2007年VOA标准英语-Senegal Independence Day Calls into Question Fr

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
04 April 2007

Throughout Francophone West Africa, analysts² say France's influence has been changing. In Senegal, the country observed its 47th year of independence from France. With an octogenarian president entering his last term, analysts say it is inevitable³ France will lose influence with future leaders of its former colony. Phuong Tran has for VOA more from Dakar.

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Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade greets crowd at the Independence Day parade, 04 Apr 2007

Thousands in downtown Dakar lined up on General Charles de Gaulle Boulevard to see Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.

This street has had decades of independence day parades since Senegal gained its sovereignty in 1960.

Local political analyst¹ Yoro Dia says Senegal's relationship with France will soon change, because there are no more presidential candidates trained in the French colonial system like Mr. Wade.

"When you are a product of French colonial system, you have a French colonial mentality," he said.

"The most important thing is what people are thinking in Paris. What people are thinking in Washington [D.C.], you do not care. What people are thinking in Senegal, you do not care. But what people are thinking in Paris, you do care," he continued.

Dia says it is inevitable France will lose some influence because he says Mr. Wade is the last of the colonial generation.

"Wade is a kind of bridge between that colonial generation, people who fight for independence and the other generation, people who were born in Senegal, trained in the United States, people who do not have the colonial mentality," said Dia.

"I think this is the biggest change. You no longer have the relationship between the master and the [colonized]," he added.

For 24-year-old government economist⁵, Alfa, Senegal is still close to its former colonizer⁶.

"Nothing [has] really changed. It is our partner. We love French people. It is our big brother," said Alfa.

But when asked where most people his age want to go if they are to leave Senegal, he does not hesitate in replying: "For the students, they want to go to America or China to learn more."

For army Commander Alain Diop, the celebration honors Senegal's responsibilities as a sovereign country.

He says the day is a reminder⁷ of Senegal's ability to make both peace and war.

Officials say there were less military in attendance this year because more are serving overseas in neighboring countries' conflicts.

 

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

4 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

5 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

6 colonizer   

殖民者，殖民地开拓者，移民

参考例句：

• In the first few year, the colonizer find life difficult. 头几年里，殖民地开拓者觉得生活艰难。

7 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。