激勵村民自我隔離，拯救他人。如今，伊姆村教區的牧師本人正在隔離中，因為他的妻子有新冠肺炎的癥狀。

Fergal Keane, AYYBLOG reporter
Are you awed or inspired by the example of your predecessor, centuries ago?

費加爾·基恩 AYYBLOG 通訊員
“幾個世紀前, 你的前輩立下瞭榜樣，你對此感到敬畏或受到鼓舞嗎？”

Reverend Mike Gilbert
Often when I walked through church and seen his name on the rectors’ board, I thought ‘I wonder what would happen if it happened today and how I would measure up?’ and I guess I’m finding that one out now.

麥克·吉爾伯特牧師
“當我穿過教堂，在歷代牧師的牌匾上看到他的名字時，我常常想：‘如果這樣的事情發生在今天會是什麼情況，我該怎樣才能做得像他一樣好呢？’ 我覺得現在就是考驗我的時候瞭。”

Reverend Gilbert relies on social media to direct the parish response.

吉爾伯特牧師依靠社交媒體來引導教區對疫情的反應。

Reverend Mike Gilbert
Already, we’ve had lovely acts of kindness of people collecting things, with people supporting.

麥克·吉爾伯特牧師
“已經有許多人做出瞭親切友好的善舉：有人幫忙取貨，也有人給予所需的支持。”

Next door in the village school, the headmistress is preparing to send most children home. Eyam school will stay open for the children of key workers in the health and emergency services. It is in the nature of this close-knit place that many children have grandparents who either live with them or nearby.

在隔壁，村裡的學校內，女校長正準備安排大多數孩子回傢。伊姆小學將繼續對衛生和緊急服務部門的主要工作人員的子女開放。正是在這個互相幫助，關系融洽的村莊裡，很多孩子的祖父母要麼和他們住在一起，要麼就住在附近。

The village committee is now visiting the elderly – like ninety-five-year-old widow Sheila Vipan. In World War Two, Sheila was evacuated away from her parents for four years. She’s known this nation’s darkest hours.

村委會正在看望老人。這是95歲的遺孀希拉·維潘。在二戰期間，希拉因被疏散與父母分離瞭四年。她見證過這個國傢最黑暗的時刻。

Sheila Vipan
That’s right. I’ve got to be a bit careful, at 95. Try and do things that help one to smile or to laugh even. I’ve just fed the birds. Yes, I must keep them happy.

希拉·維潘
“沒錯。我得註意點，因為我都95歲瞭。我會試著做一些能讓人微笑甚至開懷大笑的事情。我剛剛喂過鳥。我必須讓它們開心。”

Here, they’re determined not just to endure this crisis, but, with humanity, to transcend it.

這裡的村民們下決心不僅要熬過這場危機，而且要用仁愛去超越它。