VOA慢速英语2014 奥巴马承诺将配合新的参议院

 

Obama Promises to Cooperate with New Senate 奥巴马承诺将配合新的参议院

President Barack Obama spoke¹ about the election results at a news conference Wednesday.  He said he is looking for broad agreement with Congress. But, he also said it is likely that the new Republican controlled Congress may approve some legislation he cannot and would not sign.

Mr. Obama said he is sure that he and Republican lawmakers can agree on some issues. The Republican Party won full control of both houses of Congress in elections Tuesday. The party has not held that power since 2007.

Ukraine stops financial support for rebel-held areas

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced on Wednesday that the country will end government money flow to areas in the east controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

Mr. Yatsenyuk said the restriction² on Donetsk and Luhansk will continue as long as they are held by what he called “terrorists.”

West African leaders work for change in Burkina Faso

A delegation³ of West African leaders arrived Wednesday Burkina Faso to try to ease a political crisis there. It arose after the country’s President Blaise Compaore resigned from office.

The presidents of Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal traveled to Ouagadougou to meet with Burkina Faso’s temporary president Lieutenant⁴ Colonel Isaac Zida.  The delegates also met with other political and religious leaders.

Burkina Faso's military took control of the country Friday after Mr. Compaore resigned and fled the country. He acted after a series of violent protests against an effort to constitutionally extend his rule.

Vladimir Putin: world’s most powerful person?

The U.S. business magazine Forbes has again named Russian President Vladimir Putin the most powerful person in the world. He was the magazine’s choice last year as well.

The magazine said candidates included President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pope Francis and German Chancellor⁵ Angela Merkel.

Forbes described Mr. Putin as "the undisputed, unpredictable and unaccountable head of an energy-rich, nuclear-tipped state, no one would ever call him weak."

Words in the News

broad – adj. large from one side to the other side

crisis – n. a difficult or dangerous situation that needs serious attention

powerful – adj. having the ability to control or influence people or things

unaccountable – adj. not required to explain actions or decisions

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

3 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

4 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

5 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。