VOA标准英语2009年-Inspectors to Visit New Iran Nuclear Site

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
04 October 2009

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran will allow inspectors¹ to visit its newly revealed uranium-enrichment site on October 25.

 
IAEA's Mohamed ElBaradei, center left, makes his way, while he is accompanied by Iran's envoy² to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, center right, Tehran, 3 Oct. 2009
Mohamed ElBaradei says inspectors need access to the site to ensure it is for peaceful purposes, as Iran maintains.

The IAEA director spoke³ in Tehran, following talks Iranian officials say were unconnected to the Qom facility.

While ElBaradei has said Iran was "on the wrong side of the law" in not disclosing the plant's existence earlier, he used the news conference to sound a note of caution about Iran's intentions.

"The agency has no concrete proof that there is an ongoing⁴ weapon program in Iran," ElBaradei said. "There are allegations that Iran has conducted weaponization studies, however this is an issue we are still looking into in."

The New York Times reported Saturday the IAEA has tentatively concluded Iran has the know-how⁵ to design and build a nuclear weapon.

That report, plus the revelation last month of the nuclear plant near Qom, has sharpened international focus on the Iranian program.

Even with the new concerns, ElBaradei, whose soon-to-end tenure⁶ at the IAEA has been marked by moderation, welcomed the changed tenor⁷ of dialogue between the international community and Iran.

"I have been saying for a number of years that we need transparency on the part of Iran; we need cooperation on the part of the international community," ElBaradei said. "So, I see we are at a critical moment. I see we are shifting gears from confrontation⁸ into transparency and cooperation."

Negotiations⁹ between Iran and other nations have picked up recently, with talks last week in Geneva, and more, announced Sunday, set for October 19 in Vienna.

Officials say the Vienna talks will focus on possibly sending Iran's uranium overseas for enrichment. Third party processing could ensure the material is enriched only to the point needed for civilian¹⁰ purposes, and below the level called for in nuclear weapons. 

1 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

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 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

5 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

6 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

7 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

8 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。