2006年VOA标准英语-Laura Bush to Attend Liberian Inauguration

By Scott Stearns
White House
04 January 2006

U.S. First Lady Laura Bush will attend the inauguration¹ of Liberian president-elect Ellen Johnson Sirleaf later this month.  She will be joined by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

 
Laura Bush
(file photo) 
  
White House Spokesman Scott McClellan says the First Lady will travel to Monrovia for the January 16 inauguration of Africa's first female president.

He says Laura Bush will be joined in by Secretary Rice, showing what Mr. McClellan calls the president's continued support for countries that make the difficult transition from war to peace and from tyranny to liberty.

He says the United States looks forward to working with Liberia's new president and the Liberian people to rebuild institutions, establish stability and prosperity, and create an environment for reconciliation².

Liberian President-elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (l) with Secretry of State Rice   
  
Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf is a former Liberian finance minister who also served as an official at Citibank and the United Nations.  Following her election, she visited Washington last month to meet with U.S. officials including Secretary Rice.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said their meeting was terrific.

"Secretary Rice came away [with the view] that the president-elect will be a strong leader for the people of Liberia, to lead them out of this period that has been marked by violence and chaos," he said.  "The Liberian people held a good election in which they can have confidence that the election reflected the will of the people, and Secretary Rice looks forward to accompanying Mrs. Bush to this inauguration, to mark this important moment in the history of Africa."

Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf won a run-off election in November against international football star George Weah. She has said she will end corruption³ in Liberia, which is still suffering the affects of a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003.

1 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

2 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。