时间:2018-12-19 作者:英语课 分类:VOA双语新闻 2009年4月


英语课

  The U.S. Congress took steps on Tuesday to tighten 1 sanctions against Iran in what many lawmakers call an effort to provide President Barack Obama the authority he needs to increase pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program. One week after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Congress that the Obama administration will work with lawmakers to impose "crippling" sanctions against Iran, Senate lawmakers introduced legislation designed to help accomplish just that.

美国国会星期二采取措施,加强对伊朗的制裁。很多议员称这种努力能向奥巴马总统提供他所需要的权威,就伊朗的核问题向德黑兰施加压力。一个星期前,国务卿克林顿对国会说,奥巴马政府将和议员们合作,对伊朗实施“瘫痪性的”制裁。参议院的议员们推出了有关议案,以达到对伊朗制裁的目的。

In an effort similar to action in the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation targeting Iran's gasoline imports, including companies supporting Iran's energy sector 2 or insuring fuel shipments to Iran.

类似众议院提出的有关议案,民主、共和两党的参议员提出主要针对伊朗汽油进口的议案,制裁对象包括支持伊朗能源行业的公司,或确保向伊朗提供燃料运输的公司。

Senator Joseph Lieberman, who calls himself an Independent but caucuses 3 with Democrats 5, says the legislation is part of a process in which the United States and its allies "turn the page" toward finding more common ground on Iran and setting specific benchmarks with global enforcement.

利伯曼是独立派参议员,但却参加民主党的核心会议。他说,这项议案是一个程序的一部分,因为在这个过程中,美国及其盟国正就伊朗问题翻开新的一页,找到更多共同点,并为全球范围内强化制裁的实施设定具体的基准。

"What we need is a multi-pronged, explicit 6 strategy that employs all of the elements of our national power and our allies, and that ties together multiple lines of operation, including direct diplomacy 7 with the Iranians, into a coherent plan of action for the months ahead that has goals and schedules and teeth," he said.

他说:“我们所需的是一个多层次、明确的战略,动用我们国家和盟国的所有力量,将这行动的多方面,融入未来几个月的统一行动计划中,其中包括同伊朗的直接外交接触。这些行动计划有目标、有时间表、有强制手段。”

Lieberman says Iran must understand that it is on an explicit timeline in which the international community expects to see results. The Obama administration, he added, must make clear that it does not view engagement with Iran as a process without an end, but as a means to identify ends that would benefit both countries.

Like the House version, the Senate measure would amend 8 the 1996 Iran Sanctions Act to allow the president to sanction foreign companies involved in enabling the shipment of gasoline and other refined petroleum 9 products to Iran, or helping 10 to maintain its existing refining capacity.

就像众议院的议案一样,参议院的提案将修改1996的伊朗制裁法案,允许总统制裁参与向伊朗提供石油运输和其它精炼石油产品的公司,或帮助维持其现有炼油能力的公司。

Proposals to sanction Iran's gasoline imports, which account for 40 percent of its needs, have been advocated by various lawmakers in recent years.

Meanwhile, the House Financial Services Committee took a step to make it easier for U.S. state governments and individual investors 11 to divest 12 from Iran, removing the threat of lawsuits 13 for those doing so.

另一方面,众议院财经委员会采取措施,便于美国各州政府和个人投资者从伊朗撤资,并去除因这样做所面临的法律诉讼的危险。

"There are people who will think that it is important that we tighten sanctions against Iran; there are some who may feel the time has come to relax them. This bill doesn't take sides. What it says is that it is inappropriate to have a federal rule that says state governments with their own money can't make these decisions or that individual investors can't press their companies to do it," said House Financial Services Committee Chairman, Democrat 4 Barney Frank.

众议院财经委员会主席、民主党议员弗兰克说:“有些人会认为,我们加强对伊朗的制裁很重要。有些人或许会认为,现在是放松制裁的时候了。这个议案不偏袒任何一方。这项议案说,如果联邦规定持有自己资金的州政府无法做出有关决定,或者个人投资者不能敦促他们的公司这样做,这是不合适的。”

The House measure is similar to legislation Congress approved regarding Darfur in Sudan, but would not direct the federal government to publish a list of companies with investments of more than $20 million in the Iranian energy sector -- a provision that drew opposition 14 from some lawmakers.

众议院的议案同国会批准的有关苏丹达尔富尔的法案相同,但是不会命令联邦政府公布在伊朗能源行业投资超过2千万美元的公司名单,这项规定招致了一些议员的反对。

Ten U.S. states have enacted 15 Iran divestment legislation, and an amendment 16 to the House bill would retroactively expand protection to those actions.

Republican Jeb Hensarling says changes agreed to by Democrats and Republicans have improved the measure, adding that it should attract strong bipartisan support when it comes up for a vote in the House.

