VOA标准英语2010年-Suicide Bomber Kills Shi'ite Pilgrims

Iraqi officials say that a motorcycle bomb blast has killed at least 20 Shi'ite pilgrims near the holy city of Karbala.  The explosion came as hundreds of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims made their way, mostly on foot, to Karbala to commemorate¹ the 40th day after the historic slaying² of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. 

The apparently³ sectarian attack targeted Shi'ite pilgrims on one of the more sacred days of the year, as hundreds of thousands marched on foot to Karbala, in Iraq's Shi'ite heartland. The blast tore into a thick crowd of pilgrims, killing⁴ and wounding dozens.

Ceremonies to mark the fortieth day after the slaying of Imam Hussein were outlawed⁵ under the regime of ousted⁶ Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Many Sunni Arabs dislike the event because they feel Shi'ites blame them for Hussein's death.

Iraqi TV showed images of damaged store fronts, broken glass, and metal punctured⁷ by shrapnel from the blast. It also showed images of wounded pilgrims wrapped in gauze bandages at the Hussein hospital in Karbala.

Two other explosions also targeted Shi'ite pilgrims in Baghdad Wednesday, causing even more casualties. A man living close to one of the explosions says that there would have been more casualties if the blast had occurred later in the day.

He pointed⁸ to the site of the explosion and indicated that it occurred while people were asleep, and that people rushed to see what happened after they heard the sound of the blast. He adds that stores were closed at the time [or more people would have been hurt].

A female suicide bomber⁹ blew herself up amidst a throng¹⁰ of Shi'ite pilgrims Monday, killing at least 41 people and wounding over 100.

Professor Hilal Khashan of the American University of Beirut thinks that sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shi'ites is on the rise, again, both in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. He says that the attempt to disqualify many Sunni candidates in Iraq's March parliamentary election is one cause, among many, for the upsurge in violence.

"It has a lot to do with the forthcoming elections," he said. "For the past week, Shi'ite pilgrims in Karbala have specifically been targeted, which worries us about the return of the cycle of sectarian bloodshed in Iraq. For some time, the intensity¹¹ of sectarian conflict subsided¹², but now it seems that it is on the rise again. We have been witnessing al-Qaida mobilization against Shi'ites. In the past month there were attacks on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps¹³ in Baluchistan. So, this surge that I see is not only limited to Iraq, but a regional phenomenon."

Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki blamed Monday's suicide bombing on both al- Qaida and the deposed¹⁴ Baath Party. "We hold Takfiris and Baathists responsible for the massacre," he said.

Iraqi TV reported that over 30,000 security forces were mobilized to prevent further attacks during the Shi'ite pilgrimage. Tens of thousands of people carrying colored flags and banners could be seen marching barefooted to Karbala on an overcast¹⁵ winter day.

 

1 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

2 slaying   

杀戮。

参考例句：

• The man mimed the slaying of an enemy. 此人比手划脚地表演砍死一个敌人的情况。
• He is suspected of having been an accomplice in the slaying,butthey can't pin it on him. 他有嫌疑曾参与该杀人案，但他们找不到证据来指控他。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 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。

5 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

6 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

7 punctured   

v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气

参考例句：

• Some glass on the road punctured my new tyre. 路上的玻璃刺破了我的新轮胎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A nail on the road punctured the tyre. 路上的钉子把车胎戳穿了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

10 throng   

n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集

参考例句：

• A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
• The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。

11 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

12 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

14 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 overcast   

adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天

参考例句：

• The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
• The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。