VOA常速英语:Clinton Criticizes Syria’s Assad in Mideast Democracy Speech

词汇讲解：

1. violate vt.违反, 违背；亵渎；侵犯, 妨碍
例句：The country violates the international agreements.
那个国家违背了国际协议。

2. reservation n. 保留意见; 保留态度
例句：I have my reservations about his ability to do the job.
我对于他做该项工作的能力保留看法。

3. affirm v. 断言; 证实;肯定属实；申明
例句：They affirmed to the facts.
他们证明这些是事实。

4. concede v. 承认
例句：I conceded that I had made a mistake.
我承认我犯了一个错误。

5. recognize vt. 承认(事实);认清
例句：I recognized that I had made a mistake.
我认识到自己犯了一个错误。

6. refusal n. 拒绝
例句：The plan was doomed to fail by their refusal to give it any financial support.
由于他们拒绝给予任何资助, 该计划注定要失败。

7. sharp adj. 苛刻的;严厉的;易怒的
例句：She's got a sharp tongue.
她说话很刻薄。

8. spurn vt. 一脚踢开;拒绝接受
例句：They spurn all our offers of help.
他们拒绝接受我们提出的一切援助。

9. provision n. 供应, 提供, 供给; 规定, 条款, 条件
例句：The government is responsible for the provision of education for all the children.
政府有责任向所有儿童提供教育。

10. castigate vt.严厉责骂、批评或惩罚(某人)
例句：The film mercilessly castigates the old society.
影片对旧社会进行了无情的鞭挞。

11. upheaval n. 动乱;激变;剧变
例句：Mass unemployment may lead to social upheaval.
大批失业会导致社会动乱。