2007年VOA标准英语-Monrovians Praise Johnson-Sirleaf on First Anni

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
15 January 2007

As residents of Liberia's war-torn capital Monrovia prepare to mark the first year of power for President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the mood remains¹ one of general praise and hope for Africa's first elected female leader. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from Dakar with on the street interviewing in Monrovia by reporter Precious Sangbeh Seboe.

On January 16, 2006, traditional music ushered² in the newly elected president's swearing-in ceremony.

 
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is getting high praise from citizens
"Let us begin anew, moving into a future that is filled with promise, filled with hope," she said. "In union strong, success is sure. We cannot, we will not, we shall not fail."

After decades of corrupt³, brutal⁴ rule, conflict and ethnic⁵ divisions, President Johnson-Sirleaf promised renewed foreign investment, an end to corruption⁶, and restoration of basic services.

Although progress has been slow and completely aid dependent, the mood on the street in Monrovia, one year later, seems generally upbeat.

A student at the United Methodist University summarizes the pride many Liberians feel.

"I feel so proud of the first African female president, of her many achievements thus far," the student said.

A young man, Prince, says the most important thing is that security has been restored throughout Liberia's chaotic⁷ land.

"Because (there is) no war, nothing going on, so I can sleep freely. I am moving freely and I thank her for that. I like everything that she has done," he said.

A 22-year-old woman says this is the first time she has noticed a government trying to do something for Liberians.

"I feel very fine. I feel impressed because she has proved to us she is really competent for this job," she said. "I was born in 1984, and since I was born, development (is only) starting now. She restored light and now the streets are all getting real development."

 
Liberia's roads are getting a facelift 
Another Monrovia resident also expressed amazement⁸ that electricity was coming back to some streets in downtown Monrovia, but does worry about the president's drive to downsize government.

He wants to make sure the new president does not forget how much help people actually need.

"We want the national government to be conscious of the fact that life as a whole in Liberia is very unbearable," he said. "Most are homeless. Most people do not have food to eat. You can see for yourself that people are loitering around the streets because they have nothing to do."

The devastation⁹ of the war was such that the head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission Alan Doss says that even if Liberia's economy grows at 10 percent over the next 25 years, Liberians would only be back in terms of standard of living to where they were in the 1980s.

 
Life remains a struggle in Liberia
President Johnson-Sirleaf is not planning any major festivities to mark her first year in power Tuesday. She is currently working on preparing an international donors¹⁰ conference for Liberia to be held in Washington next month.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

4 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 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。

7 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

8 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

9 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》