VOA慢速英语2014 US, China to Cut Gases Linked to Climate Change

 

US, China to Cut Gases Linked to Climate Change

The leaders of the United States and China say they have reached an agreement to reduce pollution linked to climate change. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping made the announcement during a joint¹ news conference in Beijing.

Companies in the United States and China produce more carbon dioxide than those in any other country. Studies have linked rising levels of the gas to rising temperatures on Earth’s surface.

Mr. Obama said the U.S. agreed to cut carbon dioxide emissions² by 26 to 28 percent by 2025. Mr. Xi said carbon dioxide emissions in China would stop rising by about 2030. That is the first time that China has set such a date.

ASEAN meeting in Myanmar

A meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has opened in Myanmar’s capital, Nay³ Pyi Taw. Delegates to the talks represent more than 600 million people.

On Thursday, the 9th East Asia Summit will begin in Myanmar. President Obama plans to attend the summit. So are top officials from China, South Korea, Australia, India, Japan and Russia.

Ukraine to prepare for attack from separatists

The Ukrainian defense⁴ minister says he has ordered his country’s forces to prepare for a possible attack by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s defense minister told a government meeting on Wednesday that additional forces have joined the separatists.

On September 5th, the rebels and Ukraine’s government agreed to a cease-fire. But there have been clashes in eastern Ukraine since then.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials say they have seen Russian military equipment entering eastern Ukraine in the past two days. The equipment is said to include Russian tanks and artillery⁵.

Syrian activists⁶ say American airstrikes killed hundreds

Syrian activists say seven weeks of American-led air strikes have killed at least 860 people in Syria. They say most of the dead were Islamic State militants⁷.

On Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory⁸ for Human Rights said the number of dead could be much higher. The group said at least 50 civilians⁹ were among those killed in the attacks.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

3 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

4 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。

5 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

8 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。