VOA慢速英语2015 法国批准更大规模空袭伊斯兰国激进分子

 

France Approves More Airstrikes Against Islamic State Militants² 法国批准更大规模空袭伊斯兰国激进分子

French lawmakers have agreed to extend the country’s involvement in airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq. The agreement comes a week after three men who expressed loyalty³ to Islamist groups killed 17 people in Paris.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls spoke⁴ before the vote in the National Assembly Tuesday. He said that France is at war against extremists, not religion.

The head of Europe’s police organization announced on Tuesday that up to 5,000 Europeans have joined fighting in Syria. The announcement raises concerns about militants returning to their home countries to carry out terror attacks.

France is one of several European and Middle Eastern countries that have joined an international coalition⁵ against the Islamic State. The militant¹ group seized large parts of Syria and Iraq in the past year.

In France, people have been remembering the three police officers who were killed in the terror attacks in Paris. French President Francois Hollande spoke a memorial service for the three. He praised their heroism⁶ and recognized them by presenting the Legion of Honor award. “Thanks to you,” he said, “France is standing⁷. Long live the Republic. Long live France.”

Funerals were also held in Jerusalem for four Jewish victims of the attacks in Paris.

Last week, two gunmen killed 12 people at the offices of the weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo.  The publication is known for cartoons that make fun of religions and public officials. Charlie Hebdo is set to reappear in stores on Wednesday. It will include an image of someone said to be the Prophet Mohammed. He will be seen holding a sign that says "I Am Charlie" under the headline "All is Forgiven."

Bus hit by rebel artillery⁸ shell in eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian officials say 10 civilians⁹ were killed Tuesday when a shell or missile hit a bus south of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk. The press center for the Ukrainian government’s military operation against Russian-supported separatists in eastern Ukraine reported the deaths. It said 13 others were injured.

Ukrainian media reported that the chief of the Donetsk regional interior ministry¹⁰ department said the bus was hit by a rebel artillery shell. The official answers to the central government in Kyiv. But the defense¹¹ ministry of the separatists’ self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic denied that rebel forces were involved. Russia’s Tass news agency reported the denial. 

News of the incident came as a planned meeting on the Ukraine crisis was postponed¹². The meeting was to have involved the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. The foreign ministers of the four countries met Monday in Berlin, but failed to make progress on enacting¹³ a ceasefire agreement between Ukraine’s central government and rebels. The four leaders were to have met Thursday in Kazakhstan.

Pope Francis arrives in Sri Lanka

Pope Francis has spoken about the need for “justice, healing and unity” in Sri Lanka. The pope spoke at the international airport in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, at the start of a week-long trip to Asia.

The Roman Catholic leader said Sri Lanka needs to seek the truth of what happened during its long civil war. He said rebuilding must include a respect for human rights and what he called “the full inclusion of each member of society.” Pope Francis will spend two days in Sri Lanka before traveling to the Philippines. The visit to Asia is his second since taking office. The Vatican says the pope will speak through his Asia trip on issues like the environment, poverty and family.

Words in this Story

extend - v. to stretch out in area or length; to continue for a longer time

loyalty - n. the quality of being loyal

shell - n. a metal container that is fired from a large gun and exploded when it reaches its target

healing - v. returning to good health; becoming well

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 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 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。

6 heroism   

n.大无畏精神，英勇

参考例句：

• He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
• Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 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。

9 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。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

11 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。

12 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

13 enacting   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Generally these statutes apply only to wastes from reactors outside the enacting state. 总之，这些法令只适宜用在对付那些来自外州的核废料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• In addition, the complexion of enacting standards for live working is described. 另外，介绍了带电作业标准的制订情况。