2006年VOA标准英语-US Accuses Iran of 'Playing Games' on Nucl

By Michael Bowman
Washington
30 April 2006

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has accused Iran of "playing games" in its dealings with the international community concerning its nuclear activities.

 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice leaves ABC studios, Sunday, April 30, 2006
  
Secretary Rice scoffed¹ at Iran's shifting stances regarding international inspections² of its nuclear program. Rice spoke³ on ABC's This Week program, one day after an Iranian official said the International Atomic Energy Agency could conduct spot inspections of Iran's uranium-enrichment activities, but only if the threat of U.N. sanctions is lifted.

"I think they are playing games. But, obviously, if they are not playing games, [then] they should stop the enrichment," she said. "They should answer the list of demands that were in the IAEA Board of Governors resolution. Then they can get back to negotiations⁴ [with the IAEA]."

Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are limited to the peaceful production of energy. Yet, Tehran has rebuffed a Russian offer to provide Iran with the nuclear materials it would require for an atomic-energy program, and proceeded with an initiative to enrich uranium on its own. Depending on the level of enrichment, uranium can either be used to power nuclear reactors⁵ or to build atomic weapons.

Friday, the IAEA reported, Iran has missed a U.N. deadline to halt uranium enrichment, paving the way for the council to consider sanctions against Tehran. Secretary Rice says Iran must face consequences for its actions.

"The international community's credibility is at stake here. And we have a choice, too. We can either mean what we say, when we say that Iran must comply," said Rice. "Or we can continue to allow Iran to defy [the international community's will]."

There are varying estimates on how long it would take Iran to produce the materials that would be necessary to construct a nuclear weapon.

Speaking on CNN's Late Edition program, former Israeli intelligence chief Efraim Halevy said time has not run out for a diplomatic solution.

"There is still time left, in order to resolve this problem in a proper way. And my sense is that the Iranians in the last 48 hours are beginning to feel the pressure [of the international community]. And, maybe, some of the reactions that we have been receiving over the last 48 hours are indicative of the fact that pressure does have an effect," noted⁶ Halevy.

But, also speaking on CNN, former CIA Director James Woolsey noted that efforts to pressure Iran have been undermined by Russian and Chinese opposition⁷ to imposing⁸ international sanctions on Tehran.

1 scoffed   

嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scoffed at our amateurish attempts. 他对我们不在行的尝试嗤之以鼻。
• A hundred years ago people scoffed at the idea. 一百年前人们曾嘲笑过这种想法。

2 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 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。

5 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 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。

8 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。