VOA常速英语2021--阿富汗动荡，英美派兵协助使馆人员撤离

This is VOA News. Reporting by remote, I'm David Byrd.

这里是美国之音新闻。我是大卫·伯德，为您远程报道。

The Taliban captured two major Afghan cities, the country's second and third largest after Kabul, and a strategic provincial¹ capital on Thursday,

塔利班周四占领了阿富汗的两座主要城市，这是该国仅次于喀布尔的第二大和第三大城市，以及一个具有战略意义的省会城市。

further squeezing the embattled government just weeks before the end of the American military mission in Afghanistan.

在距离美国在阿富汗的军事任务结束只有几周之际，塔利班进一步向陷入困境的政府施压。

The seizure² of Kandahar and Herat marks the biggest prizes yet for the Taliban who have taken 12 of Afghanistan's 34 provincial capitals as part of a week-long blitz.

对坎大哈和赫拉特的占领是塔利班迄今最大的战利品。在为期一周的闪电战中，塔利班已经夺取了阿富汗34个省会城市中的12个。

The capture of Ghazni, meanwhile, cuts off a crucial highway linking the Afghan capital with the country's southern provinces, which similarly find themselves under assault.

与此同时，对加兹尼的占领切断了一条连接阿富汗首都和南部省份的重要公路，这些省份也同样正遭受袭击。

The losses and the battles elsewhere further tightened³ the grip of a resurgent Taliban,

这些城市的失守和其他地方的战斗使卷土重来的塔利班的控制进一步加强。

who are estimated to now hold more than two-thirds of the country and are continuing to pressure government forces in several other provincial capitals.

据估计，塔利班现在控制着该国三分之二以上的地区，并正继续向其他几个省会城市的政府军施压。

As security quickly gets worse in Afghanistan, the United States is sending troops to help evacuate⁴ some personnel from its embassy.

随着阿富汗的安全状况迅速恶化，美国正派遣军队帮助撤离大使馆的一些人员。

Britain's government has announced that it will also send 600 troops to Afghanistan to help evacuate its personnel. AP's Sagar Meghani reports.

英国政府宣布也将向阿富汗派遣600名士兵帮助本国人员撤离。美联社的萨加尔·梅格哈尼带来详细报道。

Some 3,000 troops will enter Afghanistan in the next two days to help with the partial evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Kabul.

大约3000名士兵将在未来两天进入阿富汗，协助美国驻喀布尔大使馆的部分撤离工作。

The State Department's ordering more Americans to leave as the Taliban continue a fast defensive⁵ and now effectively control two-thirds of the country.

美国国务院命令更多的美国人撤离，塔利班持续进行快速防御，目前实际控制了阿富汗三分之二的地区。

"We have been gravely concerned by developments." Spokesman Ned Price says the embassy will stay open just dropped to a core staff.

“我们一直对事态发展感到严重担忧。”发言人内德·普莱斯表示，大使馆将只留下核心工作人员维持运作。

At the Pentagon, "This is a temporary mission with a narrow focus."

在五角大楼，“这是我们重点关注的一项临时任务。”

John Kirby says the troops will be there to help the evacuation, not get involved in the war again.

约翰·柯比表示，军队将在那里帮助撤离，而不是再次卷入战争。

The U.S. role in the war formally ends August 31st.

美国在这场战争中的参与将于8月31日正式结束。

Sagar Meghani, Washington.

萨加尔·梅格哈尼于华盛顿。

1 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

3 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

4 evacuate   

v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便

参考例句：

• We must evacuate those soldiers at once!我们必须立即撤出这些士兵！
• They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country.他们正计划转移仍滞留在该国的70名美国官员。

5 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。