VOA标准英语2010年-Thai PM Rejects Protesters Calls to Di

Anti-government protests continue in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected demands to hold new elections. Tens of thousands of red dressed demonstrators surrounded a military compound where the prime minister has been based and vowed¹ to keep up the pressure.

The massive crowd of protesters waved banners and clappd plastic noise makers² as a convoy³ of trucks carrying protest organizers arrives at a military base in Bangkok.

Video clip: Anti-government demonstration⁴ in Bangkok Monday

An estimated 100,000 demonstrators have gathered in the Thai capital, many of them from the rural north, to demand the government resign and call new elections.

Thousands were at the base where the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been operating during the protests. He pre-empted a noon deadline protesters had set and refused their demands on national television, saying the timing⁵ was not right for elections.

"We are coming here today to ask the prime minister to resign," said Pranot Munnyrak, who was protesting outside the military base.
 "That's the main point. But we have heard that the prime minister already has announced that he is not going to resign."

Despite the government's rejection⁶, protesters vowed to press on and have threatened to step up their demonstrations⁷ if the government is not dissolved.

Nattawut Saikua, one of the protest leaders, rode on top of a truck that slowly drove past the gates of the military base. He spoke⁸ to the crowd through loudspeakers. He says if there is no dissolution of the parliament today then there must be no later than tomorrow evening. He tells the protesters to wait for their next move.

Convoys⁹ of protesters, some more than a mile long, could be seen Monday headed towards protest areas.

Many of the red shirts, as they are known, are supporters of deposed¹⁰ former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who now lives in exile to avoid corruption¹¹ charges.

He was ousted¹² in a 2006 coup¹³ that protesters say was orchestrated by the military and traditional elite¹⁴ in Bangkok who felt threatened by his support from the rural poor.

Yellow dressed protesters overthrew¹⁵ a government friendly to Thaksin in 2008 by occupying government buildings and the airport.

The red shirts are hoping for a similar result but have so far limited their protests to the streets and areas surrounding government and military buildings.

Also in Bangkok Monday, the military said two soldiers were wounded from grenades fired into another military base. It was not clear if the attack was related to the anti-government protests.

 

1 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

4 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

5 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

6 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句

10 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

13 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

14 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

15 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。