VOA标准英语2014--敖德萨活动人士或许死于氯仿中毒

 

Chloroform Poisoning Might Have Killed Odessa Activists¹ 敖德萨活动人士或许死于氯仿中毒

ODESSA, UKRAINE — Ukraine's government says 32 pro-Russian activists who died during a fire in a building they had taken over early this month in Odessa may have been killed by chloroform poisoning and not flames or smoke.  

The trade unions building at Kulikovo Field bears the scars of a raging fire, and the communist flag raised by pro-Russian protesters still flies on the roof, behind a Ukrainian flag placed at half-staff to mark their deaths.

Inside, the intensity² of the fire is apparent, as are the barricades³ the pro-Russian protesters used to block the doors that helped fuel it.

But photos of the dead, too graphic⁴ to show, indicate some of them died in unusual positions, apparently⁵ not trying to flee or protect themselves from the fire. And many rooms were not burned, and some exits are clear.

On Monday, Ukraine's deputy interior minister said the victims may have died from chloroform poisoning, and the investigation⁶ into how that happened is continuing.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed outrage⁷, and accused Ukrainian authorities of lying to cover up the involvement of foreign mercenaries.

Odessa's regional vice-governor Zoya Kazanzhy said in a VOA interview that there is no tolerance⁸ for such interference.

"My attitude is obviously extremely negative." she said. "At high levels, we are constantly saying this is our business. Unfortunately, I think the political conditions and the behavior of senior Russian officials is causing a situation where we will hardly be able to be brothers and sisters, and friendly nations, in the foreseeable future."

Journalist Oksana Butuk says the Russian approach will backfire, even among Odessa's pro-Russian activists.

"People who are still gathering⁹ at Kulikovo Field always say they are there because they want to be there and that Russia has nothing to do with it," Butuk said. "And when Russia tries to get involved, people get aggressive because they are always saying Russia is not involved."

People who still come to pay their respects at the Kulikovo Field building are emotional, but even they don't talk about seceding¹⁰ from Ukraine like activists in some areas farther east do.

"Ukraine is Ukraine," said market worker Marina Perelman. "No one was going to separate it in the way the media shows it, mostly national media. Odessa was never for the separation of Ukraine."

Monday's revelations are fueling doubt and anger at the authorities, but Vice-Governor Kazanzhy doubts they will spark more violence.

"The most important thing is to know the truth of what happened because it's the only thing that could somehow, if not reconcile the city, at least calm people down, because the truth is always calming," she said.

She and the rest of the new regional government are focused on completing the investigation in the hopes that speculation¹¹ about the horrors of May 2 doesn't lead to more of the same.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 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。

4 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

5 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。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

8 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

9 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。

10 seceding   

v.脱离，退出( secede的现在分词 )

参考例句：

11 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。