VOA慢速英语2021 拜登总统宣布控枪新措施

American President Joe Biden announced new measures Thursday aimed at decreasing gun violence, which he called "an epidemic¹ and an international embarrassment²."

美国总统拜登周四宣布了减少枪支暴力的新措施，他称枪支暴力是一场流行病，在国际上令美国难堪。

Two mass shootings in the United States last month killed 18 people. One attack took place at a food store in Boulder³, Colorado. The other happened at three businesses in and near Atlanta, Georgia.

上个月美国发生了两起大规模枪击事件，造成18人死亡。其中一起袭击发生在科罗拉多州博尔德市的一家食品商店。另一起袭击发生在乔治亚州亚特兰大市内及附近的三家公司内。

Speaking from the White House, Biden said he learned that five more people were killed "just last night" in South Carolina. He told families and survivors⁴ of gun violence, "We're absolutely determined⁵ to make change."

拜登在白宫发表讲话称，他获悉就在昨晚又有5人在南卡罗莱纳州被杀。他对枪支暴力的受害家庭及幸存者表示：“我们绝对有决心做出改变。”

The Biden plan

拜登方案

Biden said the Justice Department will issue a rule to stop the quickly increasing number of "ghost guns." These guns are often put together from available parts in as little as 30 minutes. They are not registered weapons and often cannot be traced by law enforcement. USA Today reported that ghost guns have been used in at least three recent shootings in California.

拜登表示，司法部将出台一项规定，以阻止数量迅速增长的“幽灵枪支。”这些枪支通常在短短30分钟内就可以从可用零件组装成功。它们并非注册武器，通常无法被执法部门追查到。据《今日美国》报道，最近加州至少有3起枪击事件使用了“幽灵枪支”。

The Justice Department is also planning to issue a new rule on a device called a stabilizing⁶ brace⁷. The device can make a handgun work more like a rifle, a deadlier firearm. The new rule would make it difficult to register the weapon.

司法部还计划针对一种被称为稳定支撑器的装置出台新规。这种装置可以使手枪更接近更为致命的步枪。这项新规定还将使得注册武器变得更难。

Biden also said the Justice Department will begin issuing yearly reports on illegal sales of firearms.

拜登还表示，司法部将开始发布枪支非法销售的年度报告。

The president also announced a so-called "red flag" measure. It permits civilians⁸ and local law enforcement to seek legal firearms seizures⁹ from people they think pose a threat.

拜登还宣布了一项被称为“示警红旗”的规定。它允许文职人员和地方执法部门可以从他们认为构成威胁的人那里缉获合法枪支。

"Red flag laws can stop mass shooters before they can act out their violent plans," Biden said.

拜登表示：“红旗法可以在枪手实施其大规模暴力计划前阻止他们。”

The president noted¹⁰ that his administration is also investing in local communities to help prevent gun violence. He said that gun violence is severely¹¹ hurting America's children, including those who do not experience direct involvement.

拜登指出，他领导的政府还将投资于当地社区帮助防止枪支暴力。他说，枪支暴力正在严重伤害美国的儿童，包括没有直接受影响的儿童。

And, Biden announced his nomination¹² of David Chipman to serve as Director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, or ATF. Chipman worked at the agency for 25 years and is now an advisor¹³ to a gun-control organization.

拜登还宣布提名大卫·奇普曼担任美国酒精、烟草和枪支管理局局长。奇普曼在该机构工作了25年，现在是一家控枪组织的顾问。

While at ATF, Chipman worked to stop a gun trafficking group that sent illegal firearms from Virginia to New York. He also served on the ATF's special weapons defense¹⁴ team.

奇普曼在美国酒精、烟草和枪支管理局任职期间努力制止了一家枪支贩运集团将非法武器从弗吉尼亚州运到纽约。他还曾在该局的特种武器防卫队服役。

Chipman is a gun owner.

奇普曼是枪支拥有者。

Acting¹⁵ directors have headed the ATF for years. If confirmed, Chipman will become the agency's first permanent leader since 2015.

美国酒精、烟草和枪支管理局多年来都由代理局长领导。如果获得国会通过，奇普曼将成为该机构自2015年以来的第一位正式领导人。

NRA quick to denounce

美国步枪协会迅速谴责

The National Rifle Association moved quickly to denounce Biden's gun-control measures. The organization said Thursday, "These actions could require Americans to surrender lawful¹⁶ property," adding that states might use the measure to increase firearm seizures. The group said on Twitter, "It's time to STAND and FIGHT!"

美国步枪协会迅速采取行动谴责了拜登的枪支管制措施。该组织周四表示：“这些举动是要求美国人交出合法财产，”并称各州可能会利用这些措施来加大枪击缉获量。该组织在推特上表示：“是时候站出来反抗了。”

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, praised the administration's new measures as a starting point for dealing¹⁷ with gun violence. The new laws, he said, "begin to make good on President Biden's promise to be the strongest gun safety president in history."

“每城枪支安全”组织负责人约翰·费恩布拉特称赞政府的新措施是应对枪支暴力的起点。他说，新法律将开始兑现拜登总统成为史上最严控枪总统的承诺。

In his speech, Biden noted some limitations of his executive orders. He asked the Senate to immediately pass current bills from the House of Representatives that require background checks and longer waiting periods on gun purchases.

拜登在讲话中指出了其行政命令的一些局限性。他要求参议院立即通过来自众议院的现行法案，即要求进行背景调查，并延长购买枪支的等待期。

"They have offered plenty of thoughts and prayers, but they have passed not a single federal law to reduce gun violence," Biden said. "Enough prayers. Time for action."

拜登表示：“他们提出了很多想法和祈祷，但他们没有通过一项单独的联邦法律来减少枪支暴力。祈祷够多了，该行动了。”

1 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

2 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

3 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

4 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

7 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

8 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

9 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

12 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

13 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

14 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。

15 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。

16 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

17 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。