VOA标准英语2014--加沙的“和平”太短暂了

 

'Peace' in Gaza is All Too Brief 加沙的“和平”太短暂了

GAZA CITY —

Cease-fires in embattled Gaza have been all too brief in recent days, shattered by a swift return to fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas militant¹ fighters. Civilians² are caught in the middle, and they try to resume normal life whenever the mortars³, artillery⁴ and rockets fall silent.

As the cease-fire began Friday morning, people flocked to the beach after being cooped up in their apartments for more than three weeks. Fishermen launched their boats, although they were careful not to venture too far out to sea.

One of Gaza’s cooking-gas depots⁵ opened and residents rushed to stock up.  Although fuel supplies were plentiful⁶ during this conflict, the stations were afraid to open because of a fear of missile strikes.

The central market bustled⁷, as shoppers stocked up on food and other essentials.

Worshippers gathered for Friday prayers outside the al-Susi mosque⁸, which had been destroyed two days before by an air strike. They prayed for peace and for strength.

Imam Sheikh Saed Abed told the faithful they would never submit to an Israeli presence in Gaza.  And he denied the Israeli accusation⁹ that weapons were being hidden in mosques¹⁰ like his.

“These are just lies. We don’t have anything in our mosque.  Our mosques are just for praying to God.  We don’t have one bullet [shot] in our mosque,” he said.

Children gathered for Koranic school.  Head teacher Emad al-Dajany said they were being taught that despite the violence against them, the message of their religion is that all people who worship God are good people.

“I promised the parents of all the children that we will build this school again and they will study here again.  We will teach them how to love people, how to be good people, and to be Muslims loving each other,” said al-Dajany.

As the faithful left shortly after midday, word spread that the ceasefire had been broken and fighting had resumed.

Across the city the shops began to close. The vendor¹¹ stalls shut down. The beaches were bare. And Gaza’s fishermen returned to port.

The parks also emptied. And the mood in Gaza returned to one of isolation¹² and fear.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 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。

3 mortars   

n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵

参考例句：

• They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？ 来自教父部分

4 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

5 depots   

仓库( depot的名词复数 )； 火车站； 车库； 军需库

参考例句：

• Public transportation termini and depots are important infrastructures for a city. 公交场站设施是城市重要的基础设施。
• In the coastal cities are equipped with after-sales service and depots. 在各沿海城市均设有服务部及售后维修站。

6 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

7 bustled   

闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促

参考例句：

• She bustled around in the kitchen. 她在厨房里忙得团团转。
• The hostress bustled about with an assumption of authority. 女主人摆出一副权威的样子忙来忙去。

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 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

10 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

11 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

12 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。