VOA标准英语2009-British Leader Orders Urgent Work on Politic
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(六月)
Battered 1 in the polls, British leader Gordon Brown has unveiled an urgent legislative 2 plan to clear-up the political expenses scandal gripping the country. The disclosure during the past month of expense system abuse has rocked not only the ruling Labor 3 Party, but it has damaged the reputation of representatives of all political persuasions 4 in the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Having weathered terrible results in last week's local council elections in England and in European Parliament elections, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has turned his attention to reforming a tainted 5 political system that has angered people up and down the country.
At issue, the abuse of an expense system by politicians that has severely 6 dented 7 the trust voters place in their elected representatives.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Brown called on members of all parties to work together and speed through a reform bill before they break up for the summer.
"In the midst of all the rancor 8 and recriminations about expenses, let us seize the moment to lift our politics to a higher standard. In the midst of doubt let us revive confidence, let us stand together because on this I think we all at least agree that Britain deserves a political system that is equal to hope and character of our people. Let us differ on policy, that is inevitable 9, but let us stand together for integrity and democracy," he said.
At the heart of the legislation, Brown wants to see the creation of an independent body that will oversee 10 politicians' expenses.
"We propose that the House of Commons and then subsequently the House of Lords move from the old system of self-regulation to independent statutory regulation," he said. "This will mean the immediate 11 creation of a new parliamentary standards authority."
"It will have delegated power to regulate the system of allowances. No more can Westminster operate in ways reminiscent of the last century where the members make up the rules and operate them among themselves," he added.
Brown also wants, what he calls, a legally binding 12 code of conduct for parliamentarians.
The leader of the main opposition 13 Conservative Party, David Cameron, says he agrees with most of the reforms outlined by the prime minister, but Cameron says what the country really needs now is a change of government.
"Is not the answer to our discredited 14 politics, to our disillusioned 15 country and to our desperately 16 weak government a general election?," he said.
Revelations about politicians' expense abuses published in Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper have angered many, especially because of the tough economic times Britain is going through.
Although the actions of politicians from all the major parties have been highlighted by the paper, it is the ruling Labor Party that has taken the biggest hit.
Labor remains 17 far behind the opposition Conservatives in various polls, which has led some in the Labor Party to call for a leadership change before the next general election that must come within the next 12 months.
- He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
- The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。
- Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
- Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
- We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
- He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。
- To obtain more advertisting it needed readers of all political persuasions. 为获得更多的广告，它需要迎合各种政治见解的读者。 来自辞典例句
- She lingered, and resisted my persuasions to departure a tiresome while. 她踌躇不去，我好说歹说地劝她走，她就是不听。 来自辞典例句
- The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
- He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
- He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
- The back of the car was badly dented in the collision. 汽车尾部被撞后严重凹陷。
- I'm afraid I've dented the car. 恐怕我把车子撞瘪了一些。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I have no rancor against him.我对他无怨无仇。
- Their rancor dated from a political dogfight between them.他们的积怨来自于他们之间在政治上的狗咬狗。
- Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
- The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
- Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
- Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。
- His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
- We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
- The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
- Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。
- The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
- The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
- The reactionary authorities are between two fires and have been discredited. 反动当局弄得进退维谷，不得人心。
- Her honour was discredited in the newspapers. 她的名声被报纸败坏了。
- I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
- Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。
- He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
- He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。