08年6.22第32期托福英语学习：托福词汇32

　　We all went to the cathedral to hear her play the cello. After all, it was free of charge. In the classical music category, she was considered a celebrity. Her music catered to people from all walks of life. She was, perhaps, the most celebrated cellist of our time. It was probably her celestial qualities that appealed to the diocese.

　　It was a wonderful and memorable show. At the end, there was ceaseless applause. When the clapping finally ceased, she spoke. Everyone in the cathedral was silent. It was quiet enough to hear a caterpillar crawl.

　　In her speech, she encouraged everyone to become more involved in the church and it’s worldwide charities. She talked about the recent catastrophe in ffice:smarttags" />ffice:smarttags" />South America where flash floods have caused thousands of people to lose their homes. She described how certain diseases in Africa are so catching, that in some towns, they have infected practically every child. She mentioned the plight of the homeless in Mexico, where some people have resorted to living in caverns and other cavities in the mountains. Finally, she talked about the victims of chemical warfare in the Middle East and how the caustic chemicals have caused the poor people a multitude of health problems.

　　She cautioned us against ignorance. She said we can no longer categorize these problems as separate from our own. She ended with a categorical statement, “It’s time to stop being cautions about the amount of money you contribute to the church charities.”

　　Practically everyone opened his or her wallet that day. I did too.