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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
King Mswati III of Swaziland became leader of his country in 1986. His real name is Makhosetive, which means King of Nations. As a young prince, he developed a keen interest in the Royal Guard, the soldiers that protect his kingdom. He became the first Swazi royal to join the Swaziland Defence Force.
His father died of pneumonia1 in 1982. The royal family chose 14-year-old prince Makhosetive to be the next king. He spent four years training for his new position, while attending an elite2 school in England. He was crowned King of Swaziland on April 25, 1986, aged3 18 years and 6 days. At that time, he was the youngest reigning4 monarch5 in the world.
Today, Mswati III is Africa's last absolute monarch. This means he has the power to choose his own government. He can also choose his own wives and currently has thirteen. His first two wives were chosen for him by national councilors, following Swazi customs and traditions. He can only marry his fiancées after they have fallen pregnant, so they can prove they can have children.
The world’s media often criticizes the King. He leads a luxurious6 lifestyle and spends a fortune on luxury cars, while his people live in poverty. His mishandling of the country’s HIV/AIDS crisis came under heavy criticism. He wanted those with AIDS sterilized7 and branded. He also called for a five year ban on sex. He did not follow this, instead marrying five more wives.
1 pneumonia | |
n.肺炎 | |
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2 elite | |
n.精英阶层;实力集团;adj.杰出的,卓越的 | |
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3 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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4 reigning | |
adj.统治的,起支配作用的 | |
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5 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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6 luxurious | |
adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的 | |
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7 sterilized | |
v.消毒( sterilize的过去式和过去分词 );使无菌;使失去生育能力;使绝育 | |
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