VOA标准英语2010年-Nepal's Maoist Leader Warns That Prote

Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, looking down at cheering supporters as he rides around Kathmandu's Ring Road, 4 Apr 2010

The leader of Nepal's Maoists, who have enforced a mostly peaceful shutdown of the Himalayan country since Saturday, is warning that the tone of the street demonstrations² will change if the governing coalition³ does not immediately heed⁴ their demands.

The Maoists, in their latest demonstration¹ of power, had their followers⁵ form a 27-kilometer-long human chain around the capital for two hours in the afternoon. 

The Maoist chairman, who is the country's previous prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, rode along Kathmandu's Ring Road atop an open truck.

The Maoist leader, better known as Prachanda, speaking to reporters, warned that the other major parties should understand the consequences if they do not immediately agree to form a national unity⁶ government with the former rebels.

 

He says the street action, so far, has been peaceful and the party does not want to resort to violence or rioting.  But if the governing coalition does not agree to the Maoists' demands then, he said, the demonstrations might take a turn for the worse, deteriorating⁷ each day from Wednesday.

The Maoists, who won the largest number of parliamentary seats in the last election, have been insisting that Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal step down.

But Mr. Nepal has the support of 22 of 25 political parties, enough to block the Maoists from legally changing the government.  The ruling coalition accuses the Maoists, who quit the government last year, of trying to retake power through intimidation⁸ on the streets.

For many in Kathmandu, the indefinite strike enforced by Maoist cadres with bamboo sticks is an increasing annoyance⁹.  Motorized transportation has been halted, schools are closed and shops are open only for a few hours in the morning and evening so people can buy essentials.

Devi Tiwari, who runs a small food and sundries store in the middle class Ranibari neighborhood of the capital, says she normally sees sales totaling about $55 a day.

But now, she says she is taking in only about $20 a day.  Tiwari says the strike is not good for people who need to make money every day.

About 50 meters away at another shop, proprietor¹⁰ Sabita Pokhrel says she has no objections to the Maoist strike. She says that because she is permitted to open twice a day the strike is having little impact, with her sales holding steady.

Many customers of such shops, however, are complaining that the disruptions are causing prices to skyrocket.

Fearing what they call a potential catastrophe¹¹, some civil society leaders are calling for the Maoists to end the crippling nationwide strike and for Prime Minister Nepal to immediately resign.

The statement by the Citizens Movement for Democracy and Peace, includes a number of respected civil leaders.

An anticipated new round of talks among Nepal's three top political parties to resolve the crisis was not held on Tuesday and no face-to-face meetings that would bring together the Maoists, the Nepali Congress Party and the United Marxist Leninist Party are scheduled for Wednesday.

 

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

5 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

8 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

9 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

10 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

11 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。