11-09-09

 

11-9-09

德国总理默克尔在柏林墙前感谢戈尔巴乔夫 (German Chancellor Thanks Gorbachev at Site of Berlin Wall)

德国总理默克尔星期一公开感谢前苏联总统戈尔巴乔夫， 感谢他在二十年前允许变革，导致了柏林墙的开放。默克尔在柏林举行的纪念柏林墙倒塌20周年的仪式上向戈尔巴乔夫表示感谢,默克尔站在戈尔巴乔夫和前波兰总统瓦文萨中间。默克尔总理对戈尔巴乔夫说， “由于你才可能实现,”当时有数百人欢呼着聚集在柏林的波荷木大桥下。

这座大桥是1989年11月9日东西德分界线上首先开放的过境点。柏林墙倒塌导致德国的统一， 也是东欧各国共产党政府垮台的一个里程碑事件。有关官员们说， 预计有10万人参加星期一被称为“自由节日”的庆祝活动。

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday publicly thanked former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for allowing changes two decades ago that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall. Flanked by Mr. Gorbachev and former Polish President Lech Walesa, Ms. Merkel expressed her gratitude at ceremonies in Berlin marking the 20th anniversary of the wall's opening. "You made this possible," the chancellor said as she addressed Mr. Gorbachev in front of hundreds of cheering people gathered at the foot of Berlin's Bornholmer Bridge.

The bridge was the first crossing between East and West Berlin to open on November 9, 1989. The opening led to the reunification of the country, and was a key milestone（里程碑） in the collapse of communism across eastern Europe. Officials say 100,000 were expected at Monday's festivities, dubbed the "Festival of Freedom."

flank 2 verb [ transitive ]

to be on both sides of someone or something :

Lewis entered flanked by two bodyguards.

mountains flanking the road

 

德国庆祝柏林墙倒塌 (Germany Marks Collapse of Berlin Wall)

德国庆祝柏林墙倒塌20周年。柏林墙的倒塌标志着东西德统一，也是共产主义势力在东欧分崩瓦解的里程碑事件。欧洲领导人及美国政要星期日晚些时候陆续到达柏林，与德国总理默克尔一起参加欢庆活动。

来宾中包括前苏联领导人戈尔巴乔夫，波兰前总统瓦文萨，英国首相布朗，法国总统萨科齐和俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫。美国代表团成员包括国务卿克林顿和一批前外交官。1989年11月9日夜晚，民众在连续几个星期的民主抗议活动之后开始推翻柏林墙。数千名东德人在东德警察忽然开放边界时越过检查站涌入西德。

Germany is marking the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall, an event that led to the reunification of the country and a key milestone in the collapse of communism across eastern Europe. European heads of state and dignitaries from the United States began arriving in Berlin late Sunday to join German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the celebrations.

Guests include former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, ex-Polish President Lech Walesa, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the presidents of France and Russia, Nicolas Sarkozy and Dmitri Medvedev. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a host of former diplomats are among the U.S. officials present. Communist East Germany's fortified border crumbled on the evening of November 9, 1989, following weeks of pro-democracy protests. Thousands of East Germans surged past checkpoints into the west, as East German guards suddenly opened the border.

dig‧ni‧ta‧ry / ˈdɪɡnət ə ri, ˈdɪɡnɪt ə ri $ -teri / noun ( plural dignitaries ) [ countable ]

someone who has an important official position [= VIP ] :

Flowers were presented to visiting dignitaries.

 

a (whole) host of people/things a large number of people or things :

A host of show business celebrities have pledged their support.

 

for‧ti‧fy / ˈfɔːtəfaɪ, ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ $ ˈfɔːr- / verb ( past tense and past participle fortified , present participle fortifying , third person singular fortifies ) [ transitive ]

1 to build towers, walls etc around an area or city in order to defend it :

The town was heavily fortified.

2 to encourage an attitude or feeling and make it stronger [= strengthen ] :

Her position was fortified by election successes and economic recovery.

3 written to make someone feel physically or mentally stronger

fortify yourself (with something)

We fortified ourselves with a breakfast of bacon and eggs.

4 [ usually passive ] to make food or drinks more healthy by adding vitamin s to them :

fortified breakfast cereals

fortify something with something

foods fortified with vitamin B

 

crum‧ble 1 / ˈkrʌmb ə l / verb

1 [ intransitive ] ( also crumble away ) if something, especially something made of stone or rock, is crumbling, small pieces are breaking off it :

The old stonework was crumbling away.

crumbling colonial buildings

2 [ intransitive and transitive ] to break apart into lots of little pieces, or make something do this :

The fall leaves crumbled in my fingers.

¼ cup crumbled goat’s cheese

3 [ intransitive ] ( also crumble away ) to lose power, become weak, or fail [= disintegrate ] :

The Empire began to crumble during the 13th century.

our crumbling economy

→ that’s the way the cookie crumbles at cookie ( 3 )