VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton Pledges Ongoing, High-Level US Engageme

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday pledged an ongoing¹ high-level effort by the Obama administration to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Clinton said U.S. Middle East envoy² George Mitchell, just back from his first trip to the region, will return later this month.
　
Hillary Clinton

The dispatch of former Senator Mitchell to the Middle East was the first major foreign policy action by the new administration, and Clinton and Mitchell are promising³ the U.S. mediation⁴ effort will be serious and sustained.

Mitchell Mideast trip billed as 'listening tour'

The Secretary met Mitchell only hours after his return from the region and both spoke⁵ to reporters to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to the peace process. Mitchell said all those with whom he met expressed gratitude⁶ for President Obama's prompt action in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which he described as difficult, but not insoluble.
　
U.S. Middle East envoy, George Mitchell

"The situation is obviously complex and difficult. And there are no easy or risk-free courses of action," Mitchell noted⁷. "But I am convinced, after a week there, that my original assessment⁸ that with patient, determined⁹ and persevering¹⁰ diplomacy¹¹, we can help to make a difference and that we can assist those in the region achieve the peace and stability that people on all sides long for."

Mitchell met with leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority and also visited Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia on the week-long mission that was billed as listening tour, but was also aimed at reinforcing the new cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The truce¹² continues to be marred¹³ by occasional rocket fire into Israel from Gaza. In her remarks, Secretary Clinton said the Obama administration is committed to working with all of those who will act in good faith to resolve the problems of the region.

Clinton: Hamas must renounce¹⁴ violence

But under questioning she said there will be no engagement with Hamas until it renounces¹⁵ violence, recognizes Israel, and agrees to abide¹⁶ by prior agreements by the Palestinian Authority.

"Hamas knows that it must stop the rocket fire into Israel. There were rockets yesterday. There were rockets this morning. And it is very difficult to ask any nation to do anything other than defend itself in the wake of that kind of consistent attack," Clinton said. "So that is not new news, you know what our position is. It is something that the President has set forth¹⁷. We are not able to look into the future to see whether there will be changes on the part of Hamas that would meet our conditions. But certainly that would be a clear path for them to follow."

Clinton commended Egypt for its role in helping¹⁸ negotiate the cease-fire and said Mitchell returned with ideas for how to better mobilize humanitarian¹⁹ relief for Gaza. She said an independent and viable²⁰ Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza - alongside Israel - remains²¹ the goal of U.S. policy.

Mitchell, who as a U.S. envoy played a key role in the 1990's peace process in Northern Ireland, said he will return to the Middle East in a couple of weeks and that he plans to establish a regular and sustained presence in the region.

1 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。

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 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

5 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。

6 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 persevering   

a.坚忍不拔的

参考例句：

• They will only triumph by persevering in their struggle against natural calamities. 他们只有坚持与自然灾害搏斗，才能取得胜利。
• Success belongs to the persevering. 胜利属于不屈不挠的人。

11 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。

12 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

13 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

14 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

15 renounces   

v.声明放弃( renounce的第三人称单数 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores. 日本放弃对福尔摩沙（台湾）及澎湖的一切权利，主张（名称）及所有权。 来自互联网
• He renounces Christianity, temporarily straining his relationship with his parents. 他放弃了基督教信仰，从而与父母的关系暂时变得紧张。 来自互联网

16 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

17 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

18 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。

19 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。

20 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

21 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。