VOA常速英语2008年-Israel on High Alert Following Death of Hezboll

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
14 February 2008

Israel put its embassies on high alert and advised Jewish institutions around the world to be on guard against possible attacks, following the assassination¹ of a senior Hezbollah leader Tuesday in Damascus. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from Jerusalem.

Israeli officials say they had nothing to do with the bombing that killed Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh, but they are taking no chances - putting their embassies around the world on high alert - and reinforcing troops along Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter told Israel radio that Israel has experience with reprisal² attacks by its enemies.

Dichter says plans have been put in place both internally and externally to safeguard Israeli institutions. He says the world is a better, safer place since the killing³ of Imad Mughniyeh.

Foreign Ministry⁴ officials refused to comment on the stepped-up security measures, but media reports say they could last for weeks or months.

While Israeli officials say they had nothing to do with the blast that killed Mughniyeh, they welcomed his demise⁵, saying he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people in terrorist attacks around the world during the past 30 years. U.S. officials who had indicted⁶ Mughniyeh on kidnapping and murder charges also said the world was better off without him.

1 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

2 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

6 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。