VOA标准英语2011--Latin America Boosting Ties With Africa

Visits to Senegal this week by Bolivian President Evo Morales and Brazil's ex-President Lula da Silva highlight what analysts² say is Latin America's growing geopolitical interest in Africa.
The cries of "Olé" that pierced the Senegalese air before a rally Monday are an exotic noise to this continent that boasts only one Spanish-speaking country, and but a handful of countries that use the Portuguese³ colonial tongue shared by ex-Brazilian president Lula da Silva.
But when the former Brazilian president came for a speech in Senegal, hundreds of Spanish-speaking well-wishers came with him, from activists⁴ draped in South American flags, to Guatemala Mayan women, and even Evo Morales the first indigenous⁵ President of Bolivia.
Their arrival comes at a time when analysts say Latin America is increasing ties with the continent to the east.
The two landmasses share cash crops, and a history of 15th through 19th century colonial exploitation followed by 20th-century military rule.
But in the 21st century, da Silva says, they share new opportunities due to tremendous economic growth.
He says in the 29 countries he visited as president, he has been struck by the vitality⁶ with which Africa is affirming itself as the master of its destiny.
The continent, he said, is more relevant than ever to developing nations like Brazil. And while the former Portuguese colony is by far Latin America's most active player on the continent, it is setting an example that other regional leaders are following.
For Morales, Africa is a place where Latin Americans can find link-minded people who have been oppressed by many of the same global forces.
He says that "you here in Africa, my brothers sisters, at a certain point, you were beaten, colonized⁷, forced to work by forces coming from Europe. But you should know that we too were conquered and humiliated⁸ by European forces," he says.
Eurasia Group's Africa Analyst¹ Anne Frauhauf says countries like Bolivia have not yet found a way to leverage⁹ the history they share with Africa into an overall strategy for boosting South Atlantic ties.
But that will change, she says, as economic growth on both continents inspire trade, travel, and political cooperation between across the ocean.
Already, she says, Brazil is "leading the charge" with a focus on boosting agriculture and health services on the continent.
"In general, I think it's seen as a very important opportunity for African governments," said Frauhauf. "Brazil is one of the most exciting emerging economies. In some ways it comes with less of some of the baggage associated with China. It is going to be a very important middle-ground player in this sort of scramble¹⁰ for Africa."
During president Lula's eight-year term, she says Brazil doubled the number of embassies in Africa and increased trade with the continent five-fold. She adds the country also is pushing its commercial banks to lend to African infrastructure¹¹ projects.

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

6 vitality   

n.活力，生命力，效力

参考例句：

• He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

7 colonized   

开拓殖民地，移民于殖民地( colonize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The area was colonized by the Vikings. 这一地区曾沦为维京人的殖民地。
• The British and French colonized the Americas. 英国人和法国人共同在美洲建立殖民地。

8 humiliated   

感到羞愧的

参考例句：

• Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
• He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。

9 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

10 scramble   

v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料

参考例句：

• He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
• It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。