VOA标准英语2013--Washington Week: Focus on US-Asia Ties

 

Washington Week: Focus on US-Asia Ties

South China Sea maritime¹ disputes will likely figure prominently in Thursday’s discussions between President Obama and President Truong Tan Sang.  Secretary of State John Kerry pledged America’s continued engagement at an ASEAN summit earlier this month.

“We have a strong interest in the manner in which the disputes of the South China Sea are addressed and in the conduct of the parties," he said.

The White House says Presidents Obama and Sang will also discuss human-rights concerns, climate change, and economic ties.  The meeting will be closely watched by America’s Vietnamese immigrant community.

"I am an American, and I am speaking out for the people of Vietnam because they are not free to speak. I have to be the voice for those imprisoned² by the communist government," said Vietnamese-American activist³ Kristy Nguyen.

On the domestic front, work continues in the House of Representatives on an overhaul⁴ of U.S. immigration laws.  The Senate passed a comprehensive reform bill weeks ago that would dramatically boost border security while providing a path to citizenship⁵ for millions of undocumented immigrants.  The citizenship provision faces strong opposition⁶ from many conservative lawmakers in the Republican-controlled House.

House Speaker John Boehner has said he hopes the chamber⁷ will deal with immigration before Congress turns its attention to once again raising the U.S. debt ceiling.  The federal government is expected to reach its borrowing limit around October. 

1 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

2 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

5 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。