沙特妇女争取开车的权利

 　　沙特妇女争取开车的权利

　　WASHINGTON — If you are a woman and live in Saudi Arabia, authorities say you are not allowed to drive a car. This Saturday, however, Saudi women across the kingdom are set to defy this driving ban to draw attention to their plight¹.

　　Azizah al-Yousef is taking a stand by sitting behind the wheel. She has earned a driver's license² in one Gulf³ nation and in the United States. But, in her homeland of Saudi Arabia, authorities refuse to issue licenses⁴ to women.

　　Officials say it's for women's own good; a sheikh recently claimed that a woman's ovaries are negatively affected⁵ by her actions behind the wheel. This Saturday, al-Yousef and other women will take to the streets to show men that women should also be allowed to drive.

　　''The message from this campaign is a clarification to the decision makers⁶ [of] the readiness for the community for women to drive cars, nothing more. There will be no gatherings⁷ or demonstrations⁸. It is only to make women driving a matter of fact, and to get the street used to this,” said al-Yousef.

　　The social media campaign urging women to take the wheel this Saturday is garnering⁹ international attention. It's also creating a dialogue among Saudi men.

　　''I'm for women driving cars and I think that laws and legislation that will be enacted¹⁰ will protect the women, so there won't be any problems, God willing,'' said Ibrahim al-Rashid, a Saudi resident and supporter of women being allowed to drive.

　　''I'm honestly against women driving. I don't know how she'll cope if she has a flat tire. How would she act? Here, there's a lot of traffic. Riyadh is already crowded enough,'' said Hammad Hisham, another local.

　　For Saudi Mansour al-Shamari, the issue is personal.

　　''I encourage women to drive a car. A woman is a mother, sister, wife, beloved. She is a teacher, doctor, bank worker. She's now competing with men everywhere. They're now in the Shura Council, so why not? There's no problem,'' said al-Shamari.

　　But if there's no problem, why hasn't the ban ended? Al-Yousef hopes it will, and soon.

1 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

2 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

3 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

4 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

8 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

9 garnering   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• And at the forefront was Bryant, garnering nothing but praise from his coaches and teammates. 而站在最前沿的就是科比，他也因此获得了教练和队友的赞美。 来自互联网

10 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