VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Goes to Canada on First Foreign Trip as P

U.S. President Barack Obama made a quick trip to Canada on Thursday - his first foreign journey since assuming office. His talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper focused on the global economic recession, trade, energy, the environment and the future of Afghanistan.
　
President Barack Obama (r) and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the Parliament building in Ottawa, 19 Feb 2009

They met at a time of global turmoil¹ and stressed their common ground.

"The economy and our security are being tested in new ways, and the prime minister and I focused on several of those challenges today," said President Obama.

The challenges include boosting the international economy while protecting the environment, and developing new strategies for dealing² with Afghanistan.

At a joint³ news conference in Ottawa with Prime Minister Harper, President Obama spoke⁴ of trade as a way to spur global economic growth. He sought to ease fears of American protectionism at a time of recession.

"I recognize the concerns of Canada given how significant trade with the United States is to the Canadian economy," he said. "I provided Prime Minister Harper an assurance that I want to grow trade and not contract it."

Canada is America's biggest trading partner - with about $1 billion daily in cross-border trade.

It is also the largest exporter of oil and natural gas to the United States - surpassing even Saudi Arabia.

Much of it is tar⁵ sands oil - heavy crude that is found mixed with sand and clay. It is removed in a process that produces large amounts of greenhouse gases.

Prime Minister Harper said the United States and Canada are launching an initiative to develop new clean energy technologies to deal with tar sands oil as well as emissions⁶ from the coal used to fuel power plants in the United States.

"We are establishing a U.S-Canada clean energy dialog, which commits senior officials from both countries to collaborate⁷ on the development of clean energy science and technologies that will reduce greenhouse gases and combat climate change," he said.

The two leaders also discussed Afghanistan. While Canada is pulling its troops out by 2011, the United States is sending more in.

President Obama said he did not urge Prime Minister Harper to rethink the position of the Canadian government.

"I certainly did not press the prime minister on any additional commitments beyond what has already been made," he said. "All I did was to complement⁸ Canada on not only the troops that are there and the 108 that have fallen as a consequence of the engagement in Afghanistan, but also the fact that Canada's largest foreign aid recipient⁹ is Afghanistan."

Mr. Obama was asked when and if the United States would send more troops to Afghanistan beyond the 17,000 reinforcements announced this week. He said that depends on the outcome of an ongoing¹⁰ policy review.
　
President Obama meets with Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean in Ottawa, Canada, 19 Feb 2009

"That review, which will be wide ranging will then result in a report that is presented to me," said President Obama. "And at that point, we will be able to provide you I think with some clearer direction in terms of how we intend to approach Afghanistan."

President Obama's visit to Ottawa was brief - less than seven hours. But his reception in the snows of the Canadian capital was warm.

Canada has become the first foreign destination of choice for new U.S. presidents. The lone¹¹ exception was George W. Bush. The former Texas governor made his first trip as president to Mexico.

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

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 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

7 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

8 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

9 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

10 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。

11 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。