Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Writing a Biography :
Rafik HARIRI
2 Born poor in southern Lebanon, Mr. Hariri was a self-made man who
amassed a fortune building hotels, palaces and conference centers for the royal
family in Saudi Arabia, and remained very close to the Saud family. He was as
extravagant in his charitable works as he was in his big-game hunting, yachts,
private jets and multimillion-dollar real estate projects. Always impeccably
dressed, he was stout with bushy eyebrows and a commanding manner. As a
politician, though, he was obliged to keep his domineering nature in check to
placate Lebanon's powerful neighbor, Syria.
3 While Mr. Hariri was accused by some Lebanese of driving the country into
debt with his ambitious rebuilding plans, he was also praised as the architect of
its rebirth and renewed confidence after the devastation of 15 years of civil
war, from 1975 to 1990. He was a well-known figure in Washington and
European capitals, where he was largely successful in obtaining Western help
to overcome Lebanon's intermittent financial crisis. Yet his political fortunes
were always hostage to his up-and-down relations with Syria's presidents, now
Bashar al-Assad and before him his father, Hafez al-Assad. For the most part,
he appeared to steer an even course. Unlike some of the more impetuous
Lebanese clan and religious leaders, Mr. Hariri carefully avoided direct
criticism of Syria's role as Lebanon's overlord.
4 Yet his frustration with the limits that Damascus set sometimes showed. In an
interview with The Boston Globe in 1993, he was asked whether the ubiquitous
portrait of the elder Mr. Assad on every wall of the old Beirut airport was a
problem for him. "It's not a problem to put it up," Mr. Hariri said. "It's a
problem to take it down." His long-running rivalry with Émile Lahoud, the pro-
Syrian Lebanese president, defined much of his political career. It prompted
him to resign in 1998, after his first six years in office. He was re-elected in
2000.
5 His irritation with Mr. Lahoud drove him to another break last year. When
Damascus insisted on keeping Mr. Lahoud in office beyond the constitutional
limit, Mr. Hariri resigned a move that was widely interpreted as a definitive
rupture with Syria. He had a big enough bloc in Parliament that he could have
stopped Syria's order last summer to amend the Constitution to extend Mr.
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
Lahoud's term. He agreed not to after traveling to Damascus and then to the
office of Syrian intelligence, which serves as a kind of proconsul in Lebanon.
He appeared for the hastily called Parliament vote on the constitutional change
with his left arm in a sling from a fall, leading to jokes that the Syrians had
twisted it too hard. The downtown area was already plastered with freshly
printed Lahoud posters and pre-positioned fireworks went off as soon as the
vote was taken. "He could bypass criticizing Syria because he was able to
criticize people who were supporting Syria, like Lahoud," said Edward S.
Walker, a former American diplomat who knew Mr. Hariri from his service in
the Middle East. "But he never went so far as to make himself a direct target."
6 Mr. Hariri was born in 1944 in Sidon, an ancient port city on the
Mediterranean. The son of a vegetable vendor, he earned a degree in business
administration at Arab University in Beirut and then chose the path taken by
many enterprising young Arabs of his day: In 1965, he left home to seek his
fortune in Saudi Arabia. After a short stint as a teacher, he turned to
construction, amassing a fortune in the building frenzy that swept the kingdom
in the early years of its oil boom.
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
history books," he said at the time, "as the man who resurrected Beirut."
Regularly cited as one of the richest men in the world, Mr. Hariri did some of
that resurrection with his own money. He was a major shareholder in Solidere,
the private company set up to rebuild downtown Beirut, and reportedly paid
$10 million for the project's engineering plans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/15/international/middleeast/15hariri.html?pagewanted=2
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
2. The arch or ridge forming the upper part of the orbit of the eye.
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
7. Had the Prime Minster got a control to his foreign policy? Justify.
7-Pick from the text irregular verbs and their past simple and past
participle
5. Hariri was later involved in the successful Saudi effort to end the war.
6. The Prime Minister had not been given advance notice from Hezbollah.
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
4. His frustration with the limits that Damascus set sometimes showed.
5. He could bypass criticizing Syria because he was able to criticize people who
were supporting Syria, like Lahoud. But he never went so far as to make
himself a direct target.
