英国新闻听力 对伊朗和美国外交进展的感想

Over recent days we have witnessed some of the most intricate diplomacy¹. The announcement that Iran had met its initial obligations under the nuclear agreement signed last July, is a triumph. It’s all a far cry from the usual blows traded between Iran and the US. Neither side mentioned the ‘axis of evil’ or the big Satan over recent days.

Under the nuclear deal Iran agreed to dismantle² substantial elements of its nuclear programme and in the final days of 2015 it shipped 98% of its enriched uranium to Russia. And just last week it deactivated³ the hard-water reactor⁴ at Arak. In return the international community will lift most of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran.

But even the most carefully planned diplomacy must deal with the unexpected. Iran’s detention⁵ of the US sailors could have caused difficulties. But their subsequent release, and the public gratitude⁶ from the US pointed⁷ to changed times. Then the exchange of prisoners between the US and Iran occurred. One by one stumbling blocks were removed.

Most will ask why an agreement has come now and how? It is part of the subtle interplay between diplomacy, defence and development which underpins⁸ international policy. But diplomacy is the key part. US Secretary of State John Kerry said, “we are really reminded once again this evening of diplomacy’s power to tackle significant challenges”.

Ultimately diplomacy relies on people and the election in Iran of President Rouhani was a critical element. He welcomed the lifting of the sanctions by saying it was a “glorious victory” and thanked God for the blessing⁹.

Diplomacy takes at least two sides to be engaged and involved. It asks for trust which can be tough when hearts have been hardened over years of mistrust and misperception. Ultimately it involves taking a risk and leaving oneself or others exposed to ridicule¹⁰ or embarrassment¹¹ (most probably at home) if it doesn’t work. It’s a high risk with a high probability of getting stung along the way. All too often diplomacy’s failures are remembered as weaknesses when in actual fact they are most likely strengths.

Faith can provide that strength for many because it often asks us to do the most difficult human things; to be humble¹² when the ego¹³ demands arrogance¹⁴; to be vulnerable when others call for strength; to trust when we fear; to believe that the other can change even when that might seem impossible.

Diplomacy, like faith, believes in that possibility. Not as a naive¹⁵ view of human nature, but as an accurate read of humanity, its strengths and weaknesses.

最近几天，我们目睹了一些最复杂的外交事件，宣布伊朗履行了去年7月份签署的核协议是一场胜利，这与伊朗和美国通常的矛盾关系有很大差别，这几天双方都没有提到“邪恶轴心”或是“大魔鬼”。

根据核协议，伊朗同意拆掉其核项目的主要部分，在2015年的最后几天伊朗将98%的浓缩铀运到俄罗斯。就在上周刚关闭了阿拉克的硬水反应堆，作为交换，国际社会将取消对伊朗的大部分经济制裁。

但即使是最详细规划的外交活动也必须应对意外之事，伊朗拘留美国船员一事原本比较难以解决，但后来这些船员获释，美国公众对此表示感激，这样情况就发生了变化。然后美国和伊朗交换囚犯，这样一个个的障碍就被解除了。

大多数人会问为何现在能达成协议，是如何达成的？这是外交、国防和作为外交政策基础的时局微妙的的相互影响。但外交是关键因素，美国国务卿约翰·克里说，“今天晚上我们再次想到外交在解决重大问题上的力量。”

外交最终是要靠人来起作用的，伊朗总统鲁哈尼的当选是个关键因素，他对制裁取消表示欢迎，称之为“光荣的胜利”，并感谢上帝的祝福。

外交需要至少两方的参与，多年的不信任和误解使得双方的心已变硬，难以建立外交所需要的信任。外交最终是需要冒险的，如果外交失败了，那么参与者或其他人就会被嘲笑或身处尴尬之中(很可能在国内面对这些)。参与者很有可能一路不顺，而且人们总是会记得外交上的失败，而事实上外交确是最有可能的力量。

信念能给很多人这种力量，因为它要求我们做对人来说最难的事：当自我想傲慢时表现出谦卑，当他人想获得力量时表现得脆弱，当我们恐惧时能够相互信任，相信他人能够改变，即使这看起来不可能。

而外交就像信念，相信有这样的可能。这不是对人的天性的天真看法，而是对人性及其力量和弱点的准确解读。

1 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• 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。

2 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

3 deactivated   

v.解除动员( deactivate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；复员；使不活动

参考例句：

• \"The brain can be deactivated. It can be yours to command.\" “大脑计算机可以被停止。如果你下达命令的话。” 来自互联网
• He successfully deactivated a nuclear reactor in a laboratory before meltdown. 他成功停用一个核反应堆在实验室之前崩溃。 来自互联网

4 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

5 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

6 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 underpins   

n.基础材料( underpin的名词复数 )；基础结构；（学说、理论等的）基础；（人的）腿v.用砖石结构等从下面支撑（墙等）( underpin的第三人称单数 )；加固（墙等）的基础；为（论据、主张等）打下基础；加强

参考例句：

• A powerful sense of mission underpins everything he does. 一种强烈的使命感支撑他所做的一切。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His presence at the crime underpins the case against him. 案子发生时他在场对他更不利。 来自辞典例句

9 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

10 ridicule   

v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄

参考例句：

• You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。
• Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

11 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

12 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

13 ego   

n.自我，自己，自尊

参考例句：

• He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
• She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

14 arrogance   

n.傲慢，自大

参考例句：

• His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
• Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。

15 naive   

adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的

参考例句：

• It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。
• Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。