VOA标准英语2010年-South Africans Celebrate 20th Annivers

People climb around a statue of former South African President Nelson Mandela, during celebrations outside the Drakenstein prison near Cape¹ Town, 11 Feb 2010

South Africans Thursday celebrated² the release from prison 20 years ago of former President Nelson Mandela. For many the event signaled the beginning of the end of apartheid.

Thousands of South Africans Thursday gathered outside the Groot Drakenstein prison near Cape Town to mark the first steps of freedom 20 years ago of anti-apartheid icon³ Nelson Mandela following 27 years in prison.

At exhibit at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg illustrating⁴ a photograph of Nelson Mandela's walk from prison with his then spouse⁵, Winnie Mandela

Mr. Mandela that day walked out with then-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela waving his fist in the air as organizers, who had been given a mere⁶ 24-hours notice of his release, struggled to contain the crowd.

A few hours later, Mr. Mandela delivered his first public speech in nearly three decades from a balcony at Cape Town's city hall to a massive crowd. "Your [South Africans'] tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today. I therefore place the remaining years of my life in your hands," he said.

His release had been announced nine days earlier by then-President F. W. De Klerk. Four years later Mr. Mandela would become South Africa's first democratically elected president.

The 91-year-old Mr. Mandela, who now moves about by wheelchair, did not appear at the ceremonies outside the prison. But many of his colleagues were there and spoke⁷ emotionally of its significance.

Cyril Ramaphosa, an activist⁸ and successful businessman, told the crowd that when Mr. Mandela was freed South Africans also knew that their freedom had arrived.

"But what should be clear is that you, the people of our country, freed Nelson Mandela. Mandela was not freed by De Klerk. He was freed by your struggle," he said.

Another veteran activist, Minister in the Presidency⁹ Trevor Manuel, said Mr. Mandela's release was symbolic¹⁰ of something much larger.

"We remind ourselves of where we come from in the struggle to establish a deep and durable¹¹ democracy in this country that touches the lives of all of our people. We remind ourselves of where we come from but we remind ourselves also of where we need to go to," he said.

South African leaders note that in the 16 years since the end of apartheid, the government has created two million jobs, built more than one million low-cost homes and pursued pro-business policies that have created an emerging black middle class.

But they also note that the unemployment rate is 24 percent, millions of people still live in informal settlements without basic services and the country has one of largest gaps between rich and poor in the world.

And they lament¹² most what they see as rising corruption¹³ and cronyism¹⁴ in government.

As a result, some South Africans have called for their leaders to recapture the spirit of sacrifice and public-interest that flourished following Mr. Mandela's release.
 

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

3 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

4 illustrating   

给…加插图( illustrate的现在分词 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• He upstaged the other speakers by illustrating his talk with slides. 他演讲中配上幻灯片，比其他演讲人更吸引听众。
• Material illustrating detailed structure of graptolites has been etched from limestone by means of hydrofluoric acid. 表明笔石详细构造的物质是利用氢氟酸从石灰岩中侵蚀出来。

5 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

6 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

7 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。

8 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

9 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

10 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

11 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

12 lament   

n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹

参考例句：

• Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。
• We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。

13 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。

14 cronyism   

n.任人唯亲，对好朋友的偏袒

参考例句：

• Many small town mayor and city official practice cronyism.许多小镇的市长和大城市的官员都有任人唯亲的行为。
• Bringing business people into politics can also produce corruption and cronyism.商人从政也容易带来腐败和任人唯亲。