British Vision Issue 47 麦当娜收养非洲遗孤

"If he kept his son in the village, he would have buried him," so says Madonna, defending her decision to adopt a baby from Malawi. The pop star ended her silence today with the soft sofa option, an interview on the Oprah Winfrey show. Speaking in a live link from London, she tells the talk show host that the boy's father has supported the adoption¹ and that the media reaction had done a great disservice to all the orphans² of Africa.

What do you want to say to all those people who are attacking you saying that you did this as a publicity³ stunt⁴?

For weeks, others have had their say. Finally, Madonna's had hers. Turning to her native country for address, she went onto the Oprah Winfrey show to deny a deluge⁵ of claims: she used her wealth and celebrity⁶ to bypass Malawian adoption laws.

It's pretty shocking.

Are you hurt by it? Are you angry?

I wouldn't say I'm hurt by it, I would say I'm disappointed, because more than anything, I mean for me, I understand that gossip and telling negative stories sells newspapers. Eh, but, I think for me, I'm disappointed because more than anything it discourages other people from doing the same thing.

She said social workers warned her it would be extremely hard to adopt in Malawi, but she was determined⁷. Having first seen David Banda in footage she was viewing for a documentary, she became transfixed by his plight⁸. He'd suffered TB and malaria⁹ and was held by a child who was sick with AIDS. She flew to Malawi where she funds six orphanages¹⁰ and started adoption proceedings¹¹. She insists it was with full consent of his father.

He looked into my eyes and said to me that he was very grateful that I was going to give his son a life, and that that had he kept his son with him in the village, he would have buried him.

But since then Yohane Banda has been quoted saying he didn't realize he was giving up his son for good. And on Friday, a human rights group will challenge the adoption in Malawi's high court. Nevertheless, today the country's president waded¹² in for the defense¹³.

Malawi has over one million orphans. Some of them may never be able to go to school. And someone comes and takes one child to give that child a future, education, and we want to make a noise, I don't know, I really don't know.

While Madonna's choice to speak only to Oprah may have been a rebuke¹⁴ to the press reaction here, her decision to do one high-profile interview is now a well-trodden path for celebrities¹⁵ with a point to make.

I feel like the media is doing a great disservice to all the orphans of Africa, period, not just Malawi, by turning it into such a negative thing.

Meanwhile, she says her own children have embraced their potential brother-to-be.


1.disservice:n. harmful or injurious act, bad turn伤害, 虐待

2.publicity stunt:commercial stunt, advertising¹⁶ gimmick

3.a deluge of:A deluge of things is a large number of them which arrive or happen at the same time.

4.plight:n. misfortune, trouble; complication, entanglement¹⁷

5.transfix:v. [usu passive]: ~ sb (with sth) make sb unable to move, think or speak because of fear, astonishment¹⁸, etc 使某人(因恐惧﹑ 惊愕等)不能动弹﹑ 思想或说话

6.well-trodden:adj.A well-trodden path is used regularly by a large number of people, and therefore looks worn and is easy to see.

1 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

2 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

3 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

4 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

5 deluge   

n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥

参考例句：

• This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.雨大的时候，这条小溪能变作洪流。
• I got caught in the deluge on the way home.我在回家的路上遇到倾盆大雨。

6 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。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

9 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

10 orphanages   

孤儿院( orphanage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It is Rotarians running orphanages for children who have no homes. 扶轮社员们为没有家的孩子办孤儿院。
• Through the years, she built churches, hospitals and orphanages. 许多年来，她盖了一间间的教堂、医院、育幼院。

11 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

12 waded   

（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
• He waded into the water to push the boat out. 他蹚进水里把船推出来。

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

15 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

16 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

17 entanglement   

n.纠缠，牵累

参考例句：

• This entanglement made Carrie anxious for a change of some sort.这种纠葛弄得嘉莉急于改变一下。
• There is some uncertainty about this entanglement with the city treasurer which you say exists.对于你所说的与市财政局长之间的纠葛,大家有些疑惑。

18 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。