VOA标准英语2009年-High Expectations, But Some Anxiety, in India A

The incoming Obama White House is going to be watched closely from the world's largest democracy. India has enjoyed a warming relationship with the United States under the past two presidential administrations following decades when American policy in the region clearly tilted¹ in favor of Pakistan - India's primary rival.

While there is anxiety about some of the new president's campaign pledges - such as halting the proliferation of nuclear weapons and reducing the outsourcing of American jobs, in general Indians seem hopeful the relationship with the United States will improve as it did for the past 16 years under the Clinton and Bush administrations.
　
President-elect Barack Obama (file photo)

Former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to the United States, Lalit Mansingh, tells VOA that Mr. Obama's pledge of multi-lateralism is especially encouraging.

"We do hope that he will reach out to countries and we hope that he will include India in finding solutions to global problems," he said.

Political analysts² say they expect the Obama White House to back away from campaign rhetoric³ that tied solving regional terrorism - stemming from elements in Pakistan and Afghanistan - to the Kashmir issue. There is also a sense of relief that then-Senator Obama was a strong supporter of the India-U.S. civil nuclear agreement, a major accomplishment⁴ for both President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

If the Senate approves the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, something the Obama White House is expected to strongly push, former Ambassador Mansingh says Beijing and New Delhi are likely to face U.S. pressure to act in kind.

"People are a bit anxious about what he's going to do, how much he is going to put on India to sign the CTBT," he said. "Mind you this is not something new. We had faced pressure from the Clinton administration to sign the CTBT."
　
Secretary of State-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, smiles on Capitol Hill during her confirmation⁵ hearing before Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 13 Jan. 2009

Another former foreign secretary, Shyam Saran, now a special envoy⁶ for the Prime Minister, tells VOA News there is relief the new president has chosen a familiar face, Hillary Clinton, as his secretary of state.

"Having someone in that influential⁷ position who has a certain knowledge, and I would say even a certain sympathy for India, this can only be a plus point," he said.

In the Senate, Hillary Clinton served as co-chair of the India caucus⁸ and preceded her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, in visiting India.

The president-elect recently pledged to Prime Minister Singh to work together on major global issues, giving rise to expectations the relationship between India and the United States will reach unprecedented⁹ heights in the years ahead.

1 tilted   

v. 倾斜的

参考例句：

• Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. 小船突然倾向一侧。
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。

2 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。

3 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

4 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

5 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

7 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

8 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

9 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。