6. In 1965, he left home to seek his fortune in Saudi Arabia. After a short stint as
a teacher, he turned to construction, amassing a fortune in the building frenzy
that swept the kingdom in the early years of its oil boom.
7. Mr. Hariri's charitable works - among them a hospital, a teaching university
and scholarships for Lebanese students.
8. Mr. Hariri's political career began in 1983, one year after an Israeli invasion
of Lebanon and at a time when the country was paralyzed by sectarian
fighting.
10. - While he was able to pursue an independent economic policy, one that
provided wealthy Syrians a safe haven for their money.
- Retaliatory airstrike
11. The vote followed the moves by pro-Syria politicians in Lebanon to change the
Constitution to allow President Lahoud to remain in office.
• Very short biographies tell the basic facts of someone's life and
importance.
• Longer biographies include that basic information of course, with a lot
more detail, but they also tell a good story.
Biographies analyze and interpret the events in a person's life. They try to find
connections, explain the meaning of unexpected actions or mysteries, and make
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
Princess Diana was an iconic figure of the late 20th Century. During her life
she was often said to be the most photographed person, appearing on the cover
of People magazine more than anyone else. She epitomized feminine beauty
and glamour. At the same time, she was admired for her groundbreaking
charity work; in particular her work with AIDS patients and supporting the
campaign for banning landmines. Married to Prince Charles in 1981, she
received the title of “Her Royal Highness Princess Diana of Wales” She is the
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
Mother of Prince William and Prince Harry 2nd and 3rd in line to the throne
respectively.
Diana was born to an aristocratic family who links to the Royal Family. Her
father was Edward Spencer, Viscount Althorp. Edward Spencer was a direct
descendent of Charles II.. Her mother was Frances Viscountess Althorp. Her
mother was distantly related with the Queen Mother, and was also of American
descent. When Diana was young, her parents divorced with her father winning
a bitter battle for custody of the children. Diana grew up in the family home of
Park House, before moving to Althorp in 1975. Diana did not shine as a
student, but did well in music and ballet. When she met her future husband,
Diana was working as a part time assistant in a nursery school in London
In 1981, Diana married Prince Charles. Diana was 13 years the junior, at an age
of just 20, Charles by contrast was 33 at the time of the wedding. The general
public soon warmed to the innocence and beauty of Princess Diana, and the
wedding was watched by over 1 billion people world wide. During their
marriage they had two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. However, in the
mid 1980s, strains started to appear in the marriage, and under much publicity
the marriage broke up leading to a divorce in 1992. During this period Diana is
said to have suffered various health problems such as bulimia and depression.
Shortly before her death, June 18th Princess Diana met with Mother Teresa.
Both admired each other. Mother Teresa always said “Diana is my daughter.”
With utmost humility Diana said “I am a very, very small Mother Teresa.
Despite the pervasive press intrusions into her private life, Diana remained very
popular because people could identify with her. Her hands on approach to
charity work gave the impression of a new type of Royal, who was no longer so
remote.
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Department of Political Sciences , Djelfa University .Prepared By Med Tayeb SELT ,Maitre Assistant
Diana died on 31st August, 1997, in a car crash involving Dodi Al-Fayed. (see
last moments of Princess Diana) It was said they were being chased by
paparazzi at the time the fatal accident. Although, the inquest noted that the
driver was also under the influence of drugs and drink. Controversy still
surrounds her death, with a further inquest still underway.(3) The death of
Diana had a profound impact on the British public and those in other countries.
It led to an unprecedented outpouring of grief and sympathy, for a person
people had taken into their hearts. Over 1 million bouquets of flowers were laid
at Buckingham Palace. Her funeral was watched by countless millions around
the world. Her final resting place was her family home of Althorp.
“Princess Diana, your heart of sympathy covers the length and breadth of the
world. There shall come a time when the entire world will value you most
sincerely, most lovingly and most wholeheartedly." (2)
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