VOA标准英语2010年-Cautious Optimism One Year after Obama

"For sure his efforts are applauded but it is expected from him to work harder even though they know that the odds¹ are against his efforts..." —Moataz Fattah, Cairo University

Opinion polls have shown that President Barack Obama's widely-publicized speech in Cairo last June calling for improved U.S. relations with the Muslim world raised public expectations for such an outcome.

But nearly one year after the speech, those public hopes could turn into disappointment - especially with regard to Middle East peace - unless the Obama Administration begins delivering on some of its Cairo promises.

That's the view of scholars at a recent symposium² at the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy in Washington, D.C.

One year later

The center's symposium was called U.S. Relations with the Muslim World: One Year after Cairo. Its goal was to evaluate the current state of that relationship, and discuss the most effective ways President Obama can fulfill³ his Cairo promises.

On June 4, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis/file)

Steven Kull, director of the center's Program on International Policy Attitudes, noted⁴ there has been some improvement in how Muslims view the U.S. since President Obama took office.

But he said there is still a lot of anger towards America, especially regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"There is always an interest in the U.S. changing its policies relative to Israel and putting more pressure on Israel." said Kull. "But in the broader sense, they are looking for the U.S. to play a less dominating role."

Even in a country as far from the Middle East as Nigeria, solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems to be the number one promise Muslims in the west African state think President Obama should fulfill. 

Chloe Berwind-Dart, director-general of the Nigerian development group Cherish

Foundation, says the Israel-Palestine conflict represents an open wound for the Muslim majority in Nigeria.

'Open wound'

Chloe Berwind-Dart is director-general of the Nigerian development group Cherish Foundation.

"So long as that crisis continues to burn and we have not yet reached the two-state solution with self determination for everyone involved, that will continue to be a huge point of tension."

Berwind-Dart said this conflict represents an open wound for the Muslim majority in Nigeria, where there is a realization⁵ that Obama's good intentions alone are not enough to deliver a two-state solution.

As the U.S. State Department's Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Farah Pandith has spoken with Muslims around the world.

In virtually all those conversations, she told the conference, people called the Israeli-Palestinian conflict their primary concern. While she acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a two-state solution to that long-running divide, Pandith said that has been a priority for the Obama administration from the very beginning.

Farah Pandith is the U.S. State Department's Special Representative to Muslim Communities.

US dedication⁶

"The dedication of the president and the secretary of state on the Israel-Palestinians issue is very important, we have an envoy⁷ to the Middle East who is dedicated⁸ to this issue 24/7 and certainly we all heard the commitment from the president from day one on the Issue," said Pandith.

The knowledge that President Obama is personally backing efforts to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resonating with young people in the Arab world.

Moataz Fattah, a political science professor at Cairo University, said his survey of America's image among Arab youth shows that the younger generation sees good prospects⁹ for improving U.S relations with the Muslim world.

Cairo University Professor Moataz Fattah's survey of America's image among Arab youth found they're optimistic about improving U.S relations with the Muslim world.

"For sure his efforts are applauded," said Fattah, "but it is expected from him to work harder even though they know that the odds are against his efforts - especially with Netanyahu's emphasis on continuing to build the settlements."

Other scholars at the conference said one year  is too soon to expect results. They suggest that real changes in U.S. policy in the Middle East could take place toward the end of Obama's first term or during his second term - if he is re-elected president.
 

1 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

2 symposium   

n.讨论会，专题报告会；专题论文集

参考例句：

• What have you learned from the symposium?你参加了这次科学讨论会有什么体会？
• The specialists and scholars present at the symposium come from all corners of the country.出席研讨会的专家学者们来自全国各地。

3 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

4 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。

5 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

6 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

7 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。

8 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

9 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。