2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Focuses on Africa in G8 Lead-Up

By Paula Wolfson
White House
31 May 2007

President Bush is focusing on U.S. aid to Africa in the days leading up to the Group of Eight Summit in Germany. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House.

awareness1 pin on his lapel as he speaks about the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), 30 May 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070608/1037540.jpg" width="142" vspace="2" border="0" />

President Bush wears an AIDS awareness pin on his lapel as he speaks about the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), 30 May 2007

One day after urging a major increase in a U.S. program to fight AIDS, the president announced a new initiative to help African entrepreneurs.

In a speech to a coalition² of groups concerned with international development, Mr. Bush said the United States will provide technical assistance to help African nations strengthen their financial markets. He said the goal is to create new private equity³ funds that will mobilize up to a billion dollars of additional private investment in Africa.

"It's in our interest that we help provide capital to African entrepreneurs," he said. "We want them to find access to capital, and we want them to have access to markets because we want to improve their lives."

President Bush also said he wants to make more money available for education programs in Africa and elsewhere. He said he is asking Congress to provide an additional $525 million over the next five years to bolster⁴ existing programs.

"And the goal is to provide basic education for four million additional children on the continent of Africa and across the globe," he said.

On Wednesday, Mr. Bush urged the U.S. Congress to take a major step in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

Next year, the mandate⁵ for the current five-year American program to combat AIDS abroad will expire. The president said he wants Congress to extend the program for another five years and to double the funding from $15 billion for five years to $30 billion.

1 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

4 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

5 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。