voa标准英语2008年-APEC Leaders Pledge Quick Action on Global Fina

The annual summit of Pacific Rim¹ leaders has ended in Lima, Peru with a show of support for trade liberalization, and a vow² to overcome the current global financial crisis. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports it was the final summit for U.S. President George Bush.
　

Leaders of the countries that belong to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, meet for a summit in Lima, Saturday, 22 Nov. 2008

The 21 members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum³ say they believe the current global financial crisis can be overcome in 18 months.

In a joint⁴ declaration, participants in this year's APEC summit also say they want to breathe new life into stalled world-trade talks. They say they are instructing their trade ministers to meet in Geneva next month to revive negotiations⁵.

Peruvian President Alan Garcia pushed to have the language included in the declaration.
　

U.S. President George W. Bush (r) shakes hands with President Alan Garcia of Peru before their meeting at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru, Sunday, 23 Nov. 2008

As he closed the summit, he said the members of APEC - representing roughly one half of the world economy - will tackle the economic crisis together.

"Know that this crisis will be overcome by all of us," said President Garcia.

Best known, perhaps, for its group photo of leaders in the traditional dress of the host country, this year's APEC meeting had a serious tone from start to finish.

Leaders focused immediately on the spreading economic downturn, and reviewed steps already taken and proposed to spur economic growth. They showed their support for the plan of action adopted by the recent emergency meeting in Washington of 20 of the world's largest industrialized and emerging economies, including a one-year ban on all new barriers to trade.
　

US President George W. Bush (l) and Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Lima, Peru, Saturday, 22 Nov. 2008

President Bush came to Lima determined⁶ to win support for the principles adopted by the so-called Group of 20. Throughout his stay in Peru, he urged Pacific Rim leaders to work together to cure the world's economic ills instead of turning inward. In a speech to a gathering⁷ of business leaders, he sounded optimistic.

"As we look to the future, the tasks facing our nations are no doubt demanding," said President Bush. "Recovering from the financial crisis is going to take time. But we'll recover, and in so doing, begin a new era of prosperity."

This was Mr. Bush's final summit and may prove to be his last foreign tour in office before Barack Obama is sworn in as the new president of the United States on January 20.

Mr. Obama did not send a representative to Lima. But as Air Force One was taking off from Peru, plans were being made for next year's Pacific Rim summit in Singapore when the new U.S. president will make his APEC debut⁸.

1 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

2 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 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。

8 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。