Paul Farmer was born in Western Massachusetts, the second of six children. When he was seven, his father moved the family to Birmingham, Alabama, and five years later, to Brooksville, Florida. There his father housed the family in an old school bus, and in the bus, they moved from one trailer park to another. Years later he moved his family to a houseboat in the Gulf of Mexico. Both of his parents enjoyed reading serious literature (严肃文学) to their children and encouraged them to take an interest in the wider world.
Paul excelled in school. He went to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. At Duke, he discovered the writings of Rudolf Virchow, the 19th-century German scientist who pioneered the practice of public health medicine. Paul’s attention also turned to the local migrant labor ( 流 动 劳 工) camps, where a friend from Belgium, Julianna De Wolf, was working to improve the living conditions of the laborers. Through Julianna he came to know many Haitian migrants. He was attracted by their stories and began to learn everything he could about Haiti, studying the Creole language and interviewing migrant workers.
After graduation, he traveled to Haiti, where he planned to spend a year working in public health clinics (诊所). From the capital of Port au Prince, he visited many village communities. The number of doctors, nurses and public health workers was far from meeting locals’ needs and very few organizations provided basic medical training. In the company of a Haitian humanitarian (人道主义者), Fritz Lafontant, Farmer traveled to the island’s central area, where Lafontant had set up a small clinic in the town of Mirabelais.
Then Farmer visited the village of Cange. People were living in dirty huts ( 简 陋 的 棚 屋), without clean drinking water or medical care. Diseases were spreading. In Cange, among the poorest and sickest of the poor, Farmer found his calling. He decided to build a clinic there, one that would treat all comers, and that would train local health care workers.
Along with Lafontant, Farmer set up a community-based health project, known as Zanmi Lasante. Today, it has become Haiti’s largest health care provider outside of the government.
8. What can we learn about Paul Farmer as a child?
A.He led a wealthy life. |
B.He lived close to a school. |
C.He disliked reading very much. |
D.He moved from one place to another. |
9. In what way was Paul Farmer influenced by Julianna De Wolf?
A.He was advised to study public health medicine. |
B.He was encouraged to travel around the world. |
C.He was first introduced to Haitian culture. |
D.He was guided into literature. |
10. What did Paul Farmer find in the countryside of Haiti?
A.Haitians were warm and friendly. |
B.Many humanitarians worked in the clinics. |
C.It was difficult for migrants to land a job there. |
D.It was hard for villagers to get basic health care. |
11. Which of the following can best describe Paul Farmer?
A.He had excellent social skills. |
B.He was creative and imaginative. |
C.He worked to help people in need. |
D.He was a high achiever in foreign languages. |