2007年VOA标准英语-Miss Nepal Crowned Amid Protests

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
08 April 2007

Demonstrators in Nepal's capital have clashed with police in a failed bid to halt the country's most popular beauty pageant¹. VOA's Steve Herman reports from our South Asia bureau in New Delhi.

Sitashma Chand, 23, waves to the audience after being crowned Miss Nepal 2007, in Katmandu, 07 Apr 2007

Despite a protest by Maoists and other opponents of beauty pageants², a 23-year-old sales executive has been crowned as the new Miss Nepal.

The Maoists joined Nepal's government a week ago and had vowed³ to stop the competition, calling it degrading because it exploits women.

Maoist lawmaker Devi Khadka told reporters during Saturday evening's event all such contests should be banned in Nepal because they are demeaning to women.

The Maoists waged a decade-long insurgency⁴ against Nepal's monarchy⁵, but agreed last year to end their violent struggle and join the democratic process.

Opponents of the pageant had hoped that the country's new communications minister in the interim⁶ government, a Maoist, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, would ban the broadcast of the Miss Nepal contest. But the event was aired live on state television.

The Miss Nepal pageant was not held last year due to security concerns.

Outside the convention center in Kathmandu, hundreds of protesters clashed with baton-wielding riot police. Indian television on Sunday broadcast scenes of bloodied⁷ demonstrators.

After Sitashma Chand defeated 18 other contestants⁸, the new Miss Nepal told reporters opponents of the pageant should respect the rights of those who wanted to participate in the contest, which has a top prize of $2,000.

Chand says she understands the position of the feminists⁹ and Maoists who protested, but many of those demonstrating outside are those who regularly participate in protests, no matter what the cause.

Despite Maoist accusations¹⁰ that the pageant contained nudity, the Miss Nepal competition is relatively¹¹ tame by international standards and does not have a swimsuit round. 

Chand will represent Nepal in the Miss World pageant.

1 pageant   

n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧

参考例句：

• Our pageant represented scenes from history.我们的露天历史剧上演一幕幕的历史事件。
• The inauguration ceremony of the new President was a splendid pageant.新主席的就职典礼的开始是极其壮观的。

2 pageants   

n.盛装的游行( pageant的名词复数 )；穿古代服装的游行；再现历史场景的娱乐活动；盛会

参考例句：

• It is young people who favor holding Beauty pageants. 赞成举办选美的是年轻人。 来自互联网
• Others say that there's a fine line between the pageants and sexual exploitation. 其他人说，选美和性剥削之间只有非常细微的界线。 来自互联网

3 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

4 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

5 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

6 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

7 bloodied   

v.血污的( bloody的过去式和过去分词 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• His pants leg was torn and bloodied when he fell. 他跌交时裤腿破了，还染上了血。 来自辞典例句

8 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 feminists   

n.男女平等主义者，女权扩张论者( feminist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Only 16 percent of young women in a 1990 survey considered themselves feminists. 在1990年的一项调查中，只有16%的年轻女性认为自己是女权主义者。 来自辞典例句
• The organization had many enemies, most notably among feminists. 这个组织有许多敌人，特别是在男女平等主义者中。 来自辞典例句

10 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

11 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。