The Iron Lady(b)|英国铁娘子 撒切尔夫人

When Margaret Thatcher took office as the Prime Minister of Britain, the whole world was eager to see how she would do. As the country's first female leader, she had a lot to prove. Luckily, Thatcher was well-prepared and came with strong ideas and big plans for her country. She brought a lot of energy to the position as well and reshaped British politics by reforming outdated ways. One of her main goals was to turn around the national decline of Britain. This included reviving the economy and tackling Britain's high unemployment. It was very difficult at first, and Thatcher was met with a lot of criticism. However, things soon improved in the 1980s, and shortly thereafter, Britain saw eight years of growth.

Thatcher is known for helping build an independent British foreign policy as well, which started with the Falklands War. Instead of letting the islands be retaken by Argentina, Thatcher used swift force to secure them. She demanded that Britain be respected in the world and earned it. Another great change for the betterment of Britain was privatizations. The government began selling state assets by offering shares to the public, which was the first time that had ever happened. Citizens were encouraged to buy their own homes and set up pensions. These policies and others like them enabled average citizens to increase their personal wealth.

Thatcher's achievements for Britain are extensive. Her hard work improved the lives of British people and influenced the world. Like many strong leaders, she was not always loved, but Thatcher's determination helped make her the legendary Iron Lady.

1.  What is NOT true about Margaret Thatcher?

(A) She was influenced by her father.

(B) She studied biology at Oxford.

(C) She was an excellent student.

(D) She got married in 1951.

2.  Which achievement took place before Thatcher was elected to Parliament?

(A) One of her speeches was broadcast worldwide.

(B) She moved to 10 Downing Street.

(C) She was elected Prime Minister.

(D) She became a tax lawyer.

3.  What did Thatcher do to the British economy?

(A) She came up with a way to turn it around.

(B) Her efforts caused the economy to collapse.

(C) She asked foreign nations for financial help.

(D) She didn't have time to worry about the economy because of the Falklands War.

4.  Which of Thatcher's actions increased the wealth of the people in Britain?

(A) Taking a stand during the Falklands War.

(B) Changing foreign policy.

(C) Pushing privatization.

(D) Reshaping British employment policies.

撒切尔就任英国首相时，全世界都急切看到她有何作为。身为英国第 1 位女性领导人，她在许多方面都必须证明自己的能力。好在撒切尔有备而来，对她的国家早已有周全想法与伟大计划。她也为这个职务注入许多活力，改革过时作法而重塑了英国政治。她的主要目标之一就是扭转英国国势衰颓的情况。这包括重振经济和处理英国的高失业率。起先一切都很困难，撒切尔也遭到许多批评。然而，情势很快地在 1980 年代好转，不久后英国经历了 8年的成长。

撒切尔从福克兰战争开始，以制订英国自主的外交政策而闻名。为了不让阿根廷夺回福克兰群岛，撒切尔以迅雷不及掩耳的武力保卫该群岛。她要求英国应受世人尊敬，而她也真的办到了。改善英国的另一项重大变革就是民营化。政府开始出售国有资产让大众持股，这是史上的创举。她还鼓励民众购屋并设立退休金。这些政策及其他类似政策让一般民众得以增加个人财富。

撒切尔为英国完成的成就十分广泛。她的努力勤奋改善了英国人民的生活，也影响了全世界。就像许多强势的领导人一样，她并不是一直受人爱戴，但是撒切尔的决心，让她成为了传奇的铁娘子。

答案：1. (B)2. (D)3. (A)4. (C)

"Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope." 为 1979年撒切尔夫人上任首相时，在唐宁街 10号（10 Downing Street）门前所念的圣方济和平祷词。

唐宁街 10号位于英国首都伦敦西敏市西敏区白厅旁的唐宁街，传统上是第一财政大臣的官邸，但自从此职由英国首相兼任后，就成为今日普遍认为的英国首相官邸。其设计朴实的黑色木门，缀上白色的阿拉伯数字『10』，成为人所共知的标记。（数据源：维基百科）