According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), more than one billion people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water. What's worse is that nearly 5,000 children die every day because of drinking dirty water. While a few charities and organizations have drawn attention to the crisis, this issue has gone largely unnoticed. One mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter is fighting to change that. Around six years ago, Justin Wren was enjoying a successful career as a fighter for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) when he decided to do something greater than just fight for himself. The Texas native packed his bags and traveled to the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo to fight for the Mbuti Pygmies. Wren soon found himself in the middle of a war-torn country and a Pygmy population that had no way of getting fresh food and safe drinking water. The MMA fighter had to somehow figure out how to bring fresh water to the remote Pygmy tribes, deal with the dishonest local government, and keep himself from getting sick in the process. It was a task easier said than done.
fight for... 為……奮鬥 We should fight for the cause of freedom. 我們應為自由的理想而奮鬥。
have access to... 可使用…… access n. 使用權 Students in this school have access to the library. 這個學校的學生可使用圖書館。
war-torn a. 受戰爭蹂躪的 Life is becoming more and more difficult for people in that war-torn country. 在那飽受戰火摧殘的國家中,人民生活愈來愈艱辛了。
figure out... 想出…… We were unable to figure out the answer to the question. 我們無法想出問題的答案。
remote a. 偏遠的 No gas station can be found in such a remote town. 在如此偏遠的小鎮,一間加油站都找不到。
deal with... 應付/處理…… It is difficult for Sara to deal with her five children. 莎拉很難應付她的五個小孩。
keep...from + V-ing/N 使……遠離/免於…… The hen kept her chicks from being attacked by the eagle. 母雞保護小雞不受老鷹攻擊。
in the process 在過程中 Dan knocked over the pot of soup, burning himself in the process. 阿丹打翻了這鍋湯,在此過程中燙傷了他自己。
字首 dis- 的用法 本文 "The MMA fighter had to somehow figure out how to bring fresh water to the remote Pygmy tribes, deal with the dishonest local government, ..." 中的 dishonest 為形容詞,表『不誠實的』,其字首 dis- 表『不、非、相反』之意,常見的字有 disloyal(不忠實的)和 disgraceful(可恥的)。例:
I can see Tom has been doing things in a dishonest manner. (我看得出湯姆一直以不誠實的方式在做事。)
I never expected Nick to be so disloyal to his friends. (我從沒想到尼克會對他的朋友這麼不忠實。)
Mike's disgraceful behavior embarrassed the entire company. (麥克可恥的行為使得整個公司蒙羞。)