voa标准英语2008年-Rice in Israel as Chances for Year-End Peace Ag

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel as part of a final effort by the Bush administration to keep the Israeli-Palestinian peace process on track. Arriving in Tel Aviv, Rice indicated that a peace deal by the end of the year will not happen. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Jerusalem.
　

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert shakes hands with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prior to meeting in Tel Aviv, 06 Nov 2008

With her job expiring in less than three months, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel on her eighth trip to the region in a year - to check on the peace process and see where the next administration will pick up.

It was nearly a year ago that the talks were launched in the U.S. city of Annapolis, with Israel and the Palestinians setting a goal to reach an agreement by the end of 2008.

Israeli, Palestinian, and U.S. officials acknowledge it is highly unlikely that there will be a deal by year's end.

Rice told reporters political turmoil¹ in Israel has been the main complicating² issue. The country is heading to early elections in February after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was forced from office over corruption³ allegations.

Analysts⁴ say Israel's political turmoil, combined with a new U.S. administration taking office in January and speculation⁵ of a possible impending⁶ change of leadership in the Palestinian territories, means there is little chance there will be any movement in the peace process for several months.

Abraham Diskin, a political science professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, says both sides remain far apart on the key issues of the status of Jerusalem, refugees, and Jewish settlements. He says the best Secretary Rice can do on this trip is to prepare a status report for the new Obama administration and show good faith on the part of outgoing President George Bush.

"She is not trying, really, to achieve any kind of final agreement right now, but just maybe to pave the way and make a last hopefully positive contribution of the Bush administration," he said.

President-elect Barack Obama has said he will make the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a priority, but has given few concrete indications of how his administration will approach it.

Secretary Rice's trip will include meetings with Israeli officials, opposition-leader Benjamin Netanyahu - a strong contender for Prime Minister in the February elections - and later with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.

Rice's tour also includes stops in Jordan and Egypt, part of an effort to build Arab support for the peace process.

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

6 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。