VOA慢速英语2009-IN THE NEWS - Iran Launches a Missile and a Pres

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, Iran test-fired a new missile. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the launch to a crowd in Semnan province, his birthplace and a base for missile launches.
　
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to Semnan

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD (translator): "The Sejil-2 missile, which has very advanced technology, was launched from Semnan and it landed precisely¹ on the target."

Officials say the solid-fuel rocket could reach Israel, southeastern Europe and American bases in the Middle East.

American Defense² Secretary Robert Gates says the Iranian missile will be able to travel up to two thousand five hundred kilometers. But because of engine problems, he says, the range right now is probably closer to two thousand kilometers.

Wednesday's test came two days after Benjamin Netanyahu, the new Israeli prime minister, visited President Obama. It was their first meeting as leaders. Next week, the Palestinian and Egyptian presidents visit the White House.

President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu both spoke³ of the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.
　
President Obama with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House

BARACK OBAMA: "I firmly believe it is in Iran's interest not to develop nuclear weapons, because it would trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and be profoundly destabilizing in all sorts of ways."

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: "If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons, it could give a nuclear umbrella to terrorists, or worse it could actually give terrorists nuclear weapons, and that would put us all in grave peril⁴."

Iran says its nuclear program is for energy. But the latest test only added to concerns about missiles that could one day carry nuclear weapons. Israel points out that President Ahmadinejad has said the Jewish State should be "wiped off the map."

President Obama still has to decide the future of a Bush administration plan to put a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia objects. But the United States says the system would protect Europe from a possible attack by Iran.

President Obama says he is trying to reach out to the Iranians with diplomacy⁵. But he says there must be a "clear timetable" for talks about protecting their security without threatening other people's security.

There should be some sense by the end of the year, he says, whether or not serious progress is being made.

BARACK OBAMA: "We are not going to have talks forever. We are not going to create a situation in which talks become an excuse for inaction while Iran proceeds with developing a nuclear and deploying⁶ a nuclear weapon."

Iran's presidential election is June twelfth. President Ahmadinejad is seeking a second term. He will face three other candidates chosen this week from more than four hundred fifty who entered the race.

One of those he will face is Mir Hossein Mousavi. The former prime minister along with former parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi are both seen as reformist. Iran's Guardian⁷ Council also approved the candidacy of President Ahmadinejad and Mohsen Rezai, former head of the Revolutionary Guards. Both men are conservative.

The president's opponents have criticized his handling of the economy -- inflation is high. But he has won praise at home for his support for developing satellite and rocket technology. Iran launched its first satellite into orbit in February -- the thirtieth anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.

1 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 peril   

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。

5 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。

6 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

7 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。