VOA标准英语2011--Experts Cite Underlying Causes for UK Ri

Experts Cite Underlying¹ Causes for UK Riots

London was largely calm Wednesday, but the rioting that engulfed² the British capital for the past four nights has spread to other cities, including Manchester and Birmingham. British Prime Minister David Cameron authorized³ police to use water cannons⁴, which is a first for the British mainland, saying a "fightback" is under way to restore law and order to Britain's streets.
Observers say the rioting was not based on specific political or economic demands, but they acknowledge there are underlying reasons that so many young people are willing to take part in looting, arson⁵ and vandalism - on a scale the country has not seen in many years.
In London and other British cities, young people burned cars and buildings, looted stores and fought with police.
The riots broke out after a still-unresolved shooting by police in a poor North London neighborhood. However, that was just the spark. Many Londoners initially⁶ assumed the violence was a backlash from chronic⁷ unemployment, slow economic recovery and cuts to public service spending by the country’s new government.
But there were no slogans, no chanting, no demands. And it soon became clear to many that this was something different.
Geography Professor Chris Hamnett, of King’s College, lives in North London, not far from some of the worst rioting.
"Essentially⁸, what we've seen is rioting for fun and profit. This is not people expressing their anger against an oppressive state," said Hamnett. This is people thinking it would be nice to get a slice of the action.”
The riots were concentrated in neighborhoods with large African and Caribbean populations, which have a history of tension with the police. Hamnett said those Londoners generally have less education, more unemployment and higher crime rates than other Britons.
“There’s a racial dimension to the rioting and the looting, but it’s not one of racial oppression. But there is undoubtedly⁹ a quite strong class and economic element,” said Hamnett.
Not far from the professor’s house, police stood guard as crews worked to clean up the damage from the previous night’s rioting. Basani Mabyalane lives in the neighborhood.
“I feel there is maybe more that could be done to empower the young people because, from what I saw yesterday, to me it looked like they don’t have much to do," said Mabyalane. "They have got the time. They have got the energy. But they are using that energy on negative things.”
In the North London neighborhood of Haringey, some young people are trying to do something positive, through a group called HYPE - "Haringey’s Young People Empowered." One of them is Erica Lopez.
"To be honest, I think at the moment it’s mainly to do with looting. A majority of people are just looting to loot, with no reason, just because they want to do it. Simple as that,” said Lopez.
Lopez said she does not condone¹⁰ the violence, but understands and shares the pent up anger many of her young neighbors feel about a lack of job opportunities and cuts in government funding to youth services.
“The government really needs to actually take time and listen to these young people because for a long time they have been crying in silence saying, ‘This is what matters to me.’ They have really been crying for a long time," she said.
But on Wednesday, after cutting short his vacation, meeting with police officers and chairing two emergency government meetings to deal with the unrest, the British prime minister was not showing any sympathy toward those who engaged in violence and looting. Cameron attributed the unrest to selfishness, lack of responsibility, poor discipline in schools and bad parenting.
“It is all too clear that we have a big problem with gangs in our country. For too long there's been a lack of focus and a complete lack of respect shown by these groups of thugs. I'm clear that they are in no way representative of the vast majority of young people in our country, who despise them, frankly¹¹, as much as the rest of us do. But there are pockets of our society that are not just broken, but frankly sick.”
Cameron promised tougher police tactics, harsh punishment for those convicted of crimes during the riots, and that looters caught on film, whose pictures have been published online and in British newspapers, would be arrested and prosecuted¹².
Officials are determined¹³ to regain¹⁴ control, regardless of the reasons for the violence.

1 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

2 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

4 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

6 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

7 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

8 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

9 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

10 condone   

v.宽恕；原谅

参考例句：

• I cannot condone the use of violence.我不能宽恕使用暴力的行为。
• I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war.我绝不允许任何导致战争的行为。

11 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

12 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

13 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

14 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。