美国国家公共电台 NPR--Saudi Arabian residents prepare for Biden's arrival

Saudi Arabian residents prepare for Biden's arrival

Transcript¹

Many Saudis in the port city Jeddah are aware of President Biden's criticisms of the Kingdom but they hope his visit there Friday will strengthen ties between the two countries.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

When President Biden is done with meetings around Jerusalem, he takes Air Force One to Saudi Arabia. He will attend a summit of Arab leaders in the port city of Jeddah. He's been critical of the kingdom and its human rights abuses. So what do Saudis think of his decision to visit now? NPR's Fatma Tanis is in Jeddah.

FATMA TANIS, BYLINE²: On a sticky late night on Jeddah's Corniche, families are strolling along the Red Sea waterfront. Nearby, cars blare music in traffic. Twenty-eight-year-old Fahda is walking a tiny black poodle. She hesitates to talk about politics at first, like many Saudis these days who fear repercussions³ from their government. The country is de facto led by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin⁴ Salman, who has jailed dissenters⁵. And she and others only gave me their first names to be able to speak freely.

FAHDA: (Speaking Arabic).

TANIS: In Arabic, she tells me she's happy that Biden came around to realize that good relations with Saudi Arabia is in the best interest of the United States.

FAHDA: (Speaking Arabic).

TANIS: "Stronger is better for the region and the world," she says. She'd also like to see the U.S. doing more to support Saudi Arabia against Iran. Iranian-backed militants⁶ across the border in Yemen frequently launch rockets against the kingdom, and Iran sits just across the Persian Gulf⁷. Sultan, a 33-year-old sitting with his friends, says the U.S. needs to be tougher on Iran.

SULTAN: (Through interpreter) If America had played its role correctly, Iran wouldn't have had the strength, ability and daring to do what it is doing today.

TANIS: He hopes Biden won't revive the Obama-era deal lifting economic sanctions on Iran in return for limits on its nuclear program. Saudis are aware that Biden has criticized the kingdom. When he ran for president, he called Saudi Arabia a pariah⁸, in part because of the killing⁹ of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in 2018. Saudi activists¹⁰ outside the country say Biden shouldn't be going there, that it'll undermine efforts to improve human rights, maybe even make them worse. But 22-year-old Jumana is hopeful that Biden will come and get a better impression of her country and its leaders.

JUMANA: They have always been great together, you know? So I'm hoping to see - if they work together, they'll be doing such great things in the world.

TANIS: One issue on the agenda - an effort led by the United States to open Saudi ties with Israel. Fahda wants to see trade with Israel that would help the Saudi economy - and something else.

FAHDA: (Speaking Arabic).

TANIS: She says she hopes to go to Jerusalem and pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque¹¹ that's on the site holy to Muslims and Jews, captured by Israel in 1967. Open relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel could clear the path for Saudis to visit. Fahda says she's certain the crown prince will do the right thing.

FAHDA: We're always with him. So whatever he will say, we're going to be with him.

TANIS: Sultan agrees, noting he'll follow Mohammed bin Salman's lead no matter what. But he proceeds to tentatively offer his opinion on the matter.

SULTAN: (Through interpreter) I don't think the time has come for the Saudi people or other Muslim nations to be on the same side with Israel unless Israel changes its current policies toward Palestinians.

TANIS: But of course, he adds, as a nation, our politics are always with our government.

Fatma Tanis, NPR News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

5 dissenters   

n.持异议者，持不同意见者( dissenter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He attacked the indulgence shown to religious dissenters. 他抨击对宗教上持不同政见者表现出的宽容。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• (The dissenters would have allowed even more leeway to the Secretary.) （持异议者还会给行政长官留有更多的余地。） 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

8 pariah   

n.被社会抛弃者

参考例句：

• Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village.不一会儿，汤姆碰上了村里的少年弃儿。
• His landlady had treated him like a dangerous criminal,a pariah.房东太太对待他就像对待危险的罪犯、对待社会弃儿一样。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。