美国有线新闻 CNN 伊朗上调油价引发全国性抗议

 

Social and political issues in Iran are the focus of our first report today on CNN 10, wherever and however you're watching, thank you for doing it. I'm Carl Azuz at the CNN Center. When we produced this show, the internet had been shut down in Iran. The government of the theocratic¹ republic is trying to put out the fire of nationwide protests that flared² up last Friday and taking the country offline could make it harder for protesters to organize their demonstrations³. The Oracle⁴ Computer Software Company says the blackout is the largest internet shutdown ever observed in the Middle Eastern country.

For several years now, Iran's economy has been getting worse. Its currency, the rial, doesn't buy as much as it used to. Prices are going up. Certain kinds of food and medical equipment are in short supply and it's getting harder for many Iranians to find a job. For these reasons, protests across Iran broke out two years ago and they welled up, again, over the weekend after the government announced it would increase gas prices by 50 to 300 percent, meaning they could triple.

Gas is relatively⁵ cheap in Iran. But with lower incomes and economic problems, the higher prices make it less affordable⁶. Iran's government says several protesters have been killed in the demonstrations and it blames them on other countries. Iran's government says its enemies support actions like sabotage⁷ and breaking the law. But many protesters blame Iran's leaders whom they criticize for being corrupt⁸.

1 theocratic   

adj.神权的，神权政治的

参考例句：

• The priest caste wields considerable power in this rigidly theocratic society. 祭司阶层(priestcaste)在这个严格的神权社会中掌握着相当大的权力。 来自互联网
• The heartland of Islam, by contrast, is theocratic. 相反，伊斯兰教的核心地带则是神权政治。 来自互联网

2 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 oracle   

n.神谕，神谕处，预言

参考例句：

• In times of difficulty,she pray for an oracle to guide her.在困难的时候，她祈祷神谕来指引她。
• It is a kind of oracle that often foretells things most important.它是一种内生性神谕，常常能预言最重要的事情。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

7 sabotage   

n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏

参考例句：

• They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
• The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。

8 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。