VOA标准英语2008年-Police Question Israeli PM Olmert in Expanding

Investigators¹ have disclosed new allegations against Israel's embattled prime minister in a corruption² probe. The Scandal could bring change in leadership, as we hear from Robert Berger at the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.
　
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert convenes³ the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, 18 May 2008

Police questioned Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for a third time in a corruption scandal that could force him to step down. Afterwards, police issued a statement saying they have broadened the investigation⁴.

They charge that Mr. Olmert got several institutions to fund official trips abroad and then pocketed the difference. This allegedly occurred when Mr. Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem and a Cabinet minister, posts he served in before becoming prime minister in 2006.

The prime minister was questioned a week before the key witness in the case, American-Jewish businessman Morris Talansky, faces cross-examination in a Jerusalem court.

Talansky has testified that he gave Mr. Olmert envelopes stuffed with cash to support a lavish⁵ lifestyle, also when he was a Cabinet minister and mayor of Jerusalem. He said some of the $150,000 he gave to Mr. Olmert over a 15-year period was used for first-class airfare, and expensive hotels and cigars. Talansky said he donated the money for Mr. Olmert's political campaigns and to help Israel.

Mr. Olmert's lawyers hope that cross-examination will punch holes in Talansky's story, but Israeli analyst⁶ Mitchell Barak says it is too little, too late.

"I think the prime minister at this point has passed the point of no return in the court of public opinion. No matter what he really does or says, even if he can successfully discredit⁷ Talansky, I think the damage has already been done," said Barak.

Mr. Olmert denies any wrongdoing but says that if indicted⁸, he will step down. But he may be forced out of office before then. The prime minister's own Kadima party is planning primaries in September to replace him.

 

1 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 convenes   

召开( convene的第三人称单数 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The Premier convenes and presides over the executive meetings and plenary meetings of the State Council. 总理召集和主持国务院常务会议和国务院全体会议。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法
• Chinese woman tenth the National People Congress convenes grandly today in Beijing. 中国妇女第十次全国代表大会今天在北京隆重召开。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

8 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。