VOA慢速英语2015 美国参议员兰德保罗参与总统竞选

U.S. Senator Rand Paul Announces Presidential Campaign 美国参议员兰德保罗参与总统竞选

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has become the second major candidate to seek the Republican Party presidential nomination¹. The senator announced his candidacy Tuesday in Louisville.

肯塔基州参议员兰德·保罗成为第二位争取共和党总统提名的主要候选人，这位参议员周二在路易斯维尔宣布自己将参与竞选。

Mr. Paul is a first-term senator who was elected in 2010. His popularity grew in 2013 after he spoke² in the Senate about his opposition³ to the U.S. use of drones to target terrorists. The 13-hour talk, called a filibuster⁴, delayed a vote on President Obama’s choice for director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

保罗目前是第一任参议员，于2010年获得当选。2013年他在参议院发表讲话，表示反对美国使用无人机来对付恐怖分子，自此他的人气开始上升。这次历时13小时的辩论也叫阻饶议事，推迟了就奥巴马总统选择中情局主任的投票。

Turkish President in Iran despite regional tensions

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Iran. He met Tuesday with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme⁵ leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

土耳其总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安目前在伊朗，周二他会见了伊朗总统哈桑·鲁哈尼和最高领袖阿亚图拉-阿里-哈梅内伊。

Turkey and Iran have strong economic ties. But conflicts in Syria and Yemen have caused tensions between the two countries. Some Iranian lawmakers had called for Mr. Erdogan’s visit to be canceled after he publicly supported the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen against Iran-supported Houthi Shi'ite rebels.

土耳其和伊朗有着密切的经济联系，但叙利亚和也门的冲突导致两国关系紧张。一些伊朗议员呼吁取消埃尔多安的来访，因为他公开支持沙特为首的盟军在也门对伊朗支持的胡塞叛军进行空中打击。

Turkey is also a main supporter of rebels fighting to overthrow⁶ Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Iran is Syria's main supporter in the area.

土耳其也是希望推翻叙利亚总统阿萨德的叛军的主要支持者，而伊朗是叙利亚在该地区的主要支持者。

Kenya mourns students lost in Garissa University College killings⁷

Kenyans gathered in Nairobi Tuesday to mourn those killed in last week’s attack at Garissa University College.

周二，肯尼亚人聚集在内罗毕哀悼在上周加里萨大学校园袭击中身亡的遇难者。

The demonstrators gathered at a public park in the city to share stories of the 148 students killed. They also called for greater national security. Organizers asked mourners to dress in black and bring flowers and notes to honor the dead.

游行者聚集在一个公园里分享这148名遇害学生的故事，他们还呼吁加强国家安全，组织者请求哀悼者身穿黑色衣服，并带来鲜花和纸条来纪念死者。

The militant⁸ group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for last Thursday’s attacks. It said it attacked in opposition to Kenya’s involvement in the African Union force fighting militants⁹ in Somalia.

武装组织阿尔沙巴布声称对上周二的袭击负责，称这是为了报复肯尼亚参与非盟打击索马里武装分子的行动。

Many buildings, including White House, lose power in Washington

An explosion at a power factory outside Washington Tuesday may have caused widespread power outages in the city.  Electricity was cut to several federal agencies, including the White House.

周二华盛顿市外一家电厂发生爆炸，导致该市大面积的停电，包括白宫在内的几个联盟机构都断了电。

The blackout began around 12:45 p.m. local time and spread to many buildings around the city, including that housing the Voice of America.

这次断电开始于当地时间中午12：45，该市多个大楼都停了电，包括美国之音大楼在内。

The power company Pepco is reporting continued outages. Local police told the Voice of America that power had been restored to the U.S. Capitol building.

电力公司Pepco声称还将继续停电，当地警方告诉美国之音，美国国会大楼已经恢复了供电。

The U.S. Homeland Security Department said there is "no indication” that the power outages were linked to terrorism.

美国国土安全部称“没有迹象表明”这次断电与恐怖主义有关。

Words in the News

mourn – v. to feel or show great sadness because someone has died

widespread – adj. common over a wide area or among many people

restore – v. to return (something) to an earlier or original condition by repairing it

indication – n. something (such as a sign or signal) that points out or shows something

1 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

2 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。

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 filibuster   

n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠

参考例句：

• A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
• The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

7 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

8 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。