VOA标准英语2009年-US, Russia Agree on Framework for Arms Dea

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev have approved a framework for a major new arms-control agreement. They made the announcement as they wrapped up summit talks in Moscow.
　
Presidents Barack Obama (l) and Dmitri Medvedev at a joint¹ news conference in Moscow, 06 Jul, 2009

President Obama said a new agreement will be ready by the end of the year. He said it will replace the soon-to-expire Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with even deeper cuts in nuclear arsenals².

"We have signed a joint understanding for a follow-on treaty to the START agreement that will reduce our nuclear warheads and delivery systems by up to a third from our current treaty limitations," he said.

Mr. Obama said the deal reflects a new thinking in relations between Moscow and Washington.

Standing³ with President Medvedev in an ornate gilded⁴ hall in the Kremlin, he spoke⁵ of the need for a fresh start.

"The president and I agreed that the relationship between Russia and the United States has suffered from a sense of drift. We resolve to reset⁶ U.S. Russian relations so that we can cooperate more effectively in areas of common interest," he said.

Both men stressed that while arms control was a major topic of the Moscow summit, other topics were also discussed. They pointed⁷ to side agreements on military cooperation, health, and transit⁸ rights across Russia for American military supplies bound for Afghanistan.

At the same time, they spoke candidly⁹ about the differences that have plagued relations between the United States and Russia in recent years.

Key among them is Russian opposition¹⁰ to the basing of a proposed U.S. missile defense¹¹ system in Poland and the Czech Republic. President Medvedev made clear the matter is far from resolved. But he said the tone of the dialogue has improved, and the new administration in Washington is actively¹² listening to Moscow's concerns.

He spoke through a translator.

"Our American partners, unlike what was happening in recent years have taken a pause and now they will formulate¹³ and take a final position. This is also a step forward in reaching a possible compromise on this fairly difficult subject," said the Russian president.

During their joint news conference, President Obama was asked to weigh in on the dynamics¹⁴ between himself and the Russian leader. A reporter posed a simple question, "Do you trust him?"
　
Vladimir Putin (File)

"Yes, I trust President Medvedev to not only listen and to negotiate constructively¹⁵, but also to follow-through," President Obama said,

Before leaving Washington, Mr. Obama told an interviewer he thinks Mr. Medvedev is more forward looking than Russian Prime Minister - and former president - Vladimir Putin. At the news conference, he stressed his aim is to work with the Russian government as a whole, and made no reference to Mr. Putin's political thinking. He meets Tuesday with the prime minister.

 

1 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。

2 arsenals   

n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成

参考例句：

• We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
• Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 gilded   

a.镀金的，富有的

参考例句：

• The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。
• "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们，这只不过是些镀金的铅饼！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

5 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。

6 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 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。

9 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 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。

12 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

13 formulate   

v.用公式表示；规划；设计；系统地阐述

参考例句：

• He took care to formulate his reply very clearly.他字斟句酌，清楚地做了回答。
• I was impressed by the way he could formulate his ideas.他陈述观点的方式让我印象深刻。

14 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

15 constructively   

ad.有益的，积极的

参考例句：

• Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom. 如此富有意义地利用业余时间来进行收藏，会使人怡然自得，无暇烦恼。
• The HKSAR will continue to participate constructively in these activities. 香港会继续积极参与这些活动。