VOA标准英语2008年-Mauritania's Tourism Fails to Rebound Following

Mauritania's tourism sector¹ has failed to rebound² since a string of attacks by suspected extremist Islamic militants³ began last year. Workers in the tourism industry say Mauritania is safe enough, and that tourists should come back. VOA's Nico Colombant has more, with reporting by Ebrima Sillah, the second report about life in Mauritania, following 2007 elections that ended years of military-dominated rule.
　
Pap Sarr's drums are played in vain with no tourists around

Pap Sarr plays the drums at his store in Nouakchott, where artifacts and colorful baskets are staying on the shelves.

He says business is terrible. He says some Mauritanians come to his shop, as well as employees from embassies, and Mauritanians from the Diaspora, but no regular tourists.

"This year is the worst, worst year," said Momodou Khan, a tour guide.

He says the downfall began when four French tourists were murdered on 24 December 2007 while they picnicked on the side of a southeastern road in an attack the Mauritanian government blamed on an al-Qaida sleeper⁴ cell.

"Since they killed the four French people, things started to be slower, and slower, and slower," he recalled. "There is no Paris-Dakar [Rally] this year. There are no tourists coming throughout the way. There is nothing."
　
These artifacts just sit on the shelves with little interest from prospective⁵ buyers

The open land motorcycle, truck and automobile⁶ race which normally travels through Mauritania was canceled in 2008, and moved to South America for 2009, because of security concerns in the Sahel.

Another suspected terrorist attack killed several Mauritanian soldiers three days after the murder of the French tourists, while in February gunmen sprayed bullets on the Israeli Embassy in Nouakchott, and injured several people leaving a nightclub.

A hotel manager, Djibril Cisse, says his business is also affected⁷ by the fallout.

He says his hotel occupancy, which used to be about 65 percent, is now below 25 percent.

But he says he believes fears are unfounded. He says what he calls delinquents⁸ and bandits were behind the attacks, and not terrorists.

Khan reminisces about the trips he used to take tourists on.

"Around the Chinguitty [area], there is a mosque⁹ there," he noted¹⁰. "And Adrar Tergit [area], there is an oasis¹¹, just to show them the dunes¹² and the mountains, stuff like that, water fountains, get them to ride the camels. They enjoy it so much. They like the desert. They like riding camels. Most of the time they ride camels, for their first time, so they enjoy it."

Sarr continues playing his drums, even though no one is showing up at his store.

He says there is no way he will give up his business. He says it is the only way he knows how to feed his family, and that he will persevere¹³, and hopefully one day, tourists will return.

 

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

3 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。

4 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

5 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

6 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 delinquents   

n.（尤指青少年）有过失的人，违法的人( delinquent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The robbery was committed by a group of delinquents. 那起抢劫案是一群青少年干的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There is today general agreement that juvenile delinquents are less responsible than older offenders. 目前人们普遍认为青少年罪犯比成人罪犯的责任小些。 来自辞典例句

9 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

12 dunes   

沙丘( dune的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The boy galloped over the dunes barefoot. 那男孩光着脚在沙丘间飞跑。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat. 将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

13 persevere   

v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠

参考例句：

• They are determined to persevere in the fight.他们决心坚持战斗。
• It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。