VOA标准英语2010年-Anti-Apartheid Hero Desmond Tutu to Re

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and and former Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu talks during a press conference in Cape¹ Town, South Africa, 22 Jul 2010. Tutu announced he is retiring from public life after his birthday on Oct. 7 when he turns 79.

South African anti-apartheid leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu says he will retire soon from public life.  Tutu, who battled to end apartheid and later to promote peace and reconciliation², announced at a news conference Thursday he would retire from public life October 7th, on his 79th birthday.

 

He told reporters his schedule of public appearances had grown increasingly punishing.  "Instead of growing old gracefully³ with my family, reading and writing and praying and thinking, too much of my time has been spent at airports and in hotels," said Tutu.

He said from October he would limit his time at the office to one day per week in order to wrap up his many public responsibilities.

"The time has now come to slow down and sip⁴, maybe, Rooibos tea with my beloved wife in the afternoon, to watch cricket and rugby and soccer and tennis; to travel to visit my children and grandchildren, rather than (go to) conferences and conventions and university campuses," said Tutu.

Tutu said he would continue to support his Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation and continue to work with a global council of statesmen called The Elders, founded by former President Nelson Mandela.  Tutu said, however, that he would leave his positions at the University of Western Cape and with the United Nations Advisory⁵ Committee on the Prevention of Genocide. And he said he would no longer grant media interviews.

Ordained⁶ a priest of the Anglican Church in 1960 at the age of 30, Tutu used his clerical status to denounce the injustices⁷ of apartheid, and he was arrested repeatedly for his outspokenness⁸.  He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, and was named the first black archbishop of Cape Town two years later.  He used his new international stature¹⁰ to broaden the anti-apartheid struggle.

During the first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Tutu coined the phrase "Rainbow Nation" to describe his country.  He was subsequently named chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which for 30 months heard victims testify about the atrocities¹¹ committed during the apartheid era.

He retired¹² as archbishop 14 years ago, but maintained a heavy public schedule.  He continued to denounce injustices around the world and to criticize what he saw as the failings of the new South Africa.

Tutu spoke⁹ out against AIDS denial during the government of former President Thabo Mbeki, and apologized to gays and lesbians for the suffering caused by the teachings of the Anglican Church.

One of the biggest supporters of bringing the football World Cup to South Africa, Tutu was seen dancing and singing during the opening ceremonies and several matches.
 

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

3 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

4 sip   

v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量

参考例句：

• She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
• Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

5 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

6 ordained   

v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定

参考例句：

• He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句

7 injustices   

不公平( injustice的名词复数 )； 非正义； 待…不公正； 冤枉

参考例句：

• One who committed many injustices is doomed to failure. 多行不义必自毙。
• He felt confident that his injustices would be righted. 他相信他的冤屈会受到昭雪的。

8 outspokenness   

参考例句：

• He wondered whether his outspokenness a liability to John. 他怀疑自己那么心直口快，是否为成为约翰的包袱。
• He wondered whether his outspokenness might a. to his friend. 他怀疑自己那么心直口快，会否使他朋友背上思想包袱。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

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 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。