World News for Students of English

02-04-2015 15:00

Tens of thousands of people braved heavy rain, lining the streets Singapore, to catch a glimpse of the coffin of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as his funeral procession wound through the country he helped build.

The procession carrying Lee, who died on Monday March 23rd aged 91, will pass through Tanjong Pagar, the constituency he represented for 60 years before continuing its 15.4-kilometre journey to the funeral ceremony at the National University of Singapore.

Singaporeans, many dressed in the mourning colours of black and white, waited for hours to watch the procession, chanting “Lee Kuan Yew” as it passed. Rain started pouring minutes before the funeral procession started but that didn’t discourage spectators.

“I guess maybe this rain that it’s a good sign, I suppose, you know. Everyone is together here. It is very sad at the moment, but rejoicing, I suppose, and giving thanks to everything that he’s done for us.”

Lee had receded from public and political life of the past few years but was still seen as an influential figure in the government.

He ruled Singapore from 1959 to 1990 and is credited with transforming the tiny island nation from a poor British colonial trading port into one of the world’s wealthiest countries.

Difficult words: brave (to deal with a difficult situation), glimpse (quick look), founding (the one who founded something – established/started something), wind-wound-wound (to move in a twisting course), constituency (a group of voters in a specific area), mourning (worn during the mourning of somebody – being sad because of somebody’s death), chant (to sing or rhythmically say), pour to (rain heavily), spectator (person who is watching something), recede (to step down slowly), influential (powerful), tiny (very small), wealthy (rich).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com