VOA标准英语2009年-Fighting Continues Between Government, Reb

By Edward Yeranian
Cairo
11 October 2009
There appears to be no immediate¹ let-up in the latest eight week old escalation² of the off and on five year conflict between the Yemeni government and Zaidi Shi'ite rebels in the northern province of Saada. Both sides appear to be trying to improve their positions in the build-up to an impending³ ceasefire, following international mediation⁴ efforts to bring a halt to the fighting.

 Fighting continues to rage in the protracted⁵ conflict between the Yemeni government and Zaidi Shi'ite rebels, despite fresh mediation efforts by the Arab League and regional powers, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Shi'ite rebels, Abdelmalik al-Houthi, says that he is willing to participate in negotiations⁶ toward a settlement, according to a plan outlined in September by a block of Yemeni opposition⁷ parties.

Al Arabiya TV reports that the government is welcoming the Houthi rebel leader's offer to negotiate to put an end to the bitter fighting which has devastated⁸ parts of Saada province. The United Nations says up to 150,000 people in Yemen have been forced to flee their homes since the intermittent⁹ fighting first began in 2004.

The Yemeni government defense¹⁰ ministry¹¹ declared, in a statement late Friday, that its forces had killed 100 rebels and wounded 280 in the current round of fighting, "inflicting¹² heavy and painful blows" to them.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa stepped up mediation efforts to end the conflict, after arriving in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, for a three-day visit, Tuesday. Some analysts¹³ think that the push to reach a ceasefire has momentarily intensified¹⁴ the conflict.

Professor Ahmed Abdul-Karim Saif, who teaches at the University of Sanaa, says that both the government and the Houthi rebels are trying to "improve their positions" in the build-up to what appears to be an imminent¹⁵ ceasefire.

"Each party among both the Houtis and the government are trying to make their situation better on the field," Saif said. "This will strengthen and enhance their situation and stand in the negotiations. This is expected very soon in Cairo."

The coming 72 hours, argues Saif, is a very critical period, as both parties jockey for position and fighting intensifies¹⁶.

 
Displaced Yemenis from the northern Saada province carry water to their tent at a camp set up by the United Nations High Commissioner¹⁷ for Refugees in Mazraq in Hajja region, 10 Sep 2009
"It has intensified since last night after the departure of the secretary general and the ceasefire is expected to come within the coming 72 hours if this mediation by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, under the auspices¹⁸ of the international community (is successful) in making the truce¹⁹ permanent," Saif said. "So, we expect the escalation of the war for the coming 72 hours before fixing the ceasefire."

Meanwhile, humanitarian²⁰ efforts are being stepped up by the international community to bring relief to the thousands of refugees from the conflict.

U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator²¹ John Holmes visited the conflict zone, Friday, during a three-day visit to Yemen, inspecting one of five refugee camps in the north of the country.

Holmes also complained that his agency has received only $3.8 million of the $23.5 million that was called for in early September to help victims of the fighting.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

3 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

4 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

5 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 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。

8 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。

9 intermittent   

adj.间歇的，断断续续的

参考例句：

• Did you hear the intermittent sound outside?你听见外面时断时续的声音了吗？
• In the daytime intermittent rains freshened all the earth.白天里，时断时续地下着雨，使整个大地都生气勃勃了。

10 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

11 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

12 inflicting   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。
• It's impossible to do research without inflicting some pain on animals. 搞研究不让动物遭点罪是不可能的。

13 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

14 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

16 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

18 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

19 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

20 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

21 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？