VOA标准英语2009-Dubai Air Show Opens With Emphasis on Milita

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
15 November 2009

The biennial¹ Dubai Air Show is underway, with the global economy dampening expectations among those selling civilian² planes. But regional tensions have led to some optimism among manufacturers of military aircraft.

 
Emirati officials watch planes performing overhead during the Airshow in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15 Nov 2009
Nearly 900 companies from about 50 countries have gathered in Dubai for the five-day show. Heavily-decorated military types from Western countries mingled³ with Arab sheikhs, while aircraft roared overhead.

Orders for commercial airplanes are expected to be lower this year, as airlines cope with an expected $11 billion loss this year.

America's Boeing executives in Dubai put on a brave face, saying that fulfilling back orders will keep their production lines busy.

Europe's Airbus is faring better, and expects to end the show with carriers from Dubai and Ethiopia placing some much-needed orders. But increasingly this year, eyes seem focused on the show's military component⁴.

A U.S. Air Force spokesman described the maneuvers⁵ of pilots aboard its F-15e Strike Eagle.

"When flying low in combat, speed is life. Now, from the left, Captain Smith and Captain Cox return to show center at 300 feet and nearly the speed of sound," he said. "This capability⁶ allows the Strike Eagle to fly undetected, deep into enemy territory and deliver its ordinance⁷."

The exhibition, put on every two years in the United Arab Emirates, attracts regional buyers who have immediate⁸ and potential problems.

"The problem is that the political situation in the region is still tense," said Louis Hobeika, a professor at Lebanon's Notre Dame⁹ University. "Of course, you have the Palestinian-Israeli situation, plus the Saudi-Yemen problem, plus all kinds of bilateral¹⁰ issues, wars or bilateral conflicts, let us say, which could really lead into war in the future."

The military aspect of the show has been steadily¹¹ growing, and this year is expected to make up about 40 percent of the orders.

In sharp contrast to the military aspects of the show, some exhibitors appeared to revel¹² in the pure joy of flight. The Italian display included tight formations of jets with contrails in the red, white and green of the nation's flag, the smoke forming hearts, crosses, spirals and more.

"You know, Italy is famous for many things, but one of them is the wine," he said. "Try to see if you can recognize now a glass of good Italian wine.Look at them!"

As a military threat, the sight of enemy fighters taking the shape of a wine glass may not be much, but in showcasing style and finesse¹³, the Italians delivered.

1 biennial   

adj.两年一次的

参考例句：

• The workers were strongly against the biennial election.工人们强烈反对两年一次的选举。
• His is a biennial,and one of the most useful pasture plants we have.这是两年生植物，也是我们最有用的牧草之一。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

4 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

5 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

6 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

7 ordinance   

n.法令；条令；条例

参考例句：

• The Ordinance of 1785 provided the first land grants for educational purposes.1785年法案为教育目的提供了第一批土地。
• The city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9.00 PM.该市通过一条法令强令晚上九点关闭一切室外照明。

8 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。

9 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

10 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

11 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

12 revel   

vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢

参考例句：

• She seems to revel in annoying her parents.她似乎以惹父母生气为乐。
• The children revel in country life.孩子们特别喜欢乡村生活。

13 finesse   

n.精密技巧，灵巧，手腕

参考例句：

• It was a disappointing performance which lacked finesse.那场演出缺乏技巧，令人失望。
• Lillian Hellman's plays are marked by insight and finesse.莉莲.赫尔曼的巨作以富有洞察力和写作技巧著称。