News Item5

美國(guó)特使開(kāi)啟中東和平新進(jìn)程

News Background

新聞背景　　長(zhǎng)期以來(lái)，美國(guó)在中東和平進(jìn)程中所扮演的角色一直相當(dāng)重要，它的態(tài)度往往能決定和平進(jìn)程的走向。奧巴馬政府上任以來(lái)，為在伊斯蘭世界重塑美國(guó)形象，改變前任布什政府在中東問(wèn)題上行動(dòng)不力的狀況，努力將推動(dòng)巴以實(shí)現(xiàn)和平作為改善與伊斯蘭國(guó)家特別是阿拉伯國(guó)家關(guān)系的一個(gè)推手。美國(guó)政府中東問(wèn)題特使米切爾今年以來(lái)數(shù)次訪問(wèn)中東地區(qū)，美國(guó)國(guó)務(wù)卿希拉里??克林頓和美國(guó)前總統(tǒng)卡特也在這一地區(qū)穿梭訪問(wèn)，一方面努力改善美國(guó)與敘利亞、黎巴嫩等阿以沖突直接相關(guān)國(guó)的關(guān)系，另一方面積極做埃及、約旦等能在中東和平進(jìn)程中發(fā)揮作用的國(guó)家的工作，探討為啟動(dòng)巴以和談所必須采取的步驟。這些舉措都表明美國(guó)政府正在為推動(dòng)中東和平進(jìn)程作出切實(shí)努力。

News Transcript VOA 新聞梗概

(U.S. President Barack Obama’s point man in the Middle East is back in the region, trying tojump-start the peace process.)U.S. Envoy George Mitchell is holding separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leadersin a bid to revive deadlocked Middle East peace talks. The Palestinians have refused to return tothe negotiating table until Israel completely freezes Jewish settlement construction and they haverejected Israel’s offer of a partial freeze.

As Mitchell arrived in the region, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mocked thePalestinians for demanding unacceptable preconditions.

“Israel has been trying to get the Palestinians to enter the negotiating tent,” he said. “ThePalestinians have climbed up a tree. And they like it up there. People bringladders to them, we bring ladders to them; the higher the ladder, the higherthey climb.”

Interviewed on Israel Radio, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekatrejected the demand outright.

“It is absolutely unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable, absolutelyunacceptable,” he said. “The borders of the State of Palestine will beJordan; the Jordan Valley is ours, is Palestine. Now why do they insist on beingon our territory?”

This is George Mitchell’s 11th peace mission since U.S. President BarackObama took offi ce a year ago, but he has had little success at bridging the gaps.

region n.

區(qū)域，地區(qū)Palestinian a.

巴基斯坦的deadlocked a.

僵持的negotiating n.

談判reject v.

拒絕precondition n.

先決條件outright ad.

直截了當(dāng)?shù)豰ission n.

任務(wù)詞匯加油站

 Listening Comprehension聽(tīng)力理解

1 This is George Mitchell’s peace mission since U.S.

President Barack Obama took offi ce , but he has hadlittle success at bridging the gaps.

2 U.S. Envoy George Mitchell is holding separate meetings withleaders in a bid to revive deadlocked Middle East peace talks. ( )A. Israeli and PakistanB. Israeli and PalestinianC. Iraq and PalestinianD. Pakistan and Iraq3 Which statement of the following is not right? ( )A. U.S. President Barack Obama’s point man in the Middle East is back in theregion.

B. U.S. Envoy George Mitchell is holding separate meetings with Israeli andPalestinian leaders.

C. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat rejected the demand outrightD. All of the above are wrong1. 11th; a year ago2. B 3. D Key1 The Palestinians have refused to return to the negotiating table until Israel completely freezesJewish settlement construction and they have rejected Israel’s offer of a partial freeze. 短語(yǔ)refuse to do sth.的意思是“拒絕做……”；negotiating table的意思是“談判桌”，注意這里不是negotiate table.

2 Now why do they insist on being on our territory? 短語(yǔ)insist on doing sth.的意思是“堅(jiān)持做……”這是固定搭配。

3 This is George Mitchell’s 11th peace mission since U.S. President Barack Obama took office ayear ago, but he has had little success at bridging the gaps. 其中since引導(dǎo)的句子“since U.S.

President...a year ago”做整個(gè)句子的時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)。