2007年VOA标准英语-Pakistan Mosque Leader Vows to Continue Standof

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
08 July 2007

Arrested Pakistan's religious students arrive at sports complex from Adiala jail to be handed over to their families, 8 Jul 2007

Pakistani commandos blasted fresh holes in the walls around an Islamabad mosque¹ where armed militants³ are reportedly holding hundreds of women and children hostage. Officials say they hope at least some of the people inside will be able to escape through the holes. But as VOA Correspondent Benjamin Sand reports from Islamabad, the militant² leader in the mosque vows⁴ to continue the standoff that began Tuesday.

Cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi says he and his supporters inside the Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, would rather die than surrender.

The pro-Taleban leader released a statement Sunday saying he hoped his death would provoke an Islamic revolution throughout Pakistan.

On Saturday, President Pervez Musharraf issued a blunt ultimatum⁵ to the mosque's leaders.

He says anyone inside the mosque should come out and surrender, and if they do not, they will be killed.

Thousands of troops have surrounded the mosque. Explosions and gunfire continued throughout the night and early Sunday.

An elite⁶ Pakistani commando was killed during the latest operation as officials struggle to free women and children they say are being held hostage in the mosque.

The militants' leader says no one is being held against their will and says at least 70 people in the mosque have died. 

1 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 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。

4 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

5 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

6 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。