VOA常速英语2018--蓬佩奥:美国构建“自由世界新秩序”

Secretary of State Pompeo came to the political heart of Europe to deliver a message: The United States is not retreating from the world stage. Quite the opposite, in the finest traditions of our great democracy, we are rallying the noble nations of the world to build a new liberal order that prevents war and achieves greater prosperity for all. Pompeo said the US would strengthen or ditch international agreements to stop what he called bad actors including China, Russia and Iran from gaining that drew a rebuke¹ from Beijing Wednesday.

国务卿蓬佩奥来到了欧洲的政治腹地传达一条讯息：美国不会从国际舞台退出。与此相反，根据我们伟大民主国家的优良传统，我们会集结世界上所有高尚的国家，共同建立一个自由的新秩序。这个秩序可以避免战争，为所有人争取更大的繁荣。蓬佩奥表示，对于国际上的各种协议，美国会取其精华、去其糟粕，阻止他眼中行为恶劣的参与者，包括但不限于中国、俄罗斯、伊朗。周三，蓬佩奥的这番言论受到了中国政府的抨击。

The U.S. flies the flag of America First, and wields² the baton³ of protectionism and unilateralism. It disturbs the international order, and one after another has left a series of international organizations and treaties, and challenges the multilateral system. Pompeo also took aim at the European Union, criticizing multilateralism as an end in itself, and said Britain’s EU exit showed it wasn’t working.

美国标榜着“美国第一”的说法，宣扬所谓的保护主义和单边主义。美国扰乱了国际秩序，一次又一次的退出各种国际组织、协定，挑战了多边体系。蓬佩奥抨击的目标还有欧盟，他谴责多边主义是自取灭亡。他还说，英国脱欧根本没起作用。

A spokesperson for the European Commission said Pompeo had coined an opinion without knowing how our system works. Pompeo had warmer words for NATO, calling it an indispensable institution, a message that will reassure⁴ European allies nervous of both Russian aggression⁵ and President Donald Trump⁶’s America first agenda. But allies remain skeptical⁷ the Trump fully⁸ shares the views of his Secretary of State. At the end of the day, it will be the president who will decide, and clearly Mr. Trump is no fan of multilateral institutions mainly because he believes that they don’t serve America’s security interests, so like a lot of the time with the State Department, the message is double-edged: It is reassuring⁹ to the Europeans, but it is perhaps also trying to guide thinking in the White House.

一位欧盟委员会的发言人表示，蓬佩奥在对我们系统运作方式毫无了解的情况下杜撰了一个观点。蓬佩奥对北约的言辞更抚慰人心——他称北约为不可或缺的组织。这条讯息让欧盟的诸多盟友感到安心，本来这些盟友因俄罗斯采取强硬措施与特朗普总统“美国第一”的计划而如坐针毡。但盟友们还是不太确定特朗普是否跟国务卿的观点一致。毕竟，到了最后，还是要总统才能拍板儿。而且显而易见的是，特朗普并不赞成多边机构，这主要是因为他认为多边机构不符合美国的安全利益。所以，美国国务院还是跟往常的很多时候一样，其传达的信息总是有两面性：虽然一再让欧洲人宽心，但或许国务院与此同时还在试图引导白宫的想法。

NATO is under pressure to respond to Russia’s attack on Ukrainian naval¹⁰ vessels¹¹ last week in the Kerch Strait territory shared between Kiev and Moscow. I think there was a consensus¹² that some of the hot-headed arguments, like we should send the American Navy down the Kerch Strait, has been discounted. And for a very simple reason: If we are to escalate¹³ our confrontation¹⁴ with Russia, we should do it not out of frustration¹⁵, not out of instinct, but all out of deep thoughts.

北约现在压力山大，因为要回应俄罗斯上周袭击乌克兰海军舰艇一事，这次袭击发生在基辅和莫斯科领土的交界处的刻赤海峡。我认为，我们达成的一项共识，即一些太过心急的说法（比如我们应该派美国海军到刻赤海峡）并没有得到重视。这其中有一个很简单的原因：如果我们将与俄罗斯的对峙升级，我们不应该是出于失望或者本能，而是应该经过了深思熟虑。

NATO’s Secretary General said Russia must face consequences for attacking Ukrainian vessels though did not specify¹⁶ what that might involve. Analysts¹⁷ say there is a lack of consensus in NATO on how to respond.

北约秘书长表示，俄罗斯必须直面袭击乌克兰军舰的所有后果，不过他并没有明确指出可能的后果会有什么。关于如何应对，北约内部还没有达成共识。

1 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

2 wields   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的第三人称单数 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• She wields enormous power within the party. 她操纵着党内大权。
• He remains chairman, but wields little power at the company. 他还是主席，但在公司没有什么实权了。

3 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

4 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

5 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

6 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

7 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。

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 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

10 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。

11 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

13 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。

14 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

15 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

16 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

17 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。