工程硕士英语清华版U4-BeijingTakesAn

外语学院李冬青12TableofContents1.Text2.Exercise3.PartB:Grammar4.PartC3TextA:ATimeforApologies4[1]Throughouthistory,sayingsorryisnotsomethingpoliticalandreligiousleadershavefeltcomfortableabout.Someseeitasasignofweakness;forothersit'sanadmissionthattheyareliabletomakeerrors－somethingreligiousinstitutionsareparticularlycarefultoavoid.5[1]在整个历史上，说对不起并不是让政治和宗教领袖感觉舒服的一件事。一些人把说对不起看作是软弱的象征；另一些人认为说对不起意味着承认自己是容易犯错误的-——这一点是宗教机构特别小心加以回避的。6[2]Butaspoliticalsystemshavebecomemoresophisticated,theideathatgovernmentsorchurchesarefaultlesshasbecomeincreasinglydifficulttodefend.Theresponseofsomepeopleinpositionsofauthorityhasbeentostandupandapologizeforpastwrongs.7[2]但随着政治体制变得更加精密复杂，政府和教会是无懈可击的观点已越来越难以站得住脚跟。一些身居要职的人对此的反应是站起来为过去的错误道歉。8[3]Thetrendbeganinearnestin1995,whentheQueenofEnglandadmittedthattheMaoripeopleofNewZealandhadbeenshamefullytreated,whenthecountrywasaBritishcolony.Sincethen,whatstartedastrickleofapologieshasturnedintosomethingofaflood.Lastyearalone,apologieswereissuedbythreeoftheworld'smostpowerfulnations.9[3]这个潮流是从1995年才真正开始的。当时英国女王承认在新西兰还是英国的殖民地时，新西兰的土著毛利人曾遭到英国人的羞辱。从这以后，以涓涓细流开始的道歉就变成了道歉的滔滔洪水。仅去年一年，就有三个世界最权威的国家道了歉。10[3]TheUSPresident,BillClinton,apologizedformedicalexperimentswhichhisgovernmentcarriedoutonblackAmericanmeninthe1930s;theBritishPrimeMinister,TonyBlair,apologizedforBritain'sfailuretohelpvictimsoftheIrishpotatofamine,whichkilledoveramillionpeoplelastcentury;andFrenchCatholicBishopsapologizedfortheroleoftheirpredecessorsduringWorldWarII.11[3]美国总统比尔•克林顿为本世纪30年代美国政府在美国黑人身上进行医学实验而道歉：英国首相托里•布莱尔为上一世纪英国在爱尔兰因土豆枯萎而引发的饥荒中没有帮助受灾的饥民而道歉，这次饥荒使一百多万人丧生；法国天主教的主教们为他们的前任在二战中的表现而道歉。12[4]Butwhydoheadsofstatefeeltheneedtoapologize,andwhynow?Oneanswerhastodowiththerecent50th-anniversaryoftheendofWorldWarII.Threeyearsago,governmentsaroundtheworldwantedtomarkthishistoriceventwithsomeacts.Butthosecountrieswhichhadbeenonthewinningsidefoundthatsimplecelebrationsofvictorywerenolongerappropriate.13[4]但为什么政府首脑感觉有道歉的必要，并且为什么现在才有这种感觉呢?原因之一是与最近的二战结束50周年纪念有关。3年前，世界各国政府想以行动来纪念这个有历史意义的事件。但二战的战胜国发现简单地庆贺胜利已不再合适。14[4]Manypoliticalleaders,likemostoftheircitizens,belongtopost-wargenerations,whonowlookontheconflictasmorethansimplythevictoryofgoodoverevil.Also,thepassingoftimehaserasedmuchofthepropagandaoftheperiod.Initsplace,recentlydeclassifieddocumentsrevealthatmanyofthevictorseitherprofited,orturnedablindeyetothesufferingsofthewar.15[4]许多政治领袖，和他们的国民一样，属于战后的一代，他们现在认为那次战争并不是简单的正义战胜邪恶的战争。并且，时间的流逝抹去了很多当时的宣传色彩。与宣传相反，近期被销密的文件显示战胜方的许多人不是获得了利益，就是对战争所造成的灾难视而不见。