VOA标准英语2011-Beirut Bids Farewell to Iconic Cafe

This week, Beirut said goodbye to an almost century-old coffee house that survived civil war, regime changes and countless¹ political crises. Activists² say it was one of more than a thousand historical landmarks³ that have disappeared from the city's landscape in the past 15 years.

The party organizers billed the event as a "funeral," but the atmosphere was anything but somber⁴.

At the closing night of Café Gemmayze, also known as Ahwet L-Ezez, or The Glass Café in English, a man sung in praise of the restaurant, now closed after 90 years as a Lebanese institution.

"Beloved ones, we came to the café to party," he sang. "By us the cafe grew better."

Other locals and long-time customers read poems, lamenting⁵ what they call the "death" of this Beirut icon⁶.

Not far from the front lines of the battles that devastated⁷ Beirut in the 1970s and 80s, Café Gemmayze remained open during the civil war and steadfast⁸ during the remodeling that has changed much of what remained in the years that followed.

Café owner Angele Abi Haidar says, during war, the café was a safe haven⁹ for beleaguered¹⁰ locals. Many families fled the area, but those that remained found camaraderie¹¹ and relative safety inside the restaurant. Regulars came daily and played cards or backgammon, while drinking coffee and smoking argile- otherwise known as shisha, or hookah.

"They came each day- everyday- from seven- eight o'clock to seven in the evening, and whenever a bomb or a shell came, they went to the kitchen and continued their day. [It was] very, very cool," said Haidar.

"Save Beirut Heritage," the group that organized the café's last hurrah¹², says in the past 15 years, about 1,300 historical buildings have been torn down in Beirut, and several iconic coffee houses have shut their doors. Giorgio Tarraf, one of the founders¹³ of the organization, says since they opened nine months ago, they have connected with more than 7,000 supporters on the Internet and successfully lobbied for the preservation¹⁴ of all or part of 50 buildings.

"We want to preserve Beirut's old houses and try to protect our architectural heritage, and, more importantly, our human heritage," said Tarraf.

Although the Lebanese Ministry¹⁵ of Culture has guidelines that restrict the destruction of historical buildings in Beirut, the actual laws concerning the issue date back more than 80 years, says Tarraf. He says they need an "urgent update."

Activists say the fact that Lebanese politicians often own the development companies that profit from replacing old buildings has made it harder to fight for the historical landmarks.

Save Beirut Heritage volunteer Gus Naamani, says destroying buildings in Beirut is robbing the city of its history, and of its future as a tourist destination. Naamani says the organization threw a farewell party for Café Gemmayze because in the past, when other historical landmarks have been shut down, no one knew, and no one protested.

"They shut down without anybody saying anything. Now that we're here we are not going to be quiet about. We are going to say, 'No, we don't agree with what you are doing,'" said Naamani.

For Angele Abi Haidar, who said goodbye to the café her family has owned for more than 60 years this week, the parting was bittersweet. The widespread closing of historical landmarks in Beirut makes her sad, she says. But, she adds, it makes her more determined¹⁶ to make the new café she just opened remain traditional, and uniquely Lebanese.

1 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

4 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

5 lamenting   

adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢，后悔自己没有毁了那张字条，把钱昧下来！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

6 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

7 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

8 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

9 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

10 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 camaraderie   

n.同志之爱，友情

参考例句：

• The camaraderie among fellow employees made the tedious work just bearable.同事之间的情谊使枯燥乏味的工作变得还能忍受。
• Some bosses are formal and have occasional interactions,while others prefer continual camaraderie.有些老板很刻板，偶尔才和下属互动一下；有些则喜欢和下属打成一片。

12 hurrah   

int.好哇，万岁，乌拉

参考例句：

• We hurrah when we see the soldiers go by.我们看到士兵经过时向他们欢呼。
• The assistants raised a formidable hurrah.助手们发出了一片震天的欢呼声。

13 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

14 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

15 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

16 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。