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VOA慢速英语--瑞典的格雷塔·桑伯格获得诺贝尔奖?

时间:2019-09-23 23:57:15

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A Nobel Prize for Sweden's Greta Thunberg?

Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg’s shaming of world leaders and air travelers over climate change has won her millions of supporters. She has also gained many new followers1 to her cause.

But it just might cost her the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thunberg is one of only a few people whose nomination2 has become known before the Nobel ceremony. Prize experts consider her to be the favorite to win the award this year.

At 16, she would be the youngest recipient3 of the award. She would also be the first to win the prize for environmental work since Al Gore4. The former American vice5 president shared the prize in 2007 for spreading knowledge of climate change.

But Thunberg’s youth, directness and resolve – among the causes of her popularity – could be seen as problems for the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Her sometimes sharp criticism of those who choose to travel by airplane has upset some people. The denunciation of world leaders by a teenager can be divisive, also.

Most liberals see Thunberg as a speaker of the truth about climate change. Most conservatives, however, see her as a liar6, or a trickster. Some have suggested her parents have misdirected her.

Thunberg, who does not usually take media requests directly, did not immediately answer requests for comment.

She has denied accusations7 that she is paid for her activism or is being “used” by anyone. She wrote on Facebook earlier this year that “there is no one ‘behind’ me except for myself. My parents were as far from climate activists9 as possible before I made them aware of the situation.”

'How dare you?'

Thunberg won international fame last year by taking time off school each Friday to demonstrate about the lack of action on climate change. She would sit -- alone at first -- outside the Swedish parliament.

Last Friday, millions of young people protested around the world to put pressure on governments to act. The huge demonstrations10 were inspired by Thunberg’s activism.

This week, Thunberg accused leaders at the U.N. climate meeting of stealing her dreams and childhood with “empty words” on climate change action.

“How dare you?” she asked throughout her speech.

Sverre Lodgaard is a former deputy member of the award committee. He told Reuters that committee members would consider Thunberg’s age and the method she uses to share her message.

“The problem is that the principle of ‘flight shame’ brings her chances...down. Shame is not a constructive11 feeling to bring about change,” he said.

Five years ago, Pakistani education activist8 Malala Yousafzai won the award at the age of 17. But her candidacy was less divisive than Thunberg’s.

Asle Sveen has written several books about the peace prize. He said it can be a “burden” for teen-aged winners. Even so, both he and Lodgaard say Thunberg has a chance of winning.

The award committee could choose to reduce the weight of expectation on Thunberg by awarding a shared prize. But it also could decide that the young activist’s behavior shows she is wise beyond her years.

“They would have seen and heard her and she would have come across as thoughtful and effective. She could be a very good candidate,” Lodgaard said.

The definition of peace

Also possibly counting against Thunberg is a debate among thinkers about whether environmental activism counts as working for peace.

“The argument ‘for’ is that the science shows we are experiencing a dramatic change of climate and we could have extreme conditions, with consequences in terms of war and refugees,” Sveen said.

“The argument ‘against’ would be: does a prize to the environment fall outside the boundaries of Nobel’s will?” he added.

Apart from Thunberg, other leading possible nominees12 for the award include Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his country's peace deal with Eritrea last year.

Abiy, who took office in April 2018, is pushing Ethiopia towards new democratic freedoms. However, rights groups say more needs to be done to deal with many years of government repression13.

The Nobel committee also could choose to recognize Reporters Without Borders or the Committee to Protect Journalists. Both groups fight for press freedom.

Pope Francis and the head of the United Nations Refugee Agency are also possible nominees for the prize.

The winner will be announced on October 11.

I'm Dorothy Gundy.

Words in This Story

shaming – n. the activity of showing little or no respect for someone in public

aware – adj. showing knowledge or recognition

principle – n. a rule or way of doing things

constructive – adj. helpful to someone instead of upsetting and negative

burden – n. ?someone or something that is very difficult to accept, do, or deal with

dramatic – adj. sudden and extreme

consequence – n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions

boundary – n. a point or limit that indicates where two things become different

journalist – n. a news reporter


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 followers 5c342ee9ce1bf07932a1f66af2be7652     
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件
参考例句:
  • the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
  • The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。
2 nomination BHMxw     
n.提名,任命,提名权
参考例句:
  • John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
  • Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。
3 recipient QA8zF     
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器
参考例句:
  • Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
  • Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。
4 gore gevzd     
n.凝血,血污;v.(动物)用角撞伤,用牙刺破;缝以补裆;顶
参考例句:
  • The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
  • Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。
5 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
参考例句:
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
6 liar V1ixD     
n.说谎的人
参考例句:
  • I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了,一个又偷又骗的家伙!
  • She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。
7 accusations 3e7158a2ffc2cb3d02e77822c38c959b     
n.指责( accusation的名词复数 );指控;控告;(被告发、控告的)罪名
参考例句:
  • There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
  • He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。
8 activist gyAzO     
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 activists 90fd83cc3f53a40df93866d9c91bcca4     
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》
10 demonstrations 0922be6a2a3be4bdbebd28c620ab8f2d     
证明( demonstration的名词复数 ); 表明; 表达; 游行示威
参考例句:
  • Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
  • The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。
11 constructive AZDyr     
adj.建设的,建设性的
参考例句:
  • We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
  • He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。
12 nominees 3e8d8b25ccc8228c71eef17be7bb2d5f     
n.被提名者,被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
  • A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网
13 repression zVyxX     
n.镇压,抑制,抑压
参考例句:
  • The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
  • This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

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