VOA常速英语听力2021年07月合辑（文本）：Ukrainians-Offer-Free-Room.doc

Asthousandsoffootball(soccer)fanshaveswarmedintoUkrainefortheEuro2022championships,manyhavefoundanunexpectedbonus-afreeplacetostay,andachancetointeractwithordinaryUkrainians.“Roomsforfree”isavolunteermovementthathasemergedinUkrainiancitieswherethetournamentsmatchesarebeingheld.Openingtheirhomestoforeignguests,Ukrainiansaretryingtoimprovewhattheyfeelisanegativeinternationalimageoftheircountry.

Ukrainehasneverseensuchalargenumberofforeignvisitors,makingtheEuro2022championshipacelebration-aswellasachallenge.Whenitbecameobviousthevisitingfootballfanswouldoverwhelmthecountryslimitedhotelspace,Ukrainiancitizensdecidedtolendahand-byinvitingthemtostayintheirhomes.

OneofthosefansisBjarneLuther,a39-year-oldDanishbusinessman.WhenLutherfoundthathotelpricesinUkrainehadsoaredfive-foldduringtheEurochampionship,hethoughtaboutcancelinghisplans.

ButthroughanInternetsite,hemetMaryanaandDmytroLytovchenko-whovolunteeredspaceintheirhometohelpsaveUkrainesinternationalreputation.

““OnTV,Iheardaboutthisinitiative“Roomsforfree.”Theysaidthepricesaretoohigh,Europeansaredisappointed,saidMaryanaLytovchenko.

“Wethoughtthatitwasverydifficultformanyfanstocome,becauseit’stooexpensive,saidDmytroLytovchenko.Andwearereadytogivethemsuchanopportunity.”

Bjarneisgratefultohishosts-fortheroofoverhisheadandfortheopportunitytolearnmoreaboutUkraine.

“Everythingisoverpricedbecauseofthefootball,soit’sverydifficulttofindsomethingforreasonablemoney,saidLuther.Thatwasonereason.Andalso,Iliketotravel,tomeetpeople,toheartheirlifestory,tounderstandthecountrymore,ratherthansittinginahotelroom.”

MichaelKnightemigratedfromUkrainetotheUnitedStatesmorethan40yearsago.HecametotheEurochampionshiptosupporthis