2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Prepares for G-8 Summit

By Scott Stearns
White House
02 June 2007

President Bush visits Germany in the coming week for the annual meeting of the world's leading industrialized nations, known as the G-8 summit.  VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports on the president's agenda for the meeting.

U.S. President Bush speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, 29 May 2007

President Bush says leaders of the G-8 nations will discuss ways they can advance trade, fight disease, promote development, increase access to education, and address the long-term challenge of global climate change. In his weekly radio address, the president said it is in America's interests to help these efforts succeed.

"When we help lift societies out of poverty, we create new markets for American goods and new jobs for American workers. When we help reduce chaos¹ and suffering, we make America safer, because prosperous nations are less likely to breed violence and export terror."

In the days leading up to the G-8 summit, Mr. Bush appeared to address some European concerns about his commitment to climate change.  He vowed² to set voluntary goals for reducing U.S. greenhouse gases by the end of next year. He says America is investing billions of dollars in clean energy technologies and will share that information with developing nations.

In the Democratic radio address, Massachusetts Congressman³ Ed Markey dismissed the president's new plan for climate change as shifting from denial to delay. Markey says the president has failed to set any meaningful limits on the pollution believed responsible for global warming, lagging behind European allies such as Germany, which is meeting new energy demands with solar cells.

"The agenda for the G-8 summit is clear and urgent," he said.  "The world needs to set binding⁴ limits on the emissions⁵ of heat-trapping pollution that causes climate change. The world's most renowned⁶ scientists now agree that our rapidly warming climate is man-made not natural."

G-8 leaders will meet with a number of African heads of state at their summit to discuss support for good governance and anti-corruption measures.

President Bush this past week called on Congress to spend $30 billion over the next five years to help fight AIDS in Africa. He also launched a program to help African nations get the technical assistance they need to strengthen their financial markets.

"And it will encourage the international financial community to create several new private equity⁷ funds that will mobilize up to $1 billion of new private investment in Africa," he added.  "By taking these steps, we can help African entrepreneurs access capital, so they can grow their businesses and create jobs across the continent."

The president asked Congress to spend $525 million over the next five years to help provide a quality education for up to four million children in poor nations.

Mr. Bush also tightened⁸ U.S. economic sanctions against Sudan and called on the U.N. Security Council to stop Khartoum from conducting offensive military flights over the troubled Darfur region, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million displaced since 2003.

"The people of Darfur have suffered long enough. We will not avert⁹ our eyes from a crisis that challenges the conscience of the world," he said.

In addition to the G-8 summit in Germany, President Bush will also visit the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Albania, and Bulgaria.

1 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

2 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

3 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

4 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

7 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

8 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

9 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。