美国国家公共电台 NPR--France's Macron defends his dealings with Uber

France's Macron defends his dealings with Uber

Transcript¹

French President Emmanuel Macron is facing calls for a parliamentary inquiry², after the "Uber files" exposed his extraordinary efforts to help the company lobby against the taxi industry.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We've been talking this week about leaked documents that show the lengths to which Uber went to take on the taxi industry in country after country. In France, the Uber files have provoked new questions about the role of President Emmanuel Macron. Here's Rebecca Rosman.

REBECCA ROSMAN, BYLINE⁴: Uber's courting of Macron started in 2014, according to text messages and emails leaked by a former Uber executive. The company was desperately⁵ looking for an ally who could help them expand their operations in France. Emmanuel Macron was then working as the economy minister under Socialist⁶ President Francois Hollande. Amidst the trove⁷ of more than 124,000 documents known as the Uber files, there was proof of secret meetings with lobbyists, reassurances⁸ of support and suggestions that Macron offered to help Uber expand the company at the expense, his critics say, of France's licensed¹⁰ taxi drivers.

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PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON: (Speaking French).

ROSMAN: On Tuesday, Macron brushed off the allegations, telling reporters he was, quote, "proud" of supporting Uber because they created jobs for French workers, adding he would "do it again tomorrow and the day after tomorrow." French authorities quickly backed the president, saying his actions were part of his normal duties as minister. But opposition¹¹ politicians on the political left and far right are calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the details of Macron's relationship with Uber.

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FRANCOIS RUFFIN: (Speaking French).

ROSMAN: Speaking to France Inter¹² radio on Tuesday, far-left MP Francois Ruffin for an investigation¹³ into Macron's 2017 presidential campaign donors¹⁴, implying some sort of ongoing¹⁵ quid pro³ quo. Macron, meanwhile, has praised Uber for giving jobs to thousands of young people from the troubled working-class suburbs. That explanation isn't enough to please France's licensed cab drivers, who, unlike Uber drivers, have to undergo around 300 hours of training and pay up to 250,000 euros for an official taxi license⁹. So far, their protests against what they call the Uberization (ph) of France haven't worked. But opposition forces in parliament say, this time, they're going to make sure the president listens.

For NPR News, I'm Rebecca Rosman.

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1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

3 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• 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。

6 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

7 trove   

n.被发现的东西，收藏的东西

参考例句：

• He assembled a rich trove of Chinese porcelain.他收集了一批中国瓷器。
• The gallery is a treasure trove of medieval art.这个画廊是中世纪艺术的宝库。

8 reassurances   

n.消除恐惧或疑虑( reassurance的名词复数 )；恢复信心；使人消除恐惧或疑虑的事物；使人恢复信心的事物

参考例句：

• We have had some reassurances from the council that the building will be saved. 理事会保证会保留那座建筑，这使我们得到了些许安慰。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Everybody's reassurances have encouraged me. 大家的勉励鼓舞了我。 来自辞典例句

9 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

10 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• 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。

12 inter   

v.埋葬

参考例句：

• They interred their dear comrade in the arms.他们埋葬了他们亲爱的战友。
• The man who died in that accident has been interred.在那次事故中死的那个人已经被埋葬了。

13 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

14 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。