VOA慢速英语2015 2014年我们失去的那些重要人物

 

Entertainers, Politicians and a Yogi: People We Lost in 2014 2014年我们失去的那些重要人物

Here are nine people who made a difference in their countries and around the world. We saw their movies, read their books, sang their songs, argued about their ideas, wore their clothes and did their yoga. Now, we say goodbye.

Entertainment

Many people were shocked when they learned that American actor Robin¹ Williams committed suicide. The comedian² was known for inventing funny dialogue and scenes. But he had a long battle with depression. Some of his most famous movies were “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Dead Poets Society” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

Sir Richard Attenborough was a respected English actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. He spent 20 years trying to make a movie about the life of Mahatma Gandhi. He finally succeeded. The film “Gandhi” won eight Academy Awards, including a best director Oscar for Mr. Attenborough.

Over 360 films credit the work of Run Run Shaw. He was one of the pioneers of the 20th century Chinese film industry. His movie “Five Fingers of Death” is considered a kung fu classic. Later, Run Run Shaw became a major philanthropist. He donated billions of dollars to schools, charities and hospitals in China.

Legendary³ singer Pete Seeger helped create the modern folk music movement. Artists around the world have recorded his songs, including “If I Had a Hammer” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” His best-known work is probably the church song “We Shall Overcome.” Mr. Seeger did not write the song, but he helped link it to the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

Literature

In 1969, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou made literary history. It was the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman. 

Ms. Angelou rose from poverty, segregation⁴ and violence to become a powerful public and creative figure. Americans who did not already know her work heard it at Bill Clinton’s inauguration⁵ in 1993. There, Ms. Angelou read her poem “On the Pulse of the Morning.” 

Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos described Gabriel Garcia Marquez as “the greatest Colombian who ever lived.” Many consider him one of the most important authors of the 20th century. His works include “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and “Love in the Time of Cholera⁶.” Mr. Gabriel Marquez was affectionately known as Gabo throughout Latin America. He wrote in the style of magic realism – in other words, he combined the real with the impossible.

Politics

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was a political leader and military general. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel.

Ariel Sharon helped define events in the Middle East for decades. One of his most important decisions was to turn over Gaza and parts of the West Bank to Palestinian control. He died eight years after suffering a severe stroke.

Oscar De La Renta was not a politician. He was a fashion designer who was born in the Dominican Republic and trained by top Spanish designers.

But one of his most famous clients was American First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Mr. De La Renta also made dresses for movie stars – and he eventually become a star himself. 

And one more

Indian guru B.K.S Iyengar suffered from tuberculosis⁷, typhoid and malaria⁸ as a child. He said doing yoga saved his life. Mr. Iyengar become one of the most important and powerful teachers of yoga around the world. His kind of yoga – called Iyengar yoga – requires people to stay in a yoga position for a long time. It demands strength, desire and discipline. 

1 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

2 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

3 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

4 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

5 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

6 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

7 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

8 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。