英語新聞一點通：象牙海岸政局動盪不安 @ 【精英翻譯】的部落格

Uneasy Peace on the Ivory Coast

Along with the civil war in Libya, the small African country of the Ivory Coast has also been gripped by turmoil. Back in November, an election monitored by the UN took power from the then president, Laurent Gbagbo. The winner of the election, Alessandro Ouattara, was supposed to take power in December. However, Gbagbo refused to go, and Alessandro Ouattara’s supporters took to the streets.

Sporadic fighting began, and in January, the UN stepped in. French and other UN forces backed up Ouattara’s supporters as they advanced on the capital. Despite their help, however, it was only this week that saw Alessandro finally acknowledged as president. But the fighting is not yet over. Instead, Gbagbo’s supporters across the country have gone to the barricades themselves. Although Gbagbo himself has been imprisoned, it seems that the troubled country is not yet fully at peace.

象牙海岸政局動盪不安

隨著利比亞爆發內戰以來，非洲小國象牙海岸也陷入動亂。去年11月，象牙海岸在聯合國的監督之下舉行總統大選，當時的總統葛巴保落敗。贏得選戰的瓦塔哈原本預計於12月上任，前總統葛巴保卻拒絕下台，導致瓦塔哈的支持者上街抗爭。

由於象牙海岸境內的零星衝突不斷，聯合國隨即於今年1月介入，當瓦塔哈的支持者前進至首都時，法國和聯合國其他會員國紛紛提供支援。雖然各國持續聲援瓦塔哈，他卻直至本週才獲得大眾承認其總統的身份。然而，內戰尚未結束，效忠葛巴保的支持者仍充斥街頭，並與新政府對立；雖然葛巴保已遭到監禁，這個政局動盪不安的國家似乎仍無法獲得真正的和平。

字彙

turmoil　動亂；混亂
sporadic　零星的；分散的
back up　支援；支持
advance on 前進
acknowledge　承認
imprison　監禁

解讀

This article uses two phrases associated with revolutions. ‘Take to the streets’ means go out and protest. ‘Go to the barricades’ is reference to the French Revolution, when citizens built makeshift walls (barricades) in the streets of Paris to protect from government troops.

本文使用了兩個與「革命」相關的片語；「Take to the streets」表示上街抗爭，「Go to the barricades」意指法國大革命時，民眾在巴黎街頭設立路障，用以對抗政府軍隊。

文句練習

After his conviction for corruption, the former president was ____________.
The earthquake in Japan was followed by ______ aftershocks.
Once a president is democratically elected, other countries should _______ his position.
Gadaffi’s troops ___________ the rebel outpost yesterday.
After the recession of 2008, financial markets were in ______.
If I make the complaint, will you _____ me __ ?

文句練習解答