voa标准英语2008-Homeland Security Chief: Bush Has Kept America S

Outgoing U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says the fact that U.S. territory has not been attacked since September 11, 2001, is the central accomplishment¹ of his four years in office. Chertoff credits the policies of U.S. President George Bush with keeping America safe from further attacks.
　

Michael Chertoff speaks at the Riggs Library of Gerogetown University in Washington, D.C., 18 Dec 2008

Michael Chertoff told an audience at Washington's Georgetown University Thursday he is proud of having helped to guard against acts of terrorism.

"In the dark days immediately following September 11th, when the smoke was still emanating² from the smoldering³ fires underneath⁴ the World Trade Center, no one would have predicted that there would have been no successful attack on American soil in the following seven years," he said.

Chertoff says the absence of attacks since 2001 is a direct result of President Bush's anti-terrorism policies.

One of those policies is the U.S.A. Patriot⁵ Act, an act of Congress Mr. Bush signed into law in 2001, broadening government powers to conduct surveillance and gather intelligence. While some provisions of the legislation have been controversial, Chertoff says the Patriot Act has enhanced his agency's ability to protect the country.

"I would not wish on anybody who has the responsibility to protect the American people, and to look into the eyes of people who lost loved ones in terrorist attacks, as have done, I would not wish on them having to put a blindfold⁶ back on so they could not adequately assure the public and themselves that everything possible was being done to protect America," he said.

Chertoff, who is the second Homeland Security secretary, says the creation of the cabinet-level department in 2003 was a revolutionary move to coordinate⁷ U.S. law enforcement.

"The purpose was not simply to create a new department," he said. "It was to have one place where the overarching mission would be [to] protect all of our air, sea and land against people coming in to do dangerous things, and then work to protect the internal infrastructure⁸ - something that had never been done before - by analyzing⁹ and managing the risk, in partnership¹⁰ with the private sector¹¹."
　

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, 13 Nov. 2008

Janet Napolitano, the governor of the Southwestern state of Arizona, has been named by President-elect Barack Obama to succeed Chertoff as Homeland Security Secretary. Chertoff says he is sure that she will continue the legacy¹² of success.

"I have perfect confidence in the dedication¹³ of my successor and the new administration," he said. "I believe they are as dedicated¹⁴ as we to protecting Americans. And I believe they will want to carry on and discharge this most important obligation with as much vigor¹⁵ as we did."

Chertoff cautioned, however, that serious security threats remain. He says that point was vividly¹⁶ underscored by last month's deadly attacks in Mumbai, India, which he says were skillfully coordinated¹⁷ and particularly targeted toward financial centers and Americans.

1 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

2 emanating   

v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的现在分词 )；产生，表现，显示

参考例句：

• Even so, there is a slight odour of potpourri emanating from Longfellow. 纵然如此，也还是可以闻到来自朗费罗的一种轻微的杂烩的味道。 来自辞典例句
• Many surface waters, particularly those emanating from swampy areas, are often colored to the extent. 许多地表水，特别是由沼泽地区流出的地表水常常染上一定程度的颜色。 来自辞典例句

3 smoldering   

v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The mat was smoldering where the burning log had fallen. 燃烧的木棒落下的地方垫子慢慢燃烧起来。 来自辞典例句
• The wood was smoldering in the fireplace. 木柴在壁炉中闷烧。 来自辞典例句

4 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

5 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

6 blindfold   

vt.蒙住…的眼睛；adj.盲目的；adv.盲目地；n.蒙眼的绷带[布等]； 障眼物，蒙蔽人的事物

参考例句：

• They put a blindfold on a horse.他们给马蒙上遮眼布。
• I can do it blindfold.我闭着眼睛都能做。

7 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

8 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。

9 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

10 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

11 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

12 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

13 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

14 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

15 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

16 vividly   

adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地

参考例句：

• The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。
• The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。

17 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法