VOA常速英语2020--苏丹国家的积极进展

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the U.S. Government. The Government of Sudan has taken the first steps to ban the practice of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) in all parts of the country. In a country where, according to the United Nations, nine out of ten women ages 15 to 49 have been subjected to FGM/C, anyone who performs the procedure will face a possible three-year prison term and a fine under the new law. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Sudan's move a human rights victory: "It's a big step, a bright step closer to a future in which all women and girls worldwide won't have to suffer this barbaric practice." Sudan's civilian-led transitional government announced its intention to criminalize FGM/C in April. The transitional government was established last summer following a popular uprising and the ouster and arrest of Sudan's long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir. In the months since the transitional government took power under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, several promising¹ developments have taken place. Among them are the appointment of women to key leadership positions; a commission of inquiry² to investigate violence against protesters; and a commitment to holding democratic elections.

接下来是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。苏丹政府已采取初步措施，全国各地禁止切割女性生殖器官。根据联合国的统计，在15岁至49岁的妇女群体中，其中有九成接受了女性生殖器切割，根据新的法律，任何执行这一手术的人都可能面临三年的监禁和罚款。美国国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥称苏丹的举动表明在人权方面取得了胜利：“这是向前迈出的一大步，朝着光明的未来迈出了一步，全世界所有妇女和女孩都不必忍受这种野蛮做法。”4月，苏丹平民领导的过渡政府宣布打算将女性生殖器切割定为刑事犯罪。过渡政府是去年夏天在民众起义和推翻并逮捕苏丹长期独裁者奥马尔·巴希尔之后成立的。自过渡政府在阿卜杜拉·哈姆杜克总理领导下掌权以来的几个月里，出现了若干有希望的事态发展。其中包括任命妇女担任关键领导职务；调查针对抗议者的暴力行为的调查委员会；以及对举行民主选举的承诺。

Additionally, a new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal commission that makes policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress, commended the transitional government for making "important progress to improve religious freedom conditions" in Sudan. According to USCIRF, under the Islamist-led rule of al-Bashir, Sudan was notorious for its egregious³ repression⁴ of members of religious minority groups. Due to positive actions taken by the transitional government, USCIRF upgraded Sudan to their "Special Watch List" designation during their annual report release in May. Sudan and the United States are currently working to build a stronger bilateral⁵ partnership⁶. The two have decided⁷ to pursue the exchange of ambassadors for the first time in decades. As the United States and Sudan continue to develop policy and statutory criteria⁸ for rescission of Sudan's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation, Sudan is taking steps to address longstanding issues of bilateral concern. Over the past year, Sudan has started to emerge from the decades-long grip of brutal⁹ totalitarian rule. Despite the country's continuing challenges, recent positive developments bode¹⁰ well for the Sudanese people and for the possibility of new partnership between Sudan and the United States. That was an editorial reflecting the views of the U.S. Government.

此外，美国国际宗教自由委员会的一份新报告，向总统提出政策建议的独立联邦委员会，国务卿和国会赞扬过渡政府在改善苏丹宗教自由条件方面取得了“重要进展”。根据美国国际宗教自由委员会的说法，在伊斯兰主义者领导的巴希尔统治下，苏丹以其对宗教少数群体成员的残暴镇压而臭名昭著。由于过渡政府采取了积极的行动，在5月发布的年度报告中，美国国际宗教自由委员会将苏丹提升为“特别观察名单”。苏丹和美国目前正在努力建立更牢固的双边关系。数十年来两国首次决定寻求互派大使。随着美国和苏丹继续制定政策和法定标准，取消对苏丹国家恐怖主义赞助者的指定，苏丹正在采取步骤解决双方长期关切的问题。在过去一年中，苏丹开始摆脱长达数十年的残酷极权统治。尽管这个国家会继续面临挑战，但最近的积极事态发展对苏丹人民和苏丹与美国之间可能建立新伙伴关系来说是个好兆头。这是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

3 egregious   

adj.非常的，过分的

参考例句：

• When it comes to blatant lies,there are none more egregious than budget figures.谈到公众谎言，没有比预算数字更令人震惊的。
• What an egregious example was here!现摆着一个多么触目惊心的例子啊。

4 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

5 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

6 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。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

9 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

10 bode   

v.预示

参考例句：

• These figures do not bode well for the company's future.这些数字显示出公司的前景不妙。
• His careful habits bode well for his future.他那认真的习惯预示著他会有好的前途。