VOA标准英语2010年-Obama Holds Internet Town Hall Intervi

U.S. President Barack Obama held a town hall meeting Monday using an unusual venue¹ - the YouTube Internet Web site.  He took questions submitted via e-mail and video during and following his State of the Union address last week.

The president has engaged in live question and answer sessions on the White House Web site.   But this is his first Internet town hall meeting on a privately² owned and operated site.

Most of the questions dealt with domestic policy.  But YouTube says there were also many queries³ dealing⁴ with national security.

President Obama answered three national security questions.  His answers were posted live on YouTube and the White House link on Facebook, a popular social networking site.

He responded to a question about combating terrorism by stressing that the United States has to have a balanced policy that includes military, diplomatic and development components⁵.

"We want to use all of our national power to deal with the problem of these extremist organizations," said President Obama. "But part of that does involve applications of military power."

Mr. Obama also discussed why it is taking longer than he expected to close the U.S. detention⁶ facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  He said the situation is complex, noting that there is resistance to moving detainees to facilities in the United States.

"One of the things that we have had to try to communicate to the country at large is that historically, we have tried a lot of terrorists in our courts," said Mr. Obama. "We have them in our federal prisons; they have never escaped.  And these folks are not different."

Not all of the questions were posed by individuals.   A group called the Enough Project, which campaigns against genocide and crimes against humanity, submitted a video to YouTube, urging President Obama to do more to help the people of Sudan.

Mr. Obama said the situation there is heartbreaking and difficult.  He said the United States is working with regional powers and the United Nations to broker⁷ a series of agreements that would stabilize⁸ the country.

"We continue to put pressure on the Sudanese government," said President Obama. "If they are not cooperative in these efforts, then it is going to be appropriate for us to conclude that engagement does not work.  And we are going to have to apply additional pressure on Sudan in order to achieve our objectives."

But the president quickly added he remains⁹ hopeful that diplomacy¹⁰ will work and that agreements can be brokered¹¹ with all of the parties involved.  
 

1 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

2 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

3 queries   

n.问题( query的名词复数 )；疑问；询问；问号v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 )；询问

参考例句：

• Our assistants will be happy to answer your queries. 我们的助理很乐意回答诸位的问题。
• Her queries were rhetorical,and best ignored. 她的质问只不过是说说而已，最好不予理睬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

6 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

7 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

8 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

11 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白