2007年VOA标准英语-Gordon Brown Becomes Britain's New Prime Minist

By Sonja Pace
London
25 June 2007

Gordon Brown becomes Britain's new prime minister this week, succeeding Tony Blair, who has held the office for the past 10 years. Mr. Brown is no newcomer to politics, but many are wondering how well he'll make the transition to the limelight, as VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London.

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Gordon Brown receives applause after being confirmed as leader of British Labor Party during Party leadership conference in Manchester, 24 Jun 2007

For years, Gordon Brown was the steady hand from the sidelines. But, his chance to step into the limelight finally came.

"It is with humility² and it's with pride and it's with a great sense of duty that I accept the privilege, the great responsibility of leading our party and changing our country," Brown said.

And, accepting the labor party leadership, Gordon Brown knew that within days he would become Britain's next prime minister, succeeding his political friend and rival, Tony Blair. Word was he had been waiting for this for years.

The two men first shared an office back in 1983 when both were newly elected labor party politicians. They worked together to bring the party back from the political wilderness³, to make it more modern, more appealing to voters.

Professor Anthony Seldon of London's Wellington College says their relationship was close and complex.

"They were like brothers. It was a love-hate relationship," Seldon said. "There was certainly great love between them and great admiration⁴. But, there was also hatred⁵ and shouting and intense anger and poisonous words."

There was talk the two men had a deal - that the more charismatic Tony Blair would become prime minister, and then give Gordon Brown a chance after the first term. It seems Mr. Blair stayed on longer than expected. Anthony Seldon says the bone of contention⁷ between them was simple - who should be at the top.

"Gordon Brown always felt that he was the brighter person, that he had a clearer idea of what the country needed, about what the Labor Party stood for," Seldon noted⁸. "He thought he was an abler person, more in touch with working people, more in touch with the nation … and he didn't like the fact that it was a man, who he thought a lesser⁹ man, sitting in the powerful seat."

Throughout Tony Blair's premiership, Gordon Brown served as treasury¹⁰ chief, and supporters and critics alike credit him for the country's economic stability and for low unemployment.

He was born near Glasgow in Scotland, the son of a protestant minister. He joined the Labor Party in his teenage years, lost his sight in one eye in a sporting injury, and earned a doctorate¹¹ at Edinburgh University.

Mr. Brown readily talks of his family values, which he says shape his political beliefs.

"All that I believe, and all I try to do comes from the values that I grew up with - duty, honesty, hard work, family, respect for others," Brown said.

And, those values, says former conservative politician, Michael Brown, also characterize Gordon Brown's style.

"Gordon Brown is the son of a Methodist minister, he's very Presbyterian in style. I think that there will be a turning away from the spin, the glitz, the glamour¹², and we'll have a much more traditional prime minister," he said.

There is widespread agreement that Gordon Brown is brilliant, hardworking and serious, but he is also often seen as too somber¹³, somewhat dictatorial¹⁴ and without charisma⁶.

In 2000, the 49-year-old long-time bachelor married Sarah Macaulay, a public relations consultant¹⁵. Their first child died shortly after a premature¹⁶ birth in 2001. The couple now has two sons, one born in 2003 and one last year.

Fatherhood softened¹⁷ Gordon Brown's image somewhat, but he is still widely seen as a serious, sober Scotsman, and some wonder how that will play in the political limelight.

Gordon Brown does not seem worried.

"As a politician, I have never sought the public eye for its own sake," Brown said. "I have never believed presentation should be a substitute for policy. I do not believe politics is about celebrity¹⁸."

And that is what Mr. Brown is banking¹⁹ on - that after 10 years of the youthful, charming and what many would say, glib²⁰ Tony Blair, the British public will welcome a perhaps less glamorous²¹, but serious approach. And, he has two years in office to convince the public - before he must face the test in national elections.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

3 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

5 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

6 charisma   

n.(大众爱戴的)领袖气质，魅力

参考例句：

• He has enormous charisma. He is a giant of a man.他有超凡的个人魅力，是个伟人。
• I don't have the charisma to pull a crowd this size.我没有那么大的魅力，能吸引这么多人。

7 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

8 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。

9 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

10 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

11 doctorate   

n.(大学授予的)博士学位

参考例句：

• He hasn't enough credits to get his doctorate.他的学分不够取得博士学位。
• Where did she do her doctorate?她在哪里攻读博士？

12 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。

13 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

14 dictatorial   

adj. 独裁的，专断的

参考例句：

• Her father is very dictatorial.她父亲很专横。
• For years the nation had been under the heel of a dictatorial regime.多年来这个国家一直在独裁政权的铁蹄下。

15 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

16 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

17 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

18 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

19 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

20 glib   

adj.圆滑的，油嘴滑舌的

参考例句：

• His glib talk sounds as sweet as a song.他说的比唱的还好听。
• The fellow has a very glib tongue.这家伙嘴油得很。

21 glamorous   

adj.富有魅力的；美丽动人的；令人向往的

参考例句：

• The south coast is less glamorous but full of clean and attractive hotels.南海岸魅力稍逊，但却有很多干净漂亮的宾馆。
• It is hard work and not a glamorous job as portrayed by the media.这是份苦差，并非像媒体描绘的那般令人向往。