VOA标准英语2012--Egypt's President-Elect at Home in His Village

 

Egypt's President-Elect at Home in His Village

Just a few months ago, the idea of Mohamed Morsi as Egypt's first post-revolution leader seemed remote at best.

But in Edwa, his home village in the eastern Nile Delta¹, no one seemed to doubt this native son would come out on top.

During a campaign rally, Morsi shared his humble² roots with fellow villagers.

He reminded them, “We weren't born with golden spoons in our mouths.” He recalled how his father “toiled and sweated” and would take him to work on the back of a donkey.

It's a rare moment of personal connection with a crowd. Before a large audience, he can be stiff, earning him a reputation as uncharismatic. But his wife, Nagla Ali, tells a different story.

She says she “can't say he's a comedian” but that he does have a sense of humor. “He's serious at serious times,” she adds, “[and] entertaining during down time.”

After the rally in Edwa, many of those close to him crowded into his house - one of his several homes in Egypt. Morsi does seem more relaxed surrounded by family, friends and, as he proudly points out, his ducks. The U.S.-educated engineer, whose children are U.S. citizens, can even turn a political liability into a joke.

"This is the origin of the Egyptians, in Delta Nile, so it's better to talk Arabic. If they hear me they may get angry. You understand the situation, of course,” he said.

But to Morsi's opponents, there is nothing funny about a president from the Brotherhood³. Morsi heads its more inclusive political wing, but that has done little to lessen⁴ fears among some Christians⁵ and women.

Nagla Ali said true Islam embraces believers of other faiths, and she tries to dispel⁶ the idea that women would be subservient⁷. She recalled her husband's deference⁸ to her about joining the Brotherhood, with its attendant dangers, 30 years ago.

She told him, “No problem. Let's head down that road.”

That's the kind of consulting and collaboration⁹ Morsi's allies say he will need if he wants to succeed.

"He as president should be only an umbrella for all others who are not enrolled¹⁰ in the Muslim Brotherhood," said former presidential candidate Abdullah al-Ashaal.

But some believe that no matter what Morsi pledges, the Brotherhood is not, at heart, a sharing organization. Political sociologist¹¹ Said Sadek of the American University in Cairo points to the insignia on the group's flags.

"They have swords. And I don't think the sword they have is to cut cakes," he said.

Nagla Ali argues that kind of thinking misinterprets Islam, and she says her husband will be a servant to all Egyptians. She used the example of an early caliph known for his fairness to all.

She quoted Omar Ibn el-Khattaba as saying “if a camel stumbles in the Levant, I'll be held responsible.”

But with no constitution, and the role of president still undefined, perhaps Morsi's first big challenge is finding out what responsibilities he will even have. 

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

3 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

4 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

5 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

6 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

7 subservient   

adj.卑屈的，阿谀的

参考例句：

• He was subservient and servile.他低声下气、卑躬屈膝。
• It was horrible to have to be affable and subservient.不得不强作欢颜卖弄风骚，真是太可怕了。

8 deference   

n.尊重，顺从；敬意

参考例句：

• Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗？
• The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。

9 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

10 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。