聽遍美國政治新聞--評估美國的備戰(zhàn)狀態(tài)

Calculating America’s Preparedness

If any American doubted the threat of biological【生化的】attack, “Anthrax” 【炭疽】them religion. At the Department for Health and Human Services a new office has been established(1) to deal with public health emergencies(2). Some medicines have been purchased and 3 million dollars has been appropriated(3) to buy other pharmaceuticals【藥物】 to fund research and beef up the public health system. But experts say we aren’t ready yet and may never be. “We need to constantly be looking at where are our vulnerabilities【薄弱環(huán)節(jié)】 and what needs to be done to shore them up. It would be naive【天真】 and wishful thinking that we will some day achieve(4) a state of full preparedness.”With the saran【沙林】gas attack on the Tokyo subway system in 1995, preparations for a chemical attack were put in high gear. First responders were equipped(5) and trained and those preparations have intensified(6) Since September 11th . Our readiness-a mixed picture. “I don’t think you can give a blanket 【綜合的】statement to say ‘our-is the nation ready?”.I think it very much depends on where and what kind of attack with what particular agent and then how many casualties(7) would be involved.”

Radiological【放射的】attack was the fear during the cold war. Then the U.S. was ready, is it Now? “I think we used to be more prepared and I think by the time September 11th came many of the federal capabilities(8)to respond to radiological emergencies had decayed(9) or degenerated(10) .”Since September 11th nuclear response teams have been deployed(11) around the country, radiation detection【探測】gear is being used more and research into new detection and response technology is picking up. Rome wasn’t built in a day and a nation cannot be secured in a matter of months. But if the threat from weapons of mass destruction, it is as great as president Bush made it sound in his speech, experts say we have reason to be concerned, because we’re not as prepared as we could be, not yet. Jean Meserve, CNN Washington.


聽音瓶頸詞匯

1. establish []v.建立
2. emergency []n.緊急情況
3. appropriate[]v.?？畎斡?
4. achieve []v.取得
5. equip[]v.配備
6. intensify []v.加強
7. casualty[]n.傷亡
8. capability []]n.能力
9. decay []v.腐爛；衰減
10. degenerate []v.退化
11. deploy []v.部署

聽音高級短語

beef up 加強
shore up 鞏固
in high gear 搭上高速齒輪；以高速檔
depend on 依靠
used to 過去經(jīng)常
pick up 采納；完善
Rome wasn’t built in a day 羅馬非一日建成

聽音超級句型

We need to constantly be looking at where are our vulnerabilities and what needs to be done to shore them up.
我們需要不斷地去發(fā)現(xiàn)我們?nèi)菀资芄舻谋∪醐h(huán)節(jié)，以及采取措施去鞏固它們。

I don’t think you can give a blanket statement to say...
我想你不能夠籠統(tǒng)的說…

Rome wasn’t built in a day and a nation cannot be secured in a matter of months.
“羅馬非一日建成”，一個國家的安全網(wǎng)也不能在短短幾個月內(nèi)建好。