2007年VOA标准英语-President Bush Pushes Immigration Reform

By Jim Fry
Washington
04 May 2007
 

Two days after thousands of people rallied in several American cities to call for change in U.S. immigration laws, President Bush again spoke¹ out for what he calls comprehensive reform. Members of the president's own Republican Party in the House of Representatives scuttled² his efforts last year.  But Mr. Bush today spoke optimistically of chances for action this year.  VOA's Jim Fry reports:

Immigration demonstrators in New York

May Day rallies in cities throughout the U.S. dramatized the passions that remain over the divisive issue.

Demonstrators mostly supported easing immigration laws and legalizing many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already in the country.

Two days later, President Bush spoke out at a Washington D.C. church where immigrants learn English.  Mr. Bush pointed³ to Franciso Lara, a political refugee from Nicaragua who is now a U.S. citizen, and told the audience, "Francisco said,  'When you learn English, doors open up for you.'  And I appreciate that beautiful sentiment, because it is true.  I strongly support comprehensive immigration reform."

Mr. Bush says those reforms should include not only tighter border security but also a guest worker program.  He has proposed inviting⁴ a limited number of workers into the country each year.

Democrats⁵ in Congress last year also pushed for illegal immigrants to eventually earn citizenship⁶. Opponents instead passed legislation to build a wall along the southwestern border of the U.S.  .

In Los Angeles, police clashed with pro-immigration demonstrators Monday. Crowds gathered in New York City, and protesters expressed their impatience⁷. One demonstrator, Enrique Lica, said, "Please, please, Mr. Bush or anybody that is listening.  It is about time we do something about it."

In Chicago, at a downtown park, the city's mayor, Richard Daley, appealed for action. "When we look at the skyline, it was built by immigrants in the past and present and future.  We will not be deterred⁸ by Democrats or Republicans.  We want a compromise before the 2016 Olympic games in the City of Chicago.  We want it now."

"I am looking forward to working with both Democrats and Republicans to get a comprehensive immigration bill done this year.  We have a good chance to get it done" Mr. Bush said.

The White House and key lawmakers have been negotiating privately⁹, seeking a compromise. But so far, no sign of an agreement.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 scuttled   

v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走

参考例句：

• She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice. 听到他的说话声，她赶紧跑开了。
• The thief scuttled off when he saw the policeman. 小偷看见警察来了便急忙跑掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

7 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

8 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句

9 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。