VOA常速英语2013--在伊朗失踪或遭囚禁的美国人

在伊朗失踪或遭囚禁的美国人

Just days after Iran and the P5+1 group of nations reached an initial accord which halts progress on Iran’s nuclear program, the United States called on Iran to help  find a U.S. citizen who disappeared in Iran more than six years ago, and to release two U.S. citizens who have been imprisoned¹ by Iranian authorities.

P5+1国家组织与伊朗达成初步协议，阻止了伊朗的核项目，几天后，美国呼吁伊朗帮助寻找一名6年多前在伊朗失踪的美国公民，并释放被伊朗当局囚禁的两名美国公民。

Robert Levinson is a retired² FBI agent and private investigator³ who went missing during a business trip to Iran’s Kish Island in March 2007. Three years ago, a video  was sent to his family from an unidentified source, in which Mr. Levinson pled for his release.

莱文森是FBI退休特工兼私家侦探，2007年三月失踪时正在伊朗基什岛进行商务旅行。三年前，他家人收到来历不明者发来的视频，上面显示莱文森请求释放。

Iranian officials have promised the Levinson family to investigate his disappearance⁴.

伊朗官员承诺莱文森的家人调查他失踪一事。

In a statement, the White House noted⁵ that Robert Levinson is now one of the longest held U.S. citizens in history.

白宫在声明中表示，罗伯特·莱文森目前是历史上被囚禁最久的美国公民。

“As we approach the upcoming holiday season, we reiterate⁶ the commitment of the United States government to locate Mr. Levinson and bring him home safely to his  family, friends, and loved ones,” said the White House. “We welcome the assistance of our international partners in this investigation⁷, and we respectfully ask the  Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to assist us in securing Mr. Levinson’s health, welfare, and safe return.”

“随着假日季节的到来，我们重申美国政府的承诺，即找到莱文森，将他安全带回到家人、朋友和爱人身边。我们欢迎国际伙伴帮助调查此事，我们尊敬地请求伊朗伊斯兰共和国帮助我们确 保莱文森的健康、福利和平安归来。”

At a press briefing, White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest noted that when President Barack Obama spoke⁸ with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani earlier this  fall, he asked for Mr. Rouhani’s assistance in locating Mr. Levinson.

白宫新闻副部长厄尼思特在新闻发布会上指出，总统巴拉克·奥巴马和伊朗总统哈桑·鲁哈尼今秋早些时候通过话，他请求鲁哈尼帮助找到莱文森。

Mr. Earnest said that President Obama also raised the cases of Iranian-American pastor⁹ Saeed Abedini, who was arrested on a trip to Iran in 2012 and imprisoned on  charges relating to his religious beliefs; and Iranian-American ex-Marine Amir Hekmati, who was detained in Iran in 2011 while on a visit to his grandmother, and  falsely charged with espionage¹⁰. He was sentenced to death; and although that sentence has been overturned and a retrial ordered, Mr. Hekmati remains¹¹ behind bars and  his case remains in limbo¹² and his status uncertain.

厄尼思特说，总统奥巴马还提到伊朗裔美国牧师扎伊尔德?阿贝迪尼，他2012年在伊朗旅行时被捕，被控与宗教信仰有关的罪名被遭囚禁；以及伊朗裔美国前海军陆战队队员赫克迈堤，他2011 年在看望祖母时被囚禁伊朗，被错误地指控为间谍罪。他被判死刑，尽管这一罪名后被推翻并下令复审，赫克迈堤仍在狱中，他的案子仍悬而未决，他的状态还不确定。

In an interview on CNN which included discussion of the recent accord in Geneva, as well as the three U.S. citizens missing or detained in Iran, U.S. Deputy National  Security Advisor¹³ Tony Blinken noted that during the negotiations¹⁴ in Geneva, ”The only subject on the agenda [was] the nuclear file.” But, he said, “We have been  repeatedly clear that we are calling on Iran to release them. We will continue to raise it. And we hope to see them return home.”

在CNN的采访中谈到最近日内瓦协议以及三名在伊朗失踪或囚禁的美国公民时，美国副国家安全顾问布林肯说，在日内瓦协商期间，“唯一的议程是核问题，我们已多次明确呼吁伊朗释放他们 ，我们还会继续提这个问题，希望能看到他们回家。”

1 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。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

4 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

5 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。

6 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 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。

9 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

10 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 limbo   

n.地狱的边缘；监狱

参考例句：

• His life seemed stuck in limbo and he could not go forward and he could not go back.他的生活好像陷入了不知所措的境地，进退两难。
• I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead.I felt as if I was in limbo.我不知道家人是生是死，感觉自己茫然无措。

13 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。

14 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。