VOA标准英语2008年-Pakistanis Hold Candlelight Vigils for Bhutto

By Ravi Khanna
Washington
02 January 2008
 

Days after opposition¹ leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's funeral, and nationwide riots, some people are choosing peaceful ways to channel their anger and frustration². In cities across the country, mourners still pray for their slain³ leader and their country. VOA's Ravi Khanna has more.

All across the country from Islamabad to Peshawar and elsewhere, Pakistanis continue memorializing a slain leader even after last week's Islamic funeral. Never in recent history have people continued conducting candlelight vigils like this one long after the formal religious burial.

In Karachi, people gathered at Bhutto's house to read the Holy Koran and say prayers.

And in Rawalpindi, police arrested several supporters of the slain opposition leader, and fired tear gas into a protest rally. Police also arrested a number of people for burning tires, a symbol of protest against the government.

People lit candles and scattered⁴ rose petals⁵ at the spot where the former prime minister was slain.

 

In the candlelight vigil in the capital, Islamabad, mourners wept and decorated a shrine⁶ to the slain leader with flowers.

One man was overcome with grief over the death of the former prime minister.

Fatima Ahsan, a social worker, told VOA she was angry with the government for a killing⁷ she equated⁸ to slaying⁹ of democracy in her country.

"I mean, I don't have the words to express the sorrow I feel," she said. "Another national leader is gone. I think this is how the government plans to deal with the democratic processes and democracy in this country. They do not want democracy," she said.

Another participant, Asha Amirali, said she was also very sad.

"I'm very angry as well. I'm very angry at the government," she said. "I'm very angry with the way they've dealt with it. I'm very angry with the lies that they're telling at this time."

There were people from all walks of life offering prayers for Bhutto - human rights activists¹⁰, students, her party workers and also the common man on the street.

Aasim Sajjad, a fellow mourner, expressed hope that Bhutto's death would present an opportunity to her party.

"As much as there is sorrow, there is lso a sense that perhaps this will be an opportunity for all of us, who like Benazir have spent their lives fighting against dictatorship," she said. "Maybe this will be the catalyst¹¹ to bring us all together."

Watching events in Pakistan, the political pundits¹² at home and in Washington say with Bhutto gone, the country has no other leader of her stature¹³. And they say the impact of her death on the Pakistani people has made the situation more difficult for already beleaguered¹⁴ President Pervez Musharraf.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

3 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

4 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

5 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

7 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。

8 equated   

adj.换算的v.认为某事物（与另一事物）相等或相仿( equate的过去式和过去分词 )；相当于；等于；把（一事物） 和（另一事物）等同看待

参考例句：

• Production costs for the movie equated to around 30% of income. 这部电影的制作成本相当于收益的30%。
• Politics cannot be equated with art. 政治不能同艺术等同起来。

9 slaying   

杀戮。

参考例句：

• The man mimed the slaying of an enemy. 此人比手划脚地表演砍死一个敌人的情况。
• He is suspected of having been an accomplice in the slaying,butthey can't pin it on him. 他有嫌疑曾参与该杀人案，但他们找不到证据来指控他。

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

12 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

13 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

14 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》