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听新闻学单词-Royal charity action role

时间:2009-09-28 02:58:00

(单词翻译:单击)

Prince William has been speaking for the first time about his charitable work. The Prince is patron of 12 organisations. He says he wants to be more than just a royal 'ornament1'.

Report

This is part of Prince William's solution to an age-old royal challenge - what to do as a future king while you wait to fulfil your destiny. As well as pursuing his military career, William has been encouraging the charities he's patron of to work together. This has led, for example, to the mountain rescue service taking some young homeless people from the charity, Centrepoint, up a Cumbrian mountain to improve their self-confidence. Prince William says he's trying to make a difference.
Prince William: 'I think there's a time and a place for being an ornament. You know, shaking hands and being at an engagement and showing support in that way. But I think there's an awful lot more from actually doing stuff, and this is an example of what I just want to actually be more involved in, doing a slightly different angle on it.'
Prince William and Prince Harry2 are also setting up a charitable foundation so they can give grants to organisations they support.
Peter Hunt, BBC News

Vocabulary

an age-old royal challenge
a very old problem or puzzle for people in the royal family

to fulfil your destiny
to do what you were born or destined3 to do (for example Prince William was born to be King)

pursuing
trying to do or achieve something, usually over a long period of time

he's patron of
he's a very important supporter of

to improve their self-confidence
to make them feel more confident about their own abilities and themselves, to give them a more positive attitude about what they can do and achieve

to make a difference
to make things better, to improve them

there's a time and a place for being an ornament
while it's appropriate at certain times to be someone that people want to look at, to be on display, at other times, it isn't. (An ornament is an object that is nice to look at but not very useful)

being at an engagement
attending a public function

actually doing stuff
being actively4 involved, participating (rather than just being an observer)

doing a slightly different angle
thinking about things in a different or unconventional way (note: the usual expression is 'coming at it from a different angle')

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1 ornament u4czn     
v.装饰,美化;n.装饰,装饰物
参考例句:
  • The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
  • She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。
2 harry heBxS     
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼
参考例句:
  • Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天,人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
  • Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
3 destined Dunznz     
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句:
  • It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
  • The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
4 actively lzezni     
adv.积极地,勤奋地
参考例句:
  • During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
  • We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。