2006年VOA标准英语-US Secretary of State Rice Calls for Continued

By Deborah Block
Washington, DC
13 September 2006
 
watch Rice report on Terrorism  

Condoleezza Rice

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Afghanistan must become a stable democracy that fights terrorism.  Suicide bombers² have killed a number of people in Afghanistan in recent days, including a provincial³ governor.  The attacks came as NATO and Afghan forces stepped up anti-Taleban operations in the south. 

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A suicide bomber¹ killed at least six people at the funeral of provincial governor Abdul Hakim Taniwal (Monday).  Several cabinet ministers and members of Afghanistan's parliament were among the large group of people at the funeral.  Five police officers and a12-year-old boy died.  Taniwal was one of three people killed in a previous suicide attack.  Taleban insurgents⁴ have claimed responsibility for both bombings. 

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States and its allies left Afghanistan without political, economic and security support following its conflict with the former Soviet⁵ Union.

She says Afghanistan turned into a failed state that harbored and supported al-Qaida. "If we should have learned anything, it is that if you allow that kind of vacuum, if you allow a failed state in that strategic of a location, you're going to pay for it."

The Taleban has fought an increasingly bloody⁶ guerrilla war against the elected Afghan government and allied⁷ forces during the past year. 

The U.S.-led coalition⁸ is continuing its offensive against Taleban fighters and al-Qaida in Kunar province bordering Pakistan.  Soldiers fired rockets and patrolled the mountains where Taleban militants⁹ are believed to be hiding. 

U.S. Army Lieutenant¹⁰ Tim Lo says soldiers found weapons in caves. "We found ammunition¹¹.   We found I.E.D. materials (Improvised Explosive Devices) -- things they can use against us."

The U.S. military says a suicide-bombing cell is operating in the Afghan capital Kabul.  Colonel Tom Collins says it remains¹² a threat, "We know that there is a cell here in Kabul, at least one, whose primary mission is to seek out coalition or international troops and hit them with suicide bombs."

NATO troops began an offensive last Saturday to wipe out Taleban strongholds in southeastern Kandahar province.  More than 550 Taleban fighters have been killed.  Canada has called on NATO member nations to contribute more troops. 

1 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。

2 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》

3 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

4 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

7 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

8 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。

9 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。

10 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

11 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。