联合国种族大会隆重召开

 

Racism¹ Conference Opens with a Flourish

Challiss McDonough

Durban, South Africa

31 Aug 2001 

 

The World Conference Against Racism, 1)Xenophobia and Related 2)Intolerance has opened in South Africa after months of haggling³ over the agenda.

The World Conference Against Racism began with a flourish. Dancers wearing 3)adaptations of traditional costumes from around the world welcomed the 4)delegates to South Africa.

Their grace and beauty stood in stark⁴ contrast to the weeks of 5)tension leading up to the conference. Pre-conference talks were preoccupied⁵ by a war of words over two issues, reparations for slavery and whether 6)Zionism equals 7)racism.

In his opening speech, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan told delegates this conference has been "exceptionally difficult to prepare for" because the issues it deals with "are not ones where 8)consensus is easily found." But he urged them to try. "If we leave here without agreement, we shall give comfort to the worst elements in every society," he said. "But if, after all the difficulties, we can leave with a call to action supported by all, we shall send a signal of hope to brave people struggling against racism all over the world."

On the Middle East, he said the world must never forget that the Jewish people have been victims of discrimination and 9)genocide. "Yet we cannot expect Palestinians to accept this as a reason why the wrongs done to them, displacement⁶, occupation, blockade and now extra-judicial killings⁷, should be ignored, whatever label one uses to describe them," he said.

Mr. Annan called the conference a test of the international community. He said delegates should not pick on any one country or region, but should admit that all nations have issues of racism and discrimination to address.

On the issue of reparations for slavery and 10)colonialism, he praised countries that have apologized for their past wrongs. He said such a move can help free the present and the future from the 11)shackles of the past. But he also urged the delegates to focus on saving the future from racism and xenophobia.

Mr. Annan said they must not leave the city of Durban without agreeing on practical measures to promote greater 12)harmony and tolerance² in all societies.

 

 

(1)      xenophobia[zenE5fEJbIE]n.仇外, 惧外者

(2)      intolerance [In`tClErLns]n.(尤指对别人的意见)不能忍耐, 不容异说

(3)      adaptation[EdAp5teIF(E)n]n.适应, 改编, 改写本

(4)      delegate[5delI^Et]n.代表vt.委派...为代表

(5)      tension[5tenF(E)n]n.紧张(状态), 不安, 拉紧vt.拉紧, 使紧张

(6)      Zionism [5zaIEnIz(E)m]n.犹太复国主义,犹太复国运动

(7)      racism n.种族主义, 人种偏见, 种族歧视

(8)      consensus[kEn5sensEs]n.一致同意, 多数人的意见, 舆论

(9)      genocide[5dVenEsaId]n.有计划的灭种和屠杀

(10)      shackle[5FAk(E)l]n.手铐, 脚镣, 桎梏vt.加桎梏, 束缚

(11)      colonialism[kE5lEJnIElIz(E)m]n.殖民主义

(12)      harmony[5hB:mEnI]n.协调, 融洽

 

 

1 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

2 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

3 haggling   

v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt. 我扔下他自己在市场上就一件衬衫讨价还价。
• Some were haggling loudly with traders as they hawked their wares. 有些人正在大声同兜售货物的商贩讲价钱。 来自辞典例句

4 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

5 preoccupied   

adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)

参考例句：

• He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事，没注意到有什么不对。
• The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

7 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。