VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Hosts Bahraini King at White House

By Scott Stearns
White House
25 March 2008

President Bush met at the White House with the King of Bahrain to discuss Mideast security and the war in Iraq.  VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

President Bush thanked the King of Bahrain for sending an ambassador back to Baghdad after the kingdom's top diplomat¹ there was wounded in an apparent kidnapping attempt three years ago.

"It is a very strong move that indicates a willingness to lead as well as a willingness to send a signal that a young democracy like Iraq is beginning to make progress, that it is important for the neighborhood to recognize that progress," he said.

The two leaders spoke² to reporters before lunch in the White House residence.  King Hamad said security is most important to regional development and prosperity.

"Iraq is an Arab state.  Iraq is a founder³ of the Arab League.  So it deserves all of the support it can get from other brother Arabs," he said.

King Hamad said Bahrain and the United States share a common goal of fighting terrorism and extremism.

The two men discussed joint⁴ security operations in the region.

The king met Monday with U.S. Defense⁵ Secretary Robert Gates to discuss increasing joint security exercises in the Persian Gulf⁶.  Bahrain is the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

Also Monday the two countries signed an agreement pledging civilian⁷ atomic-energy cooperation.  The State Department said Bahrain agreed to forgo⁸ sensitive fuel-cycle technologies and to rely on world markets for nuclear fuel.

1 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 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。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 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。

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 forgo   

v.放弃，抛弃

参考例句：

• Time to prepare was a luxuary he would have to forgo.因为时间不够，他不得不放弃做准备工作。
• She would willingly forgo a birthday treat if only her warring parents would declare a truce.只要她的父母停止争吵，她愿意放弃生日宴请。