News Item5

美國特使開啟中東和平新進程

News Background

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

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?shù)豰ission n.

任務詞匯加油站

 Listening Comprehension聽力理解

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insist on doing sth.的意思是“堅持做……”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引導的句子“since U.S.

President...a year ago”做整個句子的時間狀語。