VOA慢速英语2015 马可卢比奥宣布参加2016美国总统竞选

Marco Rubio Announces Presidential Campaign 马可卢比奥宣布参加2016美国总统竞选

United States Senator Marco Rubio of Florida told his supporters Monday he is running for president in 2016. He said that he feels “uniquely qualified²” to represent the Republican Party.

Mr. Rubio, 43, is the son of Cuban immigrants. He made an official public announcement Monday in Miami. The announcement took place at the site where officials first registered Cubans fleeing the government of Fidel Castro in the 1960s.

Mr. Rubio is a first-term senator. If elected, he would become the United States’ first Hispanic leader.

He joins Republican Senators Rand Paul and Ted¹ Cruz in seeking the party’s presidential nomination³. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush are also expected to seek the Republican nomination.

Iran suspends pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia

Iranian officials said Monday they will stop sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the Islamic pilgrimage, Umra. Iran says Saudi officials mistreated two Iranian pilgrims last month at Jeddah airport.

Iranian Culture Minister Ali Jannati told Iranian TV that Saudi Arabia must punish border guards who reportedly mistreated the pilgrims last month.

Russia lifts ban, may supply Iran with missiles

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cancelled a ban on supplying Iran with S-300 surface to air missiles.

The ban was put in place in September 2010. The policy change comes less than a week after Iran and six nations reached a deal on Iran’s nuclear program.

The United States expressed concern Monday of Russia’s possible sale of the missiles to Iran.

Nobel-winning German writer dies at 87

Günter Grass, the Nobel-winning German writer, has died. A spokesman for his publisher confirmed that Mr. Grass died on Monday in a hospital in Germany. He was 87 years old.

Mr. Grass’s books described growing up under the Nazi⁴-led government in Germany. He briefly⁵ served as a Nazi soldier while a teenager. He was captured by American forces and held in a war camp.

Many have praised his part in reviving German literature after World War II. Mr. Grass also helped give voice and support to democracy in Germany after the war.

He earned the Nobel Prize for literature in 1999 for his most famous novel, “The Tin Drum,” published in 1959.

Words in the News

unique – adj. unlike anyone or anything else (adverb form: uniquely)

qualified – adj. having the necessary skill, experience, or knowledge to do a particular job or activity

site – n. a place where something important has happened

pilgrim – n. someone who travels to a holy place

pilgrimage – n. a journey to a holy place

revive – v. to make (someone or something) strong, healthy, or active again

1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 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。

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

5 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。