VOA常速英语2007年-Zimbabweans in Exile Hope for Change in 2008

By Tendai Maphosa
London
18 December 2007

It has been another difficult year for Zimbabwe, with a seemingly ever-increasing political and economic crisis that has forced an estimated 3 million Zimbabweans into exile.  From London, Tendai Maphosa spoke¹ to some of those in Britain about their hopes for their country in the coming year.

Looking back over the year 2007, finds Zimbabwe having broken some dubious² records.  The country has the highest inflation rate in the world; it has more than 80 percent unemployment, low life expectancy³, and shortages of basics, fuel and power.

For most Zimbabweans the struggle to make ends meet consumes their daily lives.  For many others, conditions at home have forced them into exile.

Thousands of Zimbabweans are in the United Kingdom, some as political refugees and others looking for better economic opportunities.  James, not his real name, has been in Britain since 2002. 

In Zimbabwe he was an active member of the opposition⁴ Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).  He says his activities during the 2002 presidential election campaign attracted the attention of Zimbabwe's secret police.

"They came to my house and they took me to a torture place, they started beating up, they wanted to know what we are doing for the party where we wanted to go next, so I decided⁵ to leave Zimbabwe," he said.  "I do not have a proper job, I am only doing some jobs where I can get at least some money to feed myself and my family here in England, but for people back home I am always trying to do something for those people as well."

Some Zimbabweans have been fortunate to find job as nurses, doctors, technology specialists or teachers; others have not and their best option is to find menial work as laborers⁶, cleaners or caretakers of the elderly.

Other exiles are politically active, pushing for change and democracy back home - demonstrating every Saturday outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in central London.  Drumming and singing always accompany the demonstration⁷.

These protesters say they hope that elections scheduled for next year in Zimbabwe will vote out the long-time government of President Robert Mugabe and bring in the opposition, and with it change for the country.

PERSON1:  "We hope Mugabe will not win the elections, there is going to be a new president."
PERSON2:  "I am just praying that if the MDC itself will come back together, they will win."
PERSON1:  "My hope is there should be the rule of law in the country; peace."

Some Zimbabwean exiles remain focused on political activism, others such as Rob, who prefers to give only his first name, have built up businesses.  He is a technology specialist with a successful business in London.  He goes back home to Zimbabwe often and while he agrees that the situation there is bad, he feels certain that if political change happens Zimbabwe can turn itself around.

"I am hopeful, I think we have got to be positive about it and having traveled around the region looking at the infrastructure⁸ that we have got we are not dead yet," he said.  "I think there is a lot to be positive about and I think it is definitely salvageable⁹."

Whatever their views, there was a general consensus¹⁰ among the people VOA spoke to that rebuilding Zimbabwe is not going to be easy and will only be possible after political change occurs.  But there was also a feeling among these exiles that they want to go back home and be a part of the rebuilding process.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

3 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

7 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 salvageable   

adj. 可抢救的(可打捞的)

参考例句：

• Tank wrecks found on maps are no longer salvageable. 地图上自带的坦克残骸将不能被轴心国工兵回收。
• Their marriage was not salvageable. 他们的婚姻已不可挽回。

10 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？