VOA标准英语2010年-French Ministers Defend Roma Policy

Speaking on French radio, the Secretary of State responsible for European affairs, Pierre Lellouche, described the EU Commissioner¹'s comments as a "gaffe²." He said France is a "great state" and as a founding member of the European Union should be addressed suitably.

On Tuesday, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding spoke³ out against the French Roma policy in a fiery⁴ public rebuke⁵.

"This is a disgrace," said Reding. "Discrimination on the basis of ethnic⁶ origin or race has no place in Europe."

French authorities have expelled more than 1,000 Roma since August. Most have been returned to Romania.

The French government has repeatedly said Roma have been expelled on a case-by-case basis. But a memo⁷ leaked Monday suggests Roma have been specifically targeted as a group.

Reding said France may be breaking EU law. She said she felt "appalled⁸."

"This is a situation I had thought Europe would not have to witness again after the Second World War," added Reding.

As well as deporting⁹ Roma, French authorities have also dismantled¹⁰ more than 100 illegal Roma camps.

Benjamin Ward¹¹, from the international group Human Rights Watch, says Roma are not given sufficient warning, and in effect France is carrying out forced evictions.

"We are not satisfied that the process that is being followed in evicting¹² people from those camps meets international human rights standards," noted¹³ Ward.

French authorities say Roma have been expelled from France to deal with security problems. Roma have been given financial compensation and the French government says they have gone voluntarily.

Last week, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for France to end the expulsions.

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 gaffe   

n.（社交上令人不快的）失言，失态

参考例句：

• I had no idea of the gaffe which I was committing.我不清楚我犯了什么错误。
• He made an embarrassing gaffe at the convention last weekend.他在上周末的会议上出了洋相，狼狈不堪。

3 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。

4 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

5 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

6 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

7 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

8 appalled   

v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 deporting   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的现在分词 )；举止

参考例句：

10 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

11 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

12 evicting   

v.（依法从房屋里或土地上）驱逐，赶出( evict的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Money spent on evicting sex offenders cannot be spent on treating them. 花在打击性侵犯者上的钱并不能花在治疗这一社会问题上。 来自互联网
• Money spent on evicting sex offenders cannot be spent on treating them. Does this matter? 钱被花费在驱逐性犯罪者而不是用做教育他们，这样做真的好么？ 来自互联网

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。