VOA标准英语2014--Protests Spread in Ukraine Despite Bitter Cold 严寒难挡乌克兰的抗议活动

 

Protests Spread in Ukraine Despite Bitter Cold 严寒难挡乌克兰的抗议活动

Anti-government protests are spreading in Ukraine as embattled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych promises to reshuffle his government and make other concessions¹ to the opposition² seeking his ouster.  Many Ukrainians have taken to the streets for the past two months to protest the government's decision to reject a deal with the European Union and forge closer ties with Russia.

Bitter cold has not deterred³ protesters in the Ukrainian capital, where they are barricaded⁴ with sandbags and automobile⁵ tires.  One protester told VOA that more people will be showing up. "I am sure that more people will come here and fight back.  We can't just stand here while the snipers shoot at us," he said.

Violent protests started about two months ago after President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign an agreement bringing Ukraine closer to western Europe, signing deals with Russia instead.

Protester Mikhailo Gavrilyuk described brutality⁶ he said he suffered at the hands of riot police in Kyiv.  "They have stripped me naked and started to kick my head as football players kick a ball.  They were jumping and showing what heroes they are.  They were taking pictures of each other while I was lying on the ground naked and they were standing⁷ on my head," he explained.

Talks with the government aimed at ending the protests broke down Thursday night, increasing the opposition's mistrust of the country's leadership.

"[President] Yanukovych will not back down, because he could face criminal prosecution⁸." stated another protester. "So what kind of negotiations⁹ can there be?  That’s ridiculous."

President Yanukovych said Friday he is ready to discuss a solution.  "We are ready for further talks to find a compromise.  Yesterday, we agreed on having an extraordinary plenary session. It can actually be called urgent, not just extraordinary.  During this session, we will review the tasks that are necessary to resolve the difficult questions," he stated.

Demonstrations¹⁰, often violent, also have taken place in other cities.

Residents of Lviv in western Ukraine on Friday attended a funeral for opposition activist¹¹ Yuri Verbitsky, who was injured in clashes in central Kyiv and taken to a hospital along with another activist, Igor Lutsenko. Later they were taken away from the hospital by unknown men.  Lutsenko was beaten and later released. He is said to be back in the hospital.  Verbitsky was found dead in a wooded area near the airport with signs of torture.

 

At least three other protesters have been killed so far in clashes between protesters and riot police.  The United States has urged the Ukrainian government to find a peaceful end to the crisis.

1 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

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 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句

4 barricaded   

设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守

参考例句：

• The police barricaded the entrance. 警方在入口处设置了路障。
• The doors had been barricaded. 门都被堵住了。

5 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

6 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 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。