VOA常速英语2007年-World Loses Many Well-Known International Figur

By Barry Unger
Washington
14 December 2007
 

The year 2007 saw the passing of many well-known international figures who left a lasting¹ impression. VOA's Barry Unger takes a look back at some of these people. Jim Bertel narrates².

Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin died in April at the age of 76. He first gained wide international attention in the last years of the Soviet³ Union as president of the Russian Republic.

He stood up to Soviet conspirators⁴ in 1991 when they tried to overthrow⁵ Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. They did not succeed, but the Soviet state soon collapsed⁶.

Mr. Yeltsin won election to an independent Russia in December 1991, and to a second term in 1996. He retired⁷ six months before he was scheduled to leave office and handpicked then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to succeed him.

Mohammad Zahir Shah was more of a symbolic⁸ leader - the last king of Afghanistan. He reigned⁹ for 40 years but a coup¹⁰ in 1973 forced him into exile. He returned in 2002. King Mohammad Zahir Shah died in November at the age of 92.

Kurt Waldheim's achievements as United Nations secretary general and president of Austria were later overshadowed by revelations of his actions during World War Two. Mr. Waldheim served in a German army unit in the Balkans that committed atrocities¹¹. He was never charged with war crimes, but his earlier denials of service in the unit led to international censure¹³. He died at the age of 88.

Paul Tibbets also earned his place in history during World War II as the American military pilot who dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. Tibbets said in interviews that he had no regrets and slept easily at night. The war ended soon after his historic mission, after the U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Japan. Col. Paul Tibbets died at the age of 92.

Lady Bird Johnson came to live at the White House during a time of national tragedy in the United States. Her husband, Lyndon Johnson was vice¹² president when an assassin killed President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Mr. Johnson became the 36th U.S. president. Lady Bird Johnson's pet project was the beautification of the nation's capital. Her efforts led to to the planting of thousands of flowers around Washington. She died at the age of 94.

Reverend Jerry Falwell was a well-known television evangelist in the United States, but had a major influence in politics as well as religion. Falwell founded the political lobbying group known as the "Moral Majority" and mobilized millions of conservative voters to elect Republican Ronald Reagan president in 1980. Falwell remained a potent¹⁴ force in the Christian¹⁵ conservative movement, as well as a lightning rod of controversy¹⁶. Falwell died in May at the age of 73.

Italian-born Luciano Pavarotti had a personality as large as his voice. The great tenor¹⁷ was known as the King of the High Cs and he was one of the few opera singers to crossover into mainstream¹⁸ music. Pavarotti died in Italy at the age of 71.

Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman made more than 50 films during his long career and is widely considered one of the most influential¹⁹ figures in cinema history. Three of his films - Fanny and Alexander, The Virgin²⁰ Spring and Through a Glass Darkly - won Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Ingmar Bergman died in July at the age of 89.

Two other critically acclaimed²¹ artists - both American writers - passed away this year at age 84. Norman Mailer was widely recognized for his innovative²² style and his sometimes controversial public persona. He wrote both fiction and non-fiction best sellers, none more celebrated²³ than his World War II novel, The Naked and the Dead that later became a movie.

Another best selling novel that became a film was Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. Vonnegut was a cult²⁴ favorite, as well as a literary great, for many American readers who appreciated his a satirical view of 20th century life.

 

Another American cult hero - daredevil, stuntman²⁵ Evel Knievel - first gained wide public attention in the 1960s and 70s with his nationally televised motorcycle jumps. He was not always successful and broke nearly 40 bones in his body from various crash landings. Knievel died at the age of 69.

Video courtesy: Universal Pictures for Clip of "Slaughterhouse Five" and ABC Sports for footage of Evil Knievel

1 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

2 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

3 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

4 conspirators   

n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conspirators took no part in the fighting which ensued. 密谋者没有参加随后发生的战斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The French conspirators were forced to escape very hurriedly. 法国同谋者被迫匆促逃亡。 来自辞典例句

5 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

6 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

7 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。

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 reigned   

vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式）

参考例句：

• Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静，一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

11 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

13 censure   

v./n.责备；非难；责难

参考例句：

• You must not censure him until you know the whole story.在弄清全部事实真相前不要谴责他。
• His dishonest behaviour came under severe censure.他的不诚实行为受到了严厉指责。

14 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

15 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

16 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

17 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

18 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

19 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

20 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

21 acclaimed   

adj.受人欢迎的

参考例句：

• They acclaimed him as the best writer of the year. 他们称赞他为当年的最佳作者。
• Confuscius is acclaimed as a great thinker. 孔子被赞誉为伟大的思想家。

22 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

23 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

24 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

25 stuntman   

n.特技演员

参考例句：

• The stuntman will double for the main actor during the action scenes.一些动作场景中，特技演员代替主演。
• The stuntman flew the aircraft upside-down within a hair's breadth of the rooftops.那位做电影演员替身的杂技演员驾驶着飞机翻过来又倒过去，差一点撞着平顶房的屋顶。