VOA慢速英语2021--普京警告西方不要越过“红线”

President Vladimir Putin warned western governments Wednesday not to "cross the red line" in respect to Russia's security interests.

The warning came during Putin's yearly state-of-the-nation address. He directed strong words at critics who are concerned about Russia's recent build-up of troops along its border with Ukraine.

The United States and its allies have urged Russia to pull the troops back. In recent weeks, tensions between Russia and Ukraine have increased as both countries violated ceasefire agreements.

While saying he did not want to "burn bridges" in the international community, Putin did say he would defend his country's interests. He said Russia's answer to outside threats would be "quick and tough."

He did not define where the "red line" would be on a number of issues, but said "we will determine where it is ... in each case."

Putin said no foreign country should be able to tell Russia what it can do on its own land, and that includes increasing the number of soldiers on its border with Ukraine.

Without naming a specific country, he also criticized "unlawful, politically motivated economic sanctions" against Russia.

He was speaking about economic restrictions¹ placed last week on Russia by U.S. President Joe Biden's administration. The action came after U.S. officials accused Russia of attempting to influence the 2020 election and hacking² into U.S. computer systems. The U.S. also sent 10 Russian diplomats³ home, investigated a number of Russian companies and restricted the country's ability to borrow money.

Putin has denied the U.S. accusations⁴. In response, Russia put its own penalties on the U.S., including sending 10 diplomats home and restricting the way the U.S. Embassy can operate in Russia.

In his speech, Putin also said he would direct his country to continue to modernize⁵ its military. That includes buying and developing missiles and weapons. He said work continues on an underwater unmanned vehicle that can carry nuclear weapons and also a nuclear-powered missile.

He asked other nations to recognize that Russia has its own interests and "will always find a way to defend its position." He warned other countries not to use "selfish and arrogant⁶" language when speaking about Russia.

Putin questioned why Western governments were quick to criticize Russia but did not speak out against a failed attempt to assassinate⁷ Alexander Lukashenko, a Russian ally and the president of Belarus. He condemned⁸ political interference by foreign governments in other countries as well, saying it "goes over the top and crosses all boundaries."

While Putin targeted his critics, he also praised his country's progress in the last year. He noted⁹ Russia's fast development of vaccines¹⁰ against COVID-19 and put forward economic plans aimed at helping¹¹ the country recover from the pandemic. He urged more Russians to get vaccinated¹² so the country could reach herd¹³ immunity¹⁴ faster.

As Putin spoke¹⁵, protests supporting imprisoned¹⁶ opposition¹⁷ leader Alexei Navalny happened in Moscow and across Russia's far east. Police arrested several of Navalny's supporters in Moscow and many other protesters were detained across Russia.

Words in This Story

burn a bridge –v. a phrased used to signify breaking a connection between two people or organizations

determine –v. to officially decide something because of evidence or facts

motivate –v. to give someone a reason for doing something

sanctions –n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc. — usually plural¹⁸

hacking –v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage, etc.

selfish –adj. having or showing concern only for yourself and not for the needs or feelings of other people

arrogant –adj. having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people : having or showing arrogance¹⁹

over the top –adj. having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people : having or showing arrogance

boundary –n. a limit on something

herd immunity –n. when enough people in a group or society are protected from a disease due to vaccination or prior infection to keep others safe

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

5 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

6 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

7 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。

8 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。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

11 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

12 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

13 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

14 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

15 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。

16 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

17 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。

18 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。

19 arrogance   

n.傲慢，自大

参考例句：

• His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
• Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。