VOA常速英语2017--美国某承包商遭古巴拘禁

Alan Gross, an American development worker who was unfairly jailed for alleged¹ crimes against the Cuban government, marks the beginning of his sixth year in prison there this month.

阿兰 格罗斯(Alan Gross)是一名美国的承包商，他受到了不公平的对待，锒铛入狱，罪名是涉嫌从事不利于古巴政府的犯罪活动。而这个月是他在狱中第六年的开端。

Echoing requests from many foreign governments and leaders, the United States reiterates² its call that Cuba releases Mr. Gross. Such an action, which is easily justified³ on humanitarian⁴ grounds, would remove an impediment to the deepening of more constructive⁵ relations between our government and Cuba.

为了响应许多国外政府和领导人的请求，美国重申其对古巴释放格罗斯的呼吁。这种行为在人道主义层面上是站得住脚的，会消除加深美国与古巴之间建设性关系的障碍。

A Cuban court sentenced Mr. Gross to 15 years penal⁶ servitude for working to facilitate uncensored Internet contact between a small religious community in the Caribbean island nation and the rest of the world. It is gravely disappointing, especially in light of the government’s professed⁷ goal of providing Cubans with Internet access, that the authorities have not allowed Mr. Gross to return to his family, where he belongs.

古巴某法院判处格罗斯15年劳役拘禁，因为格罗斯帮助古巴这个加勒比岛国的某个小型宗教社群与世界的其他地方建立了未经审查的网络交往。古巴政府的行为让人极为失望，尤其是考虑到古巴政府对外宣称其目标是为古巴人接入互联网，但其实际上并未格罗斯与家人团聚，毕竟家才是格罗斯的港湾。

The United States has urged and will continue to urge the Cuban government to release Mr. Gross so he may return home.

美国一直在敦促并将继续敦促古巴政府释放格罗斯，让其回家。

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

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。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 reiterates   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The Chinese government reiterates that the question of Taiwan is China's internal affair. 中国政府重申，台湾问题是中国的内政。 来自汉英非文学 - 汉英文件
• Wang Jianzhou reiterates a fact and a viewpoint in Davos. 王建宙在达沃斯重申一个事实和一个观点。

3 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

5 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

6 penal   

adj.刑罚的；刑法上的

参考例句：

• I hope you're familiar with penal code.我希望你们熟悉本州法律规则。
• He underwent nineteen years of penal servitude for theft.他因犯了大窃案受过十九年的苦刑。

7 professed   

公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的

参考例句：

• These, at least, were their professed reasons for pulling out of the deal. 至少这些是他们自称退出这宗交易的理由。
• Her manner professed a gaiety that she did not feel. 她的神态显出一种她并未实际感受到的快乐。