VOA慢速英语:Gates Says NATO Could Face 'Irrelevance' in the Future

词汇讲解：

1. blunt adj. 耿直的,直率的;直言不讳的
例句：Let me ask a blunt question.
允许我问一个直率的问题。

2. dwindle vi. 逐渐变少或变小
例句：The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling.
地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。

3. appetite n. 欲望，强烈欲望
例句：He was a person of gross sexual appetites.
他是个性欲旺盛的人。

4. capable adj. 有能力的, 有技能的
例句：He is a manager capable of leadership.
他是个富有领导才能的经理。

5. retire v. 退职; 退役; (使)退休
例句：Once people retire they automatically cease to be union members.
人们一旦退休就自动不再是工会会员。

6. lack vt. 缺乏, 缺少, 短缺, 不足
例句：We lack neither food nor clothing today.
如今, 我们不愁吃, 不缺穿。

7. affect vt. 影响
例句：The tax increases have affected us all.
加税已经影响了我们所有的人。

8. sustain vt. 维持
例句：During the war we had just enough food to sustain us.
战争期间, 我们的食物仅够维持生活。

9. budget n. 预算
例句：The work was finished on time and within budget
工作按时完成且未超出预算。

10. spending n. 开销,花费
例句：We must regulate our spending.
我们必须控制我们的开销。

11. withdraw v. (使)撤退[出]; （使）撤回, 撤离
例句：The general decided to withdraw his soldiers.
那位将军决定撤军。