2006年VOA标准英语-Nepal's King Agrees to Restore Parliament

By Patricia Nunan
Kathmandu
24 April 2006
 
In a major capitulation, Nepal's King Gyanendra has agreed to restore parliament - a key demand made by pro-democracy protesters, who had been demonstrating in the streets of the capital for nearly three weeks. Opposition¹ leaders welcomed the announcement, and may call off a massive demonstration² planned for Tuesday.

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King Gyanendra
(April 20, 2006)   
  

It was the move Nepal's opposition leaders had been fighting for. Speaking on state television late Monday, King Gyanendra announced parliament would be restored.

"In the spirit of the people's movement, and in order to resolve Nepal's conflict and other problems … we reinstate the house of representatives, according to the road map laid out by the opposition political parties," he said.

Parliament will meet again on Friday. But the king suggested there will still be a long way to go before all of Nepal's problems are resolved.

"We call upon the seven party alliance to bear the responsibility of taking the nation on the path to national prosperity, while assuring permanent peace and safeguarding multi-party democracy," he said.

Opposition party leaders hailed the announcement as a victory for the people's movement. It remains³ unclear whether a massive demonstration planned for the capital Tuesday would still take place.

King Gyanendra dismissed parliament in May 2002. In February last year, he dismissed the government and assumed absolute power. He justified⁴ the move by saying the parties had failed to organize elections or end the Maoist insurgency⁵ wracking the countryside.

Demonstrators gather in Katmandu, April 23, 2006   
  
Since then, an alliance of seven mainstream⁶ political parties has been organizing scores of anti-government protests. But the demonstrations⁷ only gathered real momentum⁸ in recent weeks, when parties also called a nationwide general strike.

Police have fired rubber bullet and tear-gas at protesters, who sometimes attack them with stones. At least 14 protesters have been killed.

Earlier this week, the seven-party alliance rejected an offer by the king to form an interim⁹ government.

Still, the king's announcement may be seen as too little, too late by some. Many protesters have called for the king to step down, and for an end to Nepal's monarchy¹⁰.

The Maoist rebels, who control parts of the countryside, are unlikely to react positively¹¹. They have fought to topple the monarchy since 1996.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 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。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

5 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

6 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

7 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。

8 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

9 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

10 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

11 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。