CRI 中国国际广播电台 2010-02-13

Hello and Welcome to News and Reports on China Radio International.

In This Edition

hina has urged the United States to immediately cancel plans for US President Barack Obama to meet with the Dalai Lama next week.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle says that European countries will not issue Greece a blank cheque.

Chinese people prepare for the traditional Spring Festival holiday.

Hot Issue Reports

China urges U.S. to immediately withdraw decision on Obama-Dalai Lama meeting

China has urged the United States to immediately cancel plans for US President Barack Obama to meet with the Dalai Lama next week.

German FM: Europe Will not Issue Greece Blank Cheque

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has said that European countries will not issue Greece a blank cheque, adding that Athens must implement¹ its budgetary reforms swiftly.

"Europe is showing that it is expressing solidarity². We appeal to Greece and also to the people of Greece to quickly implement the necessary structural³ measures presented by the government. This is not only important for Greece, it is important for Europe."

European leaders had reached an agreement during their summit, saying members would be prepared to step in if needed to help Greece solve its debt issues.

No further details were expected to be finalized⁴ until early next week when EU finance ministers meet, but the EU leaders suggested it could include some form of loans to Greece to help it service its debt and avoid a damaging default.

Regarding Iran, the German foreign minister said the west's hand "is and remains⁵ stretched out".

"So far, it is reaching into empty space. Accordingly, the international community will not display endless patience but take the steps to counter a nuclear armament of Iran."

Westerwelle added that Germany would discuss "expanding sanctions at the United Nations in New York."

Iraq Officially Kicks Off Campaign Season

Iraq has officially kicked off the campaign season, just hours after an appeals panel banned a number of candidates from running in March nationwide elections.

Campaign posters have been plastered across Baghdad and other cities, urging people to go to the polls.

Raad abu Ammar is among the people who handed out leaflets for the campaign.

"Regardless of the election results, win or lose, our goal is to help the Iraqi people who suffered a lot, and to achieve the Iraqi people's ambition."

However, the row over banned candidates has not been resolved. The state-run Iraqiya TV reported that two most prominent Sunni politicians have been barred from standing⁶ in the election by an appeals panel.

Salah al-Mutlak and Dhafir al-Ani, both key members of a political coalition⁷ contesting the election, were banned over links to the Baath party.

According to Iraq media reports, some 170 barred candidates filed appeals to the seven-judge panel, but the final results for the rest of them have not been announced.

The controversial Accountability and Justice Commission in charge of vetting⁸ the candidates, compiled a ban list of some 500 candidates over links to now-outlawed Baath party. The blacklist raised concerns about possible sectarian violence.

15 Died in Suicide Bombing in Northwest Pakistan

Fifteen people have been reported dead, including at least nine policemen, after a double suicide bombing in the northwest Pakistan town of Bannu.

Thirty people were also wounded in the attacks, including Bannu's police chief, according to hospital officials.

Officials say the second blast went off as rescuers responded to the first blast, a militant⁹ tactic¹⁰ rarely seen before in Pakistan.

Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, the Chief Minister for Pakistan's northwest Frontier Province, attended the funerals for the officers, saying that the bomb victims were "the price to pay" for war with militants¹¹.

"There is a price to pay for war, and we have already paid this price, and we have to pay this price again in the future. The attack on the police barracks was another instance where we have paid the ultimate price."

Militants have carried out numerous attacks on security forces over the past several years to undermine the public's confidence in the already-weak state.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blasts.

The city of Bannu lies just outside North Waziristan, a major militant stronghold.

UN advisory¹² group on climate change financing launched

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon along with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi have launched a United Nations advisory group on climate change financing.

The new group plans to create "transparent¹³" structures for the flow of financing from developed to developing countries in the effort to help the latter combat effects of climate change.

While announcing the launch of the group, Ban Ki-moon said providing resources for adaptation is a moral imperative¹⁴.

"Billions of people in Africa and around the globe are suffering from the effects of climate change. Providing resources for adaptation is a moral imperative. It is also smart investment in a safer, more sustainable world forum¹⁵."

The aim of the group is to raise 30 billion US dollars over the next three years, eventually rising to 100 billion dollars annually¹⁶ by 2020 in order to help poor countries adapt to the impact of climate change while also helping¹⁷ them reduce their contribution to global warming.

Light News

Chinese Prepare for Spring Festival Holiday

China's biggest shopping season is in full swing in cities around the country as families are stocking up on decorations, food and fireworks to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Public security official stresses firework safety before Spring Festival

Fireworks are also a tradition during the Chinese New Year's eve.

The sound of fireworks will drown out the cheers in restaurants and music from the television festival gala. But this happy time is also probably the busiest night of the year for firefighters and emergency room workers. Metro¹⁸ police all around China have been taking steps to enforce firework limits and ensure holiday safety.

Vancouver ready for Olympic Games

Turning to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, as the the flame will be lit at Vancouver's BC Place in just a few hours, is Vancouver ready for the Olympic Games?

Newspaper Picks

Xinhuanet: Traditional Chinese culture is important

Economic globalization has brought about cultural diversity in China. As a result, many young people prefer to celebrate Christmas, Valentine's Day and other Western festivals instead of traditional Chinese festivals.

An article on Xinhuanet says it is important to teach the Chinese culture to such people if we don't want the traditional festivals to become history.

Coincidently, this year's lunar new year starts on Feb the 14th, celebrated¹⁹ as Valentine's Day only in the West untill a few years ago but now a sort of craze among youth in China's cities.

The article says competition among countries today is no longer a simple affair. It transcends²⁰ economics and military power, and includes cultural soft power. The article says some developed countries are using their cultural soft power to promote their values and ways of life across the world.

The article notes under such circumstances, it is essential for China to strengthen the influence of its traditional culture and enhance China's sense of identity and national pride.

Global Times: CCTV's New Year Gala Part of Collective Historical Memory

Tonight, most people in China will turn on their TV sets for chunwan, CCTV's Gala on China's Lunar New Year's Eve.

Launched in 1982, the yearly four-hour-long song and dance extravaganza celebrating the Chinese Spring Festival is the most watched program in China, with more than a 93 percent audience share.

Some critics have called for a cancellation²¹ of the gala. They say that the program holds no value, that it is outdated²² and will gradually become part of the past.

An article in the Global Times has a different opinion, saying chunwan will be part of China's collective memory. It says as families are becoming smaller, and some young people may choose their own way to celebrate the event by traveling, surfing the Internet, or sending SMS messages, chunwan is a cultural bridge between generations. It is an evening that connects urban with rural areas, links common values and provides shared experience in China's collective national heritage and oral history.

The article further elaborates that there is nothing wrong with a variety of choices. They are all part of the celebration and they pose no danger.

In conclusion, the article says the program has become synonymous with family tradition and an important part of the Chinese national culture.
 

1 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

2 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

3 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

4 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 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。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 vetting   

n.数据检查[核对，核实]v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的现在分词 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• Scripts had to be submitted to Ministry of Information officials for vetting. 必须把脚本提交给信息部官员审查。 来自互联网
• Their purpose in clicking deeper into a site is one of vetting. 他们深入点击网站的目的是一种诊疗。 来自互联网

9 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

10 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

11 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

12 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

13 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

14 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

15 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

16 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

17 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

18 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

19 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

20 transcends   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
• The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。

21 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

22 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。