VOA常速英语2014--Ukraine Crisis to Dominate Obama's Europe Trip 乌克兰危机主导奥巴马欧洲之旅

 

Ukraine Crisis to Dominate Obama's Europe Trip 乌克兰危机主导奥巴马欧洲之旅

As Russia tightens¹ its grip on Crimea and continues to deploy² and position its military might,

随着俄罗斯对克里米亚控制的加强及继续部署驻扎其军事力量,

the United States and the European Union hope to forestall³ any new Russian advances.

美国和欧盟希望先发制人抑制俄罗斯的进一步举措。

Obama addressed the situation earlier in the week.

在本周早些时候奥巴马针对这一情况发表了讲话。

“The world is watching with grave concern as Russia has positioned its military in a way that could lead to further incursions into southern and eastern Ukraine," he said.

“对于俄罗斯将其军队部署可能导致进一步入侵乌克兰南部和东部的方式, 世界表示严重关切。”他说。

"For this reason,

“出于此种原因,

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we have been working closely with our European partners to develop more severe actions that could be taken if Russia continues to escalate⁴ the situation,” he added.

如果俄罗斯继续将局势升级,我们一直与我们的欧洲伙伴协作可能会采取严厉举措。”他补充道。

According to National Security Advisor⁵ Susan Rice,

据国家安全顾问苏珊·赖斯称,

the administration is leaving no doubt as to the focus of this week's consultations⁶.

政府将毫无疑问聚焦于这周的磋商中。

"These meetings obviously take place against the backdrop of Russia's intervention⁷ in Ukraine.

“这些会议显然在俄罗斯干预乌克兰的背景之下召开。

What will be clear for the entire world to see is that Russia is increasingly isolated,” said Rice.

整个世界将会清楚的看到,俄罗斯越来越孤立,”赖斯说道。

With an overwhelming Russian force massed along its eastern borders,

压倒性的俄罗斯部队部署在它的东部边界,

Ukraine is bracing⁸ for further incursions.

乌克兰准备面临进一步入侵之势。

Ukraine's acting⁹ Foreign Minister Andri Deshchytsia said that his country is trying to exercise retraint.

乌克兰代理外交部长安德烈·德斯柯提亚表示他的国家正试图采取极为克制的态度。

"The Ukrainian government is trying to use all peaceful and diplomatic means to stop Russia.

“乌克兰政府试图使用开展和平及外交手段阻止俄罗斯。

At this moment, when Russian troops would be invading Ukraine from the east,

在这个时刻,俄罗斯军队可能会从东部入侵乌克兰,

it would be difficult for us to ask Ukrainians who are living there not to respond to a military invasion,” he said.

我们很难要求在那里生活的乌克兰人不应对军事入侵,”他说道。

Last week, the United States tightened¹⁰ sanctions against Russia.

上周,美国加紧了对于俄罗斯的制裁。

Moscow responded with travel bans on high-ranking U.S.officials and lawmakers,

莫斯科方面则以美国高级官员及国会议员的旅行禁令回应,

including Senator John McCain, who is urging a boost in U.S. assistance to Kyiv.

包括敦促美国援助基辅的参议员约翰·麦凯恩在内。

"I see nothing wrong with providing both lethal¹¹ and non-lethal assistance to the government of Ukraine which has just had its nation invaded and dismembered," he said.

“对刚刚让其国家入侵和分裂他国的乌克兰政府提供致命及非致命援助我看没有什么不妥，”他说道。

The crisis in Ukraine is sure to also be a focal point of deliberations on Capitol Hill when lawmakers return from a weeklong recess¹² Monday.

 

在周一议员们从休会一周后返回时乌克兰危机必将成为国会山讨论的焦点。

1 tightens   

收紧( tighten的第三人称单数 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• One set of provisions tightens emission standards. 一套使排放标准更加严格的规定。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Requires no special tools or fittings; hand tightens to relief valve outlet. 不需要专用工具或管件；用手将其紧固到安全阀上即可。

2 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

3 forestall   

vt.抢在…之前采取行动；预先阻止

参考例句：

• I left the room to forestall involvements.我抢先离开了这房间以免受牵累。
• He followed this rule in order to forestall rumors.他遵守这条规矩是为了杜绝流言蜚语。

4 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

5 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

6 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

8 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

9 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

10 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

11 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

12 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。