VOA常速英语2016 卡塔尔对2022年世界杯竞标中存在腐败行为予以否认 称不牵涉"贿赂门"

卡塔尔对2022年世界杯竞标中存在腐败行为予以否认 称不牵涉"贿赂门"

Qatar is spending around 10 billion on new stadiums and up to 200 billion on improving infrastructure¹ ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

卡塔尔正斥资100亿美元打造新体育场，并且在2022年世界杯前将投入近2000亿美元用于改善基础设施。

That would make it the most expensive tournament ever.

这些举措会使2022年世界杯成为有史以来最为昂贵的体育赛事。

In a speech at London's Chatham House Thursday, the head of the Organizing Committee, Hassan Al-Thawadi, said the cost would be worthwhile.

周四在伦敦查塔姆研究所的一次演讲中,组委会负责人哈桑艾尔特瓦迪表示这些付出都是值得的。

“The passion for football that runs through the veins² of our society.

“我们的国家从骨子里深深爱着足球。

And the desire to demonstrate to the rest of the world that our region could be, and deserves to be, in the headlines for reasons other than conflict and strife³.”

而且我们渴望向全世界展现我们能够，也应得受到全世界瞩目，而不是因为冲突和争斗备受关注。”

The scandals that have engulfed⁴ football's World governing body FIFA led to the resignation and prosecution⁵ of many of the officials who voted for Qatar's bid.

席卷世界足球管理机构FIFA的丑闻致使多名曾参与过卡塔尔竞标投票的官员引咎辞职或面临起诉。

FIFA appointed American lawyer Michael Garcia to investigate.

国际足联委派美国律师迈克尔?加西亚进行调查。

He pointed⁶ what he called serious and wide-ranging issues with the bidding and selection process, before quitting in protest at FIFA's handling of his report in 2014.

在同国际足联就2014年处理他的报告进行抗议辞职前，他曾提出在竞标过程中存在他所称的“情节严重及影响深远”问题。

A summary of the investigation⁷ led by a German judge largely cleared Qatar of any wrongdoing.

一名德国法官牵头进行的一项调查公布的报告很大程度上证明了卡塔尔并无不道德行为。

“We stuck to the rules, and more importantly when the investigation happened with Michael Garcia after the bid, we cooperated fully⁸ out of a sense of vindication⁹ and out of a sense of confidence at the cleanliness of our bid.”

“我们严格遵守各项规章制度，而且更为重要的是，竞标后迈克尔?加西亚开始调查时我们十分配合，我们坚信自己清白无辜，也对竞标过程的透明充满信心。”

Human rights groups have repeatedly accused Qatar of abusing the rights of the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers building the World Cup venues¹⁰.

人权团体数次指责卡塔尔侵犯了负责建造世界杯比赛场地成百上千名移民工人的权利。

Qatar's so-called kafala or sponsorship system ties the legal status of migrant workers to their employer.

卡塔尔对外籍劳工实施的卡法拉制度或赞助体系将移民工人的合法地位同其雇主紧密联系在了一起。

Al-Thawadi insisted the government is committed to reforming workers' rights.

艾尔?特瓦迪坚称政府正在进行改革以维护工人阶层的权益。

“Of most importance is the new law that was signed by His Highness the Emir in October 2015,abolishing the kafala system and replacing it with a contractual agreement between employer and employee.”

“而其中最为重要的举措就是2015年10月埃米尔殿下签署的新法废除了卡法拉制度，而取而代之的是雇主与雇员之间的契约性协议。”

Amnesty International's James Lynch, said the assurances were not convincing.

大赦国际的詹姆斯?林奇表示这样的保证并不足以令人信服。

“I think where we disagree is about the speed of reform.

“我想我们持不同意见的是这项改革的快慢。

You know, he says that the new sponsorship law reform is a really big deal that will change the lives of workers.

你知道，他说新法改革在改善工人生活方面是非常重要的举措。

We are much more skeptical¹¹ about that; we think that it is the kafala system in all but name, and it is adjusted rather than really reformed.”

我们对此表示十分怀疑；我们认为从根本上它还是卡法拉制度，只是换了个名字而已，这只是相应调整，而非真正的改革。”

 

Human rights groups are calling for an investigation into the high number of heart attacks among some migrant workers-which they believe could be related to the extreme heat.

人权团体呼吁调查移民工人中一些人多发心脏病的情况，他们相信这与极度高温有关。

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

4 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。

10 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

11 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。