VOA标准英语2011--17 Killed in Recent Mumbai Bombings

17 Killed in Recent Mumbai Bombings

Amid popular anger and grief at the apparent terror attacks in India's financial hub, Mumbai, top Indian officials are heading to the city and promising¹ answers. At least 17 people were killed in Wednesday's back-to-back bomb blasts and dozens of others are being treated for injuries.
India's two most powerful political leaders arrived in Mumbai Thursday, as the country's mass media highlighted the anger and frustration² at what many describe as the government's consistent failure over the years to protect the city.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ruling Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi plan to visit hospitalized victims and inspect heightened security. Singh said he understands the shock and anger felt by the city's inhabitants, and vowed³ to pursue those who planned the attacks "relentlessly⁴."
The country's top national security official, Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, is also in Mumbai. He says the government received "no intelligence input⁵" that the attacks were imminent⁶. He says the blasts were caused by nearly a kilogram of improvised⁷ explosives.
"It appears that ammonium nitrate was used with a timer mechanism," Chidambaram noted⁸.
Chidambaram offered no leads Thursday on who may be responsible for the attack, and says there will be no finger-pointing until police have conducted a thorough investigation⁹. He did make a more general statement blaming elements "hostile to India."
"The target is India's unity¹⁰, integrity, and prosperity," Chidambaram added. "There are elements that are hostile to India and do not want India to grow and prosper¹¹... and it is these elements which are behind the bomb blasts which have occurred for the last ten years."
Mumbai has been the target of a series of so-called "serial¹² bombings" by terrorists over the last two decades. This week's explosions mark the first apparent terrorist attack in the city since 2008, when gunmen killed 166 people at 10 hotels and other locations.
LK Advani, leader of India's opposition¹³ Bharatiya Janata Party, blamed the government for failing to keep Mumbai secure. "This repeated attack on Bombay should be viewed as a policy failure," Advani said.
A senior Congress Party member, Rahul Gandhi, defended the government, saying it was impossible to provide completely airtight security.
"It is very difficult to stop every single terrorist attack. We will stop 99 percent of terrorist attacks, but one percent might get through," said Gandhi.
India's External Affairs Minister SM Krishna confirmed that a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Indian capital, New Delhi, will proceed next week as scheduled. Terrorism is expected to be high on the agenda as the two countries engage in a bilateral¹⁴ strategy dialogue.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

3 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。

4 relentlessly   

adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断

参考例句：

• The African sun beat relentlessly down on his aching head. 非洲的太阳无情地照射在他那发痛的头上。
• He pursued her relentlessly, refusing to take 'no' for an answer. 他锲而不舍地追求她，拒不接受“不”的回答。

5 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

6 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

7 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

8 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。

9 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。

10 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

11 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

12 serial   

n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的

参考例句：

• A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。
• Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗？

13 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。

14 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。