和谐英语

VOA常速英语:Britain Prepares for Historic EU Vote

2016-06-23来源:VOA
These are uncertain times in a nation whose economy is the second largest in the European Union. The stakes are huge.
作为欧盟第二经济大国的英国如今境况难测,危险重重。

There are warnings that leaving the 28-member bloc may cause the British pound to lose 15 percent of its value and bring the resignation of David Cameron, the country’s prime minister, whose mandate depends on whether Britain listens to him and votes to remain.
有人担心,英国退欧之举会让英镑贬值15%,也会让英国首相卡梅伦引咎辞职,因为只有英国留在欧盟才能让卡梅伦继任。如果我们选择离开,我们就能离开。

“If we choose to leave, we can leave. But let us be clear - if we do leave, that is it. We are walking out the door,” said Cameron.
但需要清楚的一点是:如果我们真的离开,那就是永远地离开了。就是走出欧盟的大门了。

For such an important election, many voters complain there has been too little solid information to make a decision and too much scaremongering, and grandstanding by both sides. Flotillas of the “Leave” and “Remain” camps recently faced off on the River Thames.
很多选民抱怨,一场意义如此重大的公投,却只有少得可怜的确凿信息可供他们做出决定。反之,公投的两种阵营却有太多的危言耸听和虚张声势。 “退欧”阵营和“留欧”阵营最近在泰晤士河上针锋相对。

For months, the Leave campaign has been hitting the streets. Its arguments are based largely on immigration, and the belief that Britain has handed control of its borders to a European super state.
最近几个月来,“退欧”阵营一直都在英国的大街小巷大造声势。他们的论调主要基于移民,认为英国已经将其边界控制权交给了欧洲另一个超级强国。

“The U.K. has lost control over migration. We have to accept anyone into this country if they have an EU passport, no matter if they have a criminal record or not. We are not allowed to say ‘no’ to people and that is damaging for the security of the U.K., but it is also putting pressure on jobs and opportunities for young people,” said Tom Harwood, a Brexit campaigner.
英国已经失去移民控制权了。只要有欧盟护照就可以进入英国,无论护照持有者是否有犯罪历史。即便凭借护照进入英国国境的人可能会对英国的安全造成威胁,但依然不能拒绝。同时,这种情况对于年轻人的就业也会造成压力。

The murder of Jo Cox, an anti-Brexit, pro-immigrant lawmaker allegedly by a far right extremist with a history of mental problems had a sobering effect on both campaigns, and on voters.
因精神问题而有谋杀记录的极右派乔考克斯如今是一位支持移民的立法者,他反对退欧。在此他向两个阵营和选民提出了一种冷静的观点。

“There has been a lot of bad feeling because of the way both the Leave campaign, the Brexiters, and the Remain campaign have acted,” said Mary White, a British voter.
我认为,两个阵营的表现都有不当之处。

Polls since the June 16th murder showed the Leave camp losing ground, but with both sides still very close on a referendum that many believe could change the course of European history.
虽然6月16日之后的投票情况显示退欧阵营处于不利情况,但目前两方的公投票比依然不分伯仲,因此很多人依然认为,欧洲的历史可能确将有重大转变。