五单元unitA2五单元unitA2.docVIP

五单元unitA:The Battle Against AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was diagnosed in the United States in the late 1970s. Since then, AIDS has killed more than 204,000 Americans—half of that number in the past few years alone. Another 185,000 of the one million infected with the HIV virus are expected to die within the next year. Nearly half of those diagnosed with the virus are blacks and Latinos. Women and youth in rural southern communities now constitute the fastest growing segment of people with AIDS. Despite such alarming numbers, the federal and state governments have been slow in implementing programs to stop the spread of AIDS. In place of government inactivity, a number of local organizations have emerged. One organization, the South Carolina AIDS Education Network, formed in 1985 to combat the growing number of AIDS cases. Like many local organizations, this organization suffers from a lack of money, forcing it to use its resources creatively. To reach more people in the community, some AIDS educational programs operate out of a beauty shop. The owner hands out AIDS information to all her clients when they enter the shop and shows videos on AIDS prevention while they wait for their hair to dry. She also keeps books and other publications around so customers can read them while waiting for their appointments. Its amazing how many people she has educated on the job. Recently, the network began helping hair stylists throughout the southeast set up similar programs in their shops. The hair stylists are also valuable resources in spreading information to their schools, community groups, and churches. The organization has developed several techniques useful to other groups doing similar work. While no one way of winning the war against AIDS exists, the network shares these lessons learned in its battle against AIDS: Speak to your community in a way they can hear. Many communities have a low literacy rate, making impossible passing out AIDS litera