2018-04-25

An odd couple: Macron visits Trump

① The improbable friendship between France's and America's presidents will be on display today when Emmanuel Macron arrives in Washington, DC for a state visit.

② After dining with their wives this evening at Mount Vernon, George Washington's plantation residence, the two presidents will hold bilateral meetings tomorrow before Mr Macron addresses a joint session of Congress the next day.

③ The two leaders—one a brash former reality-television host, the other an erudite philosophy graduate—could scarcely be more different.

④ But they have struck up a strangely warm relationship.

⑤ Ever optimistic, Mr Macron will hope to secure something for his efforts, and is particularly keen to try to stop Donald Trump walking away from the Iran nuclear deal.

⑥ His speech to Congress is likely to focus not only on Franco-American ties but on liberal values in a dangerous world—a message, naturally, addressed to the American people rather than his host.

▍生词好句

odd /ɒd/: adj. 古怪的；奇怪的

odd couple: 奇怪的一对

improbable /ɪmˈprɒbəb(ə)l/: adj. 不大可能发生的（unlikely）

it's (highly) improbable that: ……不大可能/极不可能发生

on display /dɪˈspleɪ/: 陈列；展览；受到众人注视

state visit: 国事访问

Mount Vernon /ˈvəːnən/: 弗农山庄

plantation /plɑːnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/: n. 种植园

residence /ˈrɛzɪd(ə)ns/: n. 住所；官邸

bilateral /bʌɪˈlat(ə)r(ə)l/: adj. 双边的

bilateral meeting: 双边会议

joint session of Congress: 美国国会联席会议

brash /braʃ/: adj.（行为举止）粗俗傲慢的；（衣服）花里胡哨的

reality television/TV show: 真人秀

apprentice /əˈprɛntɪs/: n. 学徒；学徒工（The Apprentice《飞黄腾达》是川普主持并监制的一档综艺节目）

erudite /ˈerədaɪt/: adj. 博学的；博大精深的

scarcely /ˈskɛːsli/: adv. 几乎不

strike up (friendship) /strʌɪk/: 建立（友谊）

strike a balance: 达成平衡

keen /kiːn/: adj. 热切的；渴望的

be keen on (doing) sth. / be keen to do sth.: 热衷于

Franco- /ˈfraŋkəʊ/: 法国的；法国与另一国的

host /həʊst/: n. 东道主