菲德尔·卡斯特罗拒绝奥巴马的建议
时间：2018-12-08 作者：英语课 分类：2016年VOA慢速英语(三)月
AS IT IS 2016-03-31 Fidel Castro Rejects Obama’s Advice 菲德尔·卡斯特罗拒绝奥巴马的建议
Former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has rejected President Barack Obama’s efforts to improve relations between the two countries.
Castro wrote a column in state-run media, saying, “We do not need the empire to give us any presents.”
Castro is 89 years old. He turned over control of the communist island nation to his brother Raul in 2008. Raul is now 84.
Fidel Castro was not seen during Obama’s recent three-day visit to Cuba. It was the first visit to that island nation by an American president still in office in almost 90 years.
In Havana, Obama said more than 50 years of hostility 1 between the countries had ended. He said “it is time now for us to leave the past behind.”
But earlier this week, in a column called “Brother Obama,” Castro wrote: “I imagine that any one of us ran the risk of having a heart attack on hearing these words from the president of the United States.”
Castro wrote about exiled Cubans, or those who fled the island when Castro took power in 1959. A group of those exiles were trained by the U.S., returned to Cuba in 1961, and attempted to overthrow 2 Castro. But the overthrow attempt – called the Bay of Pigs operation -- failed, deeply embarrassing President John F. Kennedy.
Cuba is 145 kilometers south of the United States. There is a U.S. naval 3 base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Terrorists suspected of acting 4 against the U.S. are held there.
The two countries have reopened embassies in Washington and Havana, but a U.S. trade embargo 5 remains 6 in place. Obama has improved economic relations between the two countries.
More than 50 years ago, Castro seized American businesses on the island. By the end of this year, U.S. airlines will begin up to 110 flights to Cuba every day. And some American businesses are beginning to operate in Cuba.
Fidel Castro seemed angry about the renewed business relations. He wrote: “No one should pretend that the people of this noble and selfless country will renounce 7 its glory and its rights. We are capable of producing the food and material wealth that we need with work and intelligence of our people.”
Castro suggested that Obama not try "to develop theories about Cuban politics.”
Presidential spokesman Josh Earnest said, “The fact that the former president felt compelled to respond so forcefully to the president's visit, I think, is an indication of the significant impact of President Obama's visit to Cuba.”
Words in This Story
column - n. a commentary or opinion piece in a newspaper
pretend - v. to act if something is true when it is untrue
compelled - v. forced to do something
respond - v. to say or write something in answer to something else
indication - n. a sign or evidence of something
- There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
- His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。
- 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。
- He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
- The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。
- Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
- During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
- This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
- During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。