2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Calls for Comprehensive Immigration R

By Paula Wolfson
White House
27 March 2006

President Bush speaks at a immigration naturalization ceremony at the Daughters of the American Revolution administration building in Washington Monday, March 27, 2006  
  
The highly emotional issue of immigration reform is about to come before the full U.S. Senate, and President Bush says the outcome of the Senate debate is crucial.   Mr. Bush is urging lawmakers to conduct their debate in a dignified¹ way, and pass a comprehensive reform package.

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Few issues in the United States are as controversial as illegal immigration.

Everyone agrees there is a problem, but there is little consensus² on the answer, and various proposals are vying³ for attention.

President Bush says the best way is a comprehensive approach that includes tougher border security, enhanced enforcement, and a guest worker program.

"A temporary worker program is vital to securing our border," Mr. Bush says. "By creating a separate legal channel for those entering America to do an honest day's labor⁴, we would dramatically decrease the number of people trying to sneak⁵ back and forth⁶ across the border."

But there are members of Congress, including many from border states, who say a guest worker program is not the answer.  Their view has dominated debate in the House of Representatives, where members voted last December to approve a plan that focuses on enforcement, and declares illegal immigration to be a felony.

With the Senate about to take up the issue, immigration advocates staged protests this past weekend in cities across the country. More than half a million demonstrators took to the streets in Los Angeles, with smaller rallies in places like Phoenix⁷, Denver and Dallas.

President Bush says there are passions on all sides, and acknowledges the task of drafting immigration reform legislation is not easy.  But he stresses it must be done.

"It will require all of us in Washington to make tough choices and make compromises," Mr. Bush says. "And that is exactly what the American people sent us here to do."

The president is urging all participants in the debate to keep their emotions in check, and warns against any attempts to inflame⁸ anti-immigrant passions in the country.

"The immigration debate should be conducted in a civil, dignified way," Mr. Bush says. "No one should play on people's fears or try to pit neighbors against each other.  No one should pretend that immigrants are a threat to America's identity, because immigrants have shaped America's identity."

Mr. Bush made the remarks at a naturalization ceremony for a group of new American citizens.

He said as the nation deals with the issue of illegal immigration, it must balance two core values.

"All of you are here because you followed the rules and you waited your turn in the citizenship⁹ line," Mr. Bush says. "Yet some violate our immigration laws and enter our country illegally and that undermines the system for all of us.  America should not have to choose between being a welcoming society and being a lawful¹⁰ society.  We can be both at the same time."

He spoke¹¹ as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee began consideration of several competing immigration proposals.   Official deba

1 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

2 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

3 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

8 inflame   

v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎

参考例句：

• Our lack of response seemed to inflame the colonel.由于我们没有反应,好象惹恼了那个上校。
• Chemical agents manufactured by our immune system inflame our cells and tissues,causing our nose to run and our throat to swell.我们的免疫系统产生的化学物质导致我们的细胞和组织发炎，导致我们流鼻水和我们的喉咙膨胀。

9 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

10 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

11 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。