VOA慢速英语 2008 1206

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

India continues to investigate the terrorist attacks last week in Mumbai. More than one hundred seventy people were killed in two and a half days of violence.
　

Taj Hotel in Mumbai burning

Indian officials have blamed what they call "elements from Pakistan." They tell Indian media that they have linked the military's Inter-Services Intelligence agency to the attackers. Pakistan denies any government involvement.

The attackers struck hotels, a train station, a Jewish center and other targets, including a hospital. Mumbai, formerly¹ Bombay, is India's financial and film capital.

Indian officials said nine gunmen were killed and one was captured. They say the man has said he is a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani Islamic group that India has tied to other attacks. Pakistan banned the group in two thousand two.
　

Indians protest their government's inability to prevent the attacks

Many Indians are angry at the government for not doing more to fight terrorism. Hundreds have died this year in bombings in New Delhi and other cities.

India admits to failures by its security and intelligence services in the attack on Mumbai. American officials say India had received warnings. India's home minister, its top law enforcement official, resigned.

Pakistan has offered to jointly² investigate the attack with India. India wants Pakistan to surrender twenty suspects. But President Asif Ali Zardari said that even if India provided proof of their involvement, they would be tried in Pakistan.

India has increased security at airports because of threats sent by e-mail to government officials and media organizations, including VOA. They claim to come from the Deccan Mujahideen, the same group that took responsibility in Mumbai.

India has also been looking into the possibility that one of its citizens, under arrest for months, was involved in planning the attack. Police in Uttar Pradesh say the man had detailed³ drawings of some of the targets.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other American officials traveled to India and Pakistan, trying to calm the tensions. The attacks threaten the recent steps that the nuclear-armed neighbors have taken to improve relations.
　

President-elect Obama with Hillary Clinton and retired4 general James Jones

The issue will be one of the first for Barack Obama's foreign policy team. The president-elect announced his team this week, led by his nominee⁵ for secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. Robert Gates will continue as defense⁶ secretary. And a retired Marine⁷ general, Jim Jones, will be national security adviser⁸ when the new president takes office in January.

Last year Congress established a group to study how to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. This week the commission released its report. It says the world must act quickly to control the spread of biological and nuclear weapons, the greatest threats. Otherwise, it says, terrorists are more likely than not to use such a weapon somewhere in the world by the end of two thousand thirteen.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.

1 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

2 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。