voa标准英语2008-Bush Says It is Time for Mugabe to Step Down

U.S. President George Bush has joined other world leaders calling for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to step down. He pledged U.S. readiness to help Zimbabwe rebuild once a "legitimate¹" government has been set up in Harare.
　

President George W. Bush

The president's call for the departure of Mr. Mugabe, in a written statement from the White House, was not the first such appeal from a senior U.S. official and followed a similar statement late last week by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

But it appeared to signal a new emphasis in policy for the outgoing administration, which had been urging world pressure on Mr. Mugabe, to engage meaningfully with the opposition² on power-sharing.
　

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe

The president said Africans from across the continent are beginning to bravely speak out against Mr. Mugabe, who has run the country for nearly 30 years, and he urged others to "join the chorus" for an end to what he termed Mugabe's tyranny.

He said the United States will continue to work with others to halt political violence and stem the humanitarian³ disaster Mr. Mugabe is inflicting⁴ on his country.

Making no mention of power-sharing, the president said the United States stands ready to help rebuild Zimbabwe once a "legitimate" government is formed that reflects the results of elections last March.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change, the MDC, won the March parliamentary voting and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round presidential contest. The country has been in political paralysis⁵ since a disputed presidential runoff in June, from which Mr. Tsvangirai withdrew in the face of intimidation⁶ and violence against his followers⁷.

Despite a South African-brokered power-sharing agreement with Mr. Tsvangirai in September, Mr. Mugabe has refused to yield significant powers.
　

Sean McCormack

At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the power-sharing process had been a sham⁸.

"We in good faith supported the full implementation⁹ of that power-sharing agreement," he said. "Now the MDC has abjured¹⁰ [repudiated] that power-sharing agreement because it wasn't being implemented¹¹, because Robert Mugabe and his government did not act in good faith in implementing¹² that power-sharing agreement. So at the end of the day, that was a sham. It was just one more feint to try to stay in power."

McCormack said it is hard to see Zimbabwe being able to lift itself out of the current crisis, with the help of the international system, with Robert Mugabe still in power in Harare.

Asked if Mr. Mugabe should leave the country, the spokesman said the United States was not at the point of prescribing specific actions, but said Zimbabwe needs to move forward "free of the political shackles¹³" of the past.

He again stressed the responsibility of Zimbabwe's neighbors in bringing about an end to the crisis, saying that South Africa and the regional grouping SADC have "unused leverage¹⁴" at this point.

McCormack reiterated¹⁵ that U.S. humanitarian aid to alleviate¹⁶ hunger and Zimbabwe's cholera¹⁷ epidemic¹⁸ will go forward regardless of governance issues, but said all the country's problems cannot be solved without a resolution of the political crisis.

1 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

2 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。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 inflicting   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。
• It's impossible to do research without inflicting some pain on animals. 搞研究不让动物遭点罪是不可能的。

5 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

6 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

7 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

8 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

9 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。

10 abjured   

v.发誓放弃( abjure的过去式和过去分词 )；郑重放弃（意见）；宣布撤回（声明等）；避免

参考例句：

• She abjured her beliefs. 她放弃了她的信仰。 来自互联网
• TAe man abjured his religion. 那个人发誓放弃他的宗教信仰。 来自互联网

11 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

12 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

13 shackles   

手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊

参考例句：

• a country struggling to free itself from the shackles of colonialism 为摆脱殖民主义的枷锁而斗争的国家
• The cars of the train are coupled together by shackles. 火车的车厢是用钩链连接起来的。

14 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

15 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

16 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

17 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

18 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。