VOA慢速英语2015 美国、同盟国考虑伊朗核协议

US, Allies Weigh Iran Nuclear Deal 美国、同盟国考虑伊朗核协议

President Barack Obama says American negotiators have made progress in talks with Iran about its nuclear program. But he says a deal will not be reached unless Iran is completely open about its nuclear activities. He said that if Iran does not provide verification about its nuclear program, the U.S. and its negotiating partners would, in his words, “walk away.” Other nations involved are Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China.

The president spoke¹ in an interview, which was recorded earlier, and shown on American television Sunday. In it, Mr. Obama told CBS News that Iran has negotiated seriously because of what he called some of the strongest economic restrictions², or sanctions, ever put in place.

He said he believes negotiators will know in the next month if Iran is truly interested in a nuclear program designed to make energy or whether it wants to make nuclear weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was interviewed on the same television program Sunday. He said he disagrees with the Obama administration on how to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. He said a better deal would limit Iran’s ability to develop nuclear technology and halt its threats against Israel.

Russian court: Chechen admits ties to Nemtsov’s killing³

A Russian judge says a former Chechen police commander has admitted he was involved in the killing of opposition⁴ leader Boris Nemtsov. Police are questioning four other suspects. All five men were in a court in Moscow on Sunday.

Officials said a sixth suspect blew himself up with a small bomb as police tried to arrest him in the Chechen capital, Grozny.

Boris Nemtsov was shot and killed near the Kremlin on February 27th. He had been a sharp critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Officials have not said why they believe Mr. Nemtsov was killed. His supporters say officials at the highest levels of the Russian government ordered him killed to silence critics.

South Korean president visits US ambassador in hospital

South Korean President Park Geun-hye visited American Ambassador Mark Lippert in the hospital on Sunday. Mr. Lippert was attacked last week in Seoul. He suffered knife wounds on his face and wrist.

President Park suffered the same kind of attack during an election campaign in Seoul in 2006. She was cared for at the same hospital where Ambassador Lippert is being treated. 

Officials say the suspect, 55-year-old Kim Ki-jong could face attempted murder charges.

Oil refinery⁵ target of U.S.-led coalition⁶ airstrikes

Activists⁷ say airstrikes carried out by U.S.-led coalition forces hit an oil refinery in northern Syria on Sunday. They say thirty people were killed.

The Syrian Observatory⁸ for Human Rights says the Islamic State group was operating the refinery. It says both militants⁹ and refinery workers were killed in the attack.

Nigerian neighbors join fight against Boko Haram

A senior Nigerian military official says the armies of Chad and Niger have joined to attack Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria. Major General Chris Olukolade told VOA, “There should be no hiding place for terrorists.”

The troops launched their offensive early Sunday in Borno state. Boko Haram seized large areas of the state although the government has declared a state of emergency there.

The attack began the day after Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said the group would join with the Islamic State group.

The Nigerian army is trying to regain¹⁰ control of areas seized by Boko Haram so the government can hold presidential and parliamentary elections. Elections had been set for last month but have been delayed until March 28 because of the violence.

Words in the News

Verification - n. to prove, show, find out, or state that (something) is true or correct

Sanctions - n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

Refinery - n. a place where something is refined, purified

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 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

3 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。

4 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。

5 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 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》

8 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

9 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。

10 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。