VOA标准英语2008年-Israel, Hezbollah Take First Step in Possible P

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
01 June 2008

Two Middle East arch-enemies appear to be heading for a prisoner exchange. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Israel deported¹ a Lebanese-born Israeli citizen convicted of spying for the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah to Lebanon in what is widely seen as the first stage of a prisoner swap².
　

Nasim Nisr, a Lebanese man convicted in Israel of spying, flashes V sign upon his arrival to a ceremony held by Hezbollah, in the south Lebanon coastal3 town of Naqoura on Sunday, 01 June 2008

At the same time, Hezbollah unexpectedly returned body parts of Israeli soldiers who fell in the Lebanon War two years ago. Hezbollah described the move as a "gesture," but Israel would not comment, underscoring the delicacy⁴ of German-mediated negotiations⁵.

The 39-year-old Hezbollah spy, Nasim Nisr, hugged weeping relatives after he crossed the border into Lebanon.

Nisr thanked Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah for winning his release. Last week, Nasrallah predicted that a prisoner swap for two captive Israeli soldiers was imminent⁶. The soldiers were captured in a Hezbollah cross-border raid that sparked the Lebanon War in 2006.

Under the emerging deal, Israel would release about seven Hezbollah prisoners in exchange for the soldiers. In the past, Israel has traded hundreds of prisoners for its captive soldiers, so the relatively⁷ low price demanded by Hezbollah could mean bad news for the families of the two missing servicemen.

Israeli analyst⁸ Jonathan Spyer.

"If indeed we are talking about such a small number of Lebanese prisoners this raises the possibility that the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers may, in fact, not be among the living," Spyer said.

The two soldiers were seriously wounded when they were captured, and so far, Hizbollah has not shown the Red Cross or German mediators any sign of life.

1 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 delicacy   

n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴

参考例句：

• We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
• He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

5 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。

6 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。