美国有线新闻 CNN 2014-03-07

 Things are changing rapidly in Ukraine. Yesterday more Russian troops reportedly entered Crimea to southern region of Ukraine with a lot of support from Russian. A Crimean official said things there were quiet last night. There were no signs of fighting. Ukraine's ousted¹ President Viktor Yanukovich said he asked Russia to send in its military to establish peace and to defend the people of Ukraine. The United States is considering sanctions, economic punishments against Russia. It says Russia broke international law by sending troops to Ukraine. It's also offering money to support Ukraine's new government. Some of the ripple² effects: Russia's stock market was down. Europes were down. Americas was down. Coal, wheat and oil prices were up. Ukraine's top grain producer for Europe saw a conflict there could disrupt that, and Russia supplies about 25% of Europe's natural gas. Much of that flows through pipe lines in Ukraine. It shows you how the global economy is connected and affected³ by events in a nation. It's about the size of Texas.

 

There've been a lot of questions about Russia's interests in Ukraine as well as the West interests, so we can look at the map or we get a much better sense. First of all, overmind here, Ukraine is in Europe. It's not a million miles away. The capital is just a few hundred miles from cities that America strives to all the time, Rome, Paris, London, and look here on its western border. Four key American airlines, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, all members of NATO and under NATO, the US has an obligation, a treaty obligation to defend them if they come under threat. Now Ukraine, not a member of NATO, but in recent years, has been a lot talked about, bringing them into a close relationship. Let's get a better sense now of Russia's interests there. You look at Crimea on the tip of that peninsula. The ? pull military naval⁴ base. This is the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea. ? is the only warm water pull of the pulls of northern froze in winter access to the Black Sea to the Mediterranean⁵, the Atlantic is central for Russia, and that's the first place that many of those 6,000 and even more Russia troops win when they cross the border from Russia. In the Crimea, a reminder⁶ sovereign Ukraine territory. But let's look inside the country as well because it's a real split between east and west there. Western part of the country here leans towards Europe. Only 5% of the population in east parts speak Russian as they ?. Eastern part of the country, 75% here. They speak Russian. Their athletes they feel the pulls towards Russia. This part of the country feels the pull towards the western Europe.

 

1 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

2 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 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。

5 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

6 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。