西部落：西班牙民众示威抗议教皇到访

These scenes followed marches in Madrid yesterday against the cost of the Pope's visit to tax payers estimated at some 50 million Euros. As night fell, the protests turned violent. Police made dozens of arrests and a series of clashes as they tried to clear the capital central South Square.There are many of the same people who have taken to the streets over austerity measures, but this time, they have a new target for their anger.

许多人走上街头游行示威是为了反对财政紧缩政策，但是这一次，他们发泄愤怒的目标却换了。昨日示威者游行矛头直指此次教皇马德里之行，据估计这次到访将耗费大约5000万欧元。夜幕降临，抗议演变成了暴力事件。在市中心南广场，示威者与警察不断发生冲突，几十人被捕。

Pope Benedict will address more than a million catholic pilgrims who flocked to Spain for World Youth Day. Among them, a student from Mexico who was arrested on suspension of planning a gas attack on this anti-Pope demonstration¹. The visit's proved deeply divisive in the country that is facing harsh cuts in an effort to stabilize² its economy.

教皇本笃十六世将在西班牙会见100多万天主教朝圣者，同他们一道庆祝青年节。其中一位来自莫斯科的学生因谋划用毒气袭击反教皇游行队伍而被捕，占令停学。教皇到访之际正值西班牙面临经济困境，西班牙政府力求通过大幅消减开支以稳住经济。

"I am protesting against paying for the Pope's visit with our money. I think there are better things to spend it on. We could use this money to help other causes and it's really not necessary that the Pope comes to visit us."

“我反对用纳税者的金钱来支付教皇此行的花销。我觉得这些钱可以花在更有意义的地方。我们可以用这些钱来帮助有需要的人，况且教皇也没必要来访问我们。”

In Madrid, preparations were being finalized³ too. Two hundred booths have been set up in one of the city's parks for more than 2,000 priests will hear confessions⁴ from pilgrims in a variety of languages. Some two thirds of those attending are expected to be Spanish. They will be keened that these scenes don't set the tone for the visit.

在马德里，迎接工作还没有最终敲定。在马市的一个公园里已经建起了200多个忏悔隔间，2000多名牧师会在此聆听朝圣者不同语言的忏悔。大约三分之二的人会西班牙语忏悔。而他们强烈反感这次游行为教皇到访奠定了不好的基调。

Steve Carroll, Sky News.

史蒂芬·卡罗尔，天空新闻。

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

3 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 confessions   

n.承认( confession的名词复数 )；自首；声明；（向神父的）忏悔

参考例句：

• It is strictly forbidden to obtain confessions and to give them credence. 严禁逼供信。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions. 既不诱供也不逼供。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》