2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Announces New Aid for Latin America

By Paula Wolfson
White House
05 March 2007

President Bush is expanding U.S. aid for education, health care, housing and other programs for Latin America. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House the announcement came just days before the president is scheduled to make a five-nation tour of the region.

 
President Bush speaks on Western Hemisphere Policy during an address before the U.S. Hispanic Chamber² of Commerce at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, 05 Mar¹ 2007
The president's message is simple: the United States has not forgotten its neighbors to the south.

He said, "The working poor of Latin America need change and the United States of America is committed to that change."

Administration officials say they are well aware U.S. efforts in the region have been overshadowed by developments elsewhere in the world. They say they understand why some in Latin America feel they have been ignored and strenuously³ argue that is not the case.

In a Washington speech to a group of Hispanic business leaders, President Bush said he remains⁴ committed to bolstering⁵ democracies in the region, and helping⁶ them serve the poor. He said despite economic gains throughout the hemisphere, too many people remain mired⁷ in poverty.

"Nearly one out of four people in Latin America live on less than two dollars a day," he said. "Many children never finish grade school. Many mothers never see a doctor. In an age of growing prosperity and abundance, this is a scandal and a challenge."

Mr. Bush said the United States will provide tens of millions of dollars in additional aid in three key areas: education, health care and housing. He said new programs will be set up to help disadvantaged students, promote home ownership, and get health services to those most in need.

The president made specific mention of a new regional medical training facility that will be set up in Panama. He also announced the U.S.S. Comfort - a navy medical ship that saw service in the Iraq war - will be sent to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mr. Bush said, "The Comfort will make port calls in Belize and Guatemala and Panama and Nicaragua and El Salvador and Peru and Ecuador and Colombia, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname."

"It is going to be busy. Altogether the Comfort's doctors, nurses and health care professionals expect to treat 85,000 patients and conduct up to 1,500 surgeries," he added.

The president delivered the speech just three days before he is set to leave Washington on a week-long journey to Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.

Aides say he has wanted to make the trip for some time to highlight his commitment to the region, and they note that his schedule includes numerous visits to facilities that are trying to make a difference in the lives of the poor and the disenfranchised.

This is Mr. Bush's most extensive trip to Latin America since taking office in January 2001. And it comes at a time when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is trying to galvanize anti-U.S. sentiment in the region.

 
Tony Snow
At a briefing for reporters, White House spokesman Tony Snow was asked if President Bush is going to Latin America to counter the Venezuelan leader's growing influence.

He said, "There have been a number of cases in which that government has tried to intervene in elections, and so far is batting zero."

Snow said the main reason for the trip is to underscore the U.S. commitment to the region, and the president's firm belief that good governments committed to democracy and free markets have the potential to lift their people out of poverty.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 strenuously   

adv.奋发地，费力地

参考例句：

• The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the workforce. 公司竭力为其裁员的决定辩护。
• She denied the accusation with some warmth, ie strenuously, forcefully. 她有些激动，竭力否认这一指责。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 bolstering   

v.支持( bolster的现在分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• Why should Donahue's people concern themselves with bolstering your image? 唐纳休的人为什么要费心维护你的形象？ 来自辞典例句
• He needed bolstering and support. 他需要别人助他一臂之力。 来自辞典例句

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。

7 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》