英语听力精选进阶版 7324

南非前总统纳尔逊·曼德拉于2013年12月5日在约翰内斯堡家中病逝， 享年95岁。 南非将会面临一个什么样的未来？

Nelson Mandela's death may, in the short term, unite South Africa in ways that have never been seen before.

The sentiments expressed by well-wishers of all races and backgrounds outside the hospital in Pretoria as he lay critically ill for nearly three months - the wall of deeply personal messages, the paintings, the choirs¹ who came from across the country to sing for Mr Mandela - were a reminder² of his unifying³ influence. We can clearly expect so much more in the coming days in this country where the emotional charge is so powerful.

This unity⁴ may coalescearound a determination to push South Africa further down the road of non-racialism, of equality of opportunity and the eradication⁵ of poverty, all of them among Nelson Mandela's most cherished ambitions for the country.

But South Africa is only months away from a general election, 20 years after the historic one of 1994. And Nelson Mandela's ANC has been facing unprecedented⁶ levels of criticism, with new parties surfacing to challenge its hold on power since the days of apartheid.

Will the Mandela legacy⁷ help the ANC fend⁸ off the challenges, or will his passing - in the longer if not the shorter term - lead to significant change within the ANC itself. 2014 could point the way towards his political legacy.

Quiz 听力测验

1. What effect did Nelson Mandela have on South Africans?

Nelson Mandela united them.

2. Where was the hospital that Mandela stayed in?

Pretoria.

3. What important event will take place in South Africa in the next few months?

A general election.

4. What is happening to Mandela's party, the ANC?

It has been heavily criticised and it is being challenged by new parties.

Glossary 词汇表

well-wishers 表示良好祝愿的人

reminder 让人们想起的人物、事物或事情

eradication 铲除，根除

cherished 珍爱的

unprecedented 前所未有的

surfacing 出现

legacy 遗产

fend off 应对

passing 去世

1 choirs   

n.教堂的唱诗班( choir的名词复数 )；唱诗队；公开表演的合唱团；（教堂）唱经楼

参考例句：

• They ran the three churches to which they belonged, the clergy, the choirs and the parishioners. 她们管理着自己所属的那三家教堂、牧师、唱诗班和教区居民。 来自飘（部分）
• Since 1935, several village choirs skilled in this music have been created. 1935以来，数支熟练掌握这种音乐的乡村唱诗班相继建立起来。 来自互联网

2 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

3 unifying   

使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一

参考例句：

• In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。
• There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

6 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

7 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。

8 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。