VOA慢速英语 2007 0512

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. 
Nicolas Sarkosy and Tony Blair meet in Paris on May 11, 2007

Nicolas Sarkozy will take office Wednesday as president of France. He supports labor¹ reforms, tax cuts and strong controls over crime and illegal immigration. As interior minister he was known for strongly worded conservative positions on law and order. Now he proposes to liberalize the French economy to better compete in world markets.

Some say his proposed economic reforms could lead to labor unrest. The plan includes a right to work more than thirty-five hours a week.

Before anything, he will need the support of parliament. Legislative² elections are in June.

People talk about "Sarkozy the American" because he supports the United States. But the new president says he is going to make the French people proud again of their nation.

Two-term President Jacques Chirac is retiring after twelve years in office.

The president-elect was the candidate of the ruling party, the Union for a Popular Movement. In Sunday's election, Nicolas Sarkozy easily defeated Socialist³ candidate Segolene Royal with fifty-three percent of the vote.

But his election led to three nights of violence during protests in Paris and other cities. Hundreds of people were arrested.

Mister Sarkozy's election raises concerns for supporters of Turkey’s efforts to join the European Union. He is against it. Instead he proposes a "Mediterranean⁴ Union" as a bridge between Europe and Africa. The idea is to include Turkey and other Muslim nations, as well as European Union members along the Mediterranean, including France.

Still, officials from Turkey and the European Union say they will push ahead with membership talks. The European Union has also urged patience as Turkey seeks a new president.

Parliament voted Thursday for a proposed constitutional amendment⁵ to let the Turkish people elect a new president directly. The ruling AK party proposed it. This comes after the party failed to get parliament to elect Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

Opposition⁶ parties boycotted⁷ the vote. They say he is an Islamist threat to the separation of religion and government in Turkey -- a charge he denies.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was to leave office next week. Now he is expected to stay until a new parliament is elected in July. The ruling party wants to hold a presidential election at the same time.

In other news, Tony Blair announced this week when he will resign after ten years as Britain's prime minister. The date is June twenty-seventh. His Labor Party is expected to elect Gordon Brown, currently the treasury⁸ chief.

Tony Blair's popularity suffered because of his support for the Iraq war. But he will also be remembered for British economic gains and, among other things, for his work on the Northern Ireland peace agreement.

This week, a government was inaugurated in which Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders will share power in the British province. The hope is for a lasting⁹ end to thirty years of conflict.

IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English was written by Jill Moss¹⁰. I'm Steve Ember.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

3 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

4 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

5 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

6 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。

7 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

8 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

9 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

10 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。