VOA标准英语2011--Obama: US Supports Political, Economic R
时间：2019-01-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2011年(五月)
Obama: US Supports Political, Economic Reform in Mideast, N. Africa
In a major address on historic changes in the Middle East and North Africa, President Barack Obama says the United States stands firmly on the side of people protesting for democratic reform and against violence being used by some governments against protesters.
The president's speech, delivered at the State Department, was a combination of carrots and sticks, as he announced new aid to help democracy take root in Egypt and Tunisia, and strongly condemned 2 Syria's president for his crackdown on peaceful protesters.
Saying the United States will speak out for core principles and universal rights, and opposes the use of violence and repression 3, Obama made clear where the U.S. stands on change in the region.
"We support political and economic reform in the Middle East and North Africa that can meet the legitimate 4 aspirations 5 of ordinary people throughout the region. Our support for these principles is not a secondary interest," he said. "Today I want to make it clear that it is a top priority that must be translated into concrete actions and supported by all of the diplomatic, economic and strategic tools at our disposal."
Syria
On Syria, where more than 850 people have been killed since the beginning of a popular uprising, Obama said the government of President Bashar al-Assad has "chosen the path of murder and mass arrests."
Obama said the Syrian people have shown their courage in demanding a transition to democracy, and he said President Assad faces a crucial choice:
"President Assad now has a choice: he can lead that transition, or get out of the way. The Syrian government must stop shooting demonstrators and allow peaceful protests; it must release political prisoners and stop unjust arrests; it must allow human rights monitors to have access to cities like Dara'a, and start a serious dialogue to advance a democratic transition," said the president.
Iran
Obama used his remarks about Syria, which he said had sought assistance from Iran, to focus on what he called the Iranian government's suppression of its own people. Saying the first peaceful protests were in the streets of Tehran, he said the U.S. continues to support the universal rights of Iran's people.
"We still hear the chants echo from the rooftops of Tehran. The image of a young woman dying in the streets is still seared in our memory. And we will continue to insist that the Iranian people deserve their universal rights, and a government that does not smother 6 their aspirations," said President Obama.
Upheaval 7 in region
At the same time, Obama said to be credible 8 the United States must acknowledge that its friends in the region, referring to Yemen and Bahrain, have not reacted to demands for change in a way consistent with core principles opposing violence and supporting universal rights.
On Libya, President Obama said "time is working against" Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, adding that when he "inevitably 9 leaves or is forced from power" a transition to a democratic Libya can proceed.
Aid to region
To help democracy take root in countries like Egypt and Tunisia, President Obama announced new initiatives to support economic reform, modernization 10 and investment.
These include debt relief for Egypt, and a U.S. request to the World Bank and IMF for a plan to stabilize 11 and modernize 12 both economies.
Obama linked the wave of upheaval across the region with un-met economic needs. "After all, politics alone has not put protesters into the streets. The tipping point for so many people is the more constant concern of putting food on the table and providing for a family. Too many in the region wake up with few expectations other than making it through the day, and perhaps the hope that their luck will change," he said.
Israel-Palestinian
Saying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has cast a shadow over the Middle East for decades, President Obama rejected suggestions that sweeping 13 changes in the region make it impossible to break the current impasse 14.
"I disagree," he said. "At a time when the people of the Middle East and North Africa are casting off the burdens of the past, the drive for a lasting 15 peace that ends the conflict and resolves all claims is more urgent than ever."
The president said Israel and a future Palestinian state should be based on pre-1967 borders, with what he called "mutually agreed swaps 16 so secure and recognized borders are established for both states." But he said Palestinians must recognize that efforts to de-legitimize Israel will "end in failure" and that Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection 17.
Obama called the U.S. commitment to Israel's security unshakeable. "But precisely 18 because of our friendship, it is important that we tell the truth: the status quo is unsustainable, and Israel too must act boldly to advance a lasting peace," he said.
Al-qaida, Osama bin 1-Laden 19
The president said historic changes in the Middle East and North Africa stand in sharp contrast to the violent ideology 20 of al-Qaida and Osama bin-Laden, who was killed in a U.S raid in Pakistan.
Saying Bin Laden was "no martyr 21" but a mass murderer who offered a "message of hate" the president said the people of the Middle East and North Africa had already been rejecting the al-Qaida agenda.
"Even before his death, al-Qaida was losing its struggle for relevance 22, as the overwhelming majority of people saw that the slaughter 23 of innocents did not answer their cries for a better life. By the time we found bin Laden, al-Qaida's agenda had come to be seen by the vast majority of the region as a dead end, and the people of the Middle East and North Africa had takent their future into their own hands," said Obama.
On Friday, President Obama will be able to gauge 24 Israeli reaction face to face when he sits down with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for talks on how to revive Mideast peace efforts.
Obama: 4 Key Pillars in Aid to Mideast, N. Africa
?1. Economic management
- Improve economic policy, promote transparency and prevent corruption 25
- Technical assistance from U.S. government, universities and think tanks to NGOs, individuals and regional governments
- Mobilize international financial institutions to support home-grown reforms
?2. Economic stability
- Relieve Egypt of up to $1 billion in debt and use the money to create jobs and support entrepreneurs
- Galvanize financial support for Egypt and Tunisia from international financial institutions and regional neighbors
?3. Economic modernization
- Up to $2 billion for private sectors 27 throughout the Middle East, N. Africa
- Establish Egyptian-American and Tunisian-American Enterprise Funds to stimulate 28 private sector 26 investment
- Support reorientation of the European Bank for Reconstruction 29 and Development to support countries in the Middle East, N. Africa
?4. Trade integration 30, investment
- Regional U.S. trade and investment partnership 31 initiative
- Work with European Union to boost trade within region, promote greater integration with U.S. and European markets and open door for regional trade agreemen
- He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
- He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。
- The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
- This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。
- Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
- That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。
- I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
- The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。
- They tried to smother the flames with a damp blanket.他们试图用一条湿毯子去灭火。
- We tried to smother our laughter.我们强忍住笑。
- It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
- The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。
- The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
- Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？
- In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
- Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。
- This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
- The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。
- They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
- His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。
- It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
- There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。
- The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
- Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？
- The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
- Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。
- The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
- We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。
- He swaps his old car for a new motorcycle. 他用旧车换了一辆新摩托车。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
- Swaps the anchor and end points of the current selection. 交换当前所选内容的定位点和结束点。
- He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
- The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。
- It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
- The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
- He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
- Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。
- The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
- The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。
- The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
- The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。
- Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
- Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。
- I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
- Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。
- Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
- It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。
- The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
- The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
- The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
- The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。
- Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
- Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。
- The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
- In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。
- We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
- This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。
- The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
- Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。