VOA标准英语2010年-US Officials: Corruption Still Threate

U.S. federal officials say corruption¹ among some law enforcement officers is jeopardizing² anti-drug and security patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border. Officials say drug dealers³ have infiltrated⁴ their agencies, often through huge payoffs.

Mexico is winning American praise for its war against illegal drug trafficking. A recent U.S. State Department report cites Mexican President Felipe Calderon's crackdown on drug cartels, and several high-profile arrests.

But U.S. officials say many of those cartels have infiltrated American law enforcement agencies assigned to combat the drug trade.

In Washington March 11, U.S. Senate lawmakers on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee
heard testimony⁵ about the problem from top law enforcement officials.

Kevin Perkins of the FBI says the temptation of large bribes⁷ from drug dealers  is often too much for new hires. He cited the case of one new recruit who became a border inspector⁸ in order to traffic drugs.

"Through our collaborative efforts, and year-long investigation⁹, this public official pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy  to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana into the United States, while at the same time receiving more than $5 million in bribe⁶ payments," he said. "This individual has since been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison."

James Tomsheck, who is with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Internal Affairs, told Senator Mark Pryor that since October 2004, 103 agents have been arrested on corruption charges. But he said because of budget constraints¹⁰, only 10 percent of  applicants¹¹ in 2009 were given polygraph exams.

Senator Pryor then asked,  "Of those who are polygraphed, what percentage are found unsuitable for service?"

Tomsheck replied, "Approximately 60 percent."

"Sixty percent," said Pryor. "Can we extrapolate from that, if there's 90 or even 85 percent of the folks that are on this chart here, that have not been polygraphed that, maybe 60 percent of them might not pass the polygraph if they took the test?"

"We and others have done that analysis, senator, and have reached the same conclusion," Tomsheck answered.

Tomscheck says his agency would need an additional 50 examiners to reach its goal of giving all applicants polygraph tests.

U.S. officials say corruption  also raises concerns about terrorists exploiting security lapses¹² along either the Canadian or Mexican border. 
 

1 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。

2 jeopardizing   

危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Plans may also become inefficient in the attainment of objectives by jeopardizing group satisfactions. 用危及群体利益方法去达到目标的计划，也是无效率的。
• That boosted government revenues in the short term, but is now jeopardizing them. Morales将天然气工业，电信业和部分采矿业收归国有的举措吓跑了投资者们。

3 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

4 infiltrated   

adj.[医]浸润的v.（使）渗透，（指思想）渗入人的心中( infiltrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The headquarters had been infiltrated by enemy spies. 总部混入了敌方特务。
• Many Chinese idioms have infiltrated into the Japanese language. 许多中国成语浸透到日语中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

6 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

7 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

8 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

9 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。

10 constraints   

强制( constraint的名词复数 )； 限制； 约束

参考例句：

• Data and constraints can easily be changed to test theories. 信息库中的数据和限制条件可以轻易地改变以检验假设。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• What are the constraints that each of these imply for any design? 这每种产品的要求和约束对于设计意味着什么？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

12 lapses   

n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句
• He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句