2007年VOA标准英语-British Prime Minister Unveils Anti-Terror Prop

By Tom Rivers
London
25 July 2007

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown unveiled in parliament Wednesday new anti-terror measures he would like to see implemented² in the coming months. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.

PM Gordon Brown departs 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons, 25 July 2007

Breaking away from dealing³ with the worst flooding in Britain in 60 years, Prime Minister Gordon Brown returned Wednesday to the topic of terrorism, announcing in the House of Commons that his government hopes to implement¹ new measures in the next few months.

Mr. Brown said they are needed to confront what he called a generation-long challenge to defeat al-Qaida inspired terrorist violence. The British leader said some of the new measures would be incorporated into the forthcoming counter-terrorism bill.

He also said that, under the proposals, electronic screening of people coming in and out of Britain would be required.

"Within nine months, from March next year, we will extend biometric visas to all visa applicants," he said. "From 2009, we will introduce a new enhanced system of electronic control linking the checking of passports to checking against the warning index."

The prime minister also said the separate functions of passport control, customs and policing at entry points like airports would soon be combined into a single, unified⁴ force.

"We will integrate the vital work of the border and immigration agency, customs and U.K. visa overseas and at the main points of entry into the U.K. and we will establish a unified border force," he said.

 

Mr. Brown also said the time has come to link the British watch list of suspects to the Interpol database.

In addition, Mr. Brown wants to deport⁵ more prisoners held in Britain, sending them back to their home countries.

Mr. Brown wants legislation to allow for wiretap evidence to be allowed in court. He also wants the 28 days currently allowed to hold individuals without charge to be extended. The former prime minister, Tony Blair, tried to pass that measure, but it was defeated in the House of Commons.

While agreeing with most of the proposals, David Cameron, the leader of the main opposition⁶ party - the Conservatives - warned that new rules alone, without attempts to win hearts and minds, will in the end be counterproductive.

"Vitally, does the government understand that what is needed to defeat terrorism is the hard-nosed defense⁷ of liberty, and we must avoid any approach that lapses⁸ into ineffective authoritarianism," he asked.

Mr. Brown says since 2001 there have been 15 attempted terrorist attacks on Britain, with 30 people convicted of terrorist offenses⁹.

1 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。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

5 deport   

vt.驱逐出境

参考例句：

• We deport aliens who slip across our borders.我们把偷渡入境的外国人驱逐出境。
• More than 240 England football fans are being deported from Italy following riots last night.昨晚的骚乱发生后有240多名英格兰球迷被驱逐出意大利。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 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。

8 lapses   

n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句
• He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句

9 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法