语言中心

Obituary: Margaret Thatcher讣文：玛格丽特·撒切尔

　　Margaret Thatcher, who has died following a stroke, was one of the most influential political figures of the 20th Century。撒切尔夫人，20世纪最有影响力的政治人物之一，在2013年4月8日，因中风不幸逝世。

　　Her legacy had a profound effect upon the policies of her successors, both Conservative and Labour, while her radical and sometimes confrontational approach defined her 11-year period at No 10.她深深影响了她之后的包括保守党和工党在内的历届英国首相。这样一位激进的，有时甚至带有攻击性的“铁娘子”担任了长达11年之久的英国首相。

　　Her term in office saw thousands of ordinary voters gaining a stake in society, buying their council houses and eagerly snapping up shares in the newly privatised industries such as British Gas and BT。她在任职期间推动社会改革，成千上万的英国普通选民购买了政府公屋，抢购了诸如英国天然气和英国电信等新近私有化行业的股份。

　　But her rejection of consensus politics made her a divisive figure and opposition to her policies and her style of government led eventually to rebellion inside her party and unrest on the streets。但她对舆论政治的排斥使她备受争议，同时她的政策也招致反对。最终她所领导的政党内部反声一片，社会也混乱不堪。

　　Father's influence父亲的影响

　　Margaret Hilda Thatcher was born on 13 October 1925 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, the daughter of Alfred Roberts, a grocer, and his wife, Beatrice。玛格丽特·希尔达·撒切尔，1925年10月13日生于林肯郡的格兰瑟姆。她的父亲阿尔弗雷德·罗伯茨是一个杂货商，她的母亲叫比阿特丽斯。

　　Her father, a Methodist lay preacher and local councillor, had an immense influence on her life and the policies she would adopt. 她的父亲是卫理公会的世俗布道者，同时也是当地的议员。撒切尔在她之后的生活和政治上深受其父亲的影响。

　　"Well, of course, I just owe almost everything to my own father. I really do," she said later. "He brought me up to believe all the things that I do believe."“当然了，我几乎可以把一切都归功于我父亲，的确如此。”撒切尔说道。“他把我养大，让我坚信我认定的东西。”

　　She studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and became only the third female president of the Oxford University Conservative Association. 她曾在牛津大学的萨默维尔学院学习自然科学。她还是牛津大学保守党协会的第三位女性主席。

　　After graduating she moved to Colchester where she worked for a plastics company and became involved with the local Conservative Party organisation。毕业后，她搬到了科尔切斯特，在当地一家塑料公司工作，随后加入了当地保守党组织。

　　In 1949, she was adopted as the prospective Conservative candidate for the seat of Dartford in Kent which she fought, unsuccessfully, in the 1950 and 1951 general elections.1949年，她被定为未来肯特郡达特福德区的保守党候选人。然而，在1950年和1951的两次大选中均不幸败北。

　　However, she made a significant dent in the Labour majority and, as the then youngest ever Conservative candidate, attracted a lot of media attention. 但是她却大大撼动了工党主体。同时作为当时有史以来最年轻的保守党候选人，她也吸引了众多媒体的关注。

　　In 1951 she married a divorced businessman, Denis Thatcher, and began studying for the Bar exams. She qualified as a barrister in 1953, the year in which her twins Mark and Carol were born.1951年，她嫁给了一个离过婚的商人，丹尼斯·撒切尔。同时她还投考律师公会，并于1953年成功取得讼务律师的资格。同年，夫妇俩诞下了一 对孪生兄妹，分别取名为马克和卡洛儿。

　　She tried, unsuccessfully, to gain selection as a candidate in 1955, but finally entered Parliament for the safe Conservative seat of Finchley at the 1959 general election.1955年她再次竞选保守党候选人，却未能如愿，最终在1959年的大选中成功当选芬奇利议会成员。

　　Within two years she had been appointed as a junior minister and, following the Conservative defeat in 1964, was promoted to the shadow cabinet。不到两年，她就被任命为初级部长。1964年保守党落选后，她又被晋升为影子内阁。