VOA常速英语2008年-Ghana Hopes for Results From US Presidential Vi

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
19 February 2008

As President Bush visits Ghana during his six-day tour of five African nations, some Ghanaians say they hope his visit will mean increased aid and more trade with the United States.  Naomi Schwarz has more from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar with additional reporting by Ruby¹ Amable.

Posters of the U.S. president blanket downtown Accra, Ghana's capital, alongside those of Ghanaian president John Kufuor.  Radio talk shows feature discussions of Washington's multi-billion dollar campaigns to fight malaria² and AIDS in Africa.

This is only the second time a U.S. president has visited Ghana, and many residents say they are excited about the occasion.  University student Yenuetien Kombian says she is proud Ghana has been included on the itinerary³ of Mr. Bush's African tour.

"For Ghanaians, I think that our economy, it is getting better, so we can now host someone like the president of America," Kombian said. "His visit will also show that our security system is in better shape now, so it is a good time for a Ghanaian like me. "

Analysts⁴ say Ghana has had a close relationship with the Bush administration.  President Kufuor has met with his American counterpart several times in the past three years.

The two presidents are expected to discuss development issues, the fight against malaria and HIV, regional security and humanitarian⁵ issues before Mr. Bush leaves on Wednesday.

Ghanaian student Kombian says she believes Mr. Bush's visit will mean more help for Ghana from the United States.

"In Tanzania he has promised them bed mosquito nets, which means in Ghana he will do the same," Kombian said. "Mostly when you are far off from a situation, you tend to sympathize when them, but when you are closer, as he is coming, you see the real things about malaria, so he will tend to empathize with us, so when he comes more aid, more assistance."

Tanzania, where Mr. Bush stopped earlier on his Africa tour, received a nearly $700 million-grant from the United States in September to fight malaria. 

But Ghanaian systems engineer Kwesi Odeng remains⁶ skeptical⁷ Bush's visit will help most Ghanaians.

"Taking a family for instance, I do not know how his visit is going to have impact on that particular family's life," Odeng said. "It could be one of these normal visits, with a lot of businessmen who are coming to look around and see where they can invest their money and reap bountifully, but not for our purpose."

He cautions Ghanaians against raising their hopes too high.

"Maybe we are just thinking them coming to help us, but they have their own agenda," Odeng said.

President Bush said in a speech before he left for the continent that helping⁸ Africa develop is also a way of fighting terrorism, saying, in his words, "people who live in societies based on freedom and justice are more likely to reject the false promise of the extremist ideology⁹."

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

3 itinerary   

n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划

参考例句：

• The two sides have agreed on the itinerary of the visit.双方商定了访问日程。
• The next place on our itinerary was Silistra.我们行程的下一站是锡利斯特拉。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。