VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Visit Sparks Expectations in Benin

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
15 February 2008

President Bush is scheduled to make his first stop on his Africa tour in the small West African country of Benin. A brief airport meeting is planned Saturday with his counterpart Boni Yayi, to discuss aid and the fight against diseases, like HIV/AIDS and malaria¹.  Although the visit will be brief, expectations are high among residents of the capital Cotonou, as VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar.

Business consultant² Claudio Gbedjinou says he is hoping the Bush visit will bring something new.

Gbedjinou says it is an honor, because President Bush does not visit every country in the world.

But he says he would have preferred an official visit, rather than a lightning-quick stop, expected to last just two hours.  He adds that it will be difficult for President Bush to get a sense of the human warmth of Cotonou.

One law student says Benin is a very small, democratic country, without problems besides poverty.

He says he hopes the talks between the two presidents will solidify³ relations and help further projects like the Millennium⁴ Challenge Account, an initiative by President Bush to provide funding to countries that adhere to democratic and open market principles.

The U.S. government has pledged over $300 million to help Benin improve its economic infrastructure⁵, but so far Benin government officials say only about 10 percent of that money has been made available.

Many residents are simply curious about the Bush visit.

This man, who works for the government, says he has never experienced a U.S. presidential visit.

He says President Bush should not worry about al-Qaida terrorists in Benin.  He says African countries, like Benin, have too few resources, to have such extremists.

Benin's economy is dominated by cotton exports.  Many in that sector⁶ have complained about ongoing⁷ U.S. subsidies⁸ to American cotton farmers, which are supposed to be phased out following rulings by the World Trade Organization.  But the question of subsidies has not dampened enthusiasm.

This official at Cotonou's port says he is happy about the visit and hopes it will make it easier for citizens of Benin to get visas to the United States.

Writer and political analyst⁹ George Bada says he hopes the warming up of Benin-U.S. relations will stimulate¹⁰ U.S. investment in the country because, he says, a poor country like Benin needs all the help it can get.

But Bada says he is worried as well.  He says there is an old saying that states have no friends, only interests.  So, he says, he wonders why the United States wants to help Benin now. 

Before his visit, President Bush said it was morally important for the United States to help those who are suffering.  During his Africa trip - which will also take him to Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda and Liberia - he will also discuss health-related matters.

In his recent budget, Mr. Bush requested $30 billion over five years to fund the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which has been credited for its role in getting drugs and treatment programs to places hard hit by the virus.

Meanwhile, U.S. plans to establish a military command in Africa, known as AFRICOM, have raised alarm among many Africans, and will likely be discussed, but no major announcements are expected.

1 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

2 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

3 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。

4 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。