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VOA标准英语 Obama Heads to Hemispheric Summit Friday

时间:2009-05-12 02:38:11

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(单词翻译)

U.S. President Barack Obama travels Friday to Trinidad and Tobago to attend the fifth Summit of the Americas, a gathering1 of all hemispheric leaders minus Cuba. U.S. officials say the summit is an opportunity to forge a regional response to the global economic downturn, as well as environmental challenges and energy issues, although questions about Cuba could upstage the agenda.
 
President Barack Obama (File photo)

The financial crisis and deep recession have inflicted2 widespread pain across the Americas.

Financial crisis is top issue

Confronting the economic downturn and preventing it from boosting hemispheric poverty rates will be urgent priorities at the Summit of the Americas, according U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Tom Shannon.

"We have to protect the social gains that we have made in this hemisphere over the past decade, and ensure that the economic recovery of all the countries in the hemisphere does not come at the expense of the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society," he said.

Environmental issues figure prominently

The gathering is also expected to address environmental challenges and the need to develop alternatives to fossil fuels.

At previous summits, the United States set forth3 an ambitious and still unattained goal: forging a vast, hemisphere-wide free-trade zone. No such grand vision will be unveiled by Mr. Obama in Trinidad, according to the president's special advisor4 for the summit, Jeffrey Davidow.

"The president is going in a spirit of dealing5 with these other nations as partners. He is not going to Trinidad with a plan for the hemisphere. He is going with the intention of listening, discussing," Davidow said.

Obama warns against protectionism

Mr. Obama has consistently warned against protectionism in recent months, a message he is expected to repeat in Trinidad and which is welcome news to other governments. Jamaica's ambassador to the OAS, Anthony Johnson, says countries may be tempted6 to erect7 trade barriers during tough economic times, but this is a mistake.

"If we go into a protectionist downward spiral, we are lost," Johnson said.

Whereas the G20 summit in London earlier this month kept its focus on global financial and economic matters, discussions at the Summit of the Americas could be sidetracked by advocacy on behalf of a nation not present at the gathering: Cuba.

Economic embargo8 irritates some
 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a recent visit to Tokyo (File)

The decades-old U.S. economic embargo of the communist-run island has long-irritated other nations in the Americas, including many close U.S. allies. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has decried9 Cuba's exclusion10 from the summit, prompting this response from Jeffrey Davidow.

"It [the summit] continues to be a celebration of the profound change in this hemisphere as compared to many periods in the past when the hemisphere was marked by undemocratic governments. Cuba was not at the first summit; it remains11 an undemocratic state. The United States still hopes to see change in Cuba," he said.

Will Obama take new approach?

But the Obama administration appears sensitive to hemispheric frustration12 over nearly 50 years of diplomatic and economic estrangement13 between Washington and Havana. Earlier this week, the United States relaxed bans on travel and remittances14 to the island by Cuban-Americans.

During last year's presidential campaign, Barack Obama expressed a willingness to meet leaders of nations with which the United States has no official diplomatic relations, including Cuban President Raul Castro.

U.S. officials note that summit talks will be open, and any leader may raise issues about Cuba or any other topic. But they add it would be unfortunate if Cuba came to dominate discussions at a time of economic peril15 for the entire hemisphere.

Obama in high demand

Many leaders at the summit will be meeting President Obama for the first time. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, says the U.S. leader will be in great demand.

"Everybody expects to see the president [Obama]. And they do not expect just to shake hands with him. They [all] expect to have 10 or 15 minutes with the president, which is a logistical problem," he said.

White House officials say President Obama met with five hemispheric leaders at the G-20 summit.

Better approval ratings

Public-opinion polls in Latin America show far higher approval ratings for President Obama than those of his predecessor16, George W. Bush. With that popularity comes opportunity, according to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva.
 
Police stand by the entrance of the Mexico City hotel where President Obama will stay during his visit, 14 Apr 2009

"President Obama has a historic opportunity to improve the [U.S.] relationship with Latin America," he said.

The consensus17 view in the Americas is the United States turned its gaze away from hemispheric concerns after the attacks of September 11, 2001, focusing instead on Afghanistan, Iraq, and the global war on terror. Observers say the upcoming four-day trip, which begins with an overnight stay Thursday in Mexico, will give Mr. Obama a chance to change that perception.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会,聚会,聚集
参考例句:
  • 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。
2 inflicted cd6137b3bb7ad543500a72a112c6680f     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
  • Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。
3 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
4 advisor JKByk     
n.顾问,指导老师,劝告者
参考例句:
  • They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
  • The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。
5 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法,待人态度
参考例句:
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
6 tempted b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6     
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
  • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
7 erect 4iLzm     
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的
参考例句:
  • She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头,把背挺得笔直。
  • Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。
8 embargo OqixW     
n.禁运(令);vt.对...实行禁运,禁止(通商)
参考例句:
  • This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
  • During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间,他们禁止与敌国通商。
9 decried 8228a271dcb55838e82261f4e24dc430     
v.公开反对,谴责( decry的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The measures were decried as useless. 这些措施受到指责,说是不起作用。
  • The old poet decried the mediocrity of today's writing. 老诗人抨击了现代文体的平庸无奇。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
10 exclusion 1hCzz     
n.拒绝,排除,排斥,远足,远途旅行
参考例句:
  • Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
  • He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球,其他运动一概不参加。
11 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • 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。
12 frustration 4hTxj     
n.挫折,失败,失效,落空
参考例句:
  • He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
  • He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
13 estrangement 5nWxt     
n.疏远,失和,不和
参考例句:
  • a period of estrangement from his wife 他与妻子分居期间
  • The quarrel led to a complete estrangement between her and her family. 这一争吵使她同家人完全疏远了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 remittances 1fe103ae250a4b47c91d24b461c02b7f     
n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 );汇款,汇款额
参考例句:
  • He sends regular remittances to his parents. 他定期汇款给他父母。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Remittances sometimes account for as much as 20% of GDP. 在这些国家中,此类汇款有时会占到GDP的20%之多。 来自互联网
15 peril l3Dz6     
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物
参考例句:
  • The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
  • The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。
16 predecessor qP9x0     
n.前辈,前任
参考例句:
  • It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
  • The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。
17 consensus epMzA     
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识
参考例句:
  • Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗?
  • What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么?

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