2006年VOA标准英语-Ivory Coast Football Defeat Dashes Hope of

By Nico Colombant
Abidjan
10 February 2006

Host nation Egypt has defeated Ivory Coast in the final of the 2006 African Cup of Nations. In the divided West African country, the loss has also dashed hopes of reconciliation¹ through football success.

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Ivory Coast's captain Didier Drogba reacts after missing goal-scoring opportunity during  African Nations Cup final match
  

After star forward Didier Drogba missed an easy chance during the game and a penalty during a deciding shoot-out, most of the streets of the commercial capital Abidjan fell silent.

In one part of town, a group of women broke into tears.

It was unlike after recent games, as the Elephants of Ivory Coast, as they are known marched to the final, spurring wild celebrations.

After the semi-final victory, one fan said he prayed players would bring the cup first to rebel-held zones and then to the government-held south.

Before the final, one of the players, Bonaventure Kalou, said their performance was a last hope for reconciliation and solidarity² for divided Ivorians. He said they were like a life vest for the difficult peace process. But he said he hoped it would not be too much weight on the player's shoulders.

Ivory Coast football fans take African Nations Cup loss hard   
  
During the tournament, a pro-presidential leader, recently sanctioned by the Security Council, said he would put off protests as long as the national side was winning. Charles Ble Goude is under a travel ban and asset freeze for disrupting the peace process.

He is now thinking of when to protest against the international community for failing to disarm³ northern rebels more than three years after a French-brokered peace accord was signed.

Parliament, which has blocked political reforms in successive peace deals, resumed work this week, even though almost half the lawmakers boycotted⁴ the session

This latest development was not the main focus this week, but as one fan told VOA, now that the football honeymoon⁵ is over, politically-motivated ethnic⁶ tensions will build once again.

1 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

2 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

3 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

4 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

5 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

6 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。