历史上的今天-Today in History 2012-02-11

 February 11th, 1990Nelson Mandela is freed in South Africa after the black activist¹ spends 27 years in captivity² under the country’s apartheid rule.

I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble³ servant of you, the people.

4 years later, Mandela is elected South Africa’s president in its first multi-racial elections after apartheid is abolished.

1945During the final month of World War II, the top Allied⁴ leaders sign the Yalta Accords in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet⁵ Union. The accords play a part in the split between Washington and Moscow as the two superpowers later enter the Cold War.

1979In Iran, followers⁶ of Ayatollah Khomeini seize power, establishing an Islamic fundamentalist regime. Months later, dozens of Americans at the U.S. Embassy in Iran’s capital Tehran are taken hostage and held captive for 444 days.

And 1847Inventor Thomas Edison is born in Milan, Ohio. Among his many inventions, the electric light bulb, a phonograph and a motion picture camera.

Today in History, February 11th, Carload Bradley, the Associated Press.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

3 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

4 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。