美国承诺接受更多的难民

US Promises to Accept More Refugees 美国承诺接受更多的难民

The United States is promising² to accept more refugees fleeing from wars in Syria and other areas.

Secretary of State John Kerry met with members of Congress Wednesday. After the meeting, he said, “We are looking hard at the number that we can specifically manage with respect to the crisis in Syria and Europe.”

Later, Senator John McCain went to the Senate floor to urge stronger leadership from President Barack Obama. He called on Mr. Obama to stop violence in the Middle East and North Africa.

On Tuesday, the president’s spokesman said the administration has been looking at a number of ways to help U.S. allies with the thousands of people arriving from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Al-Qaida-led rebels seize airport from Syrian forces

Islamist rebels have captured a major airbase from Syrian government forces in the country’s northwest. Reports say the rebels expelled all Syrian forces from the Aby Duhur military airport in Idlib province.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory⁴ for Human Rights says the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and allied⁵ Islamist groups are now in control of the airport. Syrian state TV confirmed that Syrian forces have left the area.  

In related news, Russia has confirmed that members of its armed forces are present in Syria. A Foreign Ministry⁶ official said Wednesday that “Russian military experts” are in Syria to help its military become skilled in the use of Russian weaponry and other equipment.

A U.S. State Department official said Wednesday that Secretary of State Kerry spoke³ to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Mr. Kerry reportedly expressed concern over the reports of Russian military involvement in Syria. He said that, if they were true, it could “leader to greater violence” in the country.

Iran: No talks with US outside nuclear deal

Iran's top leader says any future talks with the United States will only involve issues related to the nuclear deal reached with world powers, not other areas.

Ayatollah Ali Khameini said, "We approved talks with the United States about nuclear issues specifically. In other areas, we did not and will not allow negotiations⁷ with the U.S." The comments appeared in a statement on his website Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran was ready to hold talks with the U.S. on ways to settle Syria’s civil war. Ayatollah Khamanei’s comments are seen as a possible reaction to the president’s statement.

China cancels Bon Jovi performances over Dalai Lama statements

China has cancelled Bon Jovi's first ever planned concerts in China. Some reports say the shows were cancelled because of what Chinese officials consider the American group's past expressions of support for the Dalai Lama.

Bon Jovi was set to perform next week in both Beijing and Shanghai.

The Financial Times reported Tuesday the cancelation came after the Communist Party's Culture Ministry found that Bon Jovi included a video of the Dalai Lama at a show in Taiwan in 2010. The BBC also said that Chinese government officials canceled the performances.

The Chinese government considers the Tibetan spiritual leader a dangerous separatist.

US Apple product launch

The American company Apple on Wednesday demonstrated its largest-ever tablet computer, the iPad Pro¹. The product is equipped with a new "smart" keyboard and an Apple "Pencil" stylus device.

Chief Executive Tim Cook showed off the new iPad at the company's media event in San Francisco. He called the product "the biggest news in iPad since the iPad."

The new iPad Pro will become available for purchase in November. The starting price is $799.

Words in This Story

manage – v. to have control or take care of

concerts – n. a public performance of music

tablet – n. a flat object that is used for writing

keyboard – n. the set of keys that are used for a computer

1 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

2 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

5 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。