VOA慢速英语2015 伊斯兰国组织绑架90名亚述基督徒

Islamic State Kidnaps 90 Assyrian Christians² 伊斯兰国组织绑架90名亚述基督徒

An activist³ group said Tuesday Islamic State militants⁵ kidnapped at least 90 people from Assyrian Christian¹ villages in Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory⁶ for Human Rights said residents were taken Monday after fighting in the Khabura area of Hassakeh province. The group monitors the violence in Syria.

Hassakeh province borders territory controlled by Islamist militants in Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of Assyrians, a mostly Christian minority ethnic⁷ group, live in nearby countries.

Islamic State fighters have targeted religious and ethnic minorities. The group uses kidnappings and killings⁹ to advance their territorial¹⁰ expansion across Syria and Iraq.

Monday's kidnappings marked the second high-profile attack by Islamic State militants on Christians this month. Last week, Islamic State allies in Libya released a video showing the beheadings of Egypt Coptic Christian workers who had been held hostage.

At least 27 dead in Nigerian bus station blasts

Suicide bombers¹² targeted two crowded bus stations in northern Nigeria Tuesday, killing⁸ at least 27 people.

The first explosion, in the northeastern Nigerian town of Potiskum, killed at least 17 people. Witnesses said dozens more were wounded in the blast.  The explosion occurred as a man was trying to get on a bus that was departing for Kano. Authorities said it was not clear whether the bomber¹¹ was wearing explosives or had them hidden in luggage.

Several hours later, two men blew themselves up at a crowded bus park in Kano, northern Nigeria's biggest city, police said.

There was no claim of responsibility for either blast, but both attacks resembled those of the militant⁴ group Boko Haram.

Rebels in Ukraine say weapons pullback under way

Rebels in eastern Ukraine said they have started pulling back heavy weapons from the frontlines. The weapons pullback is required by an international cease-fire agreement.

Top rebel commander Eduard Basurin said the withdrawal¹³ began at 9 a.m. local time Tuesday. The move could not be confirmed by outside sources.

Ukrainian military officials have not responded. But, officials have said they will not pull back weapons off the frontlines as long as the fighting continues.

The Ukrainian government said rebel attacks continued Tuesday near the port city of Mariupol as well as near Debaltseve. Russian-backed separatists captured that city last week.

The violence has caused doubts about whether the cease-fire agreement can end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The cease-fire should have begun February 15. The fighting has killed more than 5,600 people in the last 10 months.  

Obama vetoes Keystone pipeline¹⁴ bill

U.S. President Barack Obama has vetoed a bill that would have allowed Congress to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada.

The White House sent notice of the veto to the Senate Tuesday. It is the third veto of Mr. Obama's presidency¹⁵.

Officials warned that Mr. Obama would veto the measure. Republicans have made approving the Keystone XL pipeline one of their top priorities since taking control of Congress in January.

Words in the News

kidnap – v.   to take away (someone) by force usually in order to keep the person as a prisoner and demand money for returning the person

resemble – v. to look or be like (someone or something)

veto – v. to reject (a proposed law) officially : to refuse to allow (a bill) to become a law

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 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。

5 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。

6 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

10 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

11 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

12 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

14 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

15 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。