VOA常速英语2013--美国宣布延长部分驻外使领馆管关闭时间

 

US Extends Security Closure of Some Diplomatic Missions 美国宣布延长部分驻外使领馆管关闭时间

美国国务院发言人普萨基４日宣布延长１９个驻西亚和非洲使领馆的关闭时间，以应对可能发生的恐怖袭击。

While embassies in Kabul and Baghdad were reopened, 19 diplomatic missions will remain shut through Saturday because of security concerns.

Deputy State Department Spokesperson Marie Harf said the decision was made after a post-by-post analysis.

"We continue to refine our assessment¹ of the threat. We continue, as you can imagine, to get new information, and, as we do so, we'll evaluate our security needs going forward," said Harf.

Some missions - like the U.S. embassy in Cairo - usually serve a large number of American tourists. Those numbers have shrunk but the State Department says Americans and foreigners who need to get in touch with U.S. missions while abroad this week can go online for contact information.

Harf said the closures were not a matter of choice.

"Our preference, I should say here, is for embassies and consulates² to be open. Clearly, we operate around the world in places like this because we have a mission there," said Harf.

U.S. officials have said attacks could emanate³ from the Arabian peninsula where the Yemen-based al-Qaida affiliate⁴ seems determined⁵ to attack Western interests. The U..S embassy in Sana’a, Yemen's capital, remains⁶ closed.

News reports say the embassy closures were prompted by intercepted⁷ communications between al-Qaida chief Ayman al Zawahiri in Pakistan and the head of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Specific targets apparently⁸ were not specified⁹.

Former U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey, who is now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, says intercepted communications are hard to analyze¹⁰.

"It's coded language.  It's language that talks around the subject.  There's increases in chatter¹¹. There's all kinds of other things to lead analysts¹² to figure out they're going to hit something big and it's going to involve the United States," says Jeffrey.

In Sana’a, Britain, France, Germany and Norway are also keeping their embassies closed until later in the week.

The Middle East Institute's Graeme Bannerman says embassy threats in a volatile¹³ region like the Middle East must be taken seriously.

"You, as a diplomatic security person, want to close the embassy down. Period. I mean, that's what you have to do just because you cannot take the chance that something awful could happen."

Analysts say that while the threat of an attack sometimes could interfere¹⁴ with consular¹⁵ services, at the end of the day, inconvenience is a better option than loss of life.

1 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

2 consulates   

n.领事馆( consulate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Consulates General of The People's Republic at Los Angeles. 中华人民共和国驻洛杉矶总领事馆。 来自互联网
• The country's embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions stationed in other countries. （七）家驻外使馆、馆和其他外交代表机构。 来自互联网

3 emanate   

v.发自，来自，出自

参考例句：

• Waves emanate from the same atom source.波是由同一原子辐射的。
• These chemicals can emanate certain poisonous gases.这些化学药品会散发出某些有毒的气味。

4 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

10 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

11 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

14 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

15 consular   

a.领事的

参考例句：

• He has rounded out twenty years in the consular service. 他在领事馆工作已整整20年了。
• Consular invoices are declarations made at the consulate of the importing country. 领事发票是进口国领事馆签发的一种申报书。