2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Slams Burma Ahead of APEC Summit

By Paula Wolfson
Sydney
05 September 2007

President Bush says he plans to call attention to the human rights situation in Burma at this week's annual 21-member Pacific Rim¹ summit in Australia. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports from Sydney that Mr. Bush slammed the Burmese military government's most recent crackdown on peaceful protests as "inexcusable".

President Bush says he is looking forward to speaking out about Burma at the annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum².

"It's inexcusable that we've got this kind of tyrannical behavior in Asia. It's inexcusable that people who march for freedom are then treated by a repressive state," said Mr. Bush. "And those of us who live in comfort of a free society need to speak out about these kind of human rights abuses."

The president spoke³ at a news conference in Sydney after talks with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

 

He said he wants to speak for all the people of Burma - including their jailed Nobel laureate pro-democracy leader.

"And so, Mr. Prime Minister, I hope you don't mind me speaking as clearly as I possibly can about the fate of Aung San Suu Kyi and her friends, and average citizens who simply want the same thing we have, to live in a free society," said Mr. Bush.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been under some form of detention⁴ for most of the past 18 years. The military government has restricted her movements and those of her National League for Democracy Party - since it won elections in 1990 by a landslide⁵ but was never allowed to assume power.

The Bush administration has stepped up criticism of the Burmese government for its latest crackdown on dissent⁶. Burma has arrested dozens of people who participated in rare protests against recent sharp hikes in fuel prices.

On Tuesday, the State Department rejected the outline for a new Burmese constitution as a sham⁷. U.S. officials say the 14-year process is not legitimate⁸ because the national convention was made up of delegates hand-picked by the country's military rulers.

1 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

2 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

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 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

5 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

6 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

7 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

8 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。