VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton Urges Angola to Hold Free, Fair El

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is urging Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos to hold free and fair elections.
　
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listens to Angolan Foreign Minister Assuncao dos Anjos in Luanda, 10 Aug 2009

Secretary Clinton met with President Dos Santos in Luanda where she said Angola's continued economic growth depends on good governance and strong democratic institutions. Clinton told reporters that President Dos Santos told her that his government is committed to completing a new constitution and holding presidential elections in a timely manner.

Angola has not had a presidential election in nearly two decades. The country is just seven years removed from 27 years of civil war during which the United States backed rebels fighting President Dos Santos.

Angola's foreign minister said a presidential vote, the one scheduled for later this year, will likely be delayed until 2010 so it can be held under a new constitution.

During her visit to Angola, Clinton witnessed the signing of a Memorandum¹ of Understanding between Angola's petroleum² ministry³, the US Agency for International Development and the oil firm Chevron⁴ to support more diversified⁵ agricultural production. U.S. oil companies account for half of the daily production in Angola, which now rivals Nigeria for the title of Africa's largest producer of oil.

Despite those profits, two-thirds of Angolans live on less than $2.00 a day. It ranks 158 on the 180-nation list of most corrupt⁶ countries, as judged by Transparency International.

In Angola, Clinton said corruption⁷ undermines peoples' faith in democracy, distorts governance and prevents people from being fully⁸ involved in their societies. She credited the government in Luanda for moving to reduce corruption in the oil sector⁹ by publishing revenues on line and working with U.S. officials to increase transparency.

She also signed an agreement boosting U.S. assistance to fight HIV-AIDS in Angola from $7 million to $17 million.

Angola was the third stop on an African trip that has already taken her to Kenya and South Africa. She is now in the Democratic Republic of Congo where she will meet with President Joseph Kabila Tuesday, before continuing on to Nigeria, Liberia and Cape¹⁰ Verde.

1 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。

2 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 chevron   

n.V形臂章；V形图案

参考例句：

• He wore shoulderstrap rank slides with sergeant's chevrons.他佩戴标示级别的肩章，上面有中士的V形标志。
• The chevron or arrow road sign indicates a sharp bend to the left or right.V形或箭头路标表示有向左或向右的急转弯。

5 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。