World Leaders Mark New Year
January 01, 2013
Pope Benedict has called for world peace and condemned inequalities between the rich and the poor in a New Year's Day Mass.
The pontiff spoke out against what he called "unregulated financial capitalism" in his address from St. Peter's Basilica Tuesday, marking the church's world day of peace.
Other world leaders who have delivered New Year's messages include Russian President Vladimir Putin. He urged Russians to work together, "move confidently forward," and withstand challenges in 2013.
In a surprise broadcast address, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said an important issue this year would be removing confrontations between his country and South Korea. He also spoke of building his nation's economy.
Burma's President Thein Sein called for more trust between the government and citizens. He said the world has been "amazed" by his country's political progress, following its transition from military rule.
President Mwai Kibaki marked the New Year by calling for peaceful elections in Kenya, where tensions have been rising ahead of the March 2013 general elections. He said peaceful polling would send a message to the world that Kenya is a "beacon of democracy, freedom and liberty."
In Venezuela, citizens gathered in churches and plazas to pray for ailing President Hugo Chavez, following word that he was suffering from new complications after having surgery last month.
Chavez, who has been battling cancer, is said to be suffering from a respiratory infection.
Language Notes 
call for (v phr) 呼籲
condemn (v) 譴責
Mass (n) 彌撒
pontiff (n) 教宗 XXXXX*“the pontiff”，”the Pope”，使用定冠詞 (the) 皆指羅馬教宗 (教皇)
教宗本篤十六世 (Pope Benedict) 在新年彌撒 (Mass) 中，倡導世界和平，斥責富人與窮人之間存在的種種不平等 (inequalities)。在世界和平日 (world day of peace) 的演說中 (address)，教宗 (pontiff) 批判 (speak out against) 他稱之為的「無法紀的金融性資本主義」(“unregulated financial capitalism”)。
address (n) 演說,致詞
confrontation (n) 對抗
在一場預料之外的廣播演說中 (a surprise broadcast address)，北韓領導人金正恩說，今年一個重要的議題是與南韓化解衝突對抗 (removing confrontations)。此外，他也提到要建設國家經濟 (building his nations’ economy)。
citizen (n) 公民
transition (n) 轉變，變遷；過渡
tension (n) 緊張局勢,緊張狀況
beacon (n) 燈塔
緬甸總統添盛 (Burma's President Thein Sein) 呼籲，政府和人民 (citizens)間應有更多的信任 。他認為，緬甸在軍人統治 (military rule) 後過渡 (transition)至今的政治進展 (political progress) ，已然讓世界「驚奇」(“amazed”)。
肯亞總統 Mwai Kibaki 也在新年談話中呼籲肯亞進行和平選舉 (peaceful elections)。肯亞在2013年三月普選之前 (ahead of the . . . general elections) 的緊張局勢 (tensions) 已然升溫。他認為，肯亞的和平投票 (peaceful polling) 是對世界送出一個訊息：肯亞是一個「民主與自由的燈塔」(a beacon of democracy, freedom and liberty)。
following (prep) 在...以後
complication (n) 併發症
在委内瑞拉 (Venezuela)，總統查維斯 (Hugo Chavez) 於上月手術後引起併發症 (complications)。群眾據聞之後 (following word that . . .)，紛紛在教堂還有廣場 (plazas) 聚集，為病中的總統祈禱 (pray for ailing President Hugo Chavez)。
Check your vocabulary!
Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary changes. After you finish, select the text below to reveal the hidden answers.
1. There will be an interim government to oversee the transition to democracy.
2. There were violent confrontations between police and demonstrators.
3. There are growing tensions between the two countries.
4. If there are no complications, the doctor says that she'll be able to come home within two weeks.
5. She gave an address to the Royal Academy.
6. The film was condemned for its sexism.
Source： http://www.voanews.com/content/world-leaders-mark-new-year/1575646.html
編譯：簡嘉呈
館藏介紹
英語宅急便 
