【新唐人2010年11月3日讯】【看新闻学英语】
Burma Changes Flag and Official Name
缅甸改变国旗及正式名称
By Wan-Chun Chang, David Lee
【新闻关键字】
1. junta [ˋdʒʌn ] n.军人集团
2. anthem [ˋænθəm] n.国歌
3. astrology [əˋstrɑlədʒɪ] n.星相学、占星术
4. detention [dɪˋtɛnʃən] n.拘留
5. establish [əˋstæblɪʃ] v.创立
6. secretive [sɪˋkritɪv] ad. 隐隐藏藏的
2 weeks out from the country’s first election in 20 years, Burma’s military junta changed the country’s flag, official name and national anthem. It is believed astrology may have something to do with the sudden makeover.
距离20年来国会第一次选举只有二周,缅甸政府修改了国歌、正式名称与国旗。据信这突然的改变可能与星相学有关。
The changes, announced on Thursday, were outlined in a new constitution published in 2008 but the government didn’t announce a date for their introduction.
这项在周四发布的改变,已明列在2008年公布的新宪法中,但那时政府并没有宣布变动的日期。
The country’s new name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, instead of the Union of Myanmar.
这个国家的国名从“缅甸联邦”更改为“缅甸联邦共和国”。
The military, which has ruled since a 1962 coup, changed the country’s name in English from Burma to Myanmar in 1989. It was a year after widespread protests against military rule were crushed, and a year before the last election.
现在的军政府,是从1962年政变之后统治至今,在1989年时改变英文国名从Burma 变为 Myanmar。那是在大范围抗议军政府统治被镇压之后的一年,也是在上一次选举的前一年。
That election was won by the party of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi but the military ignored the result. Suu Kyi has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention.
那次选举由Aung San Suu Kyi民主同盟党领袖翁山苏姬胜出,但是军政府无视选举结果。翁山苏姬在过去的21年中,被软禁15年。
Although the flags are for sale on the street, residents don’t seem to be buying them.
虽然国旗在街上销售,但居民们似乎并没有要购买。
[Win Tin, Member, National League for Democracy]:
“It could be because of the astrology, it could be because the timing is right. There might be other reasons why they do this. Whatever the case, what is clear is that they have broken their own laws to establish this flag, and history will remember this."
国家民主联盟成员温婷说:“那有可能是因为星相学的关系,因为时机对了。也有可能是其他原因导致他们做这个决定。不管如何,很显然的他们破坏了自己的法律去制定这个国旗,历史将会记得这件事。”
Burma’s secretive military rulers are widely believed to consult astrologers.
缅甸隐隐藏藏的军方领导人,广泛地被认为都是向占星师咨询。
本新闻影音出处:新唐人电视台英语新闻
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2010-10-22/113515475566.html
【每日一句】
The loss outweighs the gain.
得不偿失!
【今日谚语】
Truth never fears investigation.
事实从来不怕调查