VOA慢速英语204 Will Sanctions Against Russia Work? 对俄罗斯实施制裁措施有用吗？

 

Will Sanctions Against Russia Work? 对俄罗斯实施制裁措施有用吗？

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law for Russia to officially take control of the Crimean peninsula.  The signing ceremony took place on Friday after the upper house of Russia’s parliament voted to make Crimea a part of Russia.  The lower house approved the deal on Thursday, just four days after Crimean voters decided¹ to leave Ukraine and join Russia. 

Local officials in Crimea called a special election on the area’s future after Ukrainian lawmakers voted to oust² President Viktor Yanukovych.  The reported election results were one-sided.  Ninety-seven percent of those marking ballots³ chose to join Russia.  Crimean officials announced that over 80 percent of everyone permitted to vote took part in the referendum. 

The Russian president said the vote met international and democratic values for fairness.  But many observers questioned the results.  Robert Legvold is with Columbia University in New York City.

"If it was an honest vote and all groups had participated, I would have thought rather than an overwhelming vote, it would have been something like 52 to 53 percent, given the percentage makeup⁴ of the groups in Crimea.  The fact that it’s 97-point-whatever and they report a turnout of 83 percent, creates some suspicion that it wasn’t just the shadow of the Russian military presence, but maybe even some manipulation.” 

Matthew Rojansky works for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.  He thinks the pro-Russian officials in Crimea held the referendum because they expected the results.

“My sense is this was a product of the times in which there has been a real build-up of fear mongering and the overt⁵ pressure of armed men.  There is nothing quite like a gun in your face.”

West Rejects Crimean Vote

The United States and the European Union have described the referendum in Crimea as illegal and in violation⁶ of Ukraine’s constitution.  US and EU officials reacted quickly.  They ordered travel bans and financial restrictions⁷ on 28 Russian officials and four Ukrainians.  US officials have described those targeted as President Putin’s “cronies.”

Matthew Rojansky says that, for over a year, Mr. Putin urged top Russian officials to sell their international holdings and bring their wealth back to Russia.

“Anybody who has complied with him is sitting pretty and doesn’t have to worry about the international sanctions, and anyone who didn’t - well, it’s their problem; he can cut them loose.” 

Sanctions Not Strong Enough

He also believes the current sanctions are not strong enough. 

“I don’t think Putin believes us.  I don’t think he thinks we actually have the guts⁸ to impose really biting sanctions on, for example, the energy sector⁹.  I think he just distrusts our resolve because we haven’t made it clear that we are willing to pay the pain on our side.”  

Robert Legvold of Columbia University believes stronger sanctions could hurt the world economy.

“Every step that escalates¹⁰ the penalty or the punishment also escalates the cost to those inflicting¹¹ them, imposing¹² the sanctions.”

On Thursday, President Obama announced additional sanctions on Russian individuals and one bank.  Russia reacted to the announcement by ordering entry bans on nine US lawmakers and officials.  The following day, Ukraine’s acting¹³ prime minister signed a political association agreement with the EU.

Observers say it will be very difficult to change what has happened in Crimea.  Experts also say it will be interesting to see how far the United States and its Western allies are willing to go to punish Russia for its actions.

 

And that’s In The News from VOA Learning English.  I’m Steve Ember.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

3 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》

4 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

5 overt   

adj.公开的，明显的，公然的

参考例句：

• His opponent's intention is quite overt.他的对手的意图很明显。
• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。

6 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 guts   

v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠

参考例句：

• I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。
• Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 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

11 inflicting   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。
• It's impossible to do research without inflicting some pain on animals. 搞研究不让动物遭点罪是不可能的。

12 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

13 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。