【一起听英语】继承
英国王族的继承是怎么一回事？
Rob: Hello, I'm Rob…
Stephen: And I'm Stephen.
Rob: And this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. Today we're talking
about royalty 1 and succession.
Stephen: Succession is the act of taking over the position of King or Queen – and there
are certain rules about who can succeed.
Rob: Yes and for the British Royal Family these rules have just changed. We'll talk
a bit more about that soon but as always I like to start the programme with a
question. So Stephen, are you ready?
Stephen: I guess so!
Rob: This is a royal question! Can you tell me which King did the current British
Queen, Queen Elizabeth the Second, succeed? Was it:
a) King George the Fifth
b) King George the Sixth
c) King Edward the Eighth
Stephen: I think it's a George and I'm going to guess King George the Sixth
Rob: OK, well, we'll see if you're right at the end of the programme. Now let's get
back to the subject of royalty and particularly succession. Many people are
fascinated by royal families – their every move is analysed because people
want to see if they are worthy 2 of their title.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Stephen: And people closely watch the princes and princesses because they could one
Rob: A monarch is the person who rules the country – in other words the King or
Queen. If the current ruling monarch dies or abdicates 4, their oldest son or
daughter could be their successor.
Stephen: But in the UK, old succession laws meant that it was always the eldest 5 son who
would take over the throne, unless of course there is only a daughter, as is the
case with the British Queen.
Rob: So men were always preferred over women in succession simply because of
their gender 6. And many people felt these restrictions 7 were outdated 8 and out of
touch with the modern world. But they've recently been updated. Let's hear
about these changes from the BBC's Duncan Kennedy. Listen to what would
happen if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – William and Kate – were to
have a girl first…
Duncan Kennedy, BBC
Changes to the monarchy 9 as big as this need approval from all 16 realms where the Queen is
head of state and now, at the bi-annual meeting of the Commonwealth 10, agreement has been
reached. David Cameron said the changes would end male dominance and that the order of
succession to the throne would now depend on the order of birth. Mr Cameron said if the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, were to have a girl first, she would one
day become Queen. The Prime Minister said the rule banning future monarchs 11 from marrying
Catholics would also be scrapped 12.
Rob: So Duncan Kennedy says these are big changes to the British monarchy. They
needed approval, or agreement, from the 16 countries where the Queen is
head of state.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Stephen: Well approval was given and the order of succession to the throne is now
simply down to the order of birth. British Prime Minister, David Cameron,
says it would end male dominance.
Rob: So this means in the future, if William and Kate have a baby girl first, she
would one day be Queen.
Stephen: Rob, there was another change to the rules about the monarchy that Duncan
Kennedy mentioned?
Rob: Yes, it was to a controversial law that banned future monarchs from marrying
Catholics. Previously 13, if they did, they would be ruled out of succession.
Stephen: But they were allowed to marry people from other religions though?
Rob: That's right. It seems strange but it's all to do with the history of the country
and an attempt by Parliament to prevent a Catholic monarch. Anyway, the ban
on marrying Catholics has now been lifted and Duncan Kennedy can tell us
more on this historic change of law…
Duncan Kennedy, BBC
It's understood the Queen has given the reforms her full backing. Mr Cameron said it was an
historic moment for the monarchy as the changes would sweep aside what he called out-dated
rules that don't make sense anymore. The changes have to be formally approved by all the
nations involved with Britain taking the lead in bringing forward legislation.
Stephen: So he calls these changes reforms – and the Queen has given these reforms her
full backing.
Rob: That's good because David Cameron said the old rules don't make sense
anymore! He calls it an historic moment for the monarchy.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Stephen: By historic, he means they are important and likely to be seen as important at
some point in the future.
Rob: I'm sure they will be. The changes aim to give the British Royal Family a
modern outlook and perhaps it was inevitable 14 after the huge international
attention that William and Kate have attracted.
Stephen: So in other words, their popularity around the world has helped these changes
happen more quickly.
Rob: And putting the changes in place – or implementing 15 them - will overturn 300
years of tradition, custom and law. Maybe it will help secure the future of the
monarchy for centuries to come. Anyway, it's time to return to today's question.
Stephen: I thought you'd forgotten!
Rob: Of course not. I asked you, which King did the current British Queen, Queen
Elizabeth the Second, succeed. Was it:
a) King George the Fifth
b) King George the Sixth
c) King Edward the Eighth
Stephen: And I said King George the Sixth.
Rob: You are right. The answer is King George the Sixth. He was succeeded by his
eldest daughter Elizabeth when he died in 1952. Queen Elizabeth the Second
has been on the throne ever since – that's almost 60 years. OK Stephen, would
you mind reminding us of some of the vocabulary that we've heard today?
Stephen: Sure. We've had…
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
succession
monarch
abdicates
outdated
approval
dominance
ruled out
historic
reforms
implementing
Rob: Thanks Stephen. Well we hope you've enjoyed today's programme, and you'll
join us again soon for another 6 Minute English.
Both: Bye!
- She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
- I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。
- I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
- There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
- The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
- I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。
- The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
- The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
- French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
- Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。
- I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
- a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
- That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
- Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。
- The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
- The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。
- He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
- Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。
- Monarchs ruled England for centuries. 世袭君主统治英格兰有许多世纪。
- Serving six monarchs of his native Great Britain, he has served all men's freedom and dignity. 他在大不列颠本国为六位君王服务，也为全人类的自由和尊严服务。 来自演讲部分
- This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
- It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。
- The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
- Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。
- 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。
- -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
- He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句