VOA标准英语2012--HIV Activist Runs for Parliament in Burma

HIV Activist¹ Runs for Parliament in Burma

Last year authorities in Burma threatened to shut down Phyu Phyu Thin's AIDS clinic in a suburb of Rangoon.
More than 40 patients live here in basic conditions. Most are too poor to afford treatment, or have no other options. And some, like this 20 month-old child, have been orphaned² by the virus. Phyu Phyu Thin has spent the better part of the last decade helping³ people like her.
"The most important issue now is that many children are infected with HIV, and we need to do provide them with support. Infection rates are rising among youths, so we need to increase social awareness," she said.
After authorities threatened to evict⁴ clinic patients, National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi used her celebrity⁵ to draw attention to the clinic, and the issue was dropped. Today, Phyu Phyu Thin is opening a second clinic to meet the growing need for care. She is even contesting a seat in the upcoming by-election alongside Suu Kyi.
"Being a Myanmar [Burma] citizen, as well as an NLD member, I really do feel happy that Daw Suu is running. It's what we really need right now. I hope that we can all work together to build a modern, developed nation in the near future," said Phyu Phyu.
She is still reluctant to criticize the government directly, but Phyu Phyu believes the state must do more for many of the people she has dedicated⁶ her life to helping.
"Since we have been under military dictatorship for such a long time, issues including education, health care need to be seriously addressed as soon as possible," she said.
Although the election may have a limited impact on the next parliamentary session, it does mark a change in how openly people like Phyu Phyu Thin and other members of civil society can work. And it may make room for a new kind of socially engaged politician in Burma.

1 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。

2 orphaned   

[计][修]孤立

参考例句：

• Orphaned children were consigned to institutions. 孤儿都打发到了福利院。
• He was orphaned at an early age. 他幼年时便成了孤儿。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 evict   

vt.驱逐，赶出，撵走

参考例句：

• The lessor can evict the lessee for failure to pay rent.出租人可驱逐不付租金的承租人。
• The government always says it's for the greater good when they evict farmers from their land.当政府把农民从他们的土地赶出去的时候，总是号称是为了更大众的利益。

5 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

6 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。