VOA标准英语2009年-US VP Warns Europe of Missile Threats

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
23 October 2009

 
US Vice¹ President Joe Biden gestures while delivering a speech at the Central University Library in Bucharest, Romania, 22 Oct 2009
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has called on America's European allies to step-up their defense² efforts in the face of security threats from outside Europe. Biden made the comments in Bucharest, Romania on Thursday, before ending his Central and Eastern European tour in the Czech Republic.

Biden spoke³ to political leaders and students at Bucharest's Central University Library, after receiving assurances from Romanian President Traian Basescu that Romania supports plans by the Obama administration to revise missile defense plans for Europe amid new concerns over the continent's security.

The system will replace the one proposed by former President George W. Bush. The Bush plan, which Russia strongly opposed, would have placed 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar⁵ base in the Czech Republic to intercept⁴ long-range missiles from such states as Iran.

Although the revised plan involves anti-ballistic missiles installed at a former air base in Poland, defense experts say Moscow perceives the new project as less threatening to its security.

Biden said the defense system comes as Europe faces a serious threat. "Today, a new major threat is growing that could reach all our European allies well before it reaches the United States. It comes from ballistic missiles -- short-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The technology has spread to many new countries and less stable countries since the end of the Cold War," he said.

Biden stressed that the new missile defense system would provide more security for the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. "We are determined⁶ to ensure that our NATO allies have the protection they need, when they need it because that is our solemn obligation under Article 5. Our missile defense plan means greater security for Europe and greater security for America," he said.

His one-day visit to Bucharest was part of a trip through Eastern Europe intended to reassure⁷ Romania, Poland and the Czech Republic that America's commitment to the region remains⁸ strong.

The three countries are viewed as close U.S. allies. Romania hosts a small American base and training facilities.

Biden also expressed concerns about energy. He said the United States wanted to work with Europe on a new strategy that would provide energy security for the future. "One lesson we need to work together toward is a more secure energy future. We need sustainable energy security that includes diversification⁹ of supplies and transit¹⁰ routes," he said.

Energy has become a major concern in several Western countries, after a dispute between Ukraine and Russia over prices led to major natural gas shortages in Europe earlier this year.

Biden's trip to Eastern Europe comes as the region commemorates¹¹ the 20th anniversary of the fall of communism.

The vice president said that the world watched in awe¹² and admiration¹³ in 1989 as the men and women across the region broke the shackles¹⁴ of repression¹⁵ and emerged as free people.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 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。

4 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

5 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

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 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 diversification   

n.变化，多样化；多种经营

参考例句：

• The seminar was to discuss diversification of agriculture. 该研讨会讨论的是农业多种经营。 来自辞典例句
• Firm diversification is increasingly achieved by the means of takeover and merger. 通过接管和兼并，厂商经营范围日益多样化。 来自辞典例句

10 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

11 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

13 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

14 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。

15 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。