2007年VOA标准英语-Police Killing Sparks Strike in Indian State of

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
16 March 2007

The Indian state of West Bengal has been hit by an opposition²-backed general strike to protest police shooting in which 14 villagers were killed. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the communist-ruled state has witnessed violent protests in recent months by farmers opposing government plans to acquire land to create industrial hubs.

Schools, colleges and offices shut across West Bengal state, and transport stayed off the roads as an opposition alliance enforced a daylong shutdown on Friday.

effigy3 of the Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal to protest the police firing and the death of farmers in Nandigram, Siliguri, India, 15 Mar1 2007" hspace="2" src="http://www.wwenglish.com/up/2007/03/17184/5.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Indian Congress party workers burn an effigy of the Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal to protest the police firing and the death of farmers in Nandigram, Siliguri, India, 15 Mar 2007

Sporadic⁴ clashes erupted between police and opposition activists⁵ as protesters staged street marches in Kolkata and elsewhere, shouting slogans against the state's communist government. Police say several state-run buses were stoned.

The strike was called two days after 14 villagers were killed and scores injured when police fired on farmers in Nandigram district. Police were trying to break up angry mobs that were pelting⁶ them with stones and homemade bombs.

Villagers and political activists there have been leading violent protests against plans to acquire farmland to establish a chemical hub and industrial park. They have set up roadblocks and destroyed bridges to prevent officials and policemen from entering the area.

The protests have continued since January despite a state government pledge to shift the proposed special economic zone if villagers do not want it.

Junior federal Home Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal says that the state government is taking steps to tackle the unrest. He said the West Bengal government is hopeful that peace will be restored to the region soon.

The issue of land acquisition became controversial after the West Bengal government decided⁷ to turn over thousands of acres of farmland to private industries. The communist government wants to woo private investment to improve the economy of the state, which businesses have shunned⁸ for decades due to militant⁹ trade unions.

But farmers say they will be displaced and left without a livelihood¹⁰ if their land is taken away.

The violent protests by farmers in West Bengal have turned the spotlight¹¹ on the federal government's plans to establish hundreds of special economic zones throughout the country. Critics are questioning the merits of handing over agricultural land to businesses in a country where agriculture sustains two thirds of the one billion people.

A worried federal government has put the policy on hold for the time being.

Meanwhile, angry opposition lawmakers disrupted Parliament for a second straight day on Friday demanding that the federal government send an all-party delegation¹² to West Bengal to investigate the recent killings¹³ of villagers.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 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。

3 effigy   

n.肖像

参考例句：

• There the effigy stands,and stares from age to age across the changing ocean.雕像依然耸立在那儿，千秋万载地凝视着那变幻无常的大海。
• The deposed dictator was burned in effigy by the crowd.群众焚烧退位独裁者的模拟像。

4 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

5 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》

6 pelting   

微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的

参考例句：

• The rain came pelting down. 倾盆大雨劈头盖脸地浇了下来。
• Hailstones of abuse were pelting him. 阵阵辱骂冰雹般地向他袭来。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 shunned   

v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。
• He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

10 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

11 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

12 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

13 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。