2007年VOA标准英语-Bush, Mexican President Calderon Endorse Immigr

By Paula Wolfson
Merida, Mexico
13 March 2007

President Bush is in Mexico for two days of talks intended to help mend frayed² U.S. - Mexican ties.   VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from Merida, that Mr. Bush is pledging action on an issue of prime importance to the Mexicans, immigration.

Mar1 2007" hspace="2" src="http://www.wwenglish.com/up/2007/03/17131/9.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

U.S. President Bush (l) and Mexican President Felipe Calderon (r) at an arrival ceremony at Hacienda Temozon, in Temozon Sur, Mexico, 13 Mar 2007

The visit began with a reminder³ from Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Speaking through an interpreter at a sun-drenched arrival ceremony at an old country estate, President Calderon said the Bush administration began with a vow⁴ to make Latin America a priority, a vow that was broken after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"Unfortunately, the terrible happenings against the United States people made, in a very understandable way, the priorities change," said Mr. Calderon.  " Nevertheless, I believe that it is now time to retake the spirit of those words and to direct our relationship towards a path of mutual⁵ prosperity."

Mr. Calderon emphasized the need for action on illegal immigration.  He said the U.S. is rich in capital and Mexico is rich in labor⁶, and both countries need to find an answer to the problem.

"I know the pain of the families when they split, and also of all those towns where the elderly remain alone," he said.  "I also know that Mexicans lose in each migrant, the best of our people."

He said Mexico needs to tackle the issue by building its economy and creating new jobs.  He said America must implement⁷ comprehensive immigration reform.  But he stressed a new law authorizing⁸ funding for a fence of physical and high-tech⁹ barriers along the U.S. Mexican border is not the answer.

President Bush did not mention the fence in his remarks at the arrival ceremony.  But he did promise to do all he can to get an immigration reform bill, complete with a guest worker program, through the U.S. Congress.

"So Mr. President, my pledge to you and your government, but more importantly, to the people of Mexico is I will work as hard as I possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform," said Mr. Bush.

In addition to immigration, the two leaders said they will discuss narco-trafficking and steps to combat poverty in Mexico.  President Calderon called it a complex agenda, President Bush called it ambitious.  But both said the relationship between the two countries is important, and stressed they must work together.

"Geography has made us neighbors, but the choice we made for each other is a choice for freedom, and that choice has made us friends," added president Bush.

There have been scattered¹⁰ protests in Merida during President Bush's visit, but they have been small, especially when compared to those seen earlier in his Latin American tour.

Mr. Bush's travels have taken him to Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, and Guatemala.  He heads home from Mexico on Wednesday.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 frayed   

adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

4 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

5 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

9 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

10 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。