美国国家公共电台 NPR--India is celebrating 75 years of independence from Britain

India is celebrating 75 years of independence from Britain

Transcript¹

More than seven decades ago, colonial India was partitioned into two new nations — Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. There was a massive migration² between the two — and bloodshed.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Seventy-five years ago today, India took its independence from the British Empire. The country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, called it a tryst³ with destiny.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRIME MINISTER JAWAHARLAL NEHRU: At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.

(APPLAUSE)

INSKEEP: Independence began with calamity⁴. Britain partitioned India into two nations - Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. Millions of Hindus and Muslims fled or were forced to cross the new border, and many people killed their neighbors. But today, India is often called the world's biggest democracy, soon to overtake China as the world's most populous⁵ country. And NPR's Lauren Frayer covers it from Mumbai.

Hey there, Lauren.

LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE⁶: Good morning.

INSKEEP: How are people marking the holiday?

FRAYER: Well, it's torrential monsoon⁷ rains where I am. But nevertheless, all the homes, cars, even rickshaws and tea stalls are just festooned with Indian flags. It's a day off work and school for Indians, and families gather around their televisions to watch this celebration at Delhi's 17th-century Red Fort. It started with a military salute⁸. A marching band played the national anthem⁹. They released balloons in the colors of the Indian tricolor flag. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a speech celebrating democracy.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI: Mother of democracy.

FRAYER: Modi called India the mother of democracy. You know, obituaries¹⁰ have been written time and time again for Indian democracy. People said India was too big; it was too diverse; it was too poor of a country; it would never work. There were predictions of widespread famine, of military dictatorship. And none of that happened. India proved the world wrong. And so that's what people are celebrating today. There are also, though, some real questions about the future health of democracy here.

INSKEEP: And criticism of Narendra Modi, even though he's extremely popular - what is the criticism?

FRAYER: Yeah. I mean, he is one of the most popular prime ministers in Indian history - one of the most popular - you know, highest approval ratings of any leader in the world right now. He is a Hindu nationalist, and he has brought his Hindu faith into politics in a way that critics say discriminates¹¹ against minorities. I asked Ramachandra Guha - he is Mahatma Gandhi's biographer - and he said that Indian democracy is in decline under Modi, and he gave three reasons.

RAMACHANDRA GUHA: One is the curbs¹² on a free press, the malfunctioning¹³ of parliament, the politicization of the civil services. Reason number two would be increasing demonization of our largest minority. Our social and political climate has been contaminated by religious majoritarianism. And finally, this cult¹⁴ of personality.

FRAYER: And that minority that he mentioned are Muslims. India has one of the biggest Muslim communities in the world, but their future is pretty uncertain as Modi's Hindu nationalists erode¹⁵ secularism¹⁶ in this country.

INSKEEP: Well, that reminds us of the partition between a Hindu-majority nation and a Muslim-majority nation 75 years ago. How do people think about that legacy¹⁷ now?

FRAYER: There are deep wounds that remain here. It was one - partition was one of the biggest mass migrations¹⁸ in human history. You know, there are survivors¹⁹ still alive in their 80s and 90s, and they have this trauma²⁰. They carry that with them. It reverberates²¹ through families here. India and Pakistan remain on a war footing. And so today, it is a celebration of democracy, but it's also a remembrance and mourning and a resolve not to have that bloodshed ever happen again.

INSKEEP: NPR's Lauren Frayer is in Mumbai. Lauren, thanks as always for your insights.

FRAYER: Thanks, Steve.

(SOUNDBITE OF KIASMOS' "HELD")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

3 tryst   

n.约会；v.与…幽会

参考例句：

• It has been said that art is a tryst,for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet.有人说艺术是一种幽会，因为艺术家和欣赏者可在幽会的乐趣中相遇在一起。
• Poor Mr. Sanford didn't stand a chance of keeping his tryst secret.可怜的桑福德根本不可能会守住自己幽会的秘密。

4 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

5 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

8 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

9 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

10 obituaries   

讣告，讣闻( obituary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Next time I read about him, I want it in the obituaries. 希望下次读到他的消息的时候，是在仆告里。
• People's obituaries are written while they're still alive? 人们在世的时候就有人给他们写讣告？

11 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

12 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

13 malfunctioning   

出故障

参考例句：

• But something was malfunctioning in the equipment due to human error. 但由于人为的错误，设备发生故障了。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• Choke coils are useful for prevention of malfunctioning electronic equipment. 扼流圈对于防止电器设备的故障很有帮助。 来自互联网

14 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

15 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

16 secularism   

n.现世主义；世俗主义；宗教与教育分离论；政教分离论

参考例句：

• Unless are devoted to God, secularism shall not leave us. 除非我们奉献于神，否则凡俗之心便不会离开我们。 来自互联网
• They are no longer a huge threat to secularism. 他们已不再是民主的巨大威胁。 来自互联网

17 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

18 migrations   

n.迁移，移居( migration的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It foundered during the turmoils accompanying the Great Migrations. 它在随着民族大迁徙而出现的混乱中崩溃。 来自辞典例句
• Birds also have built-in timepieces which send them off on fall and spring migrations. 鸟类也有天生的时间感应器指导它们秋春迁移。 来自互联网

19 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

20 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

21 reverberates   

回响，回荡( reverberate的第三人称单数 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射

参考例句：

• His voice reverberates from the high ceiling. 他的声音自天花板顶处反射回来。
• No single phrase of his reverberates or penetrates as so many of La Bruyere's do. 他没有一个句子能象拉布吕耶尔的许多句子那样余音回荡，入木三分。