VOA标准英语2009年-US Officials Upbeat on Energy Cooperation

Two high-ranking U.S. officials say several days of meetings with Chinese leaders on energy cooperation have been "successful" and "productive."
　
Energy Secretary Stephen Chu, Beijing, 15 July 2009

U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu said the purpose of his trip to China was to convey the urgency of the problem - namely a growing worldwide demand for energy, which in turn has caused faster than predicted global warming.

"I have come away with a sense that China is committed to reducing its energy intensity¹, reducing its growth in the use of energy, and reducing its carbon footprint, as is the United States," Chu said.

He was joined in Beijing by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who stressed that China and the United States, the two largest carbon emitters, have an urgent responsibility to work together to try to mitigate² the problem.

"And it is my hope that China can set the new world standard for all the developing countries and the United States can set the new standard for developed countries and that together, we can work with mutual³ cooperation and respect, and help save the planet from this impending⁴ catastrophe," Locke said.
　
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Beijing, 15 July 2009

The two U.S. officials Thursday toured an American-made, solar-powered house in the suburbs of Beijing. The highlight of the day was a meeting with Chinese Premier⁵ Wen Jiabao, an encounter Chu called "encouraging" and "impressive."

Besides energy cooperation, Locke said he raised other, more contentious⁶, issues in some of his meetings with officials from China's Ministry⁷ of Commerce and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

These issues include the recent controversy⁸ over China's delayed requirement that all computers include an Internet-filtering software known as Green Dam Youth Escort. Another issue was a trade dispute over poultry⁹ imports.

Locke says he has also conveyed the U.S. government's concerns over China's recent detentions¹⁰ of four employees of Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, on allegations they bribed¹¹ Chinese officials.

Locke and Chu are both Chinese-Americans, and this issue also came up during the news conference at the end of their trip. Locke stressed that he is, first and foremost, an American.

"I am proud of my Chinese heritage and the contributions of China over thousands of years, but I am 100 percent American, proud of what America stands for, the land of freedom, hope and opportunity," Locke said.

Chu said he is not sure whether being ethnically¹³ Chinese hurts or helps in his efforts to forge agreements with the Chinese government. But he said showing greater understanding of and compassion¹⁴ for the other side - regardless of ethnic¹² background - is the best way to foster greater collaboration¹⁵.

1 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

2 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

3 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

4 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

5 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

6 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

9 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

10 detentions   

拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校

参考例句：

• Teachers may assign detention tasks as they wish and some detentions have been actually dangerous. 老师可能随心所欲指派关禁闭的形式，有些禁闭事实上很危险。
• Intimidation, beatings and administrative detentions are often enough to prevent them from trying again. 恐吓，拷打和行政拘留足以阻止请愿者二次进京的脚步。

11 bribed   

v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• They bribed him with costly presents. 他们用贵重的礼物贿赂他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He bribed himself onto the committee. 他暗通关节，钻营投机挤进了委员会。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

13 ethnically   

adv.人种上，民族上

参考例句：

• Ethnically, the Yuan Empire comprised most of modern China's ethnic groups. 元朝的民族成分包括现今中国绝大多数民族。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• Russia is ethnically relatively homogeneous. 俄罗斯是个民族成分相对单一的国家。 来自辞典例句

14 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

15 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。