VOA常速英语2007年-Bush: Musharraf Promises 'Positive Steps'

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
10 November 2007

President Bush says Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf has taken "positive steps" by promising¹ to lift the state of emergency, step down as army chief, and hold elections early next year. From Washington, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

President Bush says he still trusts General Musharraf, noting the Pakistani president aligned² himself with Washington after the September 2001 attacks on the United States and has proven himself a good ally in the war on terror, bringing several al-Qaida leaders to justice.

"Many of those folks thought they could find safe haven³ in Pakistan. And that would not have happened without President Musharraf honoring his word.  He fully⁴ understands the dangers of al-Qaida," said Mr. Bush.

In remarks made Saturday at a joint⁵ news conference at his Texas ranch⁶ with visiting German Chancellor⁷ Angela Merkel, Mr. Bush refrained from criticizing the Pakistani leader, saying only that he hopes General Musharraf will honor his pledges and suspend the state of emergency, making it possible for democracy to flourish.

"My concern is for the sake of the Pakistani people, to proceed back on track as quickly as possible," he said.  "President Musharraf said that he would take off his uniform. He said there would be elections after the new year, and our hope is that he would suspend this emergency decree to allow this society, which is on the path to democracy, to get back on the path to democracy."

Mr. Bush added that he and General Musharraf share the goal of eradicating⁸ al-Qaida, and cooperation between the two nations is necessary to accomplish that.

Pakistan has been in turmoil⁹ since General Musharraf declared a state of emergency a week ago, insisting he had no choice, but to move aggressively against Islamic extremists and the nation's courts which he said were undermining stability. 

The crackdown has mostly targeted his political, judicial¹⁰ and media critics, including opposition¹¹ leader Benazir Bhutto.  The former prime minister spent Friday under house arrest.

Earlier Saturday, Musharraf's government announced plans to lift the state of emergency within one month.  General Musharraf has said parliamentary elections will be held by February 15, one month later than originally scheduled.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 aligned   

adj.对齐的，均衡的

参考例句：

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。

3 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

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 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

7 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

8 eradicating   

摧毁，完全根除( eradicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Objective: To study the acute and chronic toxicity of Ten-flavor-acne eradicating-capsule. 目的：探讨复方中药合剂十味平痤胶囊的急性及慢性毒性。
• We are on the verge of eradicating polio in the world. 我们已在世界消除小儿？痹症的边缘了。

9 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

10 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

11 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。