2006年VOA标准英语-Tensions Still High in Dahab Following Mon

By Challiss McDonough
Dahab, Egypt
26 April 2006
 
In Egypt, a pair of suicide attacks on security forces near the Israeli border killed the two bombers¹ but caused no other injuries Wednesday.  But tensions remain high and security is tight in the wake of Monday's deadly triple bombings in the resort town of Dahab, where at least 24 people were killed and scores injured.

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Tourists and Egyptians react as they remember victims in Dahab, Egypt 
  

Two new suicide attacks Wednesday on multi-national peacekeepers and Egyptian police in north Sinai fueled anxiety that the bombings in Dahab might have marked the beginning of a more extensive terrorist campaign. 

It is actually not clear whether they are related, but Egypt is jittery².  Rumors³ are flying. 

There were reports, apparently⁴ false, of an attack on police in a small town outside of Cairo, and then a bomb threat was phoned in on a building in Alexandria, causing police to sweep the area.  They found nothing.

Meanwhile, the town of Dahab is trying to get back to normal.  Most of the blood has finally been washed off the sidewalks.

Jewelry⁵ store owner Atef Fakhri Metri walks over the broken glass carpeting the floor of his devastated⁶ shop, the Mona Lisa Bazaar⁷.  One of the bombs exploded right outside.

He says the force of the blast almost ripped one of his employee's arms off, and he points to a large patch of dried blood on the floor left behind by another injured worker.

It will take some time to repair the physical damage to Metri's shop, but he does intend to reopen.

In the shop next door, three employees were killed.

Dahab is a small town, where it seems that everyone knows everyone else.  Restaurant owner Adel Swissy says for locals, the bombs' damage was not just physical, it was emotional.

"There is a lot of sadness and agony," he said.  "You cannot see it, but it is felt.  This is not about money or business.  I saw what happened.  It was dreadful."

In other parts of town, things have started to get back to normal, at least on the surface.  Down the street, two restaurants targeted by a different bomb reopened Wednesday, with bouquets⁸ of flowers leaning against a nearby tree in memory of those who were killed there.  A small group of people stood in the street outside, urging every single person passing by to stop in for a visit.

"So whoever fancies a coffee this morning, or breakfast or lunch or dinner even, we would like to ask you to come to Aladdin and to Al Capone and give us support," said Katrina Hunke, a German woman who has lived in Dahab on-and-off for seven years. 

She does not own or work in either of the bombed restaurants, but is drumming up business on behalf of her friends who do.  She says the point is to send a message, that people in Dahab will not be intimidated⁹.

"The people you see are the first ones sitting down this morning, but everybody is very supportive," she added.  "And when I am explaining to them, they understand that this is not about business, this is about [making] the statement, which is fantastic.  Actually, it gives me goosebumps when people put their hands on my shoulders and say we're coming, we're coming.  Yalla, we're going."

Although most locals are determined¹⁰ to get back to business, the big question is whether there will be business to get back to.

Tourism is the lifeblood of Dahab.  Behind the shows of solidarity¹¹, there is great anxiety about whether the tourists will stop coming in the aftermath of the attacks.

Although the Al-Ghazali supermarket was just a few meters from one of the bombs, it is also open, and doing a brisk business.  The manager, Helmi Fawzi, is not sure how long that will continue.

"Only God knows that," he said.  "We hope it doesn't have a long-term effect, but it might.  I hope things return to normal, but it is in their hands.  The tourists will decide whether to come back or not."

Other residents, and many tourists, say they believe the town will recover.  The coral reefs offshore¹² are among the most famous scuba¹³ diving and snorkeling sites in the world, and it is hard to imagine that they would not continue to attract visitors.

1 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》

2 jittery   

adj. 神经过敏的, 战战兢兢的

参考例句：

• However, nothing happened though he continued to feel jittery. 可是，自从拉上这辆车，并没有出什么错儿，虽然他心中嘀嘀咕咕的不安。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• The thirty-six Enterprise divebombers were being squandered in a jittery shot from the hip. 这三十六架“企业号”上的俯冲轰炸机正被孤注一掷。

3 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

6 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

7 bazaar   

n.集市，商店集中区

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• We bargained for a beautiful rug in the bazaar.我们在集市通过讨价还价买到了一条很漂亮的地毯。

8 bouquets   

n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香

参考例句：

• The welcoming crowd waved their bouquets. 欢迎的群众摇动着花束。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• As the hero stepped off the platform, he was surrounded by several children with bouquets. 当英雄走下讲台时，已被几名手持花束的儿童围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

12 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

13 scuba   

n.水中呼吸器

参考例句：

• I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。