共和党议员杰布.亨萨林说,民主、共和两党议员一致认同的变化,已改进了有关议案。他说,在众议院对这项议案进行表决时,预计会得到两党的大力支持。

Iranian officials this week warned against attempts to sanction gasoline imports.

伊朗官员本星期警告不要妄图对伊朗的汽油进口实施制裁。

In separate action, the House of Representatives debated a resolution urging Iran to step up cooperation with the U.S. and intermediaries on the case of Robert Levinson, the former FBI agent who disappeared in 2007 while visiting Iran.

另一方面,众议院就一项决议案进行辩论。该决议案敦促伊朗加强同美国和调解人员就罗伯特.列文森的案子进行合作。列文森是一名前联邦调查局的特工,2007年在访问伊朗时失踪。

It expresses appreciation 17 for Iran's "promise of continued assistance" but urges President Obama and U.S. allies to raise the case at every opportunity, "notwithstanding other serious disagreements with Iran over its nuclear program and other issues".

这项决议案对伊朗“承诺继续提供帮助”,表示感谢,但是敦促奥巴马总统和美国的盟国利用一切机会提出此案,“尽管在伊朗的核项目和其它方面同伊朗存在严重的分歧”。

A similar concurrent 18 resolution is pending 19 in the Senate. Such measures express sentiments of both chambers 20 of Congress, but do not have the force of law.

另外一个类似的决议案,正等候参议院的审议。这项决议案表达了参众两院的观点,但不具法律效应。



1 tighten
v.(使)变紧;(使)绷紧
  • Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
  • Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策,以避免通货膨胀。
2 sector
n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形
  • 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。
3 caucuses
n.(政党决定政策或推举竞选人的)核心成员( caucus的名词复数 );决策干部;决策委员会;秘密会议
  • Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网
4 democrat
n.民主主义者,民主人士;民主党党员
  • The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
  • About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后,他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。
5 democrats
n.民主主义者,民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )
  • The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
  • The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 explicit
adj.详述的,明确的;坦率的;显然的
  • She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
  • He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。
7 diplomacy
n.外交;外交手腕,交际手腕
  • The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
  • This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。
8 amend
vt.修改,修订,改进;n.[pl.]赔罪,赔偿
  • The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
  • You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。
9 petroleum
n.原油,石油
  • The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
  • The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。
10 helping
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
11 investors
n.投资者,出资者( investor的名词复数 )
  • a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
  • a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
12 divest
v.脱去,剥除
  • I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。
  • He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。
13 lawsuits
n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )
  • 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
14 opposition
n.反对,敌对
  • 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。
15 enacted
制定(法律),通过(法案)( enact的过去式和过去分词 )
  • legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
  • Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
16 amendment
n.改正,修正,改善,修正案
  • The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
  • The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。
17 appreciation
n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨
  • I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
  • I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。
18 concurrent
adj.同时发生的,一致的
  • You can't attend two concurrent events!你不能同时参加两项活动!
  • The twins had concurrent birthday. 双胞胎生日在同一天。
19 pending
prep.直到,等待…期间;adj.待定的;迫近的
  • 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。
20 chambers
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅
  • The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间:Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网
学英语单词
a harbour of refuge
Adesmia
Akbakay
aluminium-foil with paper lining
AMEDS, AMedS
Anaerorhabdus
angles back to back
anthroposophies
aqua mirabilis
baccha (allobaccha) nubilipennis
back-up copy
ballad of reading gaol
bangle ear
bearing hub
blue(water) gas
book piracy
born-karman theory
brass polish
budget talks
cantaloupe melon
certificate references
coasting surface
completely mixed reactor
computer application for measurement and control
conducting-core heterofilament
critical energy of reaction
dasyuridaes
Dominique
ernst lubitsches
expectoratory
failure diagnostic
failure voltage
farri
fast-fading
fire tile
Fitch,Val
footcandlle
gelatt
genus Javanthropus
go formal
Google operating system
graphemic
haemal zygapophysis
happenin'
hardware select
Holland, Sir Sidney George
identification name
importuning
isotonic nucleus
jordan snow plow
king leopold ra.
laboulbenia ophioneae
line outage
live fish hold
long-stem
low - pressure system
mail person
malawar
marrinson
mcilvain
menifest of clearance
mini-trench
Multi-mask
multigroup Monte Carlo method
multilevel hierarchy
nonsupervised
operating system efficiency
panther lilies
PDLP
phase-locked speed control system
pixel map
polished-joint hanger
post-communists
radioactive emanations
rational fraction approximation
roof pressure
roots of unity
ruby port
scalenest
sceondary breaker
selective frequency control
sensory spots
signed magnitude computer
single path catalytic reaction
spacer flange
spontaneous gangrene
starves
Stellectomy
storm-clouds
sugarplum
surkamp
swinging-out casement window
teachware
tension management
thymegol
tilting-type
tower's liability
trabeculae corporis cavernosi urethrae
Treitz's Trelat's sign
unquality-like
vintage-car
wycch