VOA常速英语:American Cowboys Bring Beef Cows to Russia

短语讲解：

1. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russians ate most of their beef cows as the system of reproduction broke down. 

break down失败, 破产
例句：Our plans have broken down.
我们的计划失败了。

2. Right now, Russia's beef herd is less than one percent the size of the American herd, despite - as Stevenson points out - the country's abundant land and water.

right now此刻, 目前
例句：I have no time right now to discuss your problems.
此刻我没有时间讨论你的问题。
point out指出; 把注意力引向…
例句：He pointed out that there was little chance of success.
他指出很少有成功的机会。

3. "[There is a] tremendous opportunity in this country in terms of the vast resources," noted Stevenson.  "

in terms of 就…而言, 从…方面说来
例句：He thought of everything in terms of money.
他是从钱的角度来看每一件事。

4. Stevenson, along with two Russian businessmen, has set up a ranch with the goal of establishing a commercial beef herd in southern Russia.

set up建立，建造, 创立, 竖立
例句：Plenty of foreign firms have set up factories here.
很多外国公司已在这里开办工厂。

5. Stevenson says Russia's long term goal is to achieve self sufficiency in meat production - pork, chicken and beef.

self sufficiency自给自足
例句：The programme aims to provide self sufficiency for local needs.
这项计划旨在使当地能自给自足。

6. Viktor Korovkin grew up near here and saw a string of outsiders come and strip assets from the village's old collective farm.

a string of一串的，一系列，一批，一群
例句：Far down the bay a string of ducks went by, etched against the sunrise. 
海湾远处一群野鸭正在日出的衬托下飞过。

7. He says the American ranching technology is more modern than the Russian technology he is familiar with.

be familiar with熟悉
例句：I am not very familiar with European history.
我对欧洲历史不太熟悉。

8. She says Russians are used to working with dairy cattle confined in barns, not beef cattle on the open range.

be used to习惯于
例句：I am used to the cold weather here . 
我习惯了这里的寒冷天气。

9. With plenty of cheap land and a longer growing season than much of American cattle country, Ekaterina believes many more Russians will soon be riding the range.

growing season生长季节;生育期
例句：They kept a careful watch over the vineyard throughout the growing season.在整个生长季节， 他们都认真地守着葡萄园。