VOA标准英语2013--活动人士抗议美国对叙利亚的罢工计划

 

Activists¹ Protest Plans for US Strike on Syria 活动人士抗议美国对叙利亚的罢工计划

Across the United States, small but vocal² groups of anti-war protesters are urging the Congress not to support President Barack Obamas plan for limited military strikes against Syria.  Some protesters question the rationale for action: that Syria's government has used chemical weapons on its own people.  Others say limited missile strikes will only kill innocent Syrians and drag the U.S. into another war.

Some anti-war demonstrators outside the White House belong to the group Answer Coalition³. One of them, Eugene Puryear, said any U.S. military action in Syria will only lead to more violence.

The U.S. military intervention⁴ will not assist in bringing peace to the region. It will only further inflame⁵ war, he said.

That sentiment is being echoed across the United States. 

Cindy Sheehan, who became active in anti-war politics after she lost her son in the Iraq War, led a group of 60 protesters in Sacramento, the state capital of California, where she is running for governor.

In New York Citys Times Square, about 200 protesters chanted "no war in Syria."

In Houston, there was a small demonstration⁶ in support of military action against the Assad government in Syria, which the U.S. blames for a chemical attack that killed over 1,400 people.

In Massachusetts, anti-war protesters marched outside the Boston home of Secretary of State John Kerry. And on the floor of Congress, protesters held up painted hands to signify blood as Kerry was making the case for military strikes against Syria. He said the U.S. must act to deter⁷ future chemical attacks.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin protesters like Mitch Sandquist say the U.S. should should focus on problems at home and not get involved in Syria's civil war. 

It's a country that has not threatened the United States and, at a time when we're facing budget crises at the federal and state levels, this is no time to be getting involved in another unnecessary war, said Sandquist.

While the number of anti-war protesters is relatively⁸ small, their views seem to represent those of the majority. In a recent survey, 60 percent of Americans said the U.S. should not intervene in Syria.

1 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》

2 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

5 inflame   

v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎

参考例句：

• Our lack of response seemed to inflame the colonel.由于我们没有反应,好象惹恼了那个上校。
• Chemical agents manufactured by our immune system inflame our cells and tissues,causing our nose to run and our throat to swell.我们的免疫系统产生的化学物质导致我们的细胞和组织发炎，导致我们流鼻水和我们的喉咙膨胀。

6 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。

7 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。