【962-963】弗吉尼亚城以篮球胜利战胜黑暗时代&中国建筑项目向美洲蔓延，激怒了美国
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AS IT IS
A Virginia City Overcomes Dark Times with Basketball Win
April 10, 2019
Ty Jerome and other members of the Virginia basketball team are welcomed by fans as they return home after their win of the championship in the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against Texas Tech, in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, April 9, 2019.
In the United States, a city known for racial tensions and violence welcomed home the national men’s college basketball champions on Tuesday.
Charlottesville, Virginia, is the home of the University of Virginia (UVA). The UVA men’s basketball team, the Cavaliers, defeated Texas Tech for the national championship Monday night. The game was played in Minnesota.
Less than 24 hours later, college students and other people were celebrating in the streets of Charlottesville. Supporters gathered outside the school’s basketball stadium to give the team a hero’s welcome.
Students broke into cheers as they waited for the players. Some retold stories of the Cavalier’s successful season, which included several last-minute victories.
The crowd cheered when the team finally arrived with the championship trophy. Many people were so happy they cried.
UVA men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett said he was pleased to see the victory bring so much happiness “in light of all this community’s been through.”
He added, “There’s an amazing story that has been written from this and I think it’s going to encourage a lot of people.”
The cheering was a marked change from nearly two years ago, when a protest organized by white nationalists led to violence in Charlottesville. A few years earlier, a national magazine claimed a violent rape had taken place at the university. The story was later found to be untrue.
“We were due for some good coverage for a change,” said Matilda Foster, as she waited for the basketball team to arrive on Tuesday. She said the Cavaliers’ success has united the city and surrounding area.
David Toscano once served as Charlottesville’s mayor. He said the team has helped unite the community in ways few other things can.
“This is a really big event for this…city,” he said.
Charlottesville and the University of Virginia have had several painful incidents.
In August 2017, white nationalists gathered to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, who led Confederate forces during the U.S. Civil War. They fought with people who went to Charlottesville to protest racism. Later, a white supremacist drove his car into a group of people, killing a woman and injuring others.
In 2014, Rolling Stone magazine published a story that described UVA as a school where sexual attacks were common and often unpunished. A woman named “Jackie” told the magazine she was raped by seven men at the university in September 2012. An investigation by police in Charlottesville said there was no evidence to back up her claims.
Rolling Stone later withdrew the story and apologized. Also that year, a UVA student was murdered after leaving a Charlottesville bar. In 2010, a student killed his former girlfriend, another student.
Finally, last month, city schools closed for two days over online racist threats. Police later arrested a 17-year-old boy.
UVA basketball team fan Heidi Price came to welcome the national champions.
“It’s a great day,” she said, pleased to put the past behind her.
I’m Jonathan Evans.
The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
_____________________________________________________________
Words in this Story
stadium – n. a large building that is used for sports events, musical performances and other shows
trophy – n. an object (such as a large cup or sculpture) that is given as a prize for winning a competition
coach – n. someone who trains or educates others
encourage – v. to give support, advice or hope to
AS IT IS
Chinese Building Projects Spreading to Americas, Angering US
April 10, 2019
FILE - In this Tuesday, April 2, 2019, file photo, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez, center, poses with his guests after a conference on the "Panama invest in Hong Kong." (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
United States officials are worried about China’s expansion of its Belt and Road Initiative to Latin America.
The Belt and Road program is helping to pay for ports and trade-related infrastructure in Central and South American countries. That is just a little too close to the U.S. border, the officials think.
China is not new in Latin America, but now it is working with nations such as Panama, a country the United States invaded just as recently as 1989. Panama is home to the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. So it is very important strategically.
While U.S. officials express concern about China’s moves into Latin America, Chinese officials are working to make friends with Panamanian politicians and media.
The Chinese ambassador to Panama is a Spanish-speaking expert on Latin America. On television and messages published on Twitter, he has noted the economic benefitsof the project.
“We see a big opportunity to connect Asia and America to Panama,” noted Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela. He spoke during a visit to Hong Kong this week. China’s government said he planned to attend a Belt and Road meeting in Beijing with other foreign leaders.
Belt and Road is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s major program for foreign countries. The Chinese plan to build railways, ports, power plants and other projects in more than 20 countries around the world. The United States, Japan, Russia, India and other governments worry that China is gaining too much economic and strategic power.
“A strong U.S. reaction is coming,” said Matt Ferchen. He is an expert on China-Latin America relations and works at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center in Beijing.
Panama’s leaders see China as a partner for trade and investment, but they want to avoid conflict with the U.S. government. Varela has said Panama’s relationship with China “will not affect relations with our strategic partner.”
For the Belt and Road Initiative, China loans money to countries to pay for development projects. Currently, Venezuela owes $62 billion. Brazil owes $42 billion. Argentina and Ecuador each owe over $16 billion.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said he is considering joining Belt and Road.
U.S. officials say governments should be careful. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Panama in October and met with Varela. He said Panama “should keep its eyes wide open” about Chinese investments.
“We are all concerned about China and by the way that China is entering those countries,” Pompeo said in December. He was speaking at a meeting of the Group of 20 major economies in Argentina.
So far, the Panamanian government has been paying for projects awarded to Chinese businesses. Panama has yet to receive Chinese loans.
President Donald Trump’s “America first” policies are not helping the United States in Latin America, said businessman Roberto Eisenmann. “They are leaving a vacuum of leadership that obviously the Chinese are trying to fill,” said Eisenmann.
Trump has yet to name an ambassador to Panama.
I’m Susan Shand.
The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
_______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
initiative – n. a plan or program that is intended to solve a problem
infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly
strategic – adj. useful or important in achieving a plan or strategy
benefit - n. a good or helpful result or effect
opportunity – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done
vacuum – n. a situation created when an important person or thing has gone and has not been replaced
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