VOA标准英语 Obama: US Moving Toward High-Speed Railways

President Barack Obama wants the United States to join other industrialized countries in having an extensive high-speed rail system. The president has unveiled his plan to accelerate the development of high-speed rail in the U.S.
　
President Obama, accompanied by VP Biden, makes remarks on expanding high speed rail system, 16 Apr 2009

President Obama says high-speed rail could do for America what it is already doing for other countries, including China and Spain.

"A high-speed line between Madrid and Seville is so successful that more people travel between those cities by rail than by car and airplane combined. China, where service began just two years ago, may have more miles of high-speed rail service than any other country just five years from now," he said.

High-speed rail only serves America's Northeast corridor, between Washington, D.C. and Boston, Massachusetts. But plans are under way to extend the rapid transit² to other areas of the country.

Before leaving for Latin America, Mr. Obama outlined his two-part strategy for accelerating those plans.
　
High-speed Acela train leaves Washington's Union Station heading for New York and Boston (file)

"Improving our existing rail lines, to make current train service faster, but also identifying potential corridors for the creation of world-class high-speed rail," he said.

Congress included $8 billion for rail development in the economic stimulus³ legislation it passed in February. Mr. Obama is including another $5 billion for high-speed rail in his federal budget.

High-speed rail has had mixed political support in the past. But President Obama says it could strengthen the U.S. economy, in addition to improving the country's transportation system. He says the United States should not be left behind while other nations are moving ahead with high-speed rail.

"So it is being done. It is just not being done here. There is no reason why we cannot do this. This is America. There is no reason why the future of travel should lie somewhere else, beyond our borders," he said.

The president was joined at the announcement by Vice¹ President Joe Biden, who, in 35 years as a U.S. Senator, is estimated to have taken almost 8,000 rail trips between Washington and his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

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 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。

3 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。