2015年经济学人 利特维年科案的调查 扑朔迷离的谋杀案

The Litvinenko inquiry¹

Murder most mystifying

Truth, perhaps, about a Kremlin hit-job—but little prospect² of justice

AN OBSCURE refugee from Russia when he died in London in 2006, Alexander Litvinenko became famous only after his death. 

The former security policeman mixed with murky³ figures. He had received an allowance from a fugitive⁴ Russian tycoon⁵, Boris Berezovsky. 

He was advising Britain's Secret Intelligence Service in an Anglo-Spanish operation which investigated links between Russian gangsterdom and the Kremlin's inner circle.

He had made lurid⁶ allegations about Vladimir Putin's private life and about the way the Russian leader had gained power. 

Any of those could have a bearing on his agonising fate—poisoning with polonium.

Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina has fought a dogged, dignified⁷ and cash-strapped battle for a public inquiry into the case. 

The government blocked this, citing unspecified national-security concerns. But it flip-flopped in July 2014 as Britain's relations with Russia iced over. 

The inquiry began this week. Mrs Litvinenko's lawyer spoke⁸ of an “act of nuclear terrorism” on London's streets.

Some evidence will be heard in secret: it may involve Mr Litvinenko's ties with Britain's spooks, 

but the most vital bit is thought to be an intercept⁹ of a Russian official communication, obtained by America and shared with Britain, 

showing that the Kremlin knew and approved of the murder plot. Officials decline to comment on that.

Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, whom Britain's authorities named as the assassins, are in Moscow; they insist they are innocent and will not be taking part.

1 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

2 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

3 murky   

adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗

参考例句：

• She threw it into the river's murky depths.她把它扔进了混浊的河水深处。
• She had a decidedly murky past.她的历史背景令人捉摸不透。

4 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

5 tycoon   

n.有钱有势的企业家，大亨

参考例句：

• The tycoon is on the verge of bankruptcy.那名大亨濒临破产的边缘。
• The tycoon has many servants to minister to his needs.那位大亨有很多人服侍他。

6 lurid   

adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的

参考例句：

• The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder.这份报纸对这起凶杀案耸人听闻的细节描写得淋漓尽致。
• The lurid sunset puts a red light on their faces.血红一般的夕阳映红了他们的脸。

7 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。