VOA常速英语2013--肯尼亚独立50年的反思

 

Reflecting on 50 Years of Kenyan Independence 肯尼亚独立50年的反思

WASHINGTON — Thursday will mark 50 years since Kenya gained independence from Britain. As the nation celebrates half a century of self-rule, Kenyans are reflecting on how their country has changed.

Frederic Njenga is an entrepreneur¹ who runs a butcher's shop on the outskirts² of Nairobi.

弗雷德里克·纳曾加是经营着内罗毕郊区一家肉店的店主。

His parents, like many Kenyans with high hopes for a country that won hard-fought independence, wanted their son to get a good education.

他的父母,就像那些对于这个国家赢得来之不易独立充满希望的许多肯尼亚人一样，也希望他们的儿子接受良好的教育。

However, they could not afford to pay school fees.

然而,他们负担不起学费。

"I completed primary school in 1980, then I went to high school.

“1980年,我念完了小学,然后去读高中。

I studied for the first two terms, but then we couldn't afford the fees so I was forced to quit.

我学了前两个学期,但是由于负担不起接下来的费用,所以我迫不得已辍学。

Living in the village, in a rural area, you have to think about what else you will do.

住在村子里,生活在这样的农村地区,你必须思考你能够做些什么。

So I decided³ to start a business with money I had saved working in people's farms, and that's how I started,” recalled Njenga.

所以我决定创业，资金来源于我在人们农场工作的所得,然后我就是这样开始了,” 纳曾加回忆道。

Like many people in rural communities, Njenga shares a home with his extended family.

像在农村社区的许多人一样,纳曾加住在他的大家庭里。

He lives with his parents and four children.

他和父母,还有四个孩子同住。

His first business trips to the livestock⁴ market to buy supplies.

他的第一次出差是到牲畜市场购买物资。

He does not own a car, so he uses a public transport minibus known as a "matatu.

由于没有汽车,所以他只能搭乘被称为matatu的公共交通巴士。

Life can be hard and money is sometimes tight, but Njenga believes Kenya has made major progress over the years.

生活可以用坚辛万苦形容，还时不时伴有手头拮据,但纳曾加相信肯尼亚多年来已经取得了重大进展。

"If you think back to the early 1970s, there were no paved⁵ roads or tapped water.

“如果你回想20世纪70年代早期,那时候没有公路或水源。

Electricity wasn't accessible to all people, and today most people have electricity in their homes.

电力并非所有人的必备品,然而现如今大多数人的房子都通上了电。

Many of the main roads are tarmac so the government has tried,” said Njenga.

而且许多主要道路都是沥青铺设,政府的确已经努力过了,”纳曾加说道。

There are large suppliers of meat in Kenya, but many people still rely on small-scale traders like Njenga who sell meat at a relatively⁶ lower cost.

在肯尼亚有大的肉类供应商,但许多人仍然依靠像是纳曾加这样以相对价格低廉吸引顾客的小规模企业主。

When asked what he hopes the future holds for himself and Kenya, Njenga is non-committal.

当被问及对自己和肯尼亚的未来抱有何希望时,纳曾加并没有做出任何承诺。

"I can't tell you what the future of the country will be, but ask me about business.

“我没法告诉你这个国家的未来将会怎样,但如果是问我的生意。

All we want is for us to be able to make a living,” he said.

我们想要的是只是能够谋生,”他说。

Njenga hopes that as Kenya marks 50 years of independence from colonial⁷ rule, his country will continue to grow and develop-and give his children and grandchildren a better chance for a comfortable life.

纳曾加希望值此肯尼亚结束殖民统治独立50周年纪念之际,他的国家能够继续发展,给他的孩子和孙子们营造更为舒适的生活。

1 entrepreneur   

n.企业家，主办人

参考例句：

• The entrepreneur has become a news figure.这位企业家变成了新闻人物。
• The entrepreneur takes business risks in the hope of making a profit.企业家为追求利润而冒险。

2 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

3 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。

4 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

5 paved   

v.铺( pave的过去式和过去分词 )；为…铺平道路

参考例句：

• a paved area near the back door 后门旁一块石板地
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track. 铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 colonial   

adj.殖民地的，关于殖民的；n.殖民地，居民

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule.非洲人民成功地反抗了殖民统治。