VOA常速英语2013--本周华盛顿关注叙利亚使用化学武器问题

 

Washington Week: Focus on Syria 本周华盛顿关注叙利亚使用化学武器问题

Washington is focused on a possible U.S. response to evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria. U.S. naval¹ forces have moved closer to Syria, and the Obama administration is weighing options amid U.N. efforts to pinpoint² the cause of hundreds of deaths last week near Damascus.

U.S. Defense³ Secretary Chuck Hagel says Americas armed forces are ready to act on any orders President Barack Obama may give in response to events in Syria.

美国国防部长查克·哈格尔表示美军已经对美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马可能下达的任何回应叙利亚事件的命令做好充分准备。

President Obama has asked the Defense Department to prepare options for all contingencies⁴. We have done that and, again, we are prepared to exercise whatever options if he decides to employ one of those options, said Hagel.

“奥巴马总统要求国防部做好应对各种突发状况的准备。我们已经完成, 我们再一次对总统决定使用的其中任何一种方案准备好,”哈格尔说道。

Saturday, the president met with his national security team and spoke⁵ with British Prime Minister David Cameron. A statement from London said the two leaders agree that significant use of chemical weapons would merit a serious response from the international community.

周六,奥巴马总统会见了他的国家安全团队并且与英国首相大卫·卡梅伦进行了会谈。而来自伦敦的一份声明称两国领导人一致认为“国际社会对化学武器的使用将会做出认真回应。”

The United Nations says an inspection⁶ team has been promised access to locations where chemical agents are believed to have been used. The Syrian government blames rebels for any release of toxins⁷. Rebel commanders say the Assad regime has consistently lied to the world.

联合国表示一个检查小组已经承诺调查被认为已经使用化学武器的地方。叙利亚政府谴责反对派释放任何的毒素。叛军指挥官则称阿萨德政权一直欺骗世界。

A hands-off approach by the United States is unacceptable, according to Syrian National Coalition⁸ President Ahmad al-Jarba.

据叙利亚国家联盟主席艾哈迈德·艾尔·贾巴称，由美国提出的不干预方法无法接受。

I ask and demand that the president of the United States, Barack Obama, as the head of the country that has the strongest presence in the international community, takes personal responsibility for what has happened.

“我问及并要求作为国际社会最具影响国家的最高负责人美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马对所发生的事情承担个人责任。

For now, Western governments want confirmation⁹ that chemical weapons have been used. Meguerditch Terzian of the international relief group Doctors Without Borders is convinced that some form of neurotoxin was released in Syria.

目前,西方各国政府想要确认化学武器已被使用。国际救援组织无国界医生的麦格迪·特塞恩确信某种形式的神经毒素已经在叙利亚被释放。

If there is a massive arrival of patients within a short period of time from the same location with neurotoxic symptoms, with a lot of deaths, it means that a serious neurotoxic agent has been used in Damascus recently, said Terzian.

“如果同一地点短时间内有大批患者呈现神经毒性症状,很多人死亡,这意味着大马士革最近已经笼罩上了一种严重的神经毒剂。”特塞恩说道。

Evidence of chemical weapons use has been widely condemned¹⁰, including by one of Syrias staunchest allies, Iran.

化学武器使用的证据受到广泛谴责,包括叙利亚最坚定的盟友之一伊朗。

1 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

2 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

3 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。

4 contingencies   

n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一

参考例句：

• We must consider all possible contingencies. 我们必须考虑一切可能发生的事。
• We must be prepared for all contingencies. 我们要作好各种准备，以防意外。 来自辞典例句

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 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

7 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。