VOA常速英语2022--也门叛军袭击沙特边境城镇吉赞

Saudi state-run media say a Yemeni rebel attack on the Saudi border town of Jizan killed two people and wounded seven more late Friday.

沙特国营媒体称，也门叛军星期五晚间袭击了沙特边境城镇吉赞，造成两人死亡，七人受伤。

The Saudi Press Agency said Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a projectile¹ that killed a Saudi citizen and a Yemeni resident.

沙特通讯社称，也门胡塞武装发射的一枚炮弹造成了一名沙特公民和一名也门居民死亡。

It said six of the wounded were Saudis and one was a Bangladeshi national.

报道称，伤者中有6人是沙特人，1人是孟加拉国民。

Shrapnel also smashed into nearby cars and shops.

弹片还击中了附近的汽车和商店。

(The) cross-border attack is just the latest in Yemen's long-running civil war by the Shiite Houthi rebels following an escalation² of Saudi-led military coalition³ airstrikes on the rebel-held capital of Sana'a.

这次越境袭击只是什叶派胡塞武装在长期的也门内战中的最新一起，此前沙特领导的军事联盟对叛军控制的首都萨那升级了空袭。

Saudi airstrikes rocked Sana'a earlier Friday, hitting a military camp near the city center, this according to both Houthi and Saudi media.

胡塞媒体和沙特媒体均有报道，周五早些时候，沙特的空袭震动了萨那，击中了市中心附近的一个军事营地。

A South African cabinet minister on Friday urged the cancellation⁴ of an upcoming U.S. auction⁵ of a key to the Robben Island prison cell where Nelson Mandela, the country's first Black president, was long jailed for his opposition⁶ to apartheid.

南非一位内阁部长周五敦促取消即将在美国举行的罗本岛监狱钥匙拍卖。南非首位黑人总统曼德拉曾因反对种族隔离而长期被关押在罗本岛监狱。

The key is among Mandela memorabilia being sold by Guernsey's auction house in New York on January 28.

这把钥匙是将于1月28日在纽约根西岛拍卖行拍卖的曼德拉纪念品之一。

Most of the items were provided by members of Mandela's family to raise funds for a planned museum and garden around his grave while the key is being sold by Mandela's former jailer who became his friend.

这些物品中的大部分是由曼德拉的家人提供的，目的是筹集资金，在曼德拉的坟墓旁修建博物馆和花园，不过这把钥匙是由后来和曼德拉成为朋友的前狱卒出售的。

Rescuers in northern Myanmar said the confirmed death toll⁷ from a landslide⁸ at an illegal jade⁹ mine had risen to six on Friday as they called off the search operation, with dozens still missing and presumed dead.

缅甸北部的救援人员表示，一处非法玉石矿发生山体滑坡，造成的死亡人数周五已上升至6人，同时他们停止了搜救行动，数十人仍下落不明，据推测已经死亡。

Scores die each year working in the country's lucrative¹⁰ but poorly regulated jade trade, which sees low-paid migrant workers scrape out gems¹¹ highly coveted¹² in neighboring China.

每年都有数十人在利润丰厚但监管不善的玉石贸易中丧生，低收入外来务工人员挖出邻国中国梦寐以求的宝石。

Authorities had initially¹³ estimated at least 70 people were feared missing after the torrent¹⁴ of rocks and earth swept into the lake early Wednesday, later said they were still trying to confirm that figure.

有关部门初步估计，周三凌晨泥石流进入堰塞湖后，恐怕至少有70人失踪，随后又表示，他们仍在努力确认这一数字。

1 projectile   

n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的

参考例句：

• The vertical and horizontal motions of a projectile can be treated independently.抛射体的竖直方向和水平方向的运动能够分开来处理。
• Have you altered the plans of the projectile as the telegram suggests?你已经按照电报的要求修改炮弹图样了吗?

2 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

5 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

6 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。

7 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

8 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

9 jade   

n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠

参考例句：

• The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
• He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

10 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

11 gems   

growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长

参考例句：

• a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

12 coveted   

adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图

参考例句：

• He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。
• Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

14 torrent   

n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发

参考例句：

• The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
• Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。