16[5]Intheevent,the50th-anniversarycelebrationsemphasizedtherecreationofharmonyandthedesirenevertorepeatthecrueltiesandsufferingofWorldWarII.Butamidthegeneralgoodwill,thefewremainingsurvivorsofcrueltiesliketheHolocaust,andmilitaryoccupation,calledfortheirpersonalsufferingtobeadmitted,andforcompensationtobepaid.17[5]结果，二战50周年的庆祝活动强调了重铸和解以及永远不使二战中的暴行和苦难重演的愿望。但在这些普遍的良好愿望中，还有在二战中经受过如大屠杀暴行和军事占领暴行的极少数幸存者要求承认他们的个人伤害，并要求加以赔偿；18[6]Twogroups－JewishsurvivorsoftheHolocaustandKoreanwomenwhowereforcedintoprostitutionbytheJapanesearmy－havebothreceivedapologies.However,neithergroupisentirelysatisfiedwiththeresult.19[6]有两部分人——大屠杀中幸存的犹太人和被日本军队强征为军妓的朝鲜妇女都被致歉了。然而，对这一结果他们都不完全满意。20[7]ButtherenewedinvestigationofcrimescommittedduringWorldWarIIisonlyonereasonfortheapologyphenomenon.Othergovernments,notablytheUS,havealsorealizedthatiftheywanttodemandhighstandardsofmoralbehaviourfromothernations,theycanonlydosoiftheyadmittheirownpastwrongs.21[7]重新审视二战期间犯下的罪行只是道歉现象的原因之一。其他一些政府，尤其是美国，也已意识到如果他们想要求其他国家有高标准的道德行为，他们只有承认自己过去的错误，才能做到这一点。22[7]PresidentClintonhasrespondedbymakingpublicapologiestoUScitizens,who,asrecentlyasthe1950s,wereusedasguinea-pigsinsecretexperimentsinvolvingradiationandsexuallytransmitteddiseases.HeisalsoexpectedtomakeaformalapologytothedescendantsofslavesintheUS.23[7]克林顿总统对此已作出了反应，他对近在本世纪50年代进行的一次涉及辐射和性病传染的秘密实验中被用做实验对象的美国公民公开致歉。人们也期望他对美国奴隶的后裔作出正式的道歉。24[8]Butit'snotjustasenseofconscience,nordemandsfrompressuregroups,whichliesbehindtheseapologies.Awell-timedapologycandoalottopromoteaheadofstate'spublicimage－inthe90s,caringandsympatheticleadersarebettervotewinnersthanproudanddeterminedones.25[8]支撑这些道歉的并不仅仅是良心的发现，也不仅仅是压力群体的要求。一个恰逢时候的道歉对抬高首脑人物的公众形象是很有帮助的。在90年代，体贴和富于情感的领袖人物要比骄傲和武断的领袖人物赢得更多的选票。26[9]However,playingthepublic-relationsgamewithapologiesisdangerous,assomepoliticianshavefoundtotheircost.TheSwissgovernmentisstilltryingtoputrightthepublic-relationsdisasterthatresultedfromtheirpartialapologyforSwitzerland'sdealingswiththeNazisinthe1930sand40s.27[9]然而，玩用道歉来赢得公众关系的游戏是危险的，这一点一些政治家已亲身体会到了。瑞士政府仍然还在试图摆平一场公共关系的灾难，灾难发生的原因在于他们对他们国家在本世纪30和40年代与纳粹分子的交往所作的道歉是不公平的。28[10]But,inBritain,TonyBlairhasgainedadifferentkindofpoliticaladvantagethroughhisapologyfortheIrishpotatofamine.HisstatementhashelpedimproverelationsbetweenthepartiesinvolvedinthedifficultpeacenegotiationsoverNorthernIreland.Heisnowthoughttobeconsideringanofficialapologyforthe1972killingofNorthernIrishCatholicsbytheBritishArmyonwhathasbecomeknownasBloodySunday.29[10]但在英国，托里•布莱尔通过对爱尔兰土豆饥荒的道歉却获得了另一种政治上的利益。他的道歉有助于改善在北爱尔兰问题和平谈判中陷于僵局的双方关系。人们认为他现在正考虑对1972年英国军队在所