VOA慢速英语2015 美国之音目睹乌克兰东部军队调动

VOA Witnesses Movement of Troops in Eastern Ukraine 美国之音目睹乌克兰东部军队调动

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Thursday that 9,000 Russian troops are in the rebel¹-controlled area of eastern Ukraine. He said there is a huge threat of new attacks on Ukrainian forces.

VOA reporters in the area saw a number of Ukrainian soldiers arriving at the train station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk. The reporters also saw Ukrainian troop carriers² on the move in the town.

Ukrainian officials say the fighting this week began near Donetsk. They say about 1,000 pro-Russian rebel fighters launched³ an early morning attack just west of the city.

Russia denies having any troops in Ukraine, and says any Russian citizens there are volunteers.

Islamic State redirects water in Iraq

Islamic State militants⁴ have closed a dam on the Euphrates River in western Iraq. The move has reduced the water flow to government-held areas of Anbar province, an official said Thursday.

The militants have redirected the flow of water to the battlefield around the city of Ramadi. They captured⁵ the town last month. The move also threatens to create extremely dry conditions in Iraq’s southern provinces.

Egyptian court orders retrial for Mubarak

An Egyptian appeals court ruled that former President Hosni Mubarak must face a retrial on murder charges. The case involves the killing⁶ of protesters during the 2011 uprising that forced Mr. Mubarak from power.

The court action cancelled an earlier ruling that had removed the murder charges. The judge said the second and final trial will begin November 5.

The 87-year-old former leader has been in prison since his arrest in 2011. Mr. Mubarak ruled Egypt for 29 years.

Words in the News

dam n. a structure that is built across a river or stream to stop water from flowing

capsize – v. to turn over : to turn so that the bottom is on top

reputation - n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something : the way in which people think of someone or something

tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

maritime– adj. of or relating to sailing on the sea or doing business (such as trading) by sea

1 rebel   

n.叛徒，起义者；vi.造反，反抗，反感；adj.造反的，反抗的，反叛者的

参考例句：

• The rebel army is attempting to subvert the government.反叛军队企图颠覆政府统治。
• The rebel army has readjusted its strategy.叛军已经重新调整了策略。

2 carriers   

（自身不受感染而传播疾病的）带菌者( carrier的名词复数 )； （尤指经营空运的）运输公司； 搬运人； 军输车

参考例句：

• Mosquitoes are carriers of disease. 蚊子是疾病的传播媒介。
• The chair carriers arrived at the crack of dawn. 轿是一早就到了。

3 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 captured   

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。
• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。