UMD NFLC Hausa Lessons/90 The Resignation of Wolfowitz

Overview

1. Lesson Title: The Resignation of Wolfowitz-This is a report about former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz.
2. Language: Hausa
3. Topic: Economics/Politics
4. ILR Level: 1+/2
5. ACTFL Proficiency: Advanced-Mid, Advanced-Low, Intermediate-High; This ACTFL rating is an approximation based on the ILR level
6. Modality: Reading
7. Learning Objective: Maintenance & Improvement
8. Subject Area: Language
9. Material Type: LO
10. Publication Year: 2008
11. ObjectID: HAUS_13048

Transcript

Original

Translation

Paul Wolfowitz ya sauka daga mukaminsa Umar Saidu Tudunwada 18/05/2007 Paul Wolfowitz, dan shekaru 63, ya aje mukaminsa ne sakamakon samunsa da wani kwamitin bincike yayi da laifin sabawa ka’idojin Bankin Duniya, lokacin da ya yiwa wata budurwarsa ma’aikaciyar bankin, karin girma da albashi mai gauni. Jami’an bankin sun baiyana amincewar Wolfiwitz ya ajiye mukamin nasa ranar Alhamis, bayan sunyi wani taro inda suka duba zabin da ya dace, tsakanin korarsa kai tsaye ko kuma a bashi dama ya sauka da kansa. Bayanin da ya fito daga bankin yace Wolfowitz zai bar mukamin nasa daga karshen watan gobe na Yuni. Fadar White House tace Shugaba Bush zai baiyana sunan wanda zai gaji Wolfowitz nan bada dadewa ba. Tun da fari, Shugaba Bush ya baiyana takaicunsa da wannan abin kunya, a wani taron manema labarai da suka yi tare da Prime Ministan Ingila Tony Blair, wanda ke yin wata ziyara zuwa Amurka. Koda yake dai ya baiwa Wolfowitz cikakken goyon baya a lokacin da yake fafutukar rike mukaminsa, Mr. Bush yace baiji dadin yadda wannan takaddama ta kare ba. Wani kwamiti na musamman da ya binciki halaiyar Wolfowitz, yace shugaban mai barin gado ya sabawa ka’idoji da dokokin aikinsa, lokacin da ya tsara karin albashi da karin girma ga wata budurwarsa dake aiki a bankin. Manema labarai dai sun ruwaito cewa Wolfowitz yana kokarin manyan jami’an bankin su sassauta tuhumar rashi da’a da ake masa, shi kuma ya ajiye aikin nasa salin alin. Ilahirin jami’an dake wakiltar Kasashen Turai a Bankin, sun dage dole sai Wolfowitz ya sauka, a yayin da Amurka da Japan suka goyi bayansa.

Paul Wolfowitz resigns from his position By Umar Saidu Tudunwada May 18, 2007 Paul Wolfowitz, age 63, is resigning from his position after an investigative committee found him guilty of violating World Bank regulations when he promoted his girlfriend, an employee of the bank. Bank officials disclosed that Wolfowitz would resign from his position on Thursday, after a meeting where they considered the best option between firing him or allowing him to resign voluntarily. A statement from the Bank said that Wolfowitz would leave his position at the end of next month, June. White House sources said President Bush would name Wolfowitz’s successor soon. Earlier, President Bush expressed his disappointment with the scandal at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is visiting the U.S. Although he had fully supported Wolfowitz as he struggled to retain his position, Mr. Bush said he was not happy with the way the scandalt ended. A committee that investigated Wolfowitz's behavior said the outgoing president violated the rules and regulations of his office when he processed a pay raise and promotion for his girlfriend, who works at the bank. Journalists reported that Wolfowitz had been trying to get senior bank officials to modify charges of impropriety against him, so he could leave office peacefully. European representatives of the Bank insisted that Wolfowitz must resign, while the U.S. and Japan supported him.

Glossary

Hausa term	English meaning
Fafutukar riƙe muƙaminsa	"Struggle to keep his position/job"
Saɓawa ƙa'idojin	"Disregarding/disobeying the law"
Albashi mai Kauri (gauni)	"Big salary," "thick salary"
Goyon bayansa	"Carried on the back [like an infant]" means "support him."
Korarsa kai tsaye	"Fired him immediately/right away"
Shugaba mai barin gado	"Leader that is leaving his bed" refers to a leader that is stepping down or resigning."gado" also also means inheritance or something that is being inherited.
ajiye	"To drop off, let go,keep" refers to resign from his position.

