(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION -- American history in VOA Special English. Woodrow Wilson's first year as president showed the American people that they had elected a strong and effective leader. Wilson took office in nineteen thirteen. He moved quickly to fulfill his campaign promises. He won congressional approval for lower import taxes, a new tax on earnings, and restrictions on the power of big companies. These were some of the most important economic reforms the nation had seen in many years. This week in our series, Larry West and Maurice Joyce continue the story of Wilson's administration. Most of Woodrow Wilson's political victories were on national issues. He had little experience with international issues. But foreign events soon began to demand more and more of his time. With all of his successes at home, it is a surprising fact of history that his presidency is remembered best for its foreign policy.
The story of Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy is full of high ideas and political bravery. But it also is a story of fierce struggle and lost hopes. It is a story that begins across America's southern border--in Mexico. At that time, Mexico had been ruled for many years by Porfirio Diaz. As Diaz grew older, his power began to weaken. In nineteen eleven, a revolt broke out. It was led by Francisco Madero, the leader of a land reform movement. Diaz understood he could not win. He resigned and fled the country. Madero declared himself president. However, powerful groups in Mexico opposed him. In a short time, one of his own generals, Victoriano Huerta, arrested him. Madero was murdered soon after Huerta seized power. President Wilson refused to recognize Huerta's government. He believed other forces would rise up against him. Wilson was right. Another revolt began, led by General Venustiano Carranza. Wilson offered aid to Carranza. Carranza rejected the offer. He was afraid of American interference in Mexico. He told Wilson that Mexican troops would do all the fighting. He only wanted guns and ammunition.
American forces did, however, get involved in the conflict. President Wilson learned that a ship from Germany was bringing supplies to the Huerta government. The ship would land at the Mexican port of Vera Cruz. Wilson ordered the United States Navy to seize and occupy the port. The move started a storm of criticism in the United States and throughout Latin America. Many people denounced President Wilson. They called him an imperialist and a fool. They asked: what right did the United States have to interfere in Mexico. Wilson finally stopped American military action in Mexico. He tried to settle the dispute at an international conference at Niagara Falls, Canada. The effort failed. The conference did not produce a settlement. While the diplomats were talking, Carranza's revolutionary forces were fighting. They moved on Mexico City, the capital. President Huerta fled. Carranza formed a new government. The new government began to split apart almost immediately. Another general, Francisco "Pancho" Villa, tried to seize power. He forced Carranza out of Mexico City. Then he formed his own government. President Wilson recognized Villa and his government. Carranza, however, refused to give up. Day by day, his army grew stronger. He forced Villa to retreat. Then President Wilson recognized Carranza's government. Like Carranza, Villa refused to give up. He decided to try to start a war between Mexico and the United States.
Pancho Villa wanted the United States to attack Carranza. Then he would step in to lead Mexican forces in battle. That would make him a hero. With this plan in mind, Pancho Villa attacked an American town across the border in Texas. He killed nineteen persons. President Wilson immediately ordered a large American force to find and punish Villa. At first, Carranza welcomed the move. Villa was his enemy. He wanted him captured. Then Carranza began to fear that the American troops might threaten his government. He demanded the withdrawal of all American soldiers from Mexico. Tensions increased between the two countries. Villa's forces attacked another town in Texas. President Wilson considered asking Congress to declare war. But the crisis cooled down before then. American forces were withdrawn. And the people of Mexico elected a new government. They chose Carranza as president. As President Wilson dealt with the situation in Mexico, trouble began to surface in another part of the world. The crisis was in Europe. Tensions were growing between several groups of nations. They were on the edge of what would become World War One.
