VOA标准英语2009年-Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi Pitches His

By Elizabeth Lee
Washington
23 September 2009
 
 
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi addresses the general debate of the 64th session of the U.N. General Assembly, in New York, 23 Sep 2009
Libyan leader is in New York and spoke¹ at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. This is his first visit to the United Sates since he siezed power 40 years ago, but he is getting a cold reception. He's having a tough time finding a place to pitch his tent. Before arriving in the US, the Libyan government prepared to pitch the tent in a New Jersey² town but faced overwhelming opposition³ there. Most recently, Mr. Gadhafi pitched his reception tent in the town of Bedford, New York but now an official there says it has come down.

Bedford is an affluent⁴ town almost 80 kilometers north of New York city.

American celebrities⁵ like Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren live nearby.

Now, another big name, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, is making news here. Mr. Gadhafi pitched his tent on Donald Trump⁶'s property in Bedford and caused a stir.

It was not a camping tent, but a ceremonial tent for receiving guests.

"As long as it doesn't affect the rest of the town it's, you know, OK with me," said Marie Domiano, a Bedford resident.

But officials in the town expressed outrage⁷.

The town issued a "stop work" order on the tent, claiming legal permits were not obtained.

 
Ariel view of tent in New York set up to be used by Moammar Gadhafi
Town attorney Joel Sachs said he was just enforcing the law. "I think this entire situation came as a total surprise to the town," he said.

The Trump Organization says the property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern partners who may or may not have a relationship to Mr. Gadhafi.

A company spokesman said Trump asked the tenant⁸ occupying the property to remove the tent, and the tenant complied.

The Libyans first asked permission to pitch the tent in New York's Central Park, but that was denied. Mr. Gadhafi then tried the New Jersey suburb of Englewood, where Libya owns an estate. Earlier this month, the mayor's response was hostile.

"I don't want him on U.S. soil, and I don't want him sleeping in my city," said Englewood mayor Michael Wildes.

Many Americans are angry at Mr. Gadhafi's welcome home of the only person convicted in the 1988 Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was released by Scottish authorities on compassionate⁹ grounds because he has terminal cancer.

Thirty-eight of the 270 people who died in Lockerbie came from New Jersey.

A judge ordered crews in Englewood to stop renovations outside the building, saying they violated building regulations. Mr. Gadhafi then chose Bedford.

The Libyan government has not commented on the most recent dispute.

Mr. Gadhafi may now have to pitch his tent somewhere else, if he insists on a tent.

 

1 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。

2 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

5 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

6 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

7 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

8 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

9 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。