2006年VOA标准英语-Cebu Residents Disappointed of ASEAN Summit Pos

By Heda Bayron
Cebu, Philippines
09 December 2006

The postponement² of the much-heralded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit has left the people of Cebu disappointed, and in some cases, a bit poorer.  Months of preparation in the major city of the central Philippines evaporated overnight when the government decided³ to postpone¹ the event because of an approaching typhoon. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from Cebu.

A worker sweeps rain water from the main gate of newly-built Cebu International Convention Center

Construction workers had labored⁴ 24 hours a day, seven days a week over the past several months to finish the $10 million Cebu International Convention Center in time for the diplomatic extravaganza.

But on Saturday, two days before leaders of the Association of Southeast Nations, or ASEAN, and of other major Asian nations were to sit down for talks, the only people filling the new convention center were departing journalists.

The journalists, and those diplomats⁵ who had arrived in advance, were racing⁶ for the airport, hoping to get out of the province before Typhoon Utor hits on Sunday. 

With them went the hopes of many Cebuanos that hosting an event of this magnitude would boost their province's reputation. Hotels and restaurants had renovated⁷ their premises⁸ in anticipation⁹ of hundreds of delegates. 

Marice Araneta, a tour operator, says her advance preparations will probably cost her money.

"I really feel bad about this because we are really ready for it," she said.  "We will be having problems with some of our suppliers because we already advanced [money]. I'm talking about the rent-a-car business because I'm handling three countries right now, we have already paid suppliers part of it. I don't know if we can get it back."

Cebu is a major export center for the Philippines, with products ranging from electronics to handicrafts. Local governments and private enterprises were hoping the event would help them expand their markets.

Dece Ann Mondigo traveled many miles from northern Cebu to showcase her area's products at the convention center.

She says her municipality expected so much from the event, meeting potential investors¹⁰, for instance, but now she feels it was all a waste of time and money.

Cebu would have hosted leaders from the 10 member nations of ASEAN, plus those of China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand and East Timor.  Putting together an event like this also requires huge advance effort and expenditure¹¹ by the government. 

The government poured millions of dollars into Cebu, putting up new streetlights, paving roads, and rounding up squatters and vagrants¹².  There are always complex matters of scheduling, security and diplomatic protocol¹³ to be arranged.  Much of that preparation will have to be done from scratch when the summits are finally held.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo says he is consulting with his counterparts now to schedule a new date for the summit. He says all ASEAN officials are looking forward to visiting Cebu in January. But, he says, with a newly heightened sense of realism, he cannot promise another typhoon will not come along then to spoil the party again.

1 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

2 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 labored   

adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
• They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

7 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

8 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

9 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

10 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

11 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

12 vagrants   

流浪者( vagrant的名词复数 )； 无业游民； 乞丐； 无赖

参考例句：

• Police kept a close watch on the vagrants. 警察严密监视那些流浪者。
• O Troupe of little vagrants of the world, leave your footprints in my words. 世界上的一队小小的漂泊者呀，请留下你们的足印在我的文字里。

13 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。