VOA常速英语2007-Laura Bush Defines Her Policy Role

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
28 October 2007

First Lady Laura Bush is taking an increasingly public role on foreign policy matters - from the status of women in the Middle East, to repression¹ in Burma. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports Mrs. Bush focused on these issues in a nationally broadcast interview Sunday on American television.

Presidential spouses² in the United States often champion a cause. But usually, the issues they pick are close to home, such as promoting adult literacy programs or planting wildflowers along American highways.

Laura Bush, who is a teacher and librarian by training, started out in the traditional way. But as her husband's second term has evolved, her focus has shifted to issues abroad.

Last week, she was in the Middle East raising a sensitive subject for many Arab women - breast cancer. She says the social stigma³ is so great in some parts of the region that many women fail to seek help until it is too late.

"So many more die there with breast cancer than in the United States because early detection is the only thing we have - the closest thing we have to a cure," said Mrs. Bush.

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday program, Mrs. Bush acknowledged that part of the reason for her trip was to help improve America's image in the Arab world by highlighting concern for women's health. But she stressed that she learned as much about Arab women as they did about her. She said stereotypes⁴ were broken on both sides - especially in Saudi Arabia, where she met women who were fully⁵ veiled.

"I told them that I had always felt that they were closed to me that I would not be able to reach them because of the way they are covered," added Mrs. Bush. "And one of the women said to me - she said 'You know, I may all dressed in black, but I am transparent⁶.' And what they were saying to me is they want to reach out, they want American women to know what they are like."

The first lady said she has come to realize that her role as the wife of the President of the United States gives her a platform to speak out when she thinks she can make a difference. That has been particularly true when it comes to Burma.

In a VOA interview last month, she voiced support for the pro-democracy movement and urged Burmese soldiers to refrain from violence against those seeking freedom.

She told FOX News Sunday that she has long been inspired by the leader of the Burmese opposition⁷, Aung San Suu Kyi, noting she is the only Nobel Peace Prize winner living under house arrest.

"When I learned about her story, then I learned about Burma and how repressed they are by this military junta⁸ that leads Burma - that is the government," she continued. "In fact, I just learned about 90 percent of the people in Burma make less than a dollar a day. Burma was the breadbasket of Asia, it was known for its intellectual people, its wonderful culture and now it is just in total shambles⁹."

During the televised interview, Mrs. Bush was also asked about domestic political issues, and the outlook for the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

She was asked if Senator Hillary Clinton's eight years as first lady provided good training to be president. Mrs. Bush said it is possible to learn a great deal about the workings of the White House as first lady, but then stressed she will be voting for the Republican Party candidate in next year's election.

1 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

2 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

3 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。

4 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 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。

8 junta   

n.团体；政务审议会

参考例句：

• The junta reacted violently to the perceived threat to its authority.军政府感到自身权力受威胁而进行了激烈反击。
• A military junta took control of the country.一个军政权控制了国家。

9 shambles   

n.混乱之处；废墟

参考例句：

• My room is a shambles.我房间里乱七八糟。
• The fighting reduced the city to a shambles.这场战斗使这座城市成了一片废墟。