45 维克斯岛对美国投弹演习的抗议在其中止后仍旧继续

 

Vieques Controversy¹ May Persist After the Bombing Ends

Michael Bowman

Miami

18 Jun 2001 22:05 UTC

 

Protests continued Monday on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, days after the Bush administration announced the Navy would 1)halt bombing exercises on the isle² by the year 2003. The Vieques 2)controversy has had a significant political 3)impact in Puerto Rico - one that may persist even after the bombing ends.

Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but pay no federal taxes and have no voting 4)representatives in the U.S. Congress. For decades, Puerto Ricans have debated whether to remain a U.S. 5)commonwealth, opt³ for U.S. statehood or press for some form of independence from the United States.

Over the years, in elections and 6)referenda, Puerto Rico's pro-independence political party has had little success in convincing the island's voters to support breaking ties with the United States. But Vance Thomas, the party's secretary, says the battle over the Navy's use of Vieques has been an eye-opening experience for many residents.

Mr. Thomas says the fight over Vieques has had an important side effect, allowing people to see what he calls the true nature of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. He says, after the Vieques experience, no one can say that the territory enjoys any 7)autonomy or that the will of the Puerto Rican people 8)counts for anything.

At the University of Puerto Rico, political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says Washington's handling of the Vieques question has 9)played into the hands of Mr. Thomas and others who 10)advocate independence for Puerto Rico. Public opinion polls indicate the vast majority of Puerto Ricans want an immediate⁴ end to the bombing of Vieques. Professor Garriga-Pico says, in recent months, even some longtime supporters of Puerto Rico's current status have reexamined their positions.

"It has had the impact of 11)radicalizing a certain 12)segment of the population," he said, "and making them believe that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. What you have is a segment of the Popular Democratic Party, the party that has favored the 13)status quo and has been very friendly to the U.S., has joined the groups of the "independents" who would rather have a different relation with the United States.

The most recent referendum on the idea of a different relationship with the United States, took place in Puerto Rico in December 1998. There were five voting options, including keeping things the way they are, asking the U.S. Congress for statehood, "free association" with the United States and independence. Surprisingly, a majority, 50.2 percent of voters, chose the fifth option - "none of the above."

46.5 percent of the voters cast 14)ballots for statehood and about 2.5 percent wanted independence.

Analysts⁵ saw the outcome as a grudging⁶ acceptance of the status quo and a strong warning signal of popular 15)discontent.

Political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says, even today, in the midst of the Vieques controversy, there is no indication that a majority of Puerto Ricans are truly ready to separate themselves from the United States. He said, "It is a small fraction of the population that is in favor of independence. We are talking, at most, 15 percent of the 16)electorate that really wants independence or some sort of free 17)association [with the United States]."

Even so, Mr. Garriga-Pico says Washington would do well to show Puerto Ricans that, in matters concerning their own island, their voices do not fall on deaf ears.

 

 

(1)      halt[hC:lt, hRlt]n.停止, 暂停vt.使停止vi.立定, 停止

(2)      controversy[5kRntrEv:sI]n.论争, 辩论, 论战

(3)      impact[5ImpAkt]n.碰撞, 影响vt.撞击,对...发生影响

(4)      representative[reprI5zentEtIv]n.代表adj.典型的, 有代表性的

(5)      commonwealth[5kRmEnwelW]n.共和国, 联邦

(6)      referenda[ 9refE`rendE ]n.(referendum的复数)普通投票

(7)      autonomy[C:5tRnEmI]n.自治

(8)      count for 价值

(9)      play into the hands of sb. v.干对某人有利的事

(10)      advocate[5AdvEkEt]n.提倡者, 鼓吹者vt.提倡, 鼓吹

(11)      reexamine v.复试

(12)      radicalize[ `rAdIkElBIz ]vt.使激进

(13)      status quo[steItEs 5kwEJ]n.现状

(14)      ballot[5bAlEt]n.选举票, 投票, 票数vi.投票

(15)      discontent[dIskEn5tent]n.不满

(16)      electorate[I5lektErEt]n.选民, 选区, 有选举权者

(17)      association[EsEJsI5eIF(E)n]n.协会, 联合

 

 

 

45 维克斯岛对美国投弹演习的抗议在其中止后仍旧继续

 

Vieques Controversy May Persist After the Bombing Ends

Michael Bowman

Miami

18 Jun 2001 22:05 UTC

 

Protests continued Monday on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, days after the Bush administration announced the Navy would 1)halt bombing exercises on the isle by the year 2003. The Vieques 2)controversy has had a significant political 3)impact in Puerto Rico - one that may persist even after the bombing ends.

Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but pay no federal taxes and have no voting 4)representatives in the U.S. Congress. For decades, Puerto Ricans have debated whether to remain a U.S. 5)commonwealth, opt for U.S. statehood or press for some form of independence from the United States.

Over the years, in elections and 6)referenda, Puerto Rico's pro-independence political party has had little success in convincing the island's voters to support breaking ties with the United States. But Vance Thomas, the party's secretary, says the battle over the Navy's use of Vieques has been an eye-opening experience for many residents.

Mr. Thomas says the fight over Vieques has had an important side effect, allowing people to see what he calls the true nature of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. He says, after the Vieques experience, no one can say that the territory enjoys any 7)autonomy or that the will of the Puerto Rican people 8)counts for anything.

At the University of Puerto Rico, political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says Washington's handling of the Vieques question has 9)played into the hands of Mr. Thomas and others who 10)advocate independence for Puerto Rico. Public opinion polls indicate the vast majority of Puerto Ricans want an immediate end to the bombing of Vieques. Professor Garriga-Pico says, in recent months, even some longtime supporters of Puerto Rico's current status have reexamined their positions.

"It has had the impact of 11)radicalizing a certain 12)segment of the population," he said, "and making them believe that Puerto Rico should become an independent nation. What you have is a segment of the Popular Democratic Party, the party that has favored the 13)status quo and has been very friendly to the U.S., has joined the groups of the "independents" who would rather have a different relation with the United States.

The most recent referendum on the idea of a different relationship with the United States, took place in Puerto Rico in December 1998. There were five voting options, including keeping things the way they are, asking the U.S. Congress for statehood, "free association" with the United States and independence. Surprisingly, a majority, 50.2 percent of voters, chose the fifth option - "none of the above."

46.5 percent of the voters cast 14)ballots for statehood and about 2.5 percent wanted independence.

Analysts saw the outcome as a grudging acceptance of the status quo and a strong warning signal of popular 15)discontent.

Political scientist Jose Garriga-Pico says, even today, in the midst of the Vieques controversy, there is no indication that a majority of Puerto Ricans are truly ready to separate themselves from the United States. He said, "It is a small fraction of the population that is in favor of independence. We are talking, at most, 15 percent of the 16)electorate that really wants independence or some sort of free 17)association [with the United States]."

Even so, Mr. Garriga-Pico says Washington would do well to show Puerto Ricans that, in matters concerning their own island, their voices do not fall on deaf ears.

 

 

(1)      halt[hC:lt, hRlt]n.停止, 暂停vt.使停止vi.立定, 停止

(2)      controversy[5kRntrEv:sI]n.论争, 辩论, 论战

(3)      impact[5ImpAkt]n.碰撞, 影响vt.撞击,对...发生影响

(4)      representative[reprI5zentEtIv]n.代表adj.典型的, 有代表性的

(5)      commonwealth[5kRmEnwelW]n.共和国, 联邦

(6)      referenda[ 9refE`rendE ]n.(referendum的复数)普通投票

(7)      autonomy[C:5tRnEmI]n.自治

(8)      count for 价值

(9)      play into the hands of sb. v.干对某人有利的事

(10)      advocate[5AdvEkEt]n.提倡者, 鼓吹者vt.提倡, 鼓吹

(11)      reexamine v.复试

(12)      radicalize[ `rAdIkElBIz ]vt.使激进

(13)      status quo[steItEs 5kwEJ]n.现状

(14)      ballot[5bAlEt]n.选举票, 投票, 票数vi.投票

(15)      discontent[dIskEn5tent]n.不满

(16)      electorate[I5lektErEt]n.选民, 选区, 有选举权者

(17)      association[EsEJsI5eIF(E)n]n.协会, 联合

 

 

 

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 isle   

n.小岛，岛

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。

3 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 grudging   

adj.勉强的，吝啬的

参考例句：

• He felt a grudging respect for her talents as an organizer.他勉强地对她的组织才能表示尊重。
• After a pause he added"sir."in a dilatory,grudging way.停了一会他才慢吞吞地、勉勉强强地加了一声“先生”。