VOA标准英语2013--国务卿克里访问哥伦比亚

 

国务卿克里访问哥伦比亚

It is no surprise that Secretary of State John Kerry chose Colombia—- together with Brazil-- for his first official visit to South America.

“The truth is Colombia and the United States agree on so many different parts of our agenda today, and we have built a very, very strong relationship on shared values and on common interests,” he said during a joint¹ press conference with Colombia’s Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin.

Over the years, the United States and Colombia have cooperated on trade and investment, creating jobs in both countries.

“Latin America’s remarkably² dynamic markets with its large and increasing middle class of consumers are critical to growing our economy in the United States as well as to supporting quality jobs. This works for both of us. It’s good for Colombia, it’s good for the region, it’s good for the United States, and it’s good for the hemisphere.”

The U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion³ Agreement, which has been ratified⁴ into law in Colombia “will ensure that workers and companies in both countries have a level playing field on which to be able to compete for their customers,” Secretary Kerry said. “It’s no accident that trade with Colombia has gone up about 10 percent since passage [into law of the free-trade agreement].”

The Secretary also said that the United States supports Colombia in its peace negotiations⁵ with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Negotiations are aimed at ending a five-decades-long conflict that according to a report issued by the National Center of Historical Memory has witnessed the deaths of 220,000 people.

Since 2000, the United States has contributed $8.5 billion to help Colombia battle FARC guerrillas, drug trafficking, and help provide economic alternatives to disadvantaged communities.

“President Obama wants the people of [Colombia] to know that when you achieve that peace, the United States of America will do everything in our power to help respect it and to help you to be able to implement⁶ it,” said Secretary Kerry.

In addition, the Secretary reiterated⁷ the United States’ support for Colombia’s efforts to promote human rights, accountability, and the rule of law, including through the landmark⁸ victim’s law and the Labor⁹ Rights Action Plan.

“Colombia is a success story, and the United States of America is proud of whatever small part we’ve been able to be sharing with our friends in Colombia in an effort to get where we are, moving towards, hopefully, stability throughout the region.”

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

3 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

4 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

5 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。

6 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

7 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

8 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。