VOA标准英语2008年-Former Japanese Foreign Minister Likely to Assu

Former Japanese Foreign Minister Taro¹ Aso is widely expected to assume the post of Prime Minister this week. As VOA's Kurt Achin reports, Aso is a pro-American leader whose party faces a serious political challenge if it does not address domestic economic fears.
　
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential candidate and LDP Secretary General Taro Aso speaks during a leadership campaign in Tokyo, 11 Sep 2008

Taro Aso's grandfather, Shigeru Yoshida, and father-in-law, Zenko Suzuki, were both Prime Ministers of Japan. Now, the former foreign minister is overwhelmingly likely to assume the top job himself.

Members of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, are expected to elect him president of the party in Monday's upcoming election, lining² him up to become prime minister.

Despite his privileged background, Aso is widely seen as a having a populist appeal. He is a former Olympic sharpshooter who enjoys Japanese comic books and speaks with what some describe as a blunt style.

Taniguchi Tomohiko, an adjunct professor at Tokyo's Keio University, says Aso is likely to cooperate closely with the United States.

"He's not a shy person to acknowledge that the United States is the first, and second, and third, and fourth most important nation for Japan," said Taniguchi Tomohiko.

Taniguchi says Aso will push hard to break a legislative³ stalemate that halted Japan's role in refueling vessels⁴ assisting U.S.-led stabilization⁵ efforts in Afghanistan. Washington views Tokyo's contribution as important and has called for it to resume as soon as possible.

Aso has angered Beijing in the past with statements of support for Taiwan, which governs itself but is seen by China as a breakaway province. Jeffrey Kingston, Asian Studies Professor at Temple University in Japan, says Aso is likely to temper his China views to accommodate the United States.

"Washington wants to make China feel like a stakeholder in the international system," said Kingston. "And, I think if Aso does indeed win, we're going to see a toning down of his rhetoric⁶ and moderation of his views."

The LDP has governed Japan for nearly all of its history following defeat in World War Two. However, Kingston says the party is expected to face its most serious challenge yet, in general elections expected to take place later this year.

"The LDP is definitely on the ropes. There's just been a series of blunders, mistakes, and setbacks," added Kingston. "And they haven't really addressed the issues that people really care about - you know, the bread and butter stuff."

Japan's stagnant⁷ economy is the dominant⁸ political issue right now, and the country's two previous prime ministers resigned abruptly⁹ over perceived mishandling of economic affairs.

Aso has vowed¹⁰ to stimulate¹¹ Japan's domestic economy, possibly by increasing government expenditures¹². Opponents say he will slow the pace of economic reforms Japan sorely needs.

 

1 taro   

n.芋，芋头

参考例句：

• Main grain crop has taro,corn,banana to wait.主要粮食作物有芋头、玉米、芭蕉等。
• You celebrate your birthday with taro,red bean and butter.用红豆、芋头和黄油给自己过生日。

2 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

3 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

4 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

6 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

7 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

8 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

9 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

10 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

11 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

12 expenditures   

n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费

参考例句：

• We have overspent.We'll have to let up our expenditures next month. 我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pension includes an allowance of fifty pounds for traffic expenditures. 年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》