VOA标准英语2009-Killings in Iraq Highlight Continuing Securi

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo, Egypt
16 November 2009

 
Iraqis pick through the remains¹ of a suicide car bombing at a market in Kirkuk, 240 km from Baghdad, 16 Nov 2009
Iraqi security officials say gunmen have killed 13 people west of Baghdad, while in the northern city Kirkuk, a car bomb exploded in a market, killing² at least five.

The latest violence comes as Iraqis gear up for general elections planned for January. While overall security has improved, the attacks are a reminder³ of how precarious⁴ the situation is.

Iraqi security spokesman General Qassem Mohammed Atta addressed the execution-style killings⁵ in the mostly-Sunni area west of Baghdad.

Atta described them as "cowardly, terrorist" acts. He said a preliminary investigation⁶ indicated that the attackers had disguised themselves as members of the Iraqi army.

No one has claimed responsibility for the killings or the bombing in Kirkuk. 

Tensions are high in the oil-rich northern city, a point of contention⁷ that led to delays in Iraq's recently-approved electoral law.

Most Kurds in Kirkuk want to be part of the Kurdistan Regional Government, while Arab and Turkomen residents want to be under the central control of Baghdad. Lawmakers reached a provisional compromise that could leave open the future of the city. 
 
Passage of the electoral law was hailed by U.S. President Barack Obama as an important milestone⁸. American plans to withdraw troops from Iraq are based in part on having the elections go forward.

But Iraq's Vice⁹ President Tareq al-Hashemi, a member of Iraq's Sunni minority, has raised objections to the current law. He said Monday he wants the number of parliamentary seats set aside for minorities to be raised, threatening to use his veto power over the law if the number is not changed.

1 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。

2 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。

3 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

4 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

5 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

8 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

9 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。