2007年VOA标准英语-Afghan Doctors Hope to Visit Ailing South Korea

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
03 August 2007

Afghan doctors say they may soon get a chance to visit South Korean hostages held by the Taleban in Afghanistan. Two of the surviving 21 hostages are reported to be gravely ill, and South Korean and Afghan officials are struggling to secure their freedom. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

Afghan health workers arrive in Ghazni province as they attempt to reach a group of South Korean hostages, 3 Aug 2007

Afghan Doctor Rajia Sharibi said Friday that she and a medical team might be able to offer the hostages professional treatment for the first time since they were kidnapped more than two weeks ago.

She says she is ready, as an Afghan woman, to go and treat the hostages as a matter of humanitarian¹ obligation.

Sharibi and several colleagues from an Afghan hospital are exchanging messages with Taleban insurgent² kidnappers³, and say the medical visit might be arranged within the next 24 hours.

A self-described Taleban spokesman is quoted in media reports as saying two of the female hostages could die from serious illnesses they have incurred⁴ from the stress and heat of their captivity⁵.

The kidnappers have shot to death two of the male hostages, and say more may be executed if Taleban prisoners are not released from Afghan prisons.

Baek Jong-chun, South Korea's chief presidential secretary for security affairs, 26 July 2007

Baek Jong-chun, a senior South Korean presidential envoy⁶, returned to Seoul Friday after a week of unsuccessful diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan to secure the hostages' release.

Despite Baek's return, South Korean presidential spokesman Cheon ho-seon says efforts to save the hostages continue.

He says the word "negotiations⁷" is not appropriate, saying South Korea prefers to say it is in frequent "contact" with the Taleban.

It remains⁸ to be seen whether that "contact" will be face to face. The purported⁹ Taleban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, has told reporters the insurgents¹⁰ are ready for direct talks.

He says U.S. and Afghan officials have not been "sincere" in dealing¹¹ with the Taleban. Because of that, he says, the Taleban welcomes direct negotiations with Korean officials.

Ahmadi's comments have fueled South Korean media speculation¹² that a direct meeting may take place soon, but so far, no firm plans have been announced.

The Afghan government and its main security partner, the United States, have ruled out releasing any Taleban prisoners in exchange for the hostages, despite pleas for "flexibility¹³" from the South Korean government and public. U.S. officials say refusing concessions¹⁴ to terrorists is a decades-old American policy designed to discourage hostage-taking.

Afghan, U.S. and South Korean officials have also ruled out any attempt at a military rescue for the time being.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 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》

4 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

5 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 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。

9 purported   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the scene of the purported crime 传闻中的罪案发生地点
• The film purported to represent the lives of ordinary people. 这部影片声称旨在表现普通人的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

13 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

14 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。