2007年VOA标准英语-Iranian President Defends Government, Denies Re

By Gary Thomas
Washington
24 September 2007

Iran's president got a frosty reception during a rare public appearance at an American university Monday. As VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports, the less-than-warm welcome came from an unexpected quarter.

Protesters were kept well away from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to Columbia University in New York. But there was one protester he could not avoid: the university's president, Lee Bollinger.

In blistering¹ opening remarks, the university leader, who had been criticized for inviting² President Ahmadinejad to speak, lashed³ out at the Iranian president for his government's record on human rights, support of terrorism, denial of the Holocaust⁴, and the threat to eliminate Israel.

"We at this university have not been shy to protest and challenge the failures of our own government to live by our values, and we won't be shy about criticizing yours. Let's then be clear at the beginning: Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator," Bollinger said.

Mr. Ahmadinejad seemed taken aback by the harsh words from Bollinger. "Many parts of his speech, there were many insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully. Of course, I think that he was affected⁵ by the press, the media, and the political, sort of, mainstream⁶ line that you read here that goes against the very grain of the need for peace and stability in the world around us," he said.

In an address similar to an earlier one he gave by teleconference to the National Press Club, President Ahmadinejad focused first on religion. He then accused Western powers of misusing⁷ science to political ends.

"They deceive people by using scientific methods and tools. They, in fact, wish to justify⁸ their own wrongdoings, though. By creating nonexistent enemies, for example, and an insecure atmosphere, they try to control all in the name of combating insecurity and terrorism," he said.

University president Bollinger labeled the Iranian leader "either brazenly⁹ provocative¹⁰ or astonishingly uneducated" for denying the Nazi¹¹ Holocaust against the Jews.

During a lengthy¹² question and answer session after the address, the Iranian president said he was not outright¹³ denying the Holocaust but was only calling for more research on it. But he was evasive when asked if he favors Israel's destruction.

President Ahmadinejad denied Iran seeks nuclear weapons, but said his country has the right to reprocess its own nuclear fuel to provide electric power. However, he downplayed any talk of war over the issue.

The Iranian leader was asked about the alleged¹⁴ executions of homosexuals in Iran. He sparked laughter from the audience when he denied they exist in his country.

"In Iran, we don't have homosexuals, like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have it," he said.

Asked about Iran's support for terrorist groups, Mr. Ahmadinejad turned the question around and accused the U.S. of backing terrorist groups that he alleged train in Iraq to launch attacks in Iran. The reference is apparently¹⁵ to the Mujahedin-e-Khalq, a group linked to attacks inside Iran. The group is on the U.S. State Department's list of terrorist groups.

1 blistering   

adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡

参考例句：

• The runners set off at a blistering pace. 赛跑运动员如脱缰野马般起跑了。
• This failure is known as preferential wetting and is responsible for blistering. 这种故障称为优先吸湿，是产生气泡的原因。 来自辞典例句

2 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

3 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

7 misusing   

v.使用…不当( misuse的现在分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• This means we must stop misusing them. 也就是说，我们已必须停止滥用抗菌素不可了。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器
• Misusing organic fertilizer may cause a decrease in the soil's quality. 滥用有机肥料可能会导致土地的土质下降。 来自互联网

8 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

9 brazenly   

adv.厚颜无耻地；厚脸皮地肆无忌惮地

参考例句：

• How dare he distort the facts so brazenly! 他怎么敢如此肆无忌惮地歪曲事实！ 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• "I don't know," he answered, looking her brazenly over. “我也不知道，"他厚颜无耻地打量着她。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

10 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

11 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

12 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

13 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

14 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

15 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。