英语名人堂：英格丽德·贝当古

英格丽德·贝当古是哥伦比亚法国裔的政治家，曾任哥伦比亚参议员及反贪污活跃人士，哥伦比亚前总统候选人。

Ingrid Betancourt is a Colombian-French politician and formerly¹ the world’s most famous hostage. She was kidnapped in 2002 by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning to be president. Her six years in captivity² in the Colombian jungle attracted media attention worldwide. She was rescued in July 2008 in a daring operation by Colombian security forces.

 

Betancourt was born in Colombia’s capital Bogota in 1961. Her mother was a politician and former Miss Colombia. Her father was also a politician and was high up in UNESCO. Ingrid attended elite³ schools in France, England and Colombia. After graduating, she married a fellow student and they had two children. Her diplomat⁴ husband meant she traveled constantly and lived in different countries.

 

Her political career began in 1990. She distributed condoms to the poor in her election campaign. Her motto was she would be like a condom against corruption⁵. She was elected to government in 1994 and launched her Green Oxygen Party. Four years later she became a Senator. In February 2002, she ignored government warnings and tried to campaign in FARC-held territory.

 

The FARC had no plan to kidnap Betancourt. She walked straight into their hands. She became the FARC’s most valuable hostage. Her 2,321 days in captivity were full of reports about her ill health and wretched living conditions. A video released in 2007 showed her looking desperately⁶ frail⁷. Following her daring rescue, she received the Legion of Honour from French President Sarkozy.

1 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

2 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。

3 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

4 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。