VOA常速英语:Are Millennium Development Goals Just a First Step?

短语讲解：

1. It set the stage for the Millennium Development Goals, which are due to be achieved in 2015.

set the stage for为…做准备；使…可能；促成
例句：They've set the stage for a protracted struggle.
他们已作好长期争斗的准备。
due to预定, 预期
例句：The boat is due to arrive at 12.
船预计在12点到。

2. There’s a debate that’s brewing about what happens after 2015 when these targets come to their natural end.

come to到达; 达成
例句：After much talk they came to an agreement.
经过多次商谈, 他们达成了协议。

3. We wanted to ask, had the goals led to greater mobilization of resources, so more money for development.

lead to导致, 引起
例句：An ordinary cold can soon lead to a fever.
一场普通的感冒很快便会引起高烧。

4. And we wanted to see if they actually led to changes in policy and changes in outcome in terms of has poverty reduction been faster over the last 10 years compared to previous periods.

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。
compare to与…相比
例句：The writer was compared to Shakespeare.
把这个作家与莎士比亚进行了比较。

5. Actually, the MDGs themselves, these U.N. goals, were never signed up to by heads of state.

sign up跟…签订合同
例句：They manage to sign up all the best performers.
他们设法跟所有最佳演员签订合同。

6. What was signed by heads of state was a declaration called the Millennium Declaration in 2000, which the targets were then drawn out of.

draw out诱发, 引出, 暴露(某事物)
例句：The teacher helped to draw out the meaning of the poem.
老师帮学生解出了这首诗的含意。

7. And maybe that’s a question to put forward if there’s another set of international goals on reducing poverty

put forward提出
例句：He put forward a plan for the committee to consider.
他提出一项计划交由全体委员审议。

8. But judging their effectiveness can depend on whether you take a broad or narrow view.

depend on随…而定; 取决于
例句：Whether the game will be played depends on the weather.
比赛是否举行要看天气而定。

9. It comes down to how you judge these things and of course that was never clear at the outset

come down to归结起来(为…)
例句：Their quarrel comes down to money.
他们的吵架说到底是为钱。