VOA标准英语2009年-Britain Urges Speedy Action on UN Gaza Resoluti

Despite a call by the U.N. Security Council for a truce¹ in the troubled region, the violence from both sides continues.
　

Gordon Brown, (file photo)

On a visit to Birmingham, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the window of opportunity to put a halt to that violence is now.

"We must build immediately on the step forward that has been taken by the international community working together because what will matter is what happens on the ground in the next few days in stopping military action, in stopping the rocket attacks on Israeli people from Gaza," he said.

As Brown sees it, two important issues must be dealt with immediately.

"One is we have to give detail to the promise that we will end the arms trafficking that has caused so much damage in Gaza and secondly², we have got to get an arrangement about the borders so they can be opened up but that demands the international supervision³ that will guarantee security to people who feel they are insecure at the moment," he said.

The British leader spoke⁴ just hours after the U.N. resolution was passed in New York that called for a durable⁵ cease-fire leading to a full withdrawal⁶ of Israeli forces which would allow room for diplomacy⁷ to take place.

"I think it is really important to see this as the step forward that has got to be followed urgently by measures that will give the security that is necessary for the violence to finally and sustainably come to an end," he said.

Meanwhile, a letter to Gordon Brown signed by prominent Muslim leaders warned that the Gaza conflict could provoke extremism here in Britain.

The message came after of meeting earlier this week between representatives from various Muslim organizations and British Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell.

1 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

2 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

3 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

6 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

7 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。