VOA常速英语2008年-UN Pays Tribute to Victims of Slavery

By Margaret Besheer
United Nations
25 March 2008

The United Nations held its first international day of remembrance Tuesday for victims of slavery and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pointed¹ out, slavery has not ended in modern times, but rather continues in the forms of forced labor², sexual exploitation and human trafficking. From United Nations headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

The practice of slavery dates back throughout human history and victimized many peoples. But in the 15th century, European explorers began capturing and transporting large numbers of people from West Africa to colonies in the Western hemisphere.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the Trans-Atlantic slave trade one of the greatest atrocities³ in history.

"This unparalleled global tragedy claimed untold⁴ millions of lives over four centuries, and left a terrible legacy⁵ that continues to dehumanize and oppress people around the world to this day," he said.

African Union Ambassador Augustine Mahiga said more than 25 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic as part of the slave trade, and more than 2 million others died during the difficult journey.

"It left Africa vulnerable to deeper intrusion by foreign powers and foreign domination," he noted⁶.  "Today, we should remember those millions who resisted captivity⁷ and those who perished while being transported in overcrowded ships. Those who died from harsh conditions or brutality⁸, and simply from broken hearts."

The slave trade lasted more than 350 years and played a central role in building the modern world. In most of the Western world, slavery was abolished two centuries ago. But as Secretary-General Ban pointed out, it continues today as forced labor, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Tuesday's commemoration, while solemn, also paid tribute to the rich cultural heritage of the peoples of Africa and the Caribbean who the slave trade victimized.

1 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

2 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。

3 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》

4 untold   

adj.数不清的，无数的

参考例句：

• She has done untold damage to our chances.她给我们的机遇造成了不可估量的损害。
• They suffered untold terrors in the dark and huddled together for comfort.他们遭受着黑暗中的难以言传的种种恐怖，因而只好挤在一堆互相壮胆。

5 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

6 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。

7 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

8 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军