2007年VOA标准英语-Ethiopia Scales Back Unique Millennium Celebrat

By Peter Heinlein
Addis Ababa
10 September 2007

Ethiopia is set to celebrate the arrival of the third millennium¹ more than seven years after it was celebrated² in the west. Events are planned, across the country, as well as in several American cities, where there are large concentrations of Ethiopian expatriates. But, as VOA Correspondent Peter Heinlein reports from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the celebrations in the capital have been sharply scaled back because of security fears and factional squabbles.

landmark3, Meskel Square, 06 Sep 2007, which has been festively4 decorated for the upcoming millennium celebrations " hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070914/0952580.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

A large dove stands with Ethiopian flags in the background in Addis Ababa's central landmark, Meskel Square, 06 Sep 2007, which has been festively decorated for the upcoming millennium celebrations

Traffic grinds to a halt on one of Addis Ababa's busiest thoroughfares, as young boys snapping their homemade whips hurry a herd⁶ of goats across the road on their way to slaughter⁷. It is the final journey for these animals, most of whom will find their way to dinner tables as families across Ethiopia gather to celebrate the dawn of the third millennium.

Ethiopians proudly follow the Julian calendar, which puts the birth of Christ seven and a half years later than the more commonly followed Gregorian calendar. Ethiopia's Christian⁸ Orthodox leaders note that it was the Roman church that amended⁹ the calendar, about 15 centuries ago, while they stuck with the original calculation.

Addis is decked out in its finest for the occasion. The government has strung kilometers of colorful lights along Bole Road. Ethiopia's wealthiest man is building a concert hall at one end of the street for the occasion. He is planning to open it New Year's Eve, with a grand concert featuring the American hip⁵ hop¹⁰ group, the Black Eyed Peas.

Days before the opening, construction crews are working feverishly¹¹, day and night, to finish the job.

But political disputes and high costs have put a damper on many of the observances.

Many citizens complain the cost of a ticket to the concert is nearly twice the average worker's monthly salary.

And, a 10-kilometer Millennium Run that had attracted 35,000 entrants was canceled, because of security concerns. Ethiopian Culture Minister Mohammed Dirir notes the tense relations with neighboring Eritrea. He says the government is worried about the threat of terrorism.

"We know that there is the government of Eritrea, which has, in the past, been sending disruptors and arming them with bombs and what have you," said Dirir. "These have been apprehended¹² and it has been all over the media. I think security is tight."

A schedule of free events, including an open-air concert and a Taste of Africa food festival, had been planned at the city's Meskel Square, but most of them died in the planning stage. Culture Minister Dirir says the events were stopped because the organizers failed to coordinate¹³ plans with the government's Millennium Secretariat.

"Let me tell you about the noise of the Taste of Africa, or the lack of taste of Africa," said Dirir. "They have been working with the Millennium Council and, if they do not work with the concerned body and take an independent course of their own, that is a failure. The Millennium Council has advised them to make it as part of the overall events, but they wanted to go the wrong way. They have failed."

The confusion and political wrangling¹⁴ have led many who can afford it to go elsewhere for celebrations. Several leaders of Ethiopia's main political opposition¹⁵ party have made a point of flying to American cities, where communities of Ethiopian expatriates are planning elaborate parties.

And, with the many of the planned events in Addis canceled, many ordinary citizens are planning to be out of town for the holiday. The owner of the Meskel Square cinema, movie producer Theodros Teshome, told VOA he is closing up the theater on New Year's Eve and sponsoring a rival celebration in his hometown, Jimma, 200 kilometers away. That event will feature Ethiopia's biggest homegrown music star, Teddy Afro.

"I will be celebrating the millennium in Jimma," said Teshome. "I will have the first fireworks ever made out of Addis Ababa, in Jimma. And, I'm taking the king of music in Ethiopia, Teddy Afro to Jimma, so my millennium is going to be the best millennium in Ethiopia.

But Teshome says, despite people's frustration¹⁶ with their government, Ethiopians are united in their hope that this new millennium will bring with it the promise of prosperity and a better life for the common people.

"The millennium is bringing hope that we will no more be a poor country; that we will no more be thought of as one of the countries that's not yet developed; and we are seeing a lot of development with the arrival of this government, so we are really excited," said Teshome.

But, on the streets of Addis, that excitement is somewhat muted. Many people -- perhaps following the government's security concerns -- say they are planning quiet celebrations at home with their family and, perhaps, the traditional Ethiopian lamb dinner.

1 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

2 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。

3 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

4 festively   

adv.节日地，适合于节日地

参考例句：

5 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

6 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

7 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

8 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。

9 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

10 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

11 feverishly   

adv. 兴奋地

参考例句：

• Feverishly he collected his data. 他拼命收集资料。
• The company is having to cast around feverishly for ways to cut its costs. 公司迫切须要想出各种降低成本的办法。

12 apprehended   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。
• The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

13 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

14 wrangling   

v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The two sides have spent most of their time wrangling over procedural problems. 双方大部分时间都在围绕程序问题争论不休。 来自辞典例句
• The children were wrangling (with each other) over the new toy. 孩子为新玩具（互相）争吵。 来自辞典例句

15 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

16 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。