Notes

The Resignation of Wolfowitz

1. Paul Wolfowitz was appointed to head the World Bank group in 2005.

Bank policy required that Mr. Wolfowitz’s companion, Shaha Ali Riza, a bank employee, be transferred to a new job. Mr. Wolfowitz helped arrange for Ms. Riza to move to the State Department with a large salary increase that critics have said was inappropriate. The furor over Wolfowitz’s leadership threatens to undermine not only the bank’s credibility but also its efforts to crack down on corruption.

President Bush was disappointed with Mr. Wolfowitz’s behavior, but, regardless, the White House stood by him.

http://www.newser.com/thread/45/1/paul-wolfowitz-scandal.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/28/weekinreview/29worldview.html?fta=y

XML

<activity>
   <instr type="eng">Read each question and type your response in the box provided. Click CHECK at the bottom of the screen to view the model response.</instr>
   <instr type="target" />
   <bgnotes>
      <bg>
         <category>Background Information</category>
         <note>1. Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (born December 22, 1943) is a former United States ambassador to Indonesia, US deputy secretary of defense, and president of the World Bank. He is currently a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, working on issues of international economic development, Africa, and public-private partnerships.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wolfowitz

2. Shaha Ali Riza, born 1953 or 1954, is a World Bank staffer who is currently on external assignment. She was forced to leave her position as senior communications officer (and acting manager of external affairs) for the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office at the World Bank when Paul Wolfowitz was brought in as president. Riza had already been romantically linked to Wolfowitz when he was the deputy secretary of defense under Donald Rumsfeld in the Bush administration. Riza now serves (still on external assignment from the World Bank) with the Foundation for the Future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaha_Ali_Riza</note>
      </bg>
      <bg>
         <category>Vocabulary</category>
         <note>1. _Salin alin_ (in peace, in good terms) This is an arabic phrase used mostly by the Mulems in Hausa.

2. _Sun dage dole sai Wolfowitz ya sauka_ (they insist that Wolfowitz must step down)</note>
      </bg>
      <bg>
         <category>Grammar</category>
         <note>1. _Sassauta tuhumar rashin ɗa'a_ (slightly loosen the investigation of indiscipline)</note>
      </bg>
   </bgnotes>
   <problemset>
      <problem>
         <stim>What is the  focus of the report and to whom is it intended?</stim>
         <type>L2_Purpose-Audience</type>
         <fdbk>This report is intended for the general public, detailing Paul Wolfowitz's resignation from his position as the president of the World Bank; he was found guilty of unethical behavior, of giving his girlfriend a promotion.</fdbk>
         <hint>Consider the remarks regarding the Investigative Committee and Wolfowitsz's girlfriend. Please refer to the Notes for details about the situation.</hint>
      </problem>
      <problem>
         <stim>What was the World Bank's position regarding Wolfowitz's action?</stim>
         <type>L2_Cause-Effect</type>
         <fdbk>The World Bank discussed the possibility of firing Wolfowitz, but finally let him resign voluntarily.</fdbk>
         <hint>Note what World Bank officials disclosed regarding Paul Wolfowitz's resignation.</hint>
      </problem>
      <problem>
         <stim>How did the international community react to the situation regarding Wolfowitz's resignation?</stim>
         <type>L2_Opinion</type>
         <fdbk>The Europen representatives at the World Bank insisted that Wolfowitz resign, but the US and Japan supported him. President Bush expressed his dissapointment with the scandal and said that he regretted that the situation had come to this.</fdbk>
         <hint>Reread the part of the text about President Bush's speech at a joint press conference and the part where Japan and Europe are mentioned.</hint>
      </problem>
      <problem>
         <stim>How is Wolfowitz's behavior in this situation described in the report?</stim>
         <type>L2_Main_Idea</type>
         <fdbk>The report indicates that Paul Wolfowitz struggled to retain his position and had been trying to get World Bank officials to modify the charges of impropriety against him so he could leave office peacefully.</fdbk>
         <hint>Consider the points where Mr. Bush supported Mr. Wolfowitz and how the latter tried to affect senior officials at the World Bank. Please visit the Learn More section for more information about Paul Wolfowitz and his girlfriend.</hint>
      </problem>
   </problemset>
</activity>