VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Prepares for Russia Summit, G8, Afri

U.S. President Barack Obama is preparing for another round of international travel. He leaves Washington Sunday evening for a Moscow summit on arms control, followed by the annual Group of Eight Meeting in Italy, and what is sure to be an emotional trip to Ghana.
　
President Obama at the White House, 2 Jul 2009

In Moscow, the president will seek to reset¹ the U.S. relationship with Russia. Relations eroded² in recent years by disputes over Georgia, NATO enlargement and other issues.

He will meet individually with both Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Their primary goal: to jumpstart negotiations³ on a new agreement to replace the soon-to-expire Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Mr. Obama says it is important to consult with both men, noting Prime Minister Putin - the former president - still has a great deal of power.

Outdated⁴ approach
　
Vladimir Putin presides over cabinet meeting in Moscow (File photo)

In an interview with the Associated Press, President Obama said President Medvedev seems to understand the old Cold War approaches to U.S. - Russia relations are outdated. But Mr. Obama said he cannot say the same for Vladimir Putin.

"Prime Minister Putin still has a lot of sway in Russia," the president said. "And I think that it's important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, that Putin understands that the old Cold War approaches to the U.S. - Russia relations are out dated."

Andrew Kuchins is a Russia and Eurasia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He says President Obama would be well served to spend as much time as possible with Vladimir Putin.

"The most important part about his trip to Moscow is going to be his discussions with Vladimir Putin, in my view," Kuchins said, "for the simple reason that Mr. Putin is by far and away the most important and powerful figure in Russia. It is pretty simple logic⁵."

Effort to reach out

While the first day in Moscow and part of the next morning will be devoted⁶ to meetings with Russia's leaders, President Obama also intends to reach out to the Russian people with a speech and a set of discussions with representatives of civil society and the political opposition⁷.

Denis McDonough, the White House Deputy National Security Advisor⁸ for Strategic Communications, says the president will deliver two speeches on this trip - one in Russia and one in Ghana. He says they are part of a four-speech series that began with an address on arms proliferation in April, and an outreach to the world's Muslims in June.

"Moscow will be a speech about U.S. Russia relations and how great powers ought to see this new century," McDonough explained. "And then, of course, the speech in Ghana will be an enunciation⁹ of democracy and development goals as it relates not just to Ghana or not just to West Africa and not just to Africa, but to the whole part of this world that is the developing world."

The appearances in Moscow and Accra will be bookends around another round of important multilateral summitry. This time it is the Group of Eight Summit hosted by the Italian government in a town devastated¹⁰ by an earthquake just months ago.

This summit will have a broad agenda, and will include participation¹¹ by leaders of major economies outside the formal G8 structure, such as China. Also in attendance will be representatives of several African countries.

Ghana excited

White House officials say Ghana is the perfect spot for a presidential visit after the G8, saying it is a shining example of good governance on the continent.

"Ghana is a truly admirable example of a place where governance is getting stronger, a thriving democracy," said Michelle Gavin, the top White House advisor for Africa.

The trip will end in Ghana on a highly emotional note.

The first black president of the United States - the son of a Kenyan father - will visit an old slave fort called Cape¹² Coast Castle. It is one of many fortresses¹³ along the Ghanaian coast, where countless¹⁴ Africans spent weeks in cramped¹⁵ dungeons¹⁶ before they were herded¹⁷ through a door of no return, and shoved onto ships, leaving Africa behind for a life of servitude.

1 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

2 eroded   

adj. 被侵蚀的，有蚀痕的 动词erode的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea. 峭壁表面逐渐被海水侵蚀。
• The stream eroded a channel in the solid rock. 小溪在硬石中侵蚀成一条水道。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

5 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

6 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

7 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。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 enunciation   

n.清晰的发音；表明，宣言；口齿

参考例句：

• He is always willing to enunciate his opinions on the subject of politics. 他总是愿意对政治问题发表意见。> enunciation / I9nQnsI5eIFn; I9nQnsI`eFEn/ n [C, U]。 来自辞典例句
• Be good at communicating,sense of responsibility,the work is careful,the enunciation is clear. 善于沟通，责任心强，工作细致，口齿清晰。 来自互联网

10 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

11 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

12 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

13 fortresses   

堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They will establish impregnable fortresses. 他们将建造坚不可摧的城堡。
• Indra smashed through Vritra ninety-nine fortresses, and then came upon the dragon. 因陀罗摧毁了维他的九十九座城堡，然后与维他交手。 来自神话部分

14 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

15 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

16 dungeons   

n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The captured rebels were consigned to the dungeons. 抓到的叛乱分子被送进了地牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He saw a boy in fetters in the dungeons. 他在地牢里看见一个戴着脚镣的男孩。 来自辞典例句

17 herded   

群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动

参考例句：

• He herded up his goats. 他把山羊赶拢在一起。
• They herded into the corner. 他们往角落里聚集。