英语听力精选进阶版 14111

Jacob Zuma reveals HIV status

Summary

26 April 2010

South Africa's president has revealed that he is HIV negative.

Jacob Zuma made the announcement at the launch of a new AIDS initiative.

Reporter:

Andrew Harding

Report

President Zuma said he was revealing his HIV status to promote openness, and to eradicate¹ the silence and stigma² that accompanies the AIDS epidemic³. He told a crowd at a hospital near Johannesburg that he'd now had four tests - all negative. Mr Zuma's sex life has been the focus of intense scrutiny⁴ and criticism in South Africa. He has three wives and has also admitted to having unprotected sex with other women.

But if his private life is controversial, his public stance on AIDS has been broadly welcomed here. His predecessor⁵, Thabo Mbeki, questioned mainstream⁶ AIDS science, and delayed the provision of life-saving drugs. Mr Zuma, in contrast, is taking a much more proactive role. The campaign he's now backing hopes to get 15 million people tested over the next year, and provide drugs to 80% of those needing them.

South Africa is the worst affected⁷ country in the world. According to UN figures, almost one in eight people are HIV positive.

Andrew Harding, BBC News

1 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

2 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。

3 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

4 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

5 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

6 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。