VOA常速英语2007-Russian President Fields Questions from Citizens

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
18 October 2007

Russian President Vladimir Putin's sixth annual citizen call-in show on Thursday garnered¹ an estimated three million questions from across Russia as well as from neighboring Kazakhstan, which has a sizable Russian population. VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky has details.

The Kremlin leader began more than three hours on the air with claims that stronger than expected Russian economic growth is being driven not by the sale of natural resources, such as oil or metals, but rather by construction, transportation, communications and investments.

Mr. Putin also said Russia is reversing its demographic decline with the recent birthrate reaching its highest level in 15 years, and the death rate its lowest since 1999.

Viewers raised domestic issues such as unemployment, inflation, and traffic jams, as well as international ones related to neighboring Ukraine, membership in the World Trade Organization, and the U.S. presence in Iraq.

Mr. Putin said he agrees with President Bush that international forces should leave Iraq only when that country's leadership is able to stabilize² the situation.

But Mr. Putin says he differs with the American leader on the issue of a troop withdrawal³ date. Mr. Putin says a deadline must be set, otherwise, Iraqi leaders will not hurry to develop their own security forces.

He also said his latest contacts with senior American officials indicate they understand Russian concerns about the proposed missile defense⁴ system the United States wants to deploy⁵ in Central Europe. He added that Russia will defend her interests should those concerns be ignored.

Regarding his own country's forces, President Putin said Russian strategic bombers⁶ and nuclear submarines are being modernized⁷ and special attention is being paid to intelligence, electronic warfare⁸, and the ordinary soldier.

 

He says Russian plans are not simply big, they are grandiose⁹. He says Russian forces will be compact, but will defend Russian security for many years to come.

On domestic issues, the Russian leader fielded questions on the Russian national soccer team, his favorite, security in the Caucasus, big city traffic jams, assistance to large families, handicap infrastructure¹⁰, digital television, and the high price of milk.

On that issue, he criticized local authorities who support dairy processing monopolies that artificially hike retail¹¹ prices. He said his most difficult task as president has been fighting poverty and bridging the gap between rich and poor.

Mr. Putin said Russia needs to encourage the growth of the middle class. He said there needs to be financial assistance for some Russians and also development of small and medium-size businesses.

Mr. Putin's final question came from a nine-year-old girl who asked if she could ever become president of Russia. Mr. Putin acknowledged her dream and said any Russian can become president if he or she is qualified¹² for the job.

1 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

2 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

3 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

6 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 modernized   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的过去式和过去分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• By 1985 the entire railway network will have been modernized. 等到1985年整个铁路网就实现现代化了。
• He set about rebuilding France, and made it into a brilliant-looking modernized imperialism. 他试图重建法国，使它成为一项表面华丽的现代化帝业。

8 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

9 grandiose   

adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的

参考例句：

• His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first time.他那种夸大的举止给第一次遇见他的人留下了深刻的印象。
• As the fog vanished,a grandiose landscape unfolded before the tourists.雾气散去之后，一幅壮丽的景观展现在游客面前。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

12 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。