VOA标准英语2012--Syrian Singer Rallies Assad Forces

Syrian Singer Rallies Assad Forces

Checkpoints block roads entering Damascus, but city-center traffic slows only for the normal workday rush. There is one obstacle ahead: outside the central bank, a stage is set up for a rally to be held the following day.
Rami Kazour is making a music video, singing above pre-recorded instrumentals and chorus. His hair is gelled up and swept back, his black suit sleekly¹ cut, and although the only audience is a few technicians and a reporter who happened by, the actor/singer/dancer is putting on a show.
His song is a patriotic² medley³ extolling⁴ Syria's history and strength; it's the refrain that stands out.
It's a bold combination that puts God, Syria and President Assad's first name, Bashar, on equal footing - heady words for any leader and a provocative⁵ rebuke⁶ to his opponents in this country riven by sectarian divides.
Kazour takes a break from shooting and comes to the stage edge for an impromptu⁷ interview. A government minder is present but, in this case, seems to make little difference. Asked about the presumption⁸ of ranking the president up there with the almighty⁹, he is unfazed.
Kazour says the wording is deliberate, to provoke those he calls Syria's "trash" - the protesters. He calls Assad the last symbol of righteousness among Arab leaders.
During the past year of popular uprisings, the roster¹⁰ of Arab rulers has changed dramatically. Kazour is reminded that his song recalls perhaps the most reviled¹¹ of former leaders, and his slogan "God, Libya and Moammar."
Adjusting his flag-emblazoned scarf, Kazour says Syria is not like Egypt or Tunisia or Libya. This is "a nation of lions," he declares, "exceptional in everything."
Human-rights groups agree that Syria indeed is exceptional, for its cruel treatment of anyone who openly opposes the Assad regime. Accounts of torture and atrocities¹² by pro-government forces have grown as the revolt has expanded. The body of Kazour's counterpart across the barricades¹³, anti-Assad singer Ibrahim Kashoush, is reported to have been found floating in the Assi River, his throat slashed¹⁴ open. The entertainer says that is false propaganda.
He says Al-Jazeera has many such stories: Al-Jazeera and, in what would be an unlikely media alliance, the "Hebrew channel." He advises against watching either if one wants the truth.
Truth seems to be in short supply in Syria. Arab League monitors have been roundly criticized for failing to see clearly what's happening on the ground.
The United Nations tried to count the numbers of civilians¹⁵ killed last year, but has given up the effort.
In the vacuum, both the government and opposition¹⁶ have hardened their positions. The opposition circulates horrific videos while the government shows off crowds of hundreds of thousands of people who say they support Assad.
One skeptic¹⁷ says much of that fervent¹⁸ government support is probably quite shallow. He says many people are like Kazour, who he says is "an actor" who "will flee before the regime falls."
But Kazour and many others have publicly tied their future to the government's.
Still, there is some genuine support for the Assad family, which has run Syria for 40 years. Some have a vested interest - jobs, property, privileges - in the status quo; others fear all-out civil war.
This was a relatively¹⁹ calm day in the capital. The conflict was only a few kilometers away, but it seemed more distant than that on this bright, sunny day.
Kazour's immediate²⁰ concern is for some cloud cover; it will give the video a more flattering light.

1 sleekly   

光滑地，光泽地

参考例句：

• A finely-tuned body-color spoiler is sleekly integrated in the deck lid. 阿精调车身颜色扰流是光滑集成在行李箱盖。
• The wet road was shining sleekly. 湿漉漉的道路闪着亮光。

2 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

3 medley   

n.混合

参考例句：

• Today's sports meeting doesn't seem to include medley relay swimming.现在的运动会好象还没有混合接力泳这个比赛项目。
• China won the Men's 200 metres Individual Medley.中国赢得了男子200米个人混合泳比赛。

4 extolling   

v.赞美( extoll的现在分词 )；赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He never stops extolling the virtues of the free market. 他不停地颂扬自由市场的种种好处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They kept extolling my managerial skills. 他们不停地赞美我的管理技能。 来自辞典例句

5 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

6 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

7 impromptu   

adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地)

参考例句：

• The announcement was made in an impromptu press conference at the airport.这一宣布是在机场举行的临时新闻发布会上作出的。
• The children put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.孩子们为来访者即兴献上了一场音乐会。

8 presumption   

n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定

参考例句：

• Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
• I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

9 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

10 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。

11 reviled   

v.辱骂，痛斥( revile的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The tramp reviled the man who drove him off. 流浪汉辱骂那位赶他走开的人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The old man reviled against corruption. 那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

14 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

16 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

17 skeptic   

n.怀疑者，怀疑论者，无神论者

参考例句：

• She is a skeptic about the dangers of global warming.她是全球变暖危险的怀疑论者。
• How am I going to convince this skeptic that she should attention to my research?我将如何使怀疑论者确信她应该关注我的研究呢？

18 fervent   

adj.热的，热烈的，热情的

参考例句：

• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。
• Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

19 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。

20 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。