VOA标准英语2018--Pence on Border Crisis

 

The United States is facing a crisis of illegal immigration on its southern border, said Vice¹ President Mike Pence during a recent speech in Guatemala. The majority of migrants are coming from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Since the start of this year, more than 150,000 people have left these Central American countries and made the often dangerous journey to the southern border of the United States, hoping to enter illegally.

The Vice President noted² that many “are making the journey seeking economic opportunity, driven by the misguided belief that they can ignore the laws of the United States and enter our nation without consequences.”

The United States will continue to welcome legal immigration, affirmed Vice President Pence. In the last year alone, the United States welcomed more than 1.1 million legal immigrants, including nearly 50,000 legal immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

But as President Trump³ has said, "If you don't have borders, then you don't have a country." That's why the U.S. government is enhancing border enforcement and increasing prosecutions⁴. Construction of a new southern border wall is also underway. At the same time, President Trump has acted to keep families together while the U.S. enforces its laws and secures the border.

Vice President Pence urged the leaders of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to do their part to stop the flow of illegal immigration by cracking down on human trafficking, fighting corruption⁵ and gang violence, strengthening their borders, increasing economic opportunities, and creating jobs.

Vice President Pence spoke⁶ directly to the people of Central America saying: “You are our neighbors. We want you and your nations to prosper⁷. If you want to come to the United States, come legally, or don't come at all. If someone tells you they can bring you or your children to America outside the law, don't believe them.”

“Don't risk your lives or the lives of your children by coming to the United States on the road run by drug smugglers and human traffickers.”

The United States is determined⁸ to secure its border and end this crisis. As noted by Vice President Pence, with help from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, “we know we'll do just that.”

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 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。

3 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。

4 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 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。

6 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。

7 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。