VOA标准英语2009-Explosion Rips Through Baghdad Market

An early-morning explosion at a Baghdad vegetable market killed four people and wounded 13 in the second attack at the same market in just over two weeks. Despite Monday's bloodshed, the Iraqi Interior Ministry¹ said that civilian² deaths were down dramatically in May, after a bloody³ April.
　
Iraqi army soldiers inspect the scene of a bomb blast in the Rasheed market in southern Baghdad, 01 Jun 2009

Iraqi police said that a bomb, hidden near the front gate of the Rasheed market in the Dora district of Baghdad, went off as trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables were waiting to enter the market to unload.

The explosion was the second at the same market in 10 days. Vegetable sellers mulled around the scene of the explosion in its aftermath, looking dazed and in disbelief.

A middle-aged⁴ man who works at the market complained that it made no sense to him why anyone would put a bomb in a crowded vegetable market:

He said that all the traders and sellers were going about their business when the explosion took place.

"You can see what happened. People were wounded and people died, but what is the point? There were no Americans, here, no Iraqi soldiers," he said.
　
A merchant collects vegetables after a bomb explosion at a market in Baghdad's Dora neighborhood, 01 Jun 2009

An eyewitness⁵ who owns a shop inside the market also told reporters that he heard a loud explosion, with a ball of fire and clouds of smoke in its aftermath.

Many of the victims were trapped inside their cars and trucks when the explosion occurred. Workers at the market reportedly doused⁶ the flames, pulling drivers from their burning vehicles.

Elsewhere, a suicide-bomber⁷ in the town of Jalula blew himself up after being stopped at a police checkpoint. Only the bomber was killed.

In the restive⁸ northern Iraqi city of Mosul, a grenade was also thrown at a U.S. patrol, reportedly missing the U.S. soldiers, but killing⁹ a number of Iraqi civilians¹⁰.

Monday's violence followed a report by the Iraqi government, Sunday, that casualties for the month of May dropped to an all-time low after an extremely bloody month of April.

The report noted¹¹ that 165 Iraqis were killed during May from insurgency-related violence, less than half the April casualty figure of 355.

U.S.-led forces in Iraq are set to withdraw from all Iraqi cities by June 30, in accordance with a security pact¹² signed between the United States and the Iraqi government, last November.

The Iraqi government is under pressure to prove that it is capable of maintaining security inside the country before the June 30 U.S. pull-back.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has insisted, repeatedly, that Iraq's security forces are capable of imposing¹³ law and order. His mostly-sunni critics complain that Iraqi forces are not ready to assume the task.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

4 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

5 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

6 doused   

v.浇水在…上( douse的过去式和过去分词 )；熄灯[火]

参考例句：

• The car was doused in petrol and set alight. 这辆汽车被浇上汽油点燃了。
• He doused the lamp,and we made our way back to the house. 他把灯熄掉，我们就回到屋子里去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

8 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

9 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。

10 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

13 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。