The major powers in Europe had been threatening each other for years. But they had not fought for more than forty years. Most Americans believed there would never be another European war. Such a war would be unbelievably destructive. Millions would die. No nation would win. Europe depended on a balance of power to keep the peace. On one side were the central powers -- Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. On the other side were the members of the triple entente -- Britain, France, and Russia. Each side made every effort to win the support of Europe's smaller nations. A number of nations refused to join either side. The neutrals included Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries. This political balance did not prevent the major nations from competing with each other for colonies and economic power. They competed all over the world. In China, in the Middle East, in Africa -- everywhere money could be invested. Competition was especially sharp in the Balkans. This was the area of Europe between the Adriatic and Black Seas.
Many nations claimed special interests in the Balkans. And several Balkan countries were fighting each other. The whole continent seemed ready to explode. The spark that set off the explosion came in the city of Sarajevo. The date was June twenty-eighth, nineteen fourteen. Sarajevo had been taken over by Austria. And the Archduke of Austria -- Ferdinand -- had come for a visit. Ferdinand was expected to become the next emperor of Austria. Seven young extremists from the area decided to assassinate the Archduke to protest Austrian control. One of the extremists threw a bomb at the royal family. The bomb missed its target. But another extremist shot at the group. He killed both the Archduke and the Archduke's wife. The assassinations in Sarajevo started a series of events that quickly brought war to all of Europe. Soon the continent was covered with armies, battles, and death. The war in Europe forced President Wilson to face the greatest crisis of his presidency. That will be our story next week.
重点解析
1.take office 上任；就任
The new president will take office in january.
新总统将于1月就职。
2.be full of 充满了；装满
I'm sure this team must be full of gaiety.
我相信这个集体一定是充满了快乐。
