2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Spends August Vacationing, Preparing for R

By Scott Stearns
White House
10 August 2007

U.S. President George Bush spends much of the rest of this month away from the White House, either at his Texas ranch¹ or his family's home in the northeast state of Maine, where he has lunch Saturday with French President Nicholas Sarkozy. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the president also will be preparing for the release of a key report to Congress next month on progress in Iraq.

U.S. President Bush (2nd L) waves with his brother Jeb Bush (2nd R) as they fish off the coast of Kennebunkport, Maine with their father, former President George H. W. Bush (L), 10 Aug 2007

This will be a shorter August break for the president than in past years, in part because of a meeting in Quebec with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.

But Mr. Bush will also focus on a report to Congress, which could be crucial in keeping members of his own Republican party from joining calls by Democrats² in Congress for a change of course in Iraq.

An initial report in June showed mixed progress from an increase of U.S. troops to help quell³ violence in Baghdad. Some Democrats said the president's strategy was failing. But most Republicans stood by the president, saying his plan needed more time to work.

That raises expectations for the September 15 report to Congress, being drafted by U.S. ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, and General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq. The president sought to play down expectations surrounding that report during a news conference Thursday before leaving for the Bush family home in Maine.

"The surge success will not only include military successes and military failures, but also political successes and political failures. And my own perspective is, is that they have made some progress, but not enough," said Mr. Bush.

A public opinion poll this past week by CNN showed nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose the war. That is nearly the same number who disapprove⁴ of how the president is doing his job.

Mr. Bush says he understands Americans' frustration⁵ with the conflict and the debate over whether it is worth it.

The president is trying to rebuild some support for the war by continuing to warn of what he says will be long-term consequences for American security, if U.S. troops leave Iraq before there is a stable government there.

Mr. Bush says reaction to the September report to Congress will depend on whether people believe that.

"For those of us who believe it's worth it, we'll see progress," said the president. "For those who believe it's not worth it, there is no progress. And that's going to be the interesting debate."

Indicating the importance of the report, President Bush has eliminated other stops in Asia that had been planned around an early September APEC meeting in Australia.

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 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

4 disapprove   

v.不赞成，不同意，不批准

参考例句：

• I quite disapprove of his behaviour.我很不赞同他的行为。
• She wants to train for the theatre but her parents disapprove.她想训练自己做戏剧演员，但她的父母不赞成。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。