VOA慢速英语2015 南非接任77发展中国家集团轮值主席

 

AS IT IS 2015-01-14 South Africa Leads UN 77 Developing Nations 南非接任77发展中国家集团轮值主席

South Africa has become the leader of the “Group of 77,” a coalition¹ of developing countries that is part of the United Nations. One third of the U.N. countries are members of the G77, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Somalia.   

Luwellyn Landers is South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. He spoke² at a recent meeting of the group in New York.

“This year will prove to be a crucial year in which the various envisaged⁴ development processes would demand that we, as a group, remain even more steadfast⁵ in promoting the interests of developing countries.”

Mr. Landers said the group will continue to try to lessen⁶ the power of some traditionally strong nations. These include the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States. They are sometimes called the “northern nations.”

Mr. Landers said cooperation among the southern countries is very important to international cooperation and partnerships⁷ for development. He said that is especially true for efforts to gain balanced, sustainable development.

Mr. Landers also said it must be repeated that South-South Cooperation is not meant to serve in the place of the duties and responsibilities of the developed North. He said that several developing countries had become important engines of world growth. He said their development is having a considerable effect on the world economy.

Mr. Landers told the group that growth and economic development in southern countries has strengthened those countries and made them more powerful.

Words in This Story

crucial – adj. extremely important

envisage³ – v. to picture (something) in your mind

steadfast – adj. very devoted⁸ or loyal to a person, belief, or cause; not changing

promoting – v. to make people aware of (something, such as a new product) through advertising⁹; to make (something) more popular or well-known

sustainable – adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 envisage   

v.想象，设想，展望，正视

参考例句：

• Nobody can envisage the consequences of total nuclear war.没有人能够想像全面核战争的后果。
• When do you envisage being able to pay me back?你看你什么时候能还我钱？

4 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。

5 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

7 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

8 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

9 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。