2007年VOA标准英语-Northern Ireland Rivals Agree to May 8 Power Sh

By Sonja Pace
London
26 March 2007

Northern Ireland's bitter rivals, the protestant Democratic Union Party and the Irish Catholic Sinn Fein reached agreement in Belfast Monday that they'll begin sharing power as of May 8. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London the agreement signals a revival² of self-rule and hopes for a final end to decades of sectarian conflict.

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Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley, left, and Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams speak to reporters, 26 Mar 2007

Monday's announcement followed a first ever face-to-face meeting between hard-line Protestant leader Ian Paisley and his long-time nemesis³, Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams - the political face of the Irish Republican Army, the IRA.

Although the two men did not shake hands on camera, they sat beside each other around the table and talked of the need to deliver a better future for the people of Northern Ireland.

Ian Paisley said the time had come to move beyond a difficult past.

"We must not allow our justified⁴ loathing⁵ of the horrors and tragedies of the past to become a barrier to creating a better and more stable future for our children," he said.

At stake is the revival of self-rule for Northern Ireland with a government in which the opposing sides share power. The plan was first drawn⁶ up in the 1998 Good Friday peace accords, which ended three decades of sectarian conflict in the province.

Since then deadlines for implementation⁷ have come and gone, progress had stalled. The two parties were to begin sharing power by midnight Monday. And, while they missed that goal, they were able to agree on a date of May 8 to begin doing so.

Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams spoke⁸ of centuries of discord⁹, hurt and tragedy. But, he said Monday's meeting had ushered¹⁰ in a new era.

"We've all come a very long way in the process of peace making and national reconciliation," he said. "We're very conscious of the many people who have suffered. We owe it to them to build the best future possible. It's a time for generosity¹¹, a time to mindful of the common good and of the future of all our people."

Speaking in London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the announcement.

"Everything we've done over the last 10 years has been in preparation for this moment," he said.

 

Mr. Blair said that by agreeing to share power, the political leadership in Northern Ireland was falling in behind what the people voted for in recent elections for a power-sharing assembly.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。

3 nemesis   

n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手

参考例句：

• Uncritical trust is my nemesis.盲目的相信一切害了我自己。
• Inward suffering is the worst of Nemesis.内心的痛苦是最厉害的惩罚。

4 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

5 loathing   

n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢

参考例句：

• She looked at her attacker with fear and loathing . 她盯着襲擊她的歹徒，既害怕又憎恨。
• They looked upon the creature with a loathing undisguised. 他们流露出明显的厌恶看那动物。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

8 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。

9 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

10 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。