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VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-03-15 Will Crimea Vote to Leave Ukraine and Join Russia? 克里米亚会投票离开乌克兰加入俄罗斯吗?

时间:2014-03-22 15:23:07

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AS IT IS 2014-03-15 Will Crimea Vote to Leave Ukraine and Join Russia? 克里米亚会投票离开乌克兰加入俄罗斯吗?

Hello, and welcome to As It Is from VOA Learning English!

I’m Christopher Cruise in Washington.

Today on the program, we report on the growing popularity of Pope Francis. Some people are calling this “The Francis Effect.” Whatever it is called, it does not seem to have caused many former Catholics in the United States to return to the church.

“We can be so focused on our sanctuary1, our buildings, and wait for people to come to us.”

But we begin our program today with a report about the situation in Crimea. The local government has called a special election on whether Crimea should declare its independence from Ukraine. But Russian and pro-Russian troops are in control of the area. And those who want Crimea to remain part of Ukraine say that means the vote will not be fair.

“The most cynical2 thing in history is when people have to make a choice under the gun, when they are afraid about their children, their family.”

We report on the referendum in Crimea, and the popularity of Pope Francis today on As It Is. 

Crimea to Vote on Independence from Ukraine

The government in Crimea is moving forward with plans to hold a referendum on whether or not to break ties with Ukraine and join Russia. The vote is set for Sunday. Crimean voters have a choice between joining Russia or re-establishing the 1992 constitution and Crimea’s rights as an autonomous3 republic of Ukraine. 

Jonathan Evans reports.

Sergei Tsekov is a member of the Crimean parliament. He supports efforts to join the Russian Federation4.

“We will be happy in one week’s time because we will do what we have been waiting to do for many, many years.”

Pro-Russia support is strong in Crimea. Alexander Oseev lives in the city of Simferopol. He believes joining with Russia is a good idea.

“I want for our Crimea to reunite with Russia. The Crimean land is Russia.”

Crimea has a long history with Russia. The majority of the population is ethnic5 Russian. However, some people believe the vote will not be fair. The area is under the control of Russian and pro-Russian forces. Earlier this week, Crimea’s prime minister swore-in members of the new Crimean Special Forces. They have since joined the pro-Russian self-defense groups. The prime minister says they are needed for increased security before the voting.

Russia says none of its forces have left its bases in Crimea. But groups of unidentified vehicles have been seen moving around the peninsula. Many observers believe these vehicles belong to the Russian military.

Refat Chubarov is a leader of Crimea’s Tatar minority group. He is fearful that the Crimean people are being forced into making a decision.

“The most cynical thing in history is when people have to make a choice under the gun, when they are afraid about their children, their family.”

Ukrainian leaders have condemned7 the planned vote. They say the referendum violates Ukraine’s self-rule and should not be recognized as legal. Ukraine’s Western allies agree with the country’s leaders.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

You are listening to As It Is, from VOA Learning English.

“The Francis Effect”

 

Pope Francis became leader of the Roman Catholic Church about a year ago. Since then, his simple way of living, and his warmth and openness, have made him popular worldwide.

Some people have called this “The Francis Effect.” His actions and words have reportedly influenced former Catholics to return to churches in some countries. But studies show that his popularity has had little effect in the United States. 

The US has the fifth-largest Catholic population in the world. But people who identify themselves as former Catholics represent 10 percent of America’s population. Many former members say they are angry about the Church’s failure to investigate and punish cases of sexual abuse by clergy8 over the years. Others criticize what they believe is the firmness of Church teachings.

Some Catholic churches are making changes to try to bring former Catholics back to the faith and to try to persuade others to join the church.

One of those churches is The Church of the Nativity, in Timonium, Maryland -- a community near the city of Baltimore. From the outside, the church looks like many other religious centers. 

But inside, it is very different. A seven-person band performs as part of the religious service. People can watch the service on large television screens inside the building or in the church’s cafe.

The Church of the Nativity is well-known because of a book called “Rebuilt.” One of the writers -- Father Michael White -- is head of the church. He and church members have found new ways to fill the church. His book tells how he persuaded local Catholics to return to services. 

Studies show that 33 percent of Americans who were born into the Roman Catholic faith have left it. But leaders of the Church of the Nativity believe they have found the secret to winning back former Catholics. That “secret” is a service that some people say sounds like a rock music show.

Church of the Nativity leaders say they have borrowed some ideas from huge Evangelical Protestant churches. Such churches are often called megachurches because they have so many members. 

Tom Corcoran worked with Father White to write “Rebuilt.” Mr. Corcoran says criticism of the non-traditional ways is not uncommon9. He says some people compare the religious services to food products with the richest fillings removed. 

“I think if you want to do anything worth doing, you’re going to get criticized. And people aren’t going to understand you, and that’s just part of the deal.”

Rev10. John Conley is a professor at Loyola University Maryland. He says Catholics pay too much attention to less-than-important issues.

“We can be so focused on our sanctuary, our buildings, and wait for people to come to us.”

Pope Francis has told Catholics that they must look outward. He suggests that they might take up methods that have gained large membership for other churches. 

The Church of the Nativity still holds to the basics of its religious service, called a “Mass.” Some parts of it are in Latin.

A woman named Cathy McErlean recently became a Roman Catholic. She says the comparative lack of formality at the Church of the Nativity attracted her.

“It was a lot less intimidating11 than a more traditional Catholic environment.”

Still, many former Catholics in the United States have not responded to a welcoming Pope or approved of changes in the service. They have not returned to the faith.  They still criticize what they see as the severity of the Church’s teachings. And they still condemn6 the damage done by the Church’s failure to act against sexual abuse by priests.  

And that is our program for today. It was based on reports from VOA reporters Elizabeth Arrott in the Crimean capital Simferopol and Jerome Socolovsky in Timonium, Maryland.


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1 sanctuary iCrzE     
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区
参考例句:
  • There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
  • Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。
2 cynical Dnbz9     
adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的,不信世道向善的
参考例句:
  • The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大,他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
  • He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。
3 autonomous DPyyv     
adj.自治的;独立的
参考例句:
  • They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
  • This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。
4 federation htCzMS     
n.同盟,联邦,联合,联盟,联合会
参考例句:
  • It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
  • Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。
5 ethnic jiAz3     
adj.人种的,种族的,异教徒的
参考例句:
  • This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏,这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
  • The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。
6 condemn zpxzp     
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑
参考例句:
  • Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他,而有些人谴责他。
  • We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。
7 condemned condemned     
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
  • The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
8 clergy SnZy2     
n.[总称]牧师,神职人员
参考例句:
  • I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望,我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
  • All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。
9 uncommon AlPwO     
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的
参考例句:
  • Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
  • Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。
10 rev njvzwS     
v.发动机旋转,加快速度
参考例句:
  • It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
  • Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。
11 intimidating WqUzKy     
vt.恐吓,威胁( intimidate的现在分词)
参考例句:
  • They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
  • This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

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