VOA标准英语2010年-Residents Talk about Neighbor Accused

The White House says the arrest of 11 Russians for alleged¹ spying is not a setback² to improved relations with Moscow. And Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he doesn't believe the scandal will hurt ties with the U.S. But the residents of a small apartment building in Arlington, Virginia, outside of Washington, are shaken by the case.

Neighbors expressed concern that one of the alleged spies, Mikhail Semenko, lived among them.  Semenko is one of 11 suspects charged with conspiracy³ and money laundering⁴ in connection to the FBI spy case.

Diego Vasquez lives directly below Semenko. He says Semenko kept to himself.

"He looked like he was bald, a little bit, and maybe like around his forties. And I don't know, [he] looked very out of place," said Vasquez.

Semenko lived here. U.S. court papers describe him as an "illegal," assigned with carrying out a long-term, deep cover assignment in the United States for the Russian foreign intelligence service, SVR.

Days before the Semenko's arrest Sunday, Vasquez says he grew suspicious when he came home and found what looked like a surveillance team parked outside the building.

"I saw black SUVs, like Suburbans, parked outside.  I thought that was kind of weird," added Vasquez. 

Vasquez' brother, Hugo, says he was leaving for work as the FBI swarmed⁵ the building.

"I saw all the cops here, I didn't know what was going on," recalled Hugo Vasquez.

Court documents say that Semenko met with an FBI agent posing as a Russian government official on the corner of 10th and H Streets in Washington.  They say the agent gave Semenko $5,000 in cash concealed⁶ inside a newspaper.  Later, Semenko allegedly dropped off the money at an undisclosed park in Arlington. 

Reports of Semenko's secret rendezvous⁷ frightens neighbor Fernando Castro.

"I don't feel good because I have my children [here]," said Castro.

The neighbors told VOA Semenko was seldom around.  Castro saw him for the first time on the day of his arrest
 

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

3 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

4 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 swarmed   

密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响，孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
• When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下，人群就蜂拥回了旅社。

6 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

7 rendezvous   

n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇

参考例句：

• She made the rendezvous with only minutes to spare.她还差几分钟时才来赴约。
• I have a rendezvous with Peter at a restaurant on the harbour.我和彼得在海港的一个餐馆有个约会。