Berlusconi's wife to divorce him

Berlusconi's wife to divorce him

贝鲁斯科尼的妻子与之离婚

 Ms Lario is the PM's second wife

The wife of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has confirmed that she will file for divorce.

Veronica Lario reportedly said she could not be with a man who "consorted¹ with minors²（未成年人）" after her husband attended a female friend's 18th birthday party.

She had also clashed with her husband over his party's plan to choose certain female election candidates.

The 72-year-old billionaire prime minister said it was a personal matter that saddened （使黯淡，悲伤）him, without elaborating. （精细的，详尽的）

Ms Lario is Mr Berlusconi's second wife and a former actress. The couple, who have been married for 19 years, have three children, all in their 20s.

'Shameless rubbish'

La Repubblica, a leading Italian newspaper, said Ms Lario's decision came after reading about the 18th birthday party in Naples.

"That's enough, I cannot remain with a man who consorts³ with minors", she was quoted（引用，举证）as saying.

Another newspaper, La Stampa, quoted Ms Lario as saying she had been "forced to take this step".

"This really surprised me, because he never came to any 18th birthday party for his children, despite being invited," the paper quoted her as saying earlier.

Mr Berlusconi was reported to have brought the woman a golden necklace studded （镶嵌）with diamonds as a present.

Following his wife's reaction, Mr Berlusconi was quoted as saying he was sorry his wife "had let herself be fooled by left-wing newspapers".

Relations with her husband were already said to be frayed⁴ after Ms Lario had criticised her husband's choice of young and attractive female candidates with little political experience to represent his Freedom Party in the forthcoming（即将到来的）European elections.

In an e-mail to an Italian news agency, she said the plan amounted to "shameless rubbish" being put on "for the entertainment of the emperor".

"What's happening today [in Italy] behind a front of bodily curves and female beauty is grave," she wrote.

Flirting⁵

Mr Berlusconi said his centre-right party was aiming to select female candidates because "we want to renew our political class with people who are cultured and well prepared".

Candidates standing⁶ for the party would be unlike the "malodorous（不合法的）and badly dressed people who represent certain parties in parliament", Mr Berlusconi added.

It was later announced that Barbara Matera - an actress, TV announcer and former Miss Italy contestant⁷ -（竞争者）was the only one of the candidates to have made the final list.

In a brief statement about the reports of divorce, Mr Berlusconi said: "This is a personal matter that saddens me, that is private, and it seems appropriate not to talk about it."

Mr Berlusconi courted Ms Lario in 1980 after watching her perform topless（上空的）in a play. They married ten years later.

Two years ago he issued a public apology to his wife for flirting with（卖弄风骚，调情） young starlets,(刚入影坛的明星)among them Mara Carfagna, who he later appointed as equal opportunities minister.

She said her husband had told the women: "If I wasn't already married I would marry you right away".

In 2003 Berlusconi acknowledged during a press conference rumours（谣言，传闻）linking his wife to a left-wing philosophy professor and mayor, Massimo Cacciari.

Ms Lario has occasionally taken political positions at odds⁸ with(与·。。不合，争吵) her husband's, such as her backing for protesters demonstrating against the war in Iraq, which Mr Berlusconi supported.

Mr Berlusconi has two elder children from a previous marriage who now hold senior positions in his media empire.

The Italian prime minister's private fortune is estimated by Forbes magazine at $6.5bn (£4.4bn).

(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 consorted   

v.结伴( consort的过去式和过去分词 )；交往；相称；调和

参考例句：

• So Rhett consorted with that vile Watling creature and gave her money. 这样看来，瑞德在同沃特琳那个贱货来往并给她钱了。 来自飘（部分）
• One of those creatures Rhett consorted with, probably that Watling woman. 同瑞德 - 巴特勒厮混的一个贱货，很可能就是那个叫沃特琳的女人。 来自飘（部分）

2 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 consorts   

n.配偶( consort的名词复数 )；（演奏古典音乐的）一组乐师；一组古典乐器；一起v.结伴( consort的第三人称单数 )；交往；相称；调和

参考例句：

• The crews of the Card and its consorts had eaten Christmas dinner in Casablanca before sailing. 在起航前“卡德”号和僚舰上的官兵已在卡萨布兰卡吃了圣诞晚餐。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• If he consorts with persons unsuitable to him, his bishop will interfere. 如果他和不适合他去结交的人来往，他的主教就会进行干涉。 来自辞典例句

4 frayed   

adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 flirting   

v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Don't take her too seriously; she's only flirting with you. 别把她太当真，她只不过是在和你调情罢了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• 'she's always flirting with that new fellow Tseng!" “她还同新来厂里那个姓曾的吊膀子！ 来自子夜部分

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 contestant   

n.竞争者，参加竞赛者

参考例句：

• The company will furnish each contestant with a free ticket.公司将为每个参赛者免费提供一张票。
• The personal appearance and interview of the contestant is another count.参加比赛者的个人仪表和谈话也是一项。

8 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？