2006年VOA标准英语-Rice: Conditions in Mideast Not Conducive for C

By Stephanie Ho
Washington
18 July 2006
 
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Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says any resolution of the latest crisis in the Middle East cannot be reached hastily, and needs to have what she described as "lasting¹ value."  Along those lines, she added that there are international efforts under way to create what she called "conducive² circumstances" for a cease-fire.

A week of violence between Israel and the Hezbollah militant³ group in Lebanon has led to the deaths of more than 200 people, on both sides.  

 
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, answers a question from the media as Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, left, listens 
  
Visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told journalists at the State Department that an urgent priority for his country is getting the two sides to agree to observe a cease-fire.

"A cease-fire is imperative⁴, and we have to keep working to reach that objective," he said.  "It is imperative.  We have to bring it to an end as soon as possible."

Speaking at a joint⁵ news appearance with the Egyptian foreign minister, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she supports the idea of a cease-fire.

"We all agree it should happen as soon as possible, when conditions are conducive to do so," she added.

Leaders at the just-concluded G-8 summit issued a statement calling on both sides, Israel and Hezbollah, to take actions that could defuse tensions.  It did not call for an immediate⁶ cease-fire, but Rice praised it as an "eloquent⁷" statement that is helping⁸ to create what she described as circumstances for one. 

"We all want a cessation of violence," she said.  "We all want a protection of civilians⁹.  We have to make certain that anything that we do is going to be of lasting value.  The Middle East has been through too many spasms¹⁰ of violence, and we have to deal with underlying¹¹ conditions, so that we can create sustainable conditions for political progress there."

The secretary said she is focused on this issue, and has been in close consultations¹² with other countries, including the G-8 leading industrialized nations and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, known as the P-5.

She added that she intends to go to the region, but only when it is, in her words, "appropriate," "necessary," and "helpful to the situation."

1 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

2 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 eloquent   

adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

10 spasms   

n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作

参考例句：

• After the patient received acupuncture treatment,his spasms eased off somewhat. 病人接受针刺治疗后，痉挛稍微减轻了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The smile died, squeezed out by spasms of anticipation and anxiety. 一阵阵预测和焦虑把她脸上的微笑挤掉了。 来自辞典例句

11 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

12 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》