VOA标准英语2013--Obama, Burmese President to Discuss Reform Progress, Challenges

 

Obama, Burmese President to Discuss Reform Progress, Challenges

November 2012. Barack Obama becomes the first serving U.S. president to visit Burma. He meets with President Thein Sein, who has led a bold but cautious reform process since 2011 after decades of military rule.

 Obama also meets with Aung San Suu Kyi who had visited the White House a few months before.

Now, Thein Sein reciprocates¹ - the first Burmese president to visit the White House in nearly 50 years.

Retired² diplomat³ Priscilla Clapp, chief of mission in Rangoon from 1999 to 2002, calls Thein Sein's visit “a piece of history.”

"There has been only one other occasion when the head of state from Burma at that time, Myanmar now, visited here and this was Ne Win in 1966,” she said.

After decades of political upheaval⁴ in Burma, the Obama administration continues to press for more progress on human rights and political and economic reforms.

Aung Din⁵ is a former political prisoner in Burma. Now living in the United States, he continues to advocate for full democracy.

“They [the U.S.] believe their best option for further improvement in Burma is to continue to engage with President Thein Sein and to continue to encourage him to do more.”

The ability of Burma’s government to fully⁶ resolve ongoing⁷ ethnic⁸ tensions and religious violence will have a major bearing on success.

Retired diplomat Clapp identifies two other keys to stable democracy and a free market economy.

“Dealing with corruption⁹ and instituting transparency everywhere, not only in government but in the economic system.  The biggest problem right now is that everything is opaque¹⁰ and that is just a ready-made situation for corruption of the worst sort, and they recognize it,” she said.

Aung San Suu Kyi spoke¹¹ about the reform process last year. 

"The most difficult time in any transition is when we think that success is in sight. Then we have to be very careful that we are not lured¹² by a mirage¹³ of success,” said Suu Kyi.

Ahead of the Thein Sein visit, the Burmese government released some political prisoners. 

Activist¹⁴ Aung Din is hopeful for the future of his country but urges Obama to press for full unconditional¹⁵ release of all political prisoners.

“I believe that on this visit Obama will take the opportunity to press President Thein Sein more and more to move forward with significant results, significant outcomes,” said Aung Din.

The White House says Thein Sein's visit underscores Obama's commitment to supporting and assisting governments that embrace reform and helping¹⁶ Burma's people realize the full potential of their country. 

1 reciprocates   

n.报答，酬答( reciprocate的名词复数 )；（机器的部件）直线往复运动v.报答，酬答( reciprocate的第三人称单数 )；（机器的部件）直线往复运动

参考例句：

• The engine reciprocates the propeller. 引擎往复推动螺旋桨。 来自互联网
• Terry intuitively reciprocates and becomes frustrated and conflicted by his decidedly unprofessional feelings for her. 特里也直觉地感到了这一点，而且为自己这种显然非职业的情感感到沮丧和矛盾。 来自互联网

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

5 din   

n.喧闹声，嘈杂声

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 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。

8 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。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 opaque   

adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的

参考例句：

• The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。
• Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。

11 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。

12 lured   

吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车，但又设法逃掉了。
• Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下，继续奋力向前。

13 mirage   

n.海市蜃楼，幻景

参考例句：

• Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。
• Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。

14 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

15 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

16 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。