VOA常速英语2007-Thousands Protest In 11 US Cities Against Iraq W

By Amy Bickers¹
Seattle
28 October 2007

Peace activists² demonstrated in at least 11 cities across the United States Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the vote by the U.S. Senate approving the Iraq war. As Amy Bickers reports from the northwestern city of Seattle, the message was the same everywhere - end the war and bring the troops home.

Tens of thousands of anti-war activists protested across America Saturday calling for a swift finish to the war in Iraq and demanding a cut-off of U.S. congressional funding.

The anti-war demonstrations³ took place in several major cities, including New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. In Boston, protester Myra Wilson said she felt positive about the impact of the rallies.

"I feel empowered," said Wilson. "I feel like we have a very large support for our troops to be home and this war to end. It is unnecessary."

In Seattle, protester Duncan Bond expressed frustration⁴ at the government's handling of the war.

"I think people are getting to the point where they have just had enough. They've had enough of what the [Bush] administration is doing," said Bond. "They've had enough of Democrats⁵ not doing anything to stop things. And people are very frustrated⁶ and they are glad to get out here."

Protesters across the United States marched through downtown streets, holding anti-war signs and chanting. The demonstrations brought together young and old, including grade school children, senior citizens and labor⁷ union activists.

In New York, thousands marched down Broadway in rainy weather, including one man carrying cardboard peace doves. Others dressed as prisoners, wearing bright orange outfits⁸ reminiscent of Guantanamo Bay inmates⁹ and pushing a person in a cage.

In San Francisco, news reports said more than 10,000 people took part. Protesters along Market Street dropped to the ground to honor the thousands of American troops and Iraqi citizens who have died since the war started in March 2003. 

In some cities, small counter-demonstrations by war supporters were also held.

The protests come on the fifth anniversary of the vote by the U.S. Senate authorizing¹⁰ the Iraq invasion.

Some protesters also expressed fears about nuclear weapons and what some consider the growing possibility of U.S. military intervention¹¹ in Iran over its nuclear program.

While most of the peace rallies took place in major urban areas, activists also marched in Jonesborough, Tennessee, the location of a company that is the largest producer of weapons that use depleted¹² uranium.

Saturday's so-called "National Day of Action" was organized by a coalition¹³ of groups called United for Peace and Justice.

1 bickers   

v.争吵( bicker的第三人称单数 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

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 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 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

9 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

11 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。

12 depleted   

adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。
• Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

13 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。