VOA标准英语2013--前国防部长领导童子军
时间：2018-12-08 作者：英语课 分类：VOA常速英语2013年(十月)
Former Defense 1 Secretary to Lead Boy Scouts 3 前国防部长领导童子军
WASHINGTON — He has served under eight U.S. presidents, including as chief of the Central Intelligence Agency and at the Pentagon. Now, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has agreed to take on a new challenge. Instead of marshalling troops, though, he will be making sure more than two-and-a-half million U.S. boys are prepared to face life.
There was plenty of fanfare 4 when Gates stepped down as Secretary of Defense in June 2011, marking what seemed to be the end of a long public career.
Now, Gates will be stepping back onto the public stage, after agreeing to a two-year term as voluntary president of the Boy Scouts of America. Pending 5 final approval, he is to start next May.
In a statement, Gates, a former scout 2 himself, is quoted as saying, “There is no finer program for preparing American boys for citizenship 6 and leadership.”
But just as when he took the helm at the Defense Department, in the midst of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gates is coming to an organization facing major challenges.
The Boy Scouts have been hit with multiple lawsuits 7 - including one alleging 8 the organization, despite complaints, allowed suspected pedophiles to work with and abuse boys in the 1970s and 80s.
"We know that in Idaho alone, there were 15 different pedophiles, based on these documents," said Andrew Chasan, who represents the plaintiffs.
But perhaps no issue looms 9 larger than the decision by the Boy Scouts this past May to allow openly gay scouts for the first time.
Outgoing Boy Scouts President Wayne Perry, said, “It's a very difficult decision for a lot of people. But we're moving forward together.”
Not everyone feels that way. Thousands of people rallied in opposition 10, some severing 11 ties, even mailing back scout badges they had earned decades earlier.
"What they've done is they've slapped all of us in the face that have ever been involved in scouting," said Bill Bright, a former Boy Scout.
The issue though, is not at all unfamiliar 12 to Gates, who oversaw 13 the end of the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays.
“You're supposed to go on treating everybody like you're supposed to be treating everybody now - with dignity, respect and discipline.”
But now, instead of facing troops, he’ll be facing more than 2.5 million Boy Scouts, ages seven to 21. And he will be charged with helping 14 them live up to the organization’s famous motto - “be prepared.”
- The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
- The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
- He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
- The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。
- to join the Scouts 参加童子军
- The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。
- The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
- A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。
- The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
- He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。
- He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
- Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。
- Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
- I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句
- His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
- This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。
- All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- 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 death of a second parent is like severing an umbilical cord to our past. 父母当中第二个人去世，就象斩断了把我们同过去联在一起的纽带。 来自辞典例句
- The severing theory and severing method for brittle block are studied. 研究裂纹技术应用于分离脆性块体的分离理论和分离方法。 来自互联网
- I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
- The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。