VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Addresses Clinton Global Initiative

By Paula Wolfson
White House
23 September 2009

 
President Barack Obama speaks at the Clinton Global Initiative 2009 Annual Meeting in New York, 22 Sep 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on leaders from all sorts of backgrounds to come together to tackle worldwide problems. Mr. Obama says it is time for a new spirit of partnership¹.

The comments came in a rather philosophical² address to the Clinton Global Initiative.  It is a forum³ set up by former President Bill Clinton to encourage leaders from government, business, academia and other fields to join forces to deal with global challenges.

President Obama left no doubt he believes in their cause.

"If you want to bring about change in the world, you can't just be an advocate of somebody else doing it," said President Obama. "You can't just preach lofty goals and wait for somebody else to act. You have to step up. You have to serve."

He said groups like the Clinton Global Initiative are making a difference around the world by working with business to cut dangerous emissions⁴, empowering entrepreneurs with micro-loans, and giving hope to some of the world's poorest children.

"That is the meaning of service," said Mr. Obama. "That is the difference we can make when we remember our common humanity, when we embrace our common responsibilities, when we recognize our common destiny."

President Obama lavished⁵ praise on his Democratic Party predecessor⁶ at the White House. He said the Clinton Global Initiative has had an impact on more than 200 million people in more than 150 countries.

Mr. Obama said such a contribution is always welcome, but more so now.

"As hard as it may be to sustain in these economic times, your commitments have never been more needed, they have never been more inspiring," he said.

The Clinton Global Initiative also heard from the prime ministers of Turkey, Australia and the Netherlands, and the presidents of Argentina and Chile. The heads of two major international firms - Walmart and Coca-Cola - also took part in the group's annual meeting in New York City.

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

5 lavished   

v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I lavished all the warmth of my pent-up passion. 我把憋在心里那一股热烈的情感尽量地倾吐出来。 来自辞典例句
• An enormous amount of attention has been lavished on these problems. 在这些问题上，我们已经花费了大量的注意力。 来自辞典例句

6 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。