VOA常速英语2014--US, EU Action Expected After Crimea Referendum 美国欧盟将在克里米亚公投后采取行动

 

US, EU Action Expected After Crimea Referendum 美国欧盟将在克里米亚公投后采取行动

Voters in Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula have cast ballots¹ in a referendum widely expected to endorse² joining Russia. The United States and the European Union strongly objected to the vote, and could announce punitive³ steps against Russia and additional support for Ukraine.

Voter turnout was high and dominated by pro-Russian Crimeans, including retired⁴ Soviet⁵ sailor Vladimir Lozovoy.

投票率很高，主要是亲俄罗斯的克里米亚人，包括退休的前苏联水手弗拉基米尔。

“I want to cry. Finally I have returned to my motherland. It is an incredible feeling. I have been waiting for this for 23 years,” said Lozovoy.

“我想哭，终于回到自己的祖国了，很不可思议的感觉，我已经等了23年了。”

In the Ukrainian capital, some prayed for peace while bracing⁶ for open conflict with Russia.

在乌克兰首都，有的人为和平祈祷，同时为与俄罗斯进行公开冲突做准备。

“It is difficult to predict what will happen, but [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will not stop in Crimea, he will want all of Ukraine,” said one churchgoer in Kyiv.

“很难预料下一步会怎样，但普京不会在克里米亚就此罢休的，他想要整个乌克兰。”

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat⁷, just returned from a trip to Kyiv.

美国民主党参议员克里斯·墨菲刚从基辅回来。

“Ukrainians are not going to go down (surrender) without a fight. If Russia really does decide to move beyond Crimea, it is going to be bloody⁸ and the fight may be long. And [Ukrainians] need help from the United States,” said Murphy.

“乌克兰人不会不战就投降的，如果俄罗斯真的决定得寸进尺，那么将会发生血腥场面，战争将会持续很久。乌克兰人需要美国的帮助。”

The White House has promised a swift response to the referendum and any additional Russian advances into Ukraine.

白宫承诺就公投和俄罗斯进一步冒犯乌克兰的行为当即作出应对。

“There most definitely will be additional costs if Russia escalates⁹ this conflict rather than de-escalates. And they will be imposed by the United States, but also by our European partners,” said spokesman Jay Carney.

发言人卡尼，“如果俄罗斯将冲突升级而不是化解冲突，那么毫无疑问要承担更多的代价的，美国和欧洲伙伴国都将追究俄罗斯的责任。”

Senator Murphy concedes the United States and the European Union have limited options.

参议员墨菲承认美国和欧盟的选择余地很小。

“I do not think there is anything we can do militarily. Clearly, this is a longer term effort to build up the Ukrainian military. But if Monday we announce, with the EU, a set of crippling sanctions against individuals and Russian business entities¹⁰, that sends a strong message to Putin,” said Murphy.

“我认为我们不能采取什么军事手段，需要进行长期的努力来建设乌克兰军队。但是如果周一我们和欧盟一起宣布针对个人和俄罗斯企业的制裁措施，那么就会向普京传递一个强有力的信号。”

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a package of assistance for Ukraine and punitive steps against Moscow when lawmakers return from a recess¹¹ next week. The House of Representatives approved a similar package earlier this month.

下周议员们休息归来时美国参议院有望就向乌克兰提供一揽子援助并对莫斯科采取惩罚措施进行表决，众议院于本月早些时候通过了类似的一揽子措施。

1 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

3 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

4 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。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

7 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

8 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

9 escalates   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的第三人称单数 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. 面临的挑战越大，越需要团队协同合作。 来自互联网
• I cannot understand why a minor disagreement escalates into a fist-fight. 我真不明白为什么一点意见不合就变成了拳头相见。 来自互联网

10 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

11 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。