VOA慢速英语2014 美国、古巴关系正常化

 

US, Cuba Normalize Relations 美国、古巴关系正常化

U.S. President Barack Obama announced a major change in U.S. relations with Cuba. He acted after that country’s government released Alan Gross, an American held in prison there for five years.

President Obama announced increased economic and travel ties between the countries. The policy change ends more than 50 years of diplomatic isolation¹ that began in the Cold War.

"Isolation has not worked. It's time for a new approach," Mr. Obama said. "I believe this contact will do more to empower the Cuban people."

President Raul Castro said, “The decision by President Barack Obama deserves respect and recognition by our people.” He also called on the United States to end its economic blockade of Cuba.

Alan Gross spoke² soon after his arrival in Washington, D.C. Wednesday.  He thanked those who worked for his release and said he was happy to be home.

Cuba and the United States say they plan to work on an agreement to open embassies in each other's capitals.

India joins Pakistan in mourning

India observed a moment of silence Wednesday to remember the victims of the deadly Pakistani Taliban attack on a school in Pakistan, Tuesday. The attack in Peshawar killed at least 132 students and nine staff.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Parliament and thousands of students across India in two minutes of silence to mourn the dead.

Mr. Modi called the attack a “senseless act of unspeakable brutality³.”

Sony Pictures cancels release of “The Interview”

Sony Pictures said Wednesday it has canceled next week’s Christmas Day release of “The Interview,” a humor film about a plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Officials acted after a group of computer hackers⁵ threatened possible audiences.

The hacker⁴ group calls itself the Guardians⁶ of Peace. It released a statement Tuesday promising⁷ a "bitter fate" to those who see “The Interview.”

The statement warned people to stay away from theaters that show the film.

In the film, actors Seth Rogen and James Franco play the part of television reporters who the U.S. asks to kill Kim Jong Un.

North Korea has called the film an act of terrorism, and had called for Sony to cancel the film.

Words in the News

isolation – n. : the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others

mourn – v. to feel or show great sadness because someone has died

hacker – n. a person who secretly gets access to a computer system in order to get information or  cause damage

1 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

2 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。

3 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

4 hacker   

n.能盗用或偷改电脑中信息的人，电脑黑客

参考例句：

• The computer hacker wrote that he was from Russia.这个计算机黑客自称他来自俄罗斯。
• This site was attacked by a hacker last week.上周这个网站被黑客攻击了。

5 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

6 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。