【新唐人2010年11月3日訊】【看新聞學英語】

Burma Changes Flag and Official Name

緬甸改變國旗及正式名稱

By Wan-Chun Chang, David Lee

【新聞關鍵字】

1. junta [ˋdʒʌn ] n.軍人集團

2. anthem [ˋænθəm] n.國歌

3. astrology [əˋstrɑlədʒɪ] n.星相學、占星術

4. detention [dɪˋtɛnʃən] n.拘留

5. establish [əˋstæblɪʃ] v.創立

6. secretive [sɪˋkritɪv] ad. 隱隱藏藏的

2 weeks out from the country’s first election in 20 years, Burma’s military junta changed the country’s flag, official name and national anthem. It is believed astrology may have something to do with the sudden makeover.

距離20年來國會第一次選舉只有二週，緬甸政府修改了國歌、正式名稱與國旗。據信這突然的改變可能與星相學有關。

The changes, announced on Thursday, were outlined in a new constitution published in 2008 but the government didn’t announce a date for their introduction.

這項在週四發佈的改變，已明列在2008年公佈的新憲法中，但那時政府並沒有宣佈變動的日期。

The country’s new name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, instead of the Union of Myanmar.

這個國家的國名從「緬甸聯邦」更改為「緬甸聯邦共和國」。

The military, which has ruled since a 1962 coup, changed the country’s name in English from Burma to Myanmar in 1989. It was a year after widespread protests against military rule were crushed, and a year before the last election.

現在的軍政府，是從1962年政變之後統治至今，在1989年時改變英文國名從Burma 變為 Myanmar。那是在大範圍抗議軍政府統治被鎮壓之後的一年，也是在上一次選舉的前一年。

That election was won by the party of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi but the military ignored the result. Suu Kyi has spent 15 of the past 21 years in detention.

那次選舉由Aung San Suu Kyi民主同盟黨領袖翁山蘇姬勝出，但是軍政府無視選舉結果。翁山蘇姬在過去的21年中，被軟禁15年。

Although the flags are for sale on the street, residents don’t seem to be buying them.

雖然國旗在街上銷售，但居民們似乎並沒有要購買。

[Win Tin, Member, National League for Democracy]:

“It could be because of the astrology, it could be because the timing is right. There might be other reasons why they do this. Whatever the case, what is clear is that they have broken their own laws to establish this flag, and history will remember this."

國家民主聯盟成員溫婷說：“那有可能是因為星相學的關係，因為時機對了。也有可能是其他原因導致他們做這個決定。不管如何，很顯然的他們破壞了自己的法律去制定這個國旗，歷史將會記得這件事。”

Burma’s secretive military rulers are widely believed to consult astrologers.

緬甸隱隱藏藏的軍方領導人，廣泛地被認為都是向占星師諮詢。

本新聞影音出處：新唐人電視台英語新聞

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2010-10-22/113515475566.html

【每日一句】

The loss outweighs the gain.

得不償失！

【今日諺語】

Truth never fears investigation.

事實從來不怕調查