2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Talks in Guatemala Dominated by Immigratio

By Paula Wolfson
Guatemala City
12 March 2007

President Bush says he is hopeful there can be U.S. congressional action by August on immigration reform. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports the controversial issue dominated his talks in Guatemala City with Guatemalan President Oscar Berger.

 
Presidents George W. Bush (r) and Oscar Berger in Guatemala City 
Immigration is a big issue in Guatemala.

Ten percent of all Guatemalans have immigrated¹ to the United States, many of them illegally.

President Bush says he knows they want a better life for themselves and their families. He says one answer is to help them find jobs at home. Another is for the U.S. Congress to implement² his plan for immigration reform - a proposal that includes a temporary guest worker program.

"I am optimistic we can do so," said President Bush. "It is going to be tough work, don't get me wrong. But I believe we can get a comprehensive bill out of the Congress."

Appearing at a joint³ news conference with the Guatemalan president, Mr. Bush said he would like to see bills clear the House and Senate by August. But he noted⁴ immigration is a complicated issue, and acknowledged there is no consensus⁵ among congressional Republicans.

"I readily concede the situation needs to be changed and I hope I can convince a majority of the House and the Senate to change the law in a rational way," he said.

During their joint news conference, both presidents talked about the strong ties linking their countries. But there was clearly a divergence⁶ of views on the deportation⁷ of illegal Guatemalan migrants caught in the United States. When a Guatemalan reporter asked about a recent raid on illegal workers at a factory in Massachusetts, President Bush stood firm. He said the United States will enforce its laws.

"It is against our law to hire somebody who is in our country illegally," noted George W. Bush. "And we are a nation of law."

 
President George W. Bush greets locals during his visit the town plaza⁸ of Santa Cruz Balanya, Guatemala
Earlier in the day, Mr. Bush left Guatemala City and went by helicopter to the countryside. At his other stops in Latin America, he has talked about the twin topics of trade and aid in official settings. But here in Guatemala, he went directly to the people.

He shook hands with people in the crowd in a busy square in the town of Santa Cruz Balanya, stopping before a church that was rebuilt after a 1976 earthquake with help from the United States.

Mr. Bush also visited American and Guatemalan military doctors, nurses and technicians providing healthcare services to the poor. And he loaded crates⁹ of lettuce¹⁰ onto a truck at a farm cooperative that has benefited from both U.S. aid and the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

"We want people to realize their God-given potential," he said. "You have proven that if given a chance, you and hundreds of others can succeed and that's what we want."

But not everyone welcomed the president. During his visit to the countryside, he stopped to tour Mayan ruins. Mayan leaders said they plan to cleanse¹¹ the site of "bad spirits" after his departure.

From Guatemala, Mr. Bush travels to Mexico's Gulf¹² Coast - the last stop on his five-nation Latin American tour.

1 immigrated   

v.移入( immigrate的过去式和过去分词 )；移民

参考例句：

• He immigrated from Ulster in 1848. 他1848年从阿尔斯特移民到这里。 来自辞典例句
• Many Pakistanis have immigrated to Britain. 许多巴基斯坦人移居到了英国。 来自辞典例句

2 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 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。

5 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

6 divergence   

n.分歧，岔开

参考例句：

• There is no sure cure for this transatlantic divergence.没有什么灵丹妙药可以消除大西洋两岸的分歧。
• In short,it was an age full of conflicts and divergence of values.总之，这一时期是矛盾与价值观分歧的时期。

7 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

8 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

9 crates   

n. 板条箱, 篓子, 旧汽车 vt. 装进纸条箱

参考例句：

• We were using crates as seats. 我们用大木箱作为座位。
• Thousands of crates compacted in a warehouse. 数以千计的板条箱堆放在仓库里。

10 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

11 cleanse   

vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗

参考例句：

• Health experts are trying to cleanse the air in cities. 卫生专家们正设法净化城市里的空气。
• Fresh fruit juices can also cleanse your body and reduce dark circles.新鲜果汁同样可以清洁你的身体,并对黑眼圈同样有抑制作用。

12 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。