万花筒 2010-04-15&04-016 世界核安全峰会领导人云集

This is Barack Obama charm offensive of work, 46 countries, 36 world leaders, and the US president appealing for their help. The words whispered in their ears of the family photo, the pressure applied¹ on the issue. The US believes it's one of the biggest threats to global security. And Obama believes many of these world leaders don't take it seriously enough.

It's estimated there is enough so called loose nuclear material floating around the globe to make 120,000 unclear weapons in all military bases, power stations, universities. And the US believes not enough is being done to make it secure. It worries Washington enough to convene² the biggest summit  the US has seen since 1945. And Obama opened the meeting with a warning for the world.

"Two decades after the end of the Cold War. We face a cruel irony³ of history. The risk of a nuclear confrontation⁴ between nations has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up."

Among those not at the summit, Iran, its pursuit of nuclear technology whether peaceful or not is not even on the agenda officially, but Obama is gently pushing world leaders to back tough action against Teheran. He spent 90 minutes talking to President Hu of China, and believes he is winning Beijing's support for a new Security Council resolution whether that extends to more sanctions isn't so clear. This summit has already delivered some of what Obama wants but they are small steps. Countries like Ukraine and Canada, agreeing to hand over nuclear waste. If he is to make progress on the bigger goals, he needs to keep making friends.

1 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

2 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

3 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。