2007年VOA标准英语-BBC Director, Family Appeal for Return of Kidna

By Sonja Pace
London
12 April 2007

The director of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the family of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston are appealing Thursday for the journalist's release. Johnston went missing in Gaza one month ago and is presumed to have been kidnapped.  VOA's Sonja Pace has this report from London.

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Palestinian journalists hold posters of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, during a demonstration calling for his release in Gaza City, 12 Apr 2007

Alan Johnston had become a known fixture² in Gaza over the past three years.  Unlike other foreign journalists, he was permanently³ based there and reported day in and day out on events in the increasingly lawless strip of Palestinian land. 

One month ago he disappeared while on his way home from work, abducted⁴ by unknown assailants who have yet to claim responsibility or make demands for his release.

Appeals for his release have gone out and Palestinian journalists held a three-day strike to press the authorities to do more.

Speaking in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday, BBC Director-General Mark Thompson made a fresh appeal for Johnston's safe return.

"Alan has now been held captive longer than other western hostages in Gaza and as time goes on, we, his friends and colleagues, are increasingly concerned about the physical and mental toll⁵ his incarceration⁶ must be taking on him," he said.  "It's also placing untold⁷ stress on his family."

Thompson said he was told by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that there was credible⁸ information that Johnston is alive and well.

"I appeal to all those who may have influence with the kidnappers⁹ to use their best endeavors to secure Alan's release," he added.

In London, the abducted journalist's father, Graham Johnston, made a similar plea and read an open letter to his son.

"You have warned us frequently that the chances were always there you'd be kidnapped and we were prepared in a way for this to happen," he said.  "Nevertheless, when it came it was still a considerable shock."

Gaza was never an easy place to report from.  In years past most journalists worried more about getting caught in an Israeli strike against alleged¹⁰ Palestinian militants¹¹.  Kidnappings did not happen.  But that changed as the situation in Gaza became more desperate. Even though Israeli troops and settlers pulled out in 2005, violence and chaos¹² increased in Gaza amid growing clashes between rival political factions¹³.

Over the past year, some 20 other foreigners have been kidnapped in Gaza.  So far all have been released unharmed. 

Unlike Alan Johnston, most journalists based in the Middle East only travel in and out of Gaza periodically to report on events there and still others do not go in at all.  The end effect, most journalists would agree, is that the story of the people of Gaza is no longer being told, certainly not the way it should be.

Special appeals for Johnston's release were broadcast Thursday by major television cable news networks, including BBC, CNN, Sky and al Jazeera.

1 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。

2 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。

3 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

4 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

5 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

6 incarceration   

n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭

参考例句：

• He hadn't changed much in his nearly three years of incarceration. 在将近三年的监狱生活中，他变化不大。 来自辞典例句
• Please, please set it free before it bursts from its long incarceration! 请你，请你将这颗心释放出来吧！否则它会因长期的禁闭而爆裂。 来自辞典例句

7 untold   

adj.数不清的，无数的

参考例句：

• She has done untold damage to our chances.她给我们的机遇造成了不可估量的损害。
• They suffered untold terrors in the dark and huddled together for comfort.他们遭受着黑暗中的难以言传的种种恐怖，因而只好挤在一堆互相壮胆。

8 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

9 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

11 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

12 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

13 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别