VOA标准英语2009年-Obama En Route to Russia Summit

U.S. President Barack Obama has left Washington for Moscow - the first stop on an international journey that will also include the Group of Eight Summit in Italy and Mr. Obama first visit while in office to Africa.
　
President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and their daughters Sasha and Malia are escorted toward Air Force One, at Andrews Air Force Base, 05 Jul 2009

President Obama will get down to business soon after his arrival in Moscow.

After a stop to lay a wreath at Russia's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Mr. Obama will head to the Kremlin for a private meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

Arms control will likely top their agenda - specifically negotiations¹ on an agreement to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that expires at the end of this year.

But White House aides stress that President Obama believes that the U.S.-Russia relationship should be about far more than arms control.

In an interview with the Associated Press prior to his departure, the president spoke² of his desire to break free of the last vestiges³ of the Cold War. He indicated he would like to see Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin - Russia's former president - do the same.

"Prime Minister Putin still has a lot of sway in Russia and I think it is important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, that Putin understands that the old Cold War approaches to U.S.-Russian relations are outdated," said president Obama.

White House officials say President Obama will also reach out to the Russian people.

Andrew Kuchins is a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He says public opinion polls show that the American president is not as popular in Russia as he is in other parts of the world.

"It appears that according to those numbers that the Russians are the least receptive and most skeptical⁴ about positive change coming out of the Obama administration," said Andrew Kuchins.

During his visit to Russia, Mr. Obama is expected to spell out his views on U.S.-Russia relations in a Moscow speech. He will also meet with leaders of civil society and the political opposition⁵.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 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。

3 vestiges   

残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不

参考例句：

• the last vestiges of the old colonial regime 旧殖民制度最后的残余
• These upright stones are the vestiges of some ancient religion. 这些竖立的石头是某种古代宗教的遗迹。

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

5 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。