VOA标准英语2011--Tension Rises in Egypt Between Governmen

Tension Rises in Egypt Between Government, Protesters

Young people in a tent city at the center of Cairo's Tahrir Square chanted a song from the 1950s, with words updated to refer to their revolution, saying they want to return Egypt to what they see as its former glory.
Tension rose in Egypt Tuesday with a tough statement from the interim¹ government and a march on a main government building where the prime minister and his Cabinet have their offices.
Young people in a tent city at the center of Cairo's Tahrir Square chanted a song from the 1950s, with words updated to refer to their revolution, saying they want to return Egypt to what they see as its former glory. While they sang, people of all ages flowed through civilian² checkpoints into the square in response to a call by activist³ groups for yet another large protest.
The people complain that the ruling military council and Prime Minister Essam Sharaf are not moving fast enough to implement⁴ reforms and to put former regime members and security officers on trial.
On Monday, the prime minister promised to reshuffle his Cabinet and appoint new regional governors by Sunday. He said he will resign if he does not achieve that.
Later, the government announced that the Cabinet reshuffle had begun, with the resignation of the prime minister's deputy, and said meetings were under way to decide on further changes.
Also, an Egyptian court on Tuesday convicted a former prime minister and two Cabinet ministers of corruption⁵ and sentenced them to up to 10 years in jail. The three served under ex-President Hosni Mubarak who also faces corruption-related charges and resigned in February.
At Tahrir Square, many protesters see the government's moves as too little, too late.
In a tent at the middle of the square Tuesday, Abdullah Noufal, the communications director of one of the main protest groups, the April Sixth Movement, says he has heard promises like the prime minister's latest one for months. He said it is time for real action. Noufal added that this was a popular revolution, not a military coup⁶, and he will stay on the square until the country's new military rulers meet the protesters' demands. And he is not alone. At least several hundred others are living around him in the makeshift encampment, shaded by bed sheets strung between trees and light poles.
The relaxed atmosphere in the camp was disrupted early Tuesday when, protesters say, about 30 men attacked the area, wielding⁷ knives and sticks. They injured several people before being repulsed⁸ by the protesters. It was not clear who the men were.
While tension on the square is rising, the interim government also appears to be losing patience.
In a tough statement broadcast on national television, and designed to discourage people from blocking government buildings as planned, interim council member Major General Mohsen al-Fangari warned activists⁹ not to deviate¹⁰ from their peaceful approach or do anything that would harm the national interest.
Wearing his military uniform, shaking his finger and speaking emphatically, al-Fangari said the council will not give up its role until after elections, scheduled for later this year.
He also said the council had made a move to address one of the protesters' demands, starting work on a statement of principles that will guide the process of writing a new constitution.
At the English-language newspaper Daily News Egypt, chief editor Rania al-Malky understands the protesters' impatience¹¹ on some issues, but also says they should continue to be patient on others.
"When it comes to the trials of police officers, there is a legitimate¹² complaint there," al-Malky noted¹³. "But when it comes to demanding that the trials in general be sped up, when it comes to the big demands like social justice, I think people just need to be a little bit more patience. There needs to be a realization¹⁴ that things will not happen and change overnight."
Al-Malky says the government has created a "crisis of confidence" by moving too slowly in the nearly five months since it took power, leaving many people unwilling¹⁵ to trust officials to deliver on their promises.

 

1 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

5 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。

6 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。

7 wielding   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The rebels were wielding sticks of dynamite. 叛乱分子舞动着棒状炸药。
• He is wielding a knife. 他在挥舞着一把刀。

8 repulsed   

v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝

参考例句：

• I was repulsed by the horrible smell. 这种可怕的气味让我恶心。
• At the first brush,the enemy was repulsed. 敌人在第一次交火时就被击退了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 deviate   

v.(from)背离，偏离

参考例句：

• Don't deviate from major issues.不要偏离主要问题。
• I will never deviate from what I believe to be right.我绝不背离我自信正确的道路。

11 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

12 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

15 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。