VOA慢速英语2015 美国军方所有战斗位置将接受女兵

AS IT IS 2015-12-04 US Military Opens All Combat Positions to Women 美国军方所有战斗位置将接受女兵

Women will soon be able to serve in all positions in the United States military -- including combat -- if they meet the demands of the job.

Defense¹ Secretary Ashton Carter announced the policy change Thursday at the Pentagon -- the headquarters of the military near Washington, D.C. Carter said the branches of the military -- Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard -- must tell him by January how they plan to fulfill³ his order.

Carter’s plan is not without critics.

Joseph F. Dunford Jr. was the top general in the Marine² Corps⁴. While he was Commandant, he pointed⁵ to studies showing that military units that include women are not as effective as all-male units.

Dunford is now Chairman of the Joint⁶ Chiefs of Staff -- the nation’s top military officer -- and will be required to put Carter’s order into effect.

Reporters asked Carter repeatedly if Dunford supported his decision. Carter said “my decision is my decision.” He said he expects the general will put the new policy in place. The United States has a long history of strong civilian⁷ control of the military.

After almost three years of study, almost all of the services told Carter that women who meet the standards of a job should be able to be placed in any position. But the Marine Corps asked that women continue to be banned from some positions -- including infantry⁸.

Carter refused. He said “there will be no exceptions.” Now, he noted⁹, qualified¹⁰ women will be able to “drive tanks … and lead infantry units into combat.”

He said he does not believe letting women hold combat jobs will hurt the effectiveness of military units.

“To succeed in our mission of national defense, we cannot afford to cut ourselves off from half” of the country’s population, he said. He said it is time to “harness the skills and perspectives that women have to offer.”

Women had been able to work in about 90 percent of the military’s jobs. Because of Carter’s decision, they will be able to fill all remaining 220,000 positions.

The military has gradually accepted women in positions that were once held only by men. In 1975, it opened its military academies to women. In 1993, it let women fly fighter jets and serve on combat ships.

And, as Carter noted, women have been forced to engage in combat to defend themselves in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Words in This Story

unit – n. a single thing, person or group that is a part of something larger

infantry – n. the part of an army that has soldiers who fight on foot

exception – n. a case where a rule does not apply

tank – n. a military vehicle that moves on two large metal belts with wheels inside them and that is covered in heavy armor

harness – v. to use (something) for a particular purpose

perspective – n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)

gradually – adv. moving or changing in small amounts; happening in a slow way over a long period of time

engage in – phrasal verb to do (something)

1 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。

2 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

4 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 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。

6 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。

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。