VOA标准英语2014--俄罗斯禁止进口多种西方食品回应制裁|制裁俄罗斯

 

Russia Bans Import of Food From West in Response to Sanctions 俄罗斯禁止进口多种西方食品回应制裁|制裁俄罗斯

LONDON—

Russia has announced a ban on imports of food and agricultural products from the United States, Europe and other Western countries.  The ban is in retaliation¹ for sanctions imposed by the West following Moscow’s forceful takeover of Crimea, and continued support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.  The Russian measures will impact both sides.

In a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced the embargo².

"Russia is introducing a total ban on imports of beef, pork, fruit and vegetables, poultry³, fish, cheese, milk and other dairy products from the European Union countries, the United States of America, Australia, Canada and the Kingdom of Norway," said  Medvedev.

Russia imported about $1.3 billion of food and agricultural products from the U.S. in 2013. It bought close to $16 billion in products from Europe.  Elizabeth Stephens is a London-based risk analyst⁴.

“They’ll impact Europe far more than the U.S. With the U.S., it tends to focus on wheat and going back to the Cold War, even then at the height of the Cold War, the Americans still sold the Soviet⁵ Union wheat.  So this really is quite unprecedented," said Stephens.

With products like luxury meats and cheeses banned from import, Russia will also pay a high price, says Stephens.

“Many wealthy Muscovites like to have their Western agricultural products dressed up very prettily⁶ in the top shops in Moscow.  They theoretically will be leaving the shelves.  And inflation will kick in in Moscow.  It’s already at 7.9 percent.  Not importing from the West will leave a huge deficit," she said.

In Moscow stores, imported goods like French cheeses and Spanish fruit still line the shelves but may soon disappear.  Shoppers like Irina Kashkadova appeared to support the government’s stance.

"I don't think the Russian people will lose anything from this.  At the same time, Russia will develop its agriculture and make new trade links with other countries," said Kashkadova.

Moscow says the embargo is in retaliation for Western sanctions, which have targeted Russia’s banking⁷, energy and defense⁸ sectors⁹.

Visiting Kyiv Thursday, the U.S. State Department’s coordinator¹⁰ for sanctions policy, Daniel Fried, said Washington has plenty of scope to step up its measures.

“We are determined¹¹ to do what we need to do to make the sanctions regime most effective and with always an eye on creating the conditions under which we can move the sanctions," said Fried.

The West’s sanctions are starting to impact Russia’s economy.  In recent days, several Russian tour companies have gone bankrupt - leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded¹².  Moscow is mulling tax increases - but that could be counterproductive, says Alexei Devyatov, chief economist¹³ of Russia-based URALSIB Bank.

1 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

3 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

4 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。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 prettily   

adv.优美地；可爱地

参考例句：

• It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back.此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。
• She pouted prettily at him.她冲他撅着嘴，样子很可爱。

7 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

11 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

12 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

13 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。