VOA常速英语2019--英国新首相组建新内阁

Demonstrators crowded central London as Britain bid farewell to outgoing leader Theresa May and welcomed Boris Johnson as the country’s 55th Prime Minister. A group of climate change protesters dressed in red sought to interrupt Johnson’s motorcade on the way to Buckingham Palace for a ceremonial meeting with the Queen. The new prime minister wasted no time forming a new government to help him take Britain out of the European Union by October 31st. And though I am today building a great team of men and women, I will take personal responsibility for the change I want to see. Never mind the backstop, the buck¹ stops here.

示威者聚集在伦敦中心，此时，全英国都在向即将离职的首相特蕾莎·梅道别，同时也欢迎鲍里斯·约翰逊担任英国第55任首相。一群抗议气候变化的人身着红色，想要打断约翰逊的车队，车队是驶往白金汉宫与女王会晤的。新任首相不遗余力地组建了新政府，以帮助自己在10月31日之前实现英国脱欧。虽然今天我组建了一支很棒的队伍，他们中有男有女，我会为自己想看到的变革负全责。不要有任何顾虑，一切责任由我承担。

Johnson appointed Sajid Javid as the new chancellor², making him the country’s first ethnic³ minority member in the position. The former Home Secretary who was once an investment banker Javid will oversee⁴ the British economy during the turbulent times expected to result from Brexit. I’m very much looking forward to working with the new team and the new prime minister, the Prime Minister has already set out some of his key priorities that includes making sure that we leave the European Union on October the 31st,and that we take advantage of the huge economic opportunities that lie ahead. To replace Javid as Home Secretary, Johnson brought back conservative Priti Patel, former International Development Secretary, who was forced to resign from May’s government after revelations she had conducted secret meetings with the Israeli government. Johnson’s former rival Jeremy Hunt was replaced with Dominic Raab as foreign secretary. The former Brexit secretary would also serve as first secretary of state which makes him eligible⁵ to become Johnson’s deputy. Obviously the full office that the messages we sent, the opportunities around the world, and our confidence in our country, taking those opportunities with fuels as optimism, some I can’t wait for. Long time Johnson ally, former security minister Ben Wallace, was promoted to defense⁶ secretary replacing Penny Mordant⁷. Some of the cabinet members were confirmed in their positions during the government shake up, among them Brexit secretary Stephen Berkeley and health secretary Matt Hancock.

约翰逊任命萨吉德·贾维德为新任大臣，后者是英国历史上担此职位的首位少数族裔。贾维德曾担任前内政大臣，他曾是一名投资银行家。他今后会负责监管动荡时期的英国经济，包括但不限于确保10月31日前成功脱欧，以及我们能够充分利用未来广阔的经济机会。为了取代贾维德内政大臣的职位，约翰逊请回了保守派的前国际发展部长普里蒂·帕特尔。此人此前被迫从特蕾莎手下离职，因为有人爆料称她与以色列政府多次私下会晤。约翰逊曾经的对手杰里米·亨特被多米尼克·拉布取代了外长职位。前脱欧部长也会担任首席大臣，这让他有资格成为约翰逊的副手。显然，通过新内阁班组，我们传达了信息，向世界提供了机会，展现了对我们国家的信息，这些机会是积极的信号，是我迫不及待想要抓住的。约翰逊长期的盟友、前前安全部长本·华莱士升职为国防部长，取代了彭妮·莫丹。一些内阁成员在政府重新洗牌期间确认了自己的职位，其中包括脱欧部长斯蒂芬·伯克利和卫生部长马特·汉考克。

1 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

2 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

5 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 mordant   

adj.讽刺的；尖酸的

参考例句：

• Actors feared the critic's mordant pen.演员都惧怕这位批评家辛辣尖刻的笔调。
• His mordant wit appealed to students.他那尖刻的妙语受到学生们的欢迎。