VOA常速英语2008年-Can We Talk?

By Behnam Nateghi
Washington, DC
05 February 2008
 

Relations between the U.S. and Iran have been strained for some time over Tehran's nuclear program. A recent encounter in the Persian Gulf¹ between their naval² forces illustrated³ the extreme tensions that exist between the two nations. A group of peace activists⁴ known as "Enough Fear" is promoting a people-to-people diplomacy⁵ effort that they hope will prevent a future conflict between the countries. VOA's Behnam Nateghi was on hand recently as people from both nations... just talked. Jim Bertel narrates⁶.

It is a simple phone bank on a New York street... where ordinary Americans are talking to their counterparts in Iran.

This telephone diplomacy is the brainchild of Nick Jehlen, a magazine art director who got the idea after conversations with Iranian bloggers on the Internet. He explains, "The origin of the campaign is basically to come up with a way for Iranians and Americans to work together for peace, instead of just having a peace movement in one country or the other."

The phones are modeled after Hollywood's take on the hotline between the Kremlin and the White House during the Cold War.

"It is basically the idea that there is a hotline between the United States and Iran," Jehlan said. "It should be between our two governments, but for right now we are going to start with the people."

Farsi-speaking students translate the conversations. On the other end are Iranians who submitted their phone numbers online.

Jedaiah thinks this is a good first step. "You know, we both, I am sure, Iranians love their country, as we love our country, and because we love our country, this is why we are making an effort like this."

Evelyn, a media researcher, was surprised to see the phones. She said, "Communicating person to person is really what politics are all about, right? But then it gets lost in all this… all the entanglements⁷ that are going on. As you travel around the world and you meet people, or in New York, you meet immigrants, and everyone has a story to tell, which is human. It is exciting to be able to talk to someone in another place, which often we don't have the opportunity to."

Organizers are hoping there will be opportunities for people in other American cities to talk to people in Iran in the future.

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

7 entanglements   

n.瓜葛( entanglement的名词复数 )；牵连；纠缠；缠住

参考例句：

• Mr. White threaded his way through the legal entanglements. 怀特先生成功地解决了这些法律纠纷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At dawn we broke through the barbed wire entanglements under the city wall. 拂晓我们突破了城墙的铁丝网。 来自《简明英汉词典》