VOA标准英语2011-No End in Sight for Protests in Egypt

Protesters have taken to the streets across Egypt once again to demand the resignation of the president. The army has deployed¹ tanks at key locations in the capital, but there are reports of looting in several cities and at the famed Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

President Mubarak has warned that he will do all in his power to maintain order, but opposition² politicians have joined calls for him to go.

Tens of thousands of Egyptians are once again defying the overnight curfew and have taken to the streets to vent³ their fury.

The army is also out in force, but so far the protesters are treating them as heroes, climbing on board the tanks to shake the soldiers hands, and have their photos taken - a snapshot of an historic moment for them and for Egypt.

They are demanding that President Hosni Mubarak stand down. If anything his address to the nation on Friday night appears to have drawn⁴ more protests, and more anger, and the protesters want America's backing.

"Is America with us or the regime? Is America with the public or the president? We want to know their position now," said one protester. "Mubarak has been president for 30 years. He must go. Is America with us?"

Soldiers are guarding key buildings across the city, including government ministries⁵, the American and British embassies, and the world famous Egyptian Museum.

The legions of riot police deployed on Friday are now gone.

As darkness fell in Cairo few could predict what might happen in the coming hours. Buildings and police vehicles still smolder⁶ from the previous night's riots, and more smoke plumes⁷ are rising above the city. Cell phone networks have been restored, but the Internet remains⁸ down. The curfew was brought forward to 4 PM, but with little effect.

In his address, the president pledged to protect the country and its citizens, and while sacking his government and announcing a new cabinet, he refused to step down.

Analysts⁹ here say he has underestimated the level of anger. With the protesters shouting for him to leave, and tearing down posters of Mr. Mubarak across Cairo and other cities, they say his future as president remains deeply uncertain.

Much depends on the army. If they withdraw support from the president, analysts say Egypt will soon have a new leadership. But the army's first task is to try to maintain order through the night as the streets of Cairo and other cities once again fill with angry protesters.

1 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

2 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。

3 vent   

n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄

参考例句：

• He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。
• When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

4 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

5 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

6 smolder   

v.无火焰地闷烧；n.焖烧，文火

参考例句：

• The smolder will soon be a flame.闷火很快变为烈焰。
• It can smolder undetected for hours,then suddenly explode in fiery destruction.也有可能好几小时内不被发觉，突然激烈的爆炸。

7 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

8 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。

9 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。