VOA标准英语2011--Clinton Pledges Early Action On Free Tra
时间:2018-12-16 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2011年(五月)
Clinton Pledges Early Action On Free Trade Agreements
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the Obama administration will soon send the U.S. Congress implementing 2 legislation for free-trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea. Action on the trade accords, reached during the Bush administration, has long been stalled.
Clinton did not say when the implementing bills will go to Congress, but strongly suggested the long-awaited action will come soon.
The deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea were signed by the Bush administration in 2006 and 2007, with an expectation of swift ratification 3 that would sweep away trade barriers and boost employment in the United States and the three other countries.
But action on the agreements faltered 4 amid concern in the U.S. Congress about, among other things, labor 5 and environmental standards in the three countries, and market access for U.S. farm products.
Progress made
Speaking at the annual Conference on the Americas, Clinton reported "great progress" on the trade deals. "We have worked with our Panamanian and Colombian partners to address key concerns and forge broader bipartisan support in the Congress, just as we did with the South Korean free-trade agreement," she said.
"Panama passed important new laws on labor rights and tax transparency. With Colombia we have established an action plan to address concerns about labor rights, violence and impunity 6. And Colombia has already taken important steps to implement 1 this plan, and we are working hard to execute the next phase by June 15th," she added.
The Obama administration in recent days has won support from farm-state legislators for the South Korea free-trade deal by agreeing to seek consultations 7 with that country on market access for U.S. beef exports.
Senate hearings on all three trade deals are expected later this month.
Economic gap
In her remarks, Clinton called political and economic strides in Latin America in recent years a "stunning 8 transformation 9." But she lamented 10 a continuing, huge gap between rich and poor in the region and said in many countries the wealthy are not paying enough in taxes to support public services.
"Let us be honest," she said. "There are still weak educational systems. There are still weak democratic institutions. There are still inadequate 11 fiscal 12 policies. There are still too few people of means paying their fair share of taxes to their government in order to support services for those who will otherwise be mired 13 in generational poverty."
Venezuela
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela earlier told the gathering 14 the United States remains 15 very concerned about what he termed the "authoritarian 16 tendencies" of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez.
But Valenzuela said the Chavez government is under duress 17 because of the country's poor economic showing, and said the opposition 18 is gaining ground. He said overall, the influence of leftist leaders in Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Cuba, the so-called ALBA group, appears to be waning 19.
"Where maybe four or five years ago a lot of people perceived that there was sort of an ascendancy 20 of the ALBA group that they had a very significant strong voice in much of the hemisphere, we have seen in fact a greater degree of isolation 21. And they simply have lost a significant amount of ground," said Valenzuela.
The Chilean-born Valenzuela announced last week he will leave the Obama administration in a few months to return to the faculty 22 of Washington's Georgetown University.
- Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划,除非你能完成这项计划。
- The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。
- -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
- He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句
- The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
- The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。
- He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
- "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着:“这孩子脑袋真长。”
- 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。
- You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
- The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。
- Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
- The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。
- Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
- He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。
- her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫
- We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
- She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。
- The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
- The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。
- The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
- The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
- He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
- He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
- The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
- Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
- The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。
- He claimed that he signed the confession under duress.他说他是被迫在认罪书上签字的。
- These unequal treaties were made under duress.这些不平等条约是在强迫下签订的。
- 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。
- Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
- The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- We have had ascendancy over the enemy in the battle.在战斗中我们已占有优势。
- The extremists are gaining ascendancy.极端分子正逐渐占据上风。