VOA慢速英语2015 缅甸警方与学生发生冲突

Myanmar Police Clash with Students 缅甸警方与学生发生冲突

 Riot police used sticks to beat protesters after they attempted to push through a police barrier. Many of the protesters were kicked or beaten as they were arrested. Video appeared to show police using sticks and throwing objects in an attempt to break a window on a vehicle used by demonstrators.

Hundreds of student activists² set off last month from Mandalay. They were hoping to reach Yangon, Myanmar’s main city. They planned to press the government to cancel a new education reform law. The students say the law will centralize control of universities in Myanmar. They also want more government spending on education and the right to organize teachers and other students.

Congressional letter raised debate

Iran’s foreign minister says a letter from a group of American lawmakers suggests that the United States is not trustworthy. Mohammad Javad Zarif told Iran’s top religious group that the letter is, in his words, “unprecedented and undiplomatic.” In truth, he said, it told us that we cannot trust the United States.”

The letter came from 47 Republican senators. The letter warned that any nuclear agreement President Barack Obama negotiates with Iran could last only until he leaves office in 2017. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the nuclear talk with Iran was a “bad deal” in his speech to the U.S. Congress. The leader of the Republican-controlled House, Mr. John Boehner, invited the Israeli leader without informing the White House.

President Obama has criticized Republican lawmakers for their direct intervention³ with Iran.

U.S. foreign relations with other governments are usually the responsibility of the presidents and diplomats⁴.

Ivory Coast former first lady sentenced

The wife of Ivory Coast’s former president has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. A court in Abidjan gave the sentence to Simone Gbagbo for her involvement in violence four years ago.

The court found her guilty of harming state security and organizing armed groups. Three thousand people died in the unrest.

Gbagbo and her husband, former president Laurent Gbagbo, disputed the results of Ivory Coast’s 2010 presidential election. Officials ruled that Mr. Gbagbo lost in the elections to Alassane Ouattara.

Supporters of the Gbagbos said Ivory Coast’s government tried the former first lady for political reasons. Her sentence is two times as long as the 10-year term requested by the government.

The former president’s son, Michel Gbagbo, was also sentenced to five years in prison for his part in the violence.

US ambassador released from South Korea hospital

The United States ambassador to South Korea has been released from a hospital in Seoul. The U.S. official, Mark Lippert, was hurt in a knife attack last week. He told reporters Tuesday that he expects to make a full recovery.

The ambassador was taken to the hospital immediately after the attack. Doctors used 80 stitches to close a wound on the right side of his face.

Ambassador Lippert spoke⁵ of his “love and affection” for South Korea and the show of support following the attack. Mr. Lippert said he would return to work very soon. He added that he felt “very, very safe” in Seoul.

Officials arrested a 55-year-old South Korean activist¹ for the attack. They said he was opposed to military exercises between the United States and South Korea. Officials announced on Sunday that the suspect, Kim Ki-jong, faces possible attempted murder charges.

Words in This Story

protest – n. demonstration⁶; publicly objecting to someone or something

barrier – n. anything that blocks or makes an action difficult

window – n. an opening in a wall to let in light and air, usually filled with glass

organize – v. to put in order; to put together in a system

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。