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
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