VOA标准英语2014--On the Scene: For Crimea’s Tatars, Fear, Defiance Take Hold

 

On the Scene: For Crimea’s Tatars, Fear, Defiance¹ Take Hold 

BAKHCHISARAI, UKRAINE — The dispute over the Ukrainian republic of Crimea has largely pitted Ukraine against Russia. But the region’s ethnic² Tatars may have the most to lose. VOA’s Elizabeth Arrott has more from Crimean town of Bakhchisarai.

It’s a show of pro-Russian force in Bakhchisarai. As Ukraine and Russia face off over Crimea’s future, these soldiers are but the latest to lay claim to this long-contested land.

Crimea’s indigenous³ Tatars, outnumbered by their Slavic neighbors, are keeping a wary⁴ eye on moves to bring the peninsula under Russian control.

“Of course everybody's scared here, but you see at this moment the people, really nobody knows what can happen here," said resident Eydor Bakchisarai.

Given their past, they have reason to be worried. In 1944, Stalin expelled the entire Tatar population from Crimea. Only as the Soviet⁵ Union collapsed⁶ did they return -- to a newly independent Ukraine.

Crimean Tatar politician Abduraman Egiz:

“Ukraine is a new state and [for] each ethnic group that lives in Crimea, we are beginning from a new page," said Egiz.

A new and largely empty page. This ethnic Turkic, Muslim community has had to rebuild from the ground up.

They reclaimed⁷ this mosque⁸, used as a movie theater in Soviet times.

Still, it’s a far cry from the height of Crimean Tatar power. The palace of Bakhchisarai - the seat of the Crimean Khanate, immortalized by the poet Pushkin - fell to imperial Russia in the 18th century.

The Tatars say they will not be deterred⁹ from creating a new, humbler life here, despite the gathering¹⁰ political and military storm

“Of course, I'm staying in my house. Definitely. Even happen something, we are staying in our house - everybody who is living here," said Bakchisarai.

At a local mosque, men pray for peace - hoping to ensure their hard-won return and to live under Pushkin’s “bright skies and waves of blue.”

 

But if it comes to a vote, Crimea’s minority Tatars are once again likely to fall back under Moscow’s rule.

1 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

4 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

7 reclaimed   

adj.再生的；翻造的；收复的；回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救

参考例句：

• Many sufferers have been reclaimed from a dependence on alcohol. 许多嗜酒成癖的受害者已经被挽救过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They reclaimed him from his evil ways. 他们把他从邪恶中挽救出来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 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。

9 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句

10 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。