VOA慢速英语2021--南非人权领袖德斯蒙德·图图大主教

South African Human Rights Leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu Remembered

South African human rights activist¹ and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu died Sunday. He was 90 years old.

Tutu's legacy² of activism for equality continues to influence young South Africans, many of whom were not born when the clergyman battled apartheid. Apartheid was a governing system that kept whites and blacks separate and guaranteed controlling power for the white minority in South Africa.

Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts to gain full rights for South Africa's Black majority. South Africa is holding a week of mourning for the retired³ leader of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

Following the end of apartheid in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation⁴ Commission. It documented the bad treatment Black people experienced during apartheid. It also sought to support national reconciliation. Tutu also became one of the world's most well-known religious leaders to champion LGBTQ rights.

Some young South Africans spoke⁵ to The Associated Press on Monday. They said, although they did not know much about him, they thought Tutu was important in the country's efforts for democracy.

Sixteen-year-old Zinhle Gamede said she found out on social media out that Tutu had died. She learned much more about him over the following 24 hours.

"I found (out) about his death yesterday on TV and on Facebook. People were saying that he is one of the people that fought for our freedom," she said.

"Today I am living my life freely, unlike in the olden days (when) there was no freedom."

Tutu's death moved her to learn more about South Africa's history, especially the struggle against white minority rule.

Twenty-five-year-old Lesley Morake said he knew about Tutu through the clergyman's strong support for LGBTQ rights.

"As a gay person, it is rare to hear people from the church speaking openly about gay issues, but I found out about him through gay activists⁶ who sometimes use his quotes during campaigns," Morake said. "That is how I knew about him, and that is what I will remember about him."

Tshepo Nkatlo said he is paying attention to the good things he is hearing about Tutu. He said he found out that on social media some people criticized Tutu for not seeking to punish whites during the years of the Truth and Reconciliation commission.

"But mostly I have been hearing positive things about him," said Nkatlo.

Bells rang at midday Monday from St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape⁷ Town to honor Tutu. The bells at "the people's cathedral" where Tutu worked to unite South Africans of all races against apartheid, are to ring for 10 minutes at noon for five days to mark Tutu's life.

"We ask all who hear the bells to pause their busy schedules for a moment in tribute to Archbishop Tutu," said the current Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba.

Several services in South Africa are being planned to honor Tutu's life, as messages honoring him came in from around the world.

Tutu's body will lie in state at the cathedral in Cape Town on Friday. This will permit the public to see "the simplicity⁸ with which he asked to be buried," said Makgoba in a statement.

A special service will be held Saturday. Tutu's ashes will be placed in the cathedral's burial area, church officials said Monday.

In addition, a mixed religious service will be held for Tutu on Thursday in South Africa's capital, Pretoria.

South Africans are placing flowers at the cathedral, in front of Tutu's home in Cape Town's Milnerton area, and in front of his former home in Soweto.

"He knew that apartheid would end, that democracy would come," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said of Tutu, in a nationally broadcast speech Sunday night.

"He knew that our people would be free," the president said. He added that South Africa's flags will be flown at half-staff this week.

Ramaphosa urged all South Africans to "pay respects to the departed and to celebrate life with...the purpose of our beloved Archbishop. May we follow in his footsteps."

Words in This Story

legacy –n. something that is received or handed down from someone who has died

reconciliation –n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement

positive –adj. good or useful

LGBTQ –adj. lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (one's sexual or gender⁹ identity)

pause –v. to stop for a period of time

tribute –n. something that you say, give, or do to show respect for someone

schedule –n. a plan of things that need to be done and the times they will be done

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 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

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 activists   

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》

7 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

8 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

9 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。