CCTV9英语新闻：赞比亚77岁总统病死英国

LUSAKA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Michael Sata has died of undisclosed illness in London after medical check-up, the Zambian government said on Wednesday.

 

The file photo taken on Jan. 31, 2014 shows Zambian President Michael Sata attending the closing ceremonoy of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  (Xinhua/Meng Chenguang)

Sata, who flew to London on Oct. 20 for medical check-up, died at around 2300 GMT at London's King Edward VII Hospital after months of speculations 1 on his health, according to Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska.

"However, it is with a very heavy heart that I address you today to inform the nation that our beloved president and leader, His Excellency Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, has passed on," Msiska said to the public via state television and radio.

The first lady Christine Kaseba-Sata, their son Lusaka Mulenga Sata and others were present at the bed side when the president passed on.

The head of the public service called on people to remain calm, united and peaceful during the difficult period, adding that the public will be informed of the funeral arrangement and other details.

Sata's health has been a source of concern since June this year when he appeared on state television looking pale. He later disappeared from the public eye, with local media reporting that he had gone for medical treatment in Israel while the government said he had gone for a working holiday.

Last month, he failed to address the UN General Assembly during his scheduled time, with international media reporting that he collapsed 2 in his hotel room, a statement which was later rebuffed by authorities.

The 77-year-old leader, who became Zambia's 5th president after winning the 2011 elections, missed celebrations to mark 50 years of independence last Friday and the government was, for the first time, forced to openly come out on his health status after months of speculations.

He became the second Zambian leader who died while in office. President Levy 3 Mwanawasa died in 2008 while attending an African Union Summit in Egypt.

Sata was born in northern Zambia on July 6, 1937 and was a significant figure in Zambian political arena 4, who had served in several governments from the time of the country's first President Kenneth Kaunda. Under former president Kenneth Kaunda, he worked in various portfolios 5 including governor of Lusaka. ( He later defected to a new movement, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) formed in 1990, to challenge Kaunda's autocratic rule. After the MMD's victory in the 1991 elections, Sata became part of the inner circle of President Fredrick Chiluba's government and worked in various ministries 6.

In 2001, he decided 7 to form his own political party, the Patriotic 8 Front (PF), after falling out of favor with Chiluba and stood as a presidential candidate in that year's elections, but failed. He became a vocal 9 opposition 10 leader in 2011 when he triumphed during the general elections.

Sata, who was nicknamed 'King Cobra' because of his abrasive 11 tongue, was known for his no-nonsense approach to issues but his critics accused him of failing to perform during his three year reign 12 as president.

点击收听单词发音  






1
speculations

  
 


n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断


参考例句：





Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》












2
collapsed

  
 


adj.倒塌的


参考例句：





Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。












3
levy

  
 


n.征收税或其他款项，征收额


参考例句：





They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。












4
arena

  
 


n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台


参考例句：





She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。












5
portfolios

  
 


n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 )；（保险）业务量；（公司或机构提供的）系列产品；纸夹


参考例句：





Price risk arises in non-trading portfolios, as well as in trading portfolios. 价格风险中出现的非贸易投资，以及在贸易投资组合。 来自互联网
How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? 我们怎样育肥我们的投资结构和维持财政健康呢？ 来自互联网












6
ministries

  
 


（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期


参考例句：





Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。












7
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。












8
patriotic

  
 


adj.爱国的，有爱国心的


参考例句：





His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。












9
vocal

  
 


adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目


参考例句：





The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。












10
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。












11
abrasive

  
 


adj.使表面磨损的；粗糙的；恼人的


参考例句：





His abrasive manner has won him an unenviable notoriety.他生硬粗暴的态度让他声名狼藉。
She had abrasions to her wrists where the abrasive rope had scraped her.她的手腕有多出磨伤，那是被粗糙的绳子擦伤的。












12
reign

  
 


n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势


参考例句：





The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。