VOA慢速英语2016 巴西前总统涉腐被控,举国震惊!

AS IT IS 2016-03-13 Brazil’s Lula Charged With Money Laundering¹ 巴西前总统涉腐被控,举国震惊!

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the former president of Brazil, was charged this week with the crime of money laundering.

本周，巴西前总统路易斯·伊纳西奥·卢拉·达席尔瓦（Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva）被警方以洗钱等罪名起诉。

Officials say they have evidence the former president and his family benefited from an unlawful real estate deal. That deal affected² thousands of Brazilian families.

知情人士称，有证据表明这位前总统及其家人在一起非法房产交易中受惠。此次事件波及到成千上万的巴西家庭。

Lead prosecutor³ Cassio Conserino explained families lost their apartments and lost their chances at being homeowners. Instead of apartments going to families, the real estate was destined⁴ for the former president and his family.

首席检查官卡西奥·康塞里诺（Cassio Conserino）解释称，很多人都失去了住所以及名下的房产。这些房产并没有分配给居民，而是变成这位前总统及其家人的私人房产。

He added da Silva and his family were under investigation⁵ for a year.

他补充说，一年来达席尔瓦及其家人一直在接受调查。

The prosecutors⁶ allege⁷ that da Silva and his family were given real estate.

这位检察官声称，涉案企业向达席尔瓦及其家人赠予了几处房产供其使用。

Da Silva denies any wrongdoing. He said he is not the owner of the apartment in the coastal⁸ city of Guaruja.  

达席尔瓦否认自己有任何不当行为。他声称自己并非是位于海滨城市瓜鲁雅公寓的户主。

Money laundering charges have also been brought against the former president’s wife and one of his sons. A conviction could result in a prison term of 13 years.

达席尔瓦的妻子和儿子也被指控涉嫌洗钱。如若查实，他们可能将面临13年有期徒刑。

The judge in charge of the case must decide whether to accept the charges and move forward with the case.

负责此案的法官必须决定是否接受这些控告并进一步推动这起案件。

Da Silva also faces other legal problems. There are charges and accusations⁹ that he accepted free work on his home in exchange for political favors and benefits.

此外，达席尔瓦还涉及着其它的经济问题。有指控称他涉嫌以政治上的便利作为交换条件换得免费的房屋装修。

He governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010. He left office with a record-high popularity close to 80 percent.

达席尔瓦自2003年至2010年期间执掌巴西政权，离任时他的民众支持率甚至高达80%。

Words in This Story

money laundering – v. the concealment¹⁰ of the origins of illegally obtained money

real estate - n. property such as buildings or land

apartment - n. a number of rooms that are part of a building and used as a place to live

destined - v. meant for

allege - v. accuse; to state without proof

conviction – n. the act of proving that a person is guilty of a crime in a court of law

favors – n. kind or helpful acts that you do for someone

1 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

4 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

7 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

8 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

9 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

10 concealment   

n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒

参考例句：

• the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒
• Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。