VOA常速英语2021--拜登首席智囊布林肯就任美国国务卿

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Antony Blinken to be the secretary of state, paving the way for the Biden administration's eventual¹ reversal of the Trump² administration's isolationist policies. Blinken was confirmed by a 72-22 vote to serve as the country's top diplomat³, filling the most senior Cabinet position and one that is fourth in the line of presidential succession. At a confirmation⁴ hearing last week, Blinken said he is ready to confront the challenges posed by China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. He said China "poses the most significant challenge" to U.S. national interests, while noting there is room for cooperation. Conservative lawmakers' opposition⁵ to Blinken centered on concerns that he may help the new administration reenter the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and that he would halt former President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against the Middle Eastern power. He also pledged to rebuild State Department morale⁶ and the diplomatic corps⁷. Blinken said he sees U.S. standing⁸ abroad as leadership based on, quote, "humility⁹ and confidence.” The (50-year...) 58-year-old was deputy secretary of state during the Obama administration and he has close ties with President Biden.

美国参议院已确认安东尼·布林肯出任国务卿，此举为拜登政府最终推翻特朗普政府的孤立主义政策铺平了道路。参议院以72票赞成、22票反对的结果确认布林肯担任美国最高外交官，填补内阁最高级的职位空缺，国务卿也是总统接班人中排名第四的职位。在上周举行的确认听证会上，布林肯表示，他准备好面对中国、伊朗、朝鲜和俄罗斯发起的挑战。他表示，中国对美国国家利益“构成最重大的挑战”，他同时指出，两国还有合作的空间。保守党议员反对布林肯的主要原因是担心布林肯可能帮助新政府重新加入2015年的伊朗核协议，并将叫停前总统特朗普针对中东国家的“极限施压”运动。布林肯还承诺重振国务院士气，重建美国外交使团。布林肯表示，他认为美国在海外的领导地位是基于“谦逊和自信”。现年58岁的布林肯曾在奥巴马政府任副国务卿，并与拜登总统关系密切。

Israel's army chief said Tuesday he had ordered that plans be drawn¹⁰ up to counter Iran's nuclear capabilities¹¹ in the event of a political decision to target (is...) the Islamic republic. Chief of Staff General Aviv Kochavi said he had instructed the military "to prepare several operational plans in addition to existing ones throughout the coming year." He added that the power to initiate¹² them lies with the Israeli government. Iran, Israel's arch foe¹³, agreed in 2015 to a deal on its nuclear program with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The deal offered sanctions relief in exchange for curbs¹⁴ on Tehran's nuclear ambitions and guarantees it would not seek an atomic bomb. Iran maintains that it has only pursued a civilian¹⁵ nuclear energy program. Israel always opposed the deal and in 2018 then U.S. president Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of it and reimposed crippling sanctions in a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran. In response, Iran has stepped back from key nuclear commitments, leaving the deal hanging by a thread even as new U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has signaled it wants to salvage¹⁶ the agreement. And the acting¹⁷ U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations has reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians and said it (slowly helps) helps to slowly build shattered confidence between the two sides. Via remote, I'm Marissa Melton. From Washington, you're listening to VOA news.

以色列陆军总司令星期二称，他已下令制定计划应对伊朗的核计划，以防针对伊斯兰共和国的政治决定。参谋长阿维夫·科查维表示，他已指示军方“在未来一年里，在现有计划的基础上，再制定一些行动计划。”他补充说，启动这些计划的权力在于以色列政府。以色列的头号敌人伊朗在2015年同意与英国、中国、法国、德国、俄罗斯和美国就其核计划达成协议。该协议为伊朗提供了制裁减免，作为交换，德黑兰要限制其核野心，并保证不会寻求原子弹。伊朗坚持认为，它只是在推行民用核能计划。以色列一直反对这项协议，2018年，时任美国总统特朗普单方面让华盛顿退出该协议，并针对德黑兰重启“极限施压”运动，重新对其实施严重制裁。作为回应，伊朗已经终止履行关键的核承诺，即使美国新总统拜登的政府已经表示希望挽救这项协议，但这项协议仍然悬而未决。美国驻联合国代理大使重申，拜登政府会致力于解决以色列和巴勒斯坦两国之间的问题，并表示这有助于慢慢建立双方破碎的信心。我是玛丽莎·梅尔顿，美国之音新闻，华盛顿远程报道。

1 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

2 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。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

7 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

10 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

11 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

12 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

13 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

14 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

15 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

16 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

17 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。