VOA标准英语2014--US Football to Alter Personal Conduct Policy to Help Curb Abuse of Women

 

US Football to Alter Personal Conduct Policy to Help Curb¹ Abuse of Women

WASHINGTON—

The U.S. National Football League says it plans to improve its personal conduct policies following the release of a video showing one of its biggest stars beating his girlfriend - now wife - unconscious.  The league's commissioner² vowed³ to respond better to domestic violence in the future. He spoke⁴ as the Obama administration took steps to change the culture of violence against women by encouraging victims to speak up and witnesses, especially men, to intervene.

Last week, video footage showing football player Ray Rice beating his fiance Janay Palmer in an elevator caused public outcry and swift condemnation⁵ by the White House.  Anger was directed at football officials for not punishing Rice enough when a video clip first emerged in February showing Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer out of the elevator.  The Baltimore Ravens⁶ player was initially⁷ suspended for two games and forced to undertake counseling.

“I made the biggest mistake in my life. She can do no wrong. She’s an angel,” he said.

But after seeing the new violent footage, the team cancelled his $35 million contract and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him indefinitely.

On Friday, Goodell publicly acknowledged he had mishandled the situation.

"I'm not satisfied with what I did. I let everybody else down and for that I'm sorry as I mentioned earlier: that's what we're going to correct and that's what we're going to fix,'' he said.

In some initial steps, the league announced an upcoming partnership⁸ with a domestic violence hotline and a sexual violence resource center.  Goodell also instructed all NFL and team personnel to attend educational sessions on domestic violence and sexual assault.

"Domestic violence including child abuse, sexual assault, irresponsible ownership or handling of firearms, the illegal use of alcohol or drugs, these activities must be condemned⁹ and stopped,'' he said.

Goodell spoke just hours after President Barack Obama launched a campaign to encourage young men to intervene when they witness a situation that could lead to a sexual assault.  

"It's the responsibility of the soccer coach and the captain of the basketball team and the football players, and it's on fraternities and sororities and the editor of the school paper and the drum major and the band, and it's on the English department and the Engineering department, and it's on the high schools and the elementary schools, and it's on teachers and counselors¹⁰ and mentors¹¹, and it's on ministers," he said.

"It's on celebrities¹² and sports leagues and the media to set a better example. It's on parents and grandparents and older brothers and sisters to sit down young people to talk about this issue. And it's not just on the parents of young women to caution them. It's on the parents of young men to teach them respect for women.''

Obama said one in five women are sexually assaulted while in university.  But school officials are often reluctant to seriously pursue reports of abuse.  Students at New York's Columbia University demonstrated last week demanding reforms to improve the school's response to sexual assault.

Last year, the U.S. Defense¹³ Department announced measures to curb sexual abuse in the military. 

1 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

2 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。

3 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

4 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。

5 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

6 ravens   

n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wheresoever the carcase is,there will the ravens be gathered together. 哪里有死尸，哪里就有乌鸦麇集。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A couple of ravens croaked above our boat. 两只乌鸦在我们小船的上空嘎嘎叫着。 来自辞典例句

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

9 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。

10 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

11 mentors   

n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Beacham and McNamara, my two mentors, had both warned me. 我的两位忠实朋友，比彻姆和麦克纳马拉都曾经警告过我。 来自辞典例句
• These are the kinds of contacts that could evolve into mentors. 这些人是可能会成为你导师。 来自互联网

12 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

13 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。