2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Meets Saudi Officials on Middle East Crisi

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
23 July 2006
 

President Bush steps off Marine¹ One as he leaves Waco after spending the weekend at his ranch² in Texas  
  
President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are meeting with Saudi officials to discuss ways to end the bloodshed between Israel and Lebanese based Hezbollah forces.  After the session at the White House, Rice will head to the region for talks on the latest Middle East crisis.

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White House officials are downplaying prospects³ for a breakthrough during Rice's meetings in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

They say an immediate⁴ cease-fire will ot work, and only a sustainable solution that disarms⁵ Hezbollah and strengthens the young democratically elected Lebanese government will end the bloodshed.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton says that is the message the Secretary of State will take to the region. He spoke⁶ on the Fox News Sunday television program.

"We have got to think of the longer term here. There may be an opportunity. We have got to go about it in a sustained fashion," said Bolton.

 
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and US Ambassador to UN John Bolton
  
In a subsequent appearance on CNN's Late Edition, Bolton was asked about indications from Israel that it might accept a NATO-led peacekeeping force along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Bolton said it was a new idea, but one worth serious consideration.

"I think we all need to be creative," he commented. "But we need to keep the idea before us within the larger political solution Secretary Rice is seeking."

On NBC's Meet the Press, White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten said a NATO force is one possible option to help end the fighting. But he said it is unlikely U.S. troops will be involved.

"Secretary Rice said the day before yesterday that she didn't consider that at all likely. But she will be talking with our friends and allies about whether and when a force might be appropriate and how it might be constructed," noted⁷ Bolten.

Rice heads to the Middle East after joining President Bush at his meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud-al-Faisal and Prince Bandar bin⁸ Sultan, the head of the Saudi National Security Council

She plans to consult in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and in the West Bank with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. She will travel on to Rome Wednesday for talks on the crisis with European and Arab officials.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• 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。

2 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 disarms   

v.裁军( disarm的第三人称单数 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He was that rarest of statesmen, one whose integrity disarms even his critics. 他为人正直，连批评他的人也佩服他三分，在当代政治家中实属罕见。 来自辞典例句
• Disarm: This ability now disarms ranged weapons as well. 缴械：这个技能现在同时可以缴械对方的远程武器。 来自互联网

6 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。

7 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。

8 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。