VOA慢速英语--美第一夫人开始为期五天的非洲之行

Melania Trump¹ Begins Five-Day Visit to Africa

Melania Trump has begun her first solo² international trip as the first lady of the United States. She arrived Tuesday in the West African country of Ghana.

Ghana’s first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, welcomed her at the airport in Accra. A young girl offered her a gift of flowers wrapped in a traditional cloth. Dancers and drummers performed and young children waved small American and Ghanaian flags.

The White House says the first lady’s five-day visit to Africa will center on “maternal³ and newborn care in hospitals” and “education for children.”

Shortly after her arrival, Trump visited the Greater Accra Hospital. There, she toured the neonatal intensive⁴ care area, visited with mothers, held babies and gave patients blankets and playthings donated by the White House.

Trump later had a private meeting with first lady Akufo-Addo. The two met for about 30 minutes at Ghana’s presidential palace.

Many past American first ladies have also made trips to the African continent, including Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.

Locals who spoke⁵ with reporters in Accra said they did not know much about Trump’s visit.

One worker at a popular shop near the airport told Reuters, “I did not know she’s in town until I heard about it on the radio a few minutes ago.”

Another shopkeeper said to the Associated Press, “Did you say President Trump’s wife just arrived in Accra? I don’t think I have ever heard her name, Melania.”

Others said they knew about Trump's visit but did not know what she would be doing.

The first lady’s visit to Africa could be made difficult because of the past actions and words of her husband. President Donald Trump reportedly used a vulgar⁶ and insulting⁷ term to describe African nations.

The president has denied making the comment.

Judd Devermont, the Africa program director at the Center for Strategic⁸ and International Studies, said the first lady may have to do “some heavy lifting” on her trip. In other words, the trip may involve serious or difficult work.

Devermont told VOA, "It’s a little bit unfair because that’s not what a first lady’s trip should be about.”

But Africa policy expert Joshua Meservey said he does not think the president’s reported comments will affect the first lady’s visit. He is with The Heritage⁹ Foundation¹⁰ in Washington, D.C.

Meservey told VOA, "I think the U.S.-Africa relationship is much bigger than the president’s comments.”

After Ghana, the first lady will travel to Malawi, Kenya and Egypt.

I’m Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

solo - adj. something that is done without another person

maternal - adj. of or relating to a mother

neonatal - adj. of, relating to, or taking care of babies in the first month after their birth

vulgar - adj. not having or showing good manners, good taste, or politeness

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 solo   

n.独奏，独唱；adj.单独的；adv.单独地；v.放单飞，单独表演

参考例句：

• Tara is currently working on a solo album.塔拉眼下正忙着制作个人专辑。
• There's wonderfully lyrical flute solo in the middle of this symphony.在交响乐中间有一段奇妙的抒情长笛独奏。

3 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

4 intensive   

adj.加强的，密集的；精工细作的，集约的

参考例句：

• I'll make an intensive study of a subject.我将集中学一门课程。
• There we received several weeks of intensive training.在那里我们受了几星期的集中训练.

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 vulgar   

adj.粗野的，下流的，庸俗的，粗俗的

参考例句：

• His language is a bit vulgar at times.他说话有时有点粗俗。
• His vulgar manners shocked everyone.他粗俗的举止使大家大为吃惊。

7 insulting   

侮辱的

参考例句：

• She was really insulting to me. 她对我实在粗鲁无礼。
• All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。

8 strategic   

adj.战略（上）的，战略上重要的

参考例句：

• The army moved for strategic reasons.军队作了战略转移。
• The bridge is of strategic importance to us.这座桥对我们至关重要。

9 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

10 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。