2006年VOA标准英语-Iraqi Academy Educating Future Leaders

By Margaret Besheer
Zakho, Iraq
08 July 2006
 
In Iraq, rebuilding efforts are not limited to infrastructure¹ and government. The country is also looking for military leaders to assume responsibility for the nations security from coalition² forces.

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Cadets come from across Iraq   
  
At the Zahko Military Academy, Iraq's future officers are being put through their paces.

The academy is one of three in Iraq that is training young men to lead the nations nascent³ security forces.

U.S. military commanders have said they hope to train 137,000 Iraqi troops by the end of this year as the foundation of the U.S. plan to transfer security to Iraq's new government.

Part of that effort is evident here at Zahko. The United States has contributed about nine million dollars in the past two years to renovate⁴ and expand the academy's facilities, including adding a new gymnasium, mess hall, rappelling tower and language laboratory.

U.S. military officials play an advisory⁵ role at the academy and have been helping⁶ Iraqi military officials improve the quality of their instruction and standardize⁷ their teaching methods with the curriculum at Iraq's other two officer academies.

The Zahko academy, located in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, was opened in 1997 to train Kurdish peshmerga fighters. After the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, the regional government opened the school up to all Iraqis and now about one-third of its cadets are Arabs. 

Academy Commandant General Shahib   
  
General Shahib is the commandant of the Zahko academy. He says the last two classes have included cadets from all over Iraq.

The general is especially proud that while much of the country is succumbing⁸ to sectarian and ethnic⁹ violence, there is no animosity among the cadets. He says the friendship is stronger between Kurdish and Arab cadets than between Arabs and Arabs and Kurds and Kurds.

As Iraq rebuilds its military, many of the new officers are coming from Saddam Hussein's old army. General Shahib says most officers over the rank of Captain are from the old Iraqi military. Before being recommissioned, they undergo a screening process and take a six-week training course.

Officer Candidates undergo rigorous training  
  
Currently, there are 620 cadets enrolled¹⁰ at the academy, and that number is expected to eventually grow to about 900. Most of the cadets are between 18 and 23 years of age and have secondary school educations. Officer training lasts for one year.

Kameron is a cadet from the mostly Kurdish city of Irbil. He says he wants to be an officer because Iraq needs a strong army to stop the terrorists.

Alan is from the ethnically-mixed city of Kirkuk. He says despite the heat, the cadets feel good and train a lot in the hope that they will become the best officers in Iraq.

Training is rigorous. Cadets are up at 6 a.m. and have four hours of training before breakfast. Afterwards, their day is spent in the classroom and outside practicing military skills. Sports are left for the late afternoon, and then it is time for dinner, some studying and lights out at 11:30 p.m.

Their instructors¹¹ are proud of them. Captain Sroud says he is very happy when he sees the students study at the academy and then go on to serve in all parts of Iraq.

In the meantime, it is back to the field for these young men, as they practice to become warriors¹² and leaders of the new Iraq.

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 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。

3 nascent   

adj.初生的，发生中的

参考例句：

• That slim book showed the Chinese intelligentsia and the nascent working class.那本小册子讲述了中国的知识界和新兴的工人阶级。
• Despite a nascent democracy movement,there's little traction for direct suffrage.尽管有过一次新生的民主运动，但几乎不会带来直接选举。

4 renovate   

vt.更新，革新，刷新

参考例句：

• The couple spent thousands renovating the house.这对夫妇花了几千元来翻新房子。
• They are going to renovate the old furniture.他们准备将旧家具整修一番。

5 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 standardize   

v.使符合标准，使标准化

参考例句：

• We will extend and standardize legal services and provide effective legal aid.拓展和规范法律服务，积极开展法律援助。
• There is a drive both to standardise components and to reduce the number of models on offer.正在为实现零部件标准化和减少推出的型号数量而努力。

8 succumbing   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的现在分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• Mrs. Smith washed and ironed clothes for him, succumbing to him. 史密斯太太被他迷住了，愿意为他洗衣烫衣。
• They would not in the end abandon their vital interests by succumbing to Soviet blandishment. 他们最终决不会受苏联人的甜言蜜语的诱惑，从而抛弃自己的切身利益。

9 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。

10 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

12 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。