VOA常速英语2007年-US Senator Rejects Chavez Allegations of Interf

By Brian Wagner
Caracas
02 December 2007

A leading U.S. senator has rejected allegations by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that Washington is seeking to destabilize the South American nation. In Caracas, VOA's Brian Wagner reports Mr. Chavez is in a tightly contested constitutional referendum that could allow him to stay president as long as he likes.

President Chavez has leveled a series of allegations against the United States in recent days, such as forming plans to interfere¹ in Sunday's election, topple his government or use CIA agents in Colombia to assassinate² him.

Late Saturday, the Venezuelan leader renewed a threat to halt oil sales to the United States if attacked.

Mr. Chavez said if the United States harms Venezuela, Americans will have to look for new oil sources because Venezuela will end its supply.

Venezuela is the fourth largest supplier of foreign oil to the United States, and sends more than 60 percent of its production to U.S. facilities.

In Washington, Democratic Senator Carl Levin denied President Chavez's claims, saying there are no such plans to act against Venezuela's government.

"First of all we are not seeking to destabilize him," said Senator Levin. "His policies, his efforts at dictatorship, to amend³ the constitution so he can stay there for life, that is what is destabilizing Venezuela, not our policies."

Senator Levin told CNN television that he doubts Venezuela would actually halt oil sales in any event, because he says it relies heavily on U.S. buyers. He added that threats to stop U.S. oil imports, like those from Mr. Chavez, reinforce the need to develop new sources of energy.

Venezuelans voted Sunday in a constitutional referendum that would, among other things expand presidential powers and scrap⁴ limits on how long Mr. Chavez can stay on as president.

1 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

2 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。

3 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

4 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。