2007年VOA标准英语-G8 Leaders Gather Amid Differences and Protests

By Sonja Pace
Heiligendamm, Germany
05 June 2007

Leaders of the G8 group of major industrial nations are gathering¹ in Germany's Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm for three days of discussions to include climate change, economic issues and debt relief for Africa. But differences were evident before the summit began and security was extremely tight to keep protesters away from the meeting site, as VOA's Sonja Pace reports from Heiligendamm.

The stage has been set with meticulous² preparation in the traditional resort of Heiligendamm. It is here that these major world leaders will hold bilateral³ meetings, working lunches and dinners. There will be group photos, handshakes and smiles, but these are unlikely to fully⁴ mask underlying⁵ policy differences.

Angela Merkel, 4 Jun 2007

Summit host, German Chancellor⁶ Angela Merkel has put climate change on the top of the agenda, but a major breakthrough is unlikely because of differences over how to rein⁷ in global warming.

Mrs. Merkel would like to see agreement on benchmark limits to global warming, but the United States and some other countries are reluctant to commit themselves to such limits.

Speaking just days before the summit, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair said there is the possibility of moving forward on a global warming strategy, but he warned that all the major players must be on board.

"Unless you can get a global agreement that encompasses⁸ all the main players and that means America, obviously, but also China and India and the developing world that is as a result of its economic growth going to be emitting vastly more of the greenhouse gas emissions⁹ than before," said Blair. "Unless you can get a comprehensive global deal then we are unlikely to make progress."

And, there is no indication in Heiligendamm that all the major players agree on the issue.

Another major agenda item is aid to Africa and debt relief for the continent. The G8 members committed themselves to major aid increases and debt relief at their summit in Glen Eagles in Scotland two years ago, but experts say implementation¹⁰ of those promises has been sparse¹¹.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has said he hopes to see some steps forward. "What we would like to see come out of Heiligendamm is further movement forward," he said. "I do not have a sense that there is anybody among the G8 who is opposed to that and ... increased aid from the U.S. and Germany that have been announced in the last few days - I think are a signal of that kind of commitment."

Talks at the summit between U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are likely to steal the headlines. Relations have become increasingly tense over U.S. proposals to build a missile defense¹² system in Europe that Washington says is vital to thwart¹³ possible attacks from Iran.

Mr. Putin has dismissed such reasoning and says instead that the American missile system would pose a threat to Russia. Mr. Putin threatened to aim Russian missiles at European targets if the system is built.

Speaking in the Czech capital, Prague, Mr. Bush said the Cold War is over and Russia has nothing to fear from this missile defense system. Instead, Mr. Bush said he will try to convince Mr. Putin that the U.S. and Russia can work together to deal with common threats.

Anti-globalisation protesters are stopped and searched by police as they leave the train station in the north-eastern town of Warnemuende, Germany, 05 Jun 2007

Preparations for the summit involve what officials say is the largest security operation in post-war Germany. Heiligendamm has been completely cordoned¹⁴ off and there is a heavy police presence throughout the area to try to keep protesters away. Authorities estimate up to 100,000 activists¹⁵ have gathered in the vicinity of the summit.

Clashes between police and demonstrators have already taken place in the nearby city of Rostock. An anti-summit riot on Saturday left about one thousand people injured and there are fears of further unrest.

Germany holds the G8 rotating presidency¹⁶ and hosts the meeting of leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. They are joined by leaders from China, India, Brazil, Mexico and a number of African countries.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 meticulous   

adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的

参考例句：

• We'll have to handle the matter with meticulous care.这事一点不能含糊。
• She is meticulous in her presentation of facts.她介绍事实十分详细。

3 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

6 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

7 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

8 encompasses   

v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
• Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

11 sparse   

adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的

参考例句：

• The teacher's house is in the suburb where the houses are sparse.老师的家在郊区，那里稀稀拉拉有几处房子。
• The sparse vegetation will only feed a small population of animals.稀疏的植物只够喂养少量的动物。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 thwart   

v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的)

参考例句：

• We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。
• I don't think that will thwart our purposes.我认为那不会使我们的目的受到挫折。

14 cordoned   

v.封锁，用警戒线围住( cordon的过去式 )

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the area until the bomb was defused. 警方封锁了这个地区直到炸弹被拆除为止。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。