2006年VOA标准英语-Bush: Government to Help Rebuild Gulf Coas

By Scott Stearns
White House
12 January 2006

 
President Bush praises Gulf¹ Coast residents for their rebuilding efforts during a visit to Saint Louis, Mississippi 
  
President Bush says the federal government will play a major role in rebuilding areas destroyed by last year's record hurricanes along the Gulf Coast.

-----------------------------------

On his first visit to the Gulf Coast in three months, President Bush says he has seen remarkable² progress since Hurricane Katrina struck last August.

"I can remember coming here the times I came and looked hard in people's eyes and saw a sense of desperation and worry and deep, deep concern about the future," said Mr. Bush.  "I am sure there is still concern about the future, but the eyes have cleared up. There's a sense of optimism. There's a hope. There's a little bounce in people's step."

Speaking at a college in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Mr. Bush said the federal government has allocated³ 85 billion dollars for reconstruction⁴ efforts, $25 billion of which has already been spent.

While stopping short of guaranteeing that rebuilt levees will withstand a category five storm, federal officials say the new levees will offer the best protection the Gulf Coast has ever seen.

Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1,300 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

Immediately following the storm, opposition⁵ Democrats⁶ and many of the people affected⁷ by Katrina criticized President Bush for a slow federal response. Mr. Bush acknowledges some of those mistakes and says he is constantly looking for ways to do things better.

"We've learned some lessons about Katrina, and we are going to analyze⁸ every lesson learned," he added.  "Obviously the federal response in parts of this devastated⁹ area could have been a lot better. We want to know how to make them better. We want to make sure that when there is a catastrophe¹⁰ of any kind, this government, at the federal level, is capable of dealing¹¹ with it in conjunction with the state and local governments."

Before his speech in Mississippi, Mr. Bush met with small business owners and local government officials in New Orleans, much of which was flooded by the storm.

He praised the city's rebuilding effort and encouraged investors¹² and visitors to return, saying New Orleans is a great place to have a convention and a "heck of a place to bring your family."

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

4 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

9 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

10 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会