3.try to 设法；试图
We will try to reform him within the community.
我们将尽力在社区内部对他进行改造。
4.each other 互相；相互
They support each other in their work.
他们在工作中互相支持。
参考译文
欢迎收听VOA慢速英语之建国史话节目。伍德罗·威尔逊就任总统的第一年向美国人民表明，他们选出了一位强有力，又高效的领导人。威尔逊于1913年就职，他迅速采取行动，履行竞选诺言。他在降低进口税、对收入征收新税以及限制大公司权力方面赢得了国会的批准。这些是美国多年来经历的一些最重要的经济改革。在本周的系列节目中，拉里·韦斯特和莫里斯·乔伊斯将继续讲述威尔逊政府的故事。伍德罗·威尔逊的大部分政治胜利都是在国家问题方面取得的，他对于国际事务几乎没有经验。但外国事件很快开始占据他越来越多的时间。而由于他在国内事务上取得的所有成就，人们对他总统任期印象最深的却是他的外交政策，这在历史上是件令人感到惊讶的事。
有关伍德罗·威尔逊外交政策的故事，充满了高见和政治英勇，但这也是一个激烈斗争和希望破灭的故事。这个故事始于美国南部边境的墨西哥。当时，墨西哥已经由独裁者迪亚斯统治多年。随着迪亚兹年龄增长，他的力量开始削弱。在1911年，一场叛乱爆发了。这次暴乱由弗朗西斯科·马德罗领导，他是土地改革运动的领导人。迪亚兹明白他无法获胜，他辞职后逃到国外。马德罗宣布自己为总统。然而，墨西哥强大的组织反对他。在很短的时间内，他自己的一位将军，维多利亚·韦尔塔，逮捕了他。韦尔塔掌权后不久，马德罗遭到谋杀。威尔逊总统拒绝承认韦尔塔政府，他认为其他势力会来对付他。威尔逊是对的。另一场叛乱开始了，由维努斯第安诺·卡兰扎将军领导。威尔逊向卡兰扎提供援助，卡兰扎拒绝该提议。他担心美国干涉墨西哥，并告诉威尔逊，墨西哥军队将进行所有的战斗，他只想要枪和弹药。
然而，美国军队确实卷入了这场冲突。威尔逊总统得知，一艘来自德国的船只正在向韦尔塔政府运送物资，这艘船将在墨西哥的韦拉克鲁斯港着陆。威尔逊命令美国海军占领港口，此举在美国和整个拉丁美洲招致了激烈的批评。许多人谴责威尔逊总统，他们称他为帝国主义者和傻瓜。他们询问：美国有什么权利干涉墨西哥。威尔逊最终停止了美军在墨西哥的军事行动，他试图在加拿大尼亚加拉瀑布举行的国际会议上解决争端，但是他的努力失败了。会议并未达成解决办法。外交官们在交谈时，卡兰扎的革命武装正在战斗。他们搬到首都墨西哥城，韦尔塔总统逃走了，卡兰扎组建了新政府。新政府几乎立即开始分裂，另一位将军弗朗西斯科·潘乔·维拉试图夺取政权。他迫使卡兰扎离开墨西哥城，然后组建了自己的政府。威尔逊总统承认了维拉和他的政府。然而，卡兰扎拒绝放弃。他的军队一天比一天强大，他迫使维拉撤退。当时，威尔逊总统承认了卡兰扎的政府。和卡兰扎一样，维拉也拒绝放弃。他决定尝试在墨西哥和美国之间展开一场战争。
潘乔·维拉希望美国攻击卡兰扎。随后，他会介入领导墨西哥军队的战斗。这让他成为了一名英雄。考虑到这个计划，潘乔·维拉袭击了德克萨斯州边境的一个美国城镇，他杀死了19个人。威尔逊总统立即下令发动一支庞大的美国部队，去找到维拉，并予以惩罚。起初，卡兰扎接受了该指令。维拉是他的敌人，他想抓住他。然后，卡兰扎开始担心美国军队可能会威胁他的政府。他要求从墨西哥撤出所有美国士兵。两国之间的紧张关系加剧了，维拉的部队袭击了德克萨斯州的另一个城镇。威尔逊总统考虑要求国会宣战。但是，危机在那之前就平息了，美军撤出。墨西哥人民选出了一个新政府，并选出卡兰扎作为总统。当威尔逊总统处理墨西哥局势时，世界的另一个地区开始出现麻烦。欧洲爆发了危机，几个国家集团之间的紧张关系正在加剧。他们处在第一次世界大战的边缘。
欧洲各大国多年来一直相互威胁，但他们已经有40年没有发生过战争了。大多数美国人认为，再也不会出现欧洲战争了。这样的战争将具有难以置信的破坏性，数百万的人会死去。没有哪个国家能够赢得胜利。欧洲依靠力量平衡来维持和平，一方是德国、奥匈帝国和意大利这样的中央大国，另一方是三方协约国的成员国——英国、法国和俄罗斯。双方都尽一切努力争取赢得欧洲小国的支持，一些国家拒绝加入任何一方。中立国包括瑞士、比利时、荷兰和斯堪的纳维亚国家。这种政治平衡并没有阻止主要的大国为争夺殖民地和经济实力而相互竞争，他们在世界各地进行较量。在中国、中东、非洲，到处都能投资。巴尔干半岛的竞争尤为激烈，这是亚得里亚海和黑海之间的欧洲地区。
许多国家声称，对巴尔干半岛掌拥有特殊利益。巴尔干半岛的几个国家正在互相争斗。整个大陆似乎随时都会分裂。引发爆炸的火花来自萨拉热窝市，那一天是1914年6月28日。萨拉热窝已被奥地利接管，奥地利大公费迪南德前来拜访，他有望成为奥地利的下一任皇帝。来自该地区的七名年轻极端分子决定暗杀大公，以抗议奥地利的控制。其中一名极端分子向王室投掷炸弹，炸弹没有击中目标。但是，另一个极端分子向这群人开枪。他杀死了大公和他的妻子。萨拉热窝的暗杀事件引发了一系列事件，很快让整个欧洲爆发了战争。不久，欧洲大陆充斥着军队、战斗上和死亡。欧洲战争迫使威尔逊总统面临着总统任期内最大的危机。这将是我们下周要讲述的故事。
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