2006年VOA标准英语- Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Sworn in as Liberia

By Chris Simkins
Washington, DC
16 January 2006
 
watch Inauguration¹ report

Liberian Chief Justice of the Supreme² Court Henry Reed Cooper, right, administers the oath of office to Liberian President-elect Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Monrovia, Liberia  
  
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in Monday as Liberia's president, becoming Africa's first elected female head of state. It was a ceremony that was widely noted³ including in the United States. 

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf took the oath of office in a ceremony in the Liberian capital of Monrovia. Thousands of Liberians and dozens of foreign dignitaries were in attendance to show their support as Mrs. Sirleaf pledged to defend, uphold and support the constitution.

U.S. first lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice led the U.S delegation⁴. Other dignitaries included many African heads of state.

In her Inaugural⁵ address Monday the 67-year-old President Sirleaf promised to fight rampant⁶ corruption⁷ and rebuild the country after 14 years of civil war that killed a quarter of a million people and left Liberia's economy in ruins. Mrs. Sirleaf paid tribute to the people of Liberia who turned out in large numbers to vote in last November's election.

Mrs. Sirleaf said, "This ritual (of voting) is symbolic⁸ and politically significant. It reflects the enduring character of the democratic tradition of the peaceful and orderly transfer of political power and authority. It also confirms the culmination⁹ of a commitment to our nation's selective search for a purposeful and responsive national leadership."

Mrs. Sirleaf was elected to office in November, beating former football star George Weah in a runoff election.

She ran for office two years after former rebel leader President Charles Taylor bowed to international pressure, left the country, and went into exile in Nigeria. Before being elected President Mrs. Sirleaf served as finance minister twice. She also held key jobs at the United Nations and the World Bank.

Mrs. Sirleaf has said that one of her main priorities as president will be fighting poverty. In the last year the United States and other countries have spent more than a billion dollars to help stabilize¹⁰ the country. The inauguration of Mrs. Sirleaf as Africa's first elected woman head of state came on the same day that millions in the United States honored the legacy¹¹ of the famed black civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Liberia has had close ties with the United States for decades because the African nation was founded by freed American slaves in 1847.

1 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

6 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

9 culmination   

n.顶点；最高潮

参考例句：

• The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
• It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

10 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

11 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。