2006年VOA标准英语-President Bush Heading Texas for Working Vacati

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
25 December 2006

U.S. President George Bush heads to his Texas ranch¹ Tuesday for a week-long holiday break. But as VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from Washington, it will be very much a working vacation.

President Bush is expected to announce a revised strategy for Iraq early in 2007. And, over the course of the next week, he will have a chance to continue consultations² and review his options in the informal setting of his family home.

The fate of American troops deployed³ in Iraq and Afghanistan was very much on his mind as he gathered with his family for a Christmas celebration at Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat in the mountains outside Washington.

It was a quiet holiday observance, including services at the rustic⁴ chapel⁵ on the Camp David grounds and a turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

President George W. Bush makes Christmas Eve telephones calls to members of the Armed Forces from Camp David, Maryland

On Christmas Eve, the president placed calls from Camp David to 10 members of the U.S. military - two from each branch of the armed forces. Most are spending this holiday season in Iraq or Afghanistan, and Mr. Bush told them he is proud of their service.

The president also recorded a holiday message to the troops, in which he said they are deployed in a noble cause.

"During this season of celebration, we are especially grateful for the service and sacrifice of those in our armed forces," he said. "America's men and women in uniform are the best our nation has to offer, and you belong to the finest military the world has ever known."

Mr. Bush said, by confronting the terrorists and helping⁶ the oppressed, America's soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, are making their own country safer, and laying the foundations of peace for generations to come.

1 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

2 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

4 rustic   

adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬

参考例句：

• It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
• We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。

5 chapel   

n.小教堂，殡仪馆

参考例句：

• The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
• She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。