VOA标准英语2009年-Elbaradei Reports On Global Nuclear Activi

By Bernard Shusman
New York
04 November 2009

 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei (file photo)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei has given what amounts to his final report on global nuclear activity before he retires at the end of this year. 

In a remark at the Council on Foreign Relations Wednesday, ElBaradei, spoke¹ about the world's nuclear hotspots. First he was questioned about Iran and western suspicions about its nuclear weapons capability².

"We have no indication, no complete proof, that Iran has an ongoing³ nuclear weapons program," said Mohamed ElBaradei. "Iran's program is an effort to force recognition of its role as a regional power. In my view Iran's nuclear program is a means to an end. It wants to be recognized as a regional power. They believe the nuclear know-how⁴ brings prestige, brings power and they would like to see the U.S. engaging them. " 

The IAEA chief acknowledged Israel's concerns about a nuclear armed Iran or any other hostile country. But he said there are two sides to the story. 

"If you look from the Arab side of the view, the Arabs are as concerned if not more about the Israeli perceived nuclear weapon program as Israeli is perceived about the Arabs," he said. "You cannot sit and expect the rest of the Arab world is comfortable reading every day that Israel has 200 nuclear weapons."

On the subject of North Korea, ElBaradei said there are two key issues:

"One is its [North Korea's] obsession⁵ with security and the possibility of regime change by the U.S. that requires a lot of bilateral⁶ assurance that you are not after the regime, irrespective of the nature of that regime, the character of that regime-that's a different issue; the other is that the only trump⁷ card they have is a nuclear fuel and they would like to use that to maximize humanitarian⁸ assistance, economic assistance they would like to get," said ElBaradei.

ElBaradei says there is hope, but nations must take risks to talk to achieve peace. He believes the world has a unique opportunity at the moment to get the issues on the table but he said, those opportunities are usually fleeting⁹. 

1 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。

2 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

3 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。

4 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

5 obsession   

n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)

参考例句：

• I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
• She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

6 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

7 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

8 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。

9 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。