VOA标准英语2010年-Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Honor

First lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton present the 2010 International Women of Courage Award to Jestina Mukoko of Zimbabwe, 10 March 2010

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Secretary Clinton's Remarks at Awards Ceremony

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama led State Department ceremonies on Wednesday, honoring 10 women's rights activists¹ from around the world as International Women of Courage.  The event was among Washington observances of International Women's Day and came on the eve of the release of the State Department's annual report on human rights conditions around the world.

Secretary Clinton said honoring the women rights activists in such a public way sends a clear message that although they might work in lonely circumstances, they are not alone and that the United States stands with them.

"We will be watching your progress, listening for news of your successes, struggles and, above all, your safety," she said. "We send a message to all governments that might not be thrilled that you're here, that we will be watching them as well.  And we thank you for everything you are doing and will do."

Clinton's remarks were an implied warning against political reprisals² against the awardees, among them women activists from Iran, Syria and Zimbabwe.

The group also included two women from Afghanistan and one each from Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Kenya and South Korea.

Among those in the audience were girls from Washington area schools and first lady Michelle Obama exhorted³ them to follow the awardees' example and refuse to stand idly by when they encounter injustice⁴ or hardship.

"If these women can endure relentless⁵ threats, brutal⁶ violence and separation from their families as they fight for their causes, then surely you all can keep going when you face struggles and obstacles in your own lives," she said.

Speaking on behalf of the recipients⁷ was Zimbabwe human rights monitor Justine Mukoko, who was among activists abducted⁸ and held by state security agents for reporting on rights abuses after the country's flawed elections in 2008.

Mukoko, head of the non-governmental Zimbabwe Peace Project, said the prestigious⁹ U.S. award lends encouragement to all women's rights advocates.

"The award beckons¹⁰ us to stand tall and refuse to be intimidate¹¹ and harassed¹², as these are tactics to remove us from the focus of our objective," she said.  "We do not want to be passive bystanders.  And it is such recognition that ensures that we will not tire until we reach the finish line, and pass the baton¹³ to the next generation - the girls who are among us."

Of the 10 awardees, only those from Cyprus and Iran were not present at the event.

The Iranian winner, Shadi Sadr, led a campaign in the country's courts against the Islamic punishment of death by stoning against women for adultery and other offenses¹⁴.  After multiple arrests, she left Iran and now lives in Germany.

In addition to Sadr and Mukoko, the other awardees are Shukria Asil and Shafiqa Quraishi of Afghanistan, Androula Henriques of Cyprus, Sonia Pierre of the Dominican Republic, Ann Njogu of Kenya, Lee Ae-ran of South Korea, Jansila Majeed of Sri Lanka and Marie Claude Naddaf of Syria.
 

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 exhorted   

v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The party leader exhorted his members to start preparing for government. 该党领袖敦促党员着手准备筹建政府。
• He exhorted his elder. 他规劝长辈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

5 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

6 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

7 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

9 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

10 beckons   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He sent his ships wherever profit beckons. 他将船队派往赢利的那些地方。 来自辞典例句
• I believe history beckons again. 我认为现在历史又在召唤了。 来自辞典例句

11 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

12 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

13 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

14 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法