VOA标准英语2014--In Ukraine, Divisions Not Necessarily About Language

 

In Ukraine, Divisions Not Necessarily About Language

ODESSA — From the outside, the crisis in Ukraine appears to be drawn¹ along ethnic² and linguistic³ lines - between Russian-speakers who identify with Russia and Ukrainian-speakers who identify with Ukraine.  But it’s not so simple.

The complexity⁴ of Ukraine’s political divide is particularly easy to see in the southern city of Odessa.

In a building at Kulikova Field, dozens of pro-Russian protesters died in early May after a pitched battle with a pro-western group and an intense fire.  But even here, those mourning the dead declare their loyalty⁵ to Ukraine - in Russian.

“The people who died here weren’t separatists.  They were standing⁶ for Ukraine, a cohesive⁷ Ukraine.  But they just wanted federalism,” said Lila, a saleswoman.

“People in the east are more absolutist and radical⁸.  Here, we are more tolerant,” said Vladimir, an activist⁹.

Across town, supporters of Ukraine’s increasing ties with Europe finished a rally and posed for a photo.

“I’ve had lots of negotiations¹⁰ with people from Kulikova Field.  They are mostly okay.  But radicals¹¹ manipulate them if they don’t really know what’s going on,” said Yevgeny, an activist leader.

The language is really a non-issue, explained Sergey, a seaman¹².

“They [those perceived to be pro-Russia] just historically [are] speaking [the] Russian language.  But they don’t like to be in Russia," he said. "We like our freedom, and it doesn’t matter which language we speak.”

Local journalist Oksana Butuk is not surprised by the lack of hostility¹³ among her fellow-Odessans.

“Language is not the thing that divides in Ukraine. I, for example, grew up in a Ukrainian-speaking family but I don’t feel any aggression¹⁴ or pressure,” said Oksana.

And she said that in Russian.

To help explain, regional vice¹⁵ governor Zoya Kazanzhy offered this:

“There’s a poem in Russian that says you can’t understand Russia with your brain.  Odessa is not a monolith.  There are lots of small Odessas inside Odessa.”

Kazanzhy said supporters and opponents of the pro-western revolution used to get along in Odessa, and she blames provocateurs for stirring up the violence and trying to stoke ethnic tensions that she says never really existed before.

The vice governor says her main focus now is on restoring what she calls Odessa’s “easy-going” and multi-lingual lifestyle.

1 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。

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 linguistic   

adj.语言的，语言学的

参考例句：

• She is pursuing her linguistic researches.她在从事语言学的研究。
• The ability to write is a supreme test of linguistic competence.写作能力是对语言能力的最高形式的测试。

4 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。

5 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

6 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。

7 cohesive   

adj.有粘着力的；有结合力的；凝聚性的

参考例句：

• She sealed the parcel with cohesive tape.她用粘胶带把包裹封起来。
• The author skillfully fuses these fragments into a cohesive whole.作者将这些片断巧妙地结合成一个连贯的整体。

8 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

9 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。

10 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。

11 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

12 seaman   

n.海员，水手，水兵

参考例句：

• That young man is a experienced seaman.那个年轻人是一个经验丰富的水手。
• The Greek seaman went to the hospital five times.这位希腊海员到该医院去过五次。

13 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

14 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

15 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。