VOA标准英语2014--信息战争肆虐与真正的乌克兰

 

Information War Rages Alongside Real One in Ukraine 信息战争肆虐与真正的乌克兰

KYIV —

The downing of the Malaysian airliner¹ two weeks ago, and allegations that Russians are shelling Ukrainian troops across the border, have moved the information war swirling² around the Ukrainian conflict to a new level.  

Ukraine's national security spokesman gives two briefings a day, reporting advances by Ukrainian troops against Russian-backed separatists in the east, and accusing Russian troops of shooting across the border.

Russia denies the allegations, and blames Ukraine for the increased fighting, and even for downing the Malaysian airliner, which Ukraine and the West blame on the separatists or Russian operatives.

The dueling³ information can be intense.  But even at a Kyiv church that is sometimes a gathering⁴ place for pro-Russian crowds, most people are clear about whom they believe.

"Only Russian people are believing Russian media because it's special media from [the] KBG.  But our people know exactly [the] true things," said one woman.

"Of course I believe my president.  I believe our new government.  Of course I want to live in new Ukraine," said another.

But a man, who just arrived from the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, is not so sure.

"It's hard to tell because I'm from Donetsk.  There are only Russian programs on the television there.  Now I came see my son in Kyiv and there are only Ukrainian programs," he said. "How can I compare them?  I haven't been in the military action.  How can I say who to believe?"

There is a dizzying array of information available, much of it through traditional media but also a lot of it online and on television. 

News agent Irina works at a newstand in a commuter⁵ train station under Independence Square, site of that revolution that brought the new president to  power.  She says the revolution changed what her customers are looking for.

"Most of the people buy our Ukrainian newspapers. Russian newspapers are not selling so well. I still sell some, but fewer than before. Now, its mostly ours," she said.

Depending on whom you believe, the Ukrainian revolution was either the flowering of democracy or the imposition of fascism and decadence⁶; and the Russian annexation⁷ of Crimea and involvement in eastern Ukraine are either brutal⁸ violations⁹ of international law or the noble protection of Russians and their rights.

"In this year and last year, we see that mass media changed the reality," said information consultant¹⁰ Dmitri Zolotukhin. "Who [ever] has influence on the mass media, he has influence on the reality.  If you want, reality to be like full of fear, full of hate, then you just take this mass media and change the reality the way you want it."

The events in Ukraine in recent months have been dramatic, but Zolotukhin says how people on all sides perceive those events will be equally important in determining the country's future - and its future relationship with its large, powerful neighbor to the east.  

1 airliner   

n.客机，班机

参考例句：

• The pilot landed the airliner safely.驾驶员使客机安全着陆。
• The passengers were shepherded across the tarmac to the airliner.旅客们被引导走过跑道去上飞机。

2 swirling   

v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句

3 dueling   

n. 决斗, 抗争(=duelling) 动词duel的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• More light-hearted But somewhat puzzled, Vladimir prepared to meet Eugene on the dueling ground. 弗拉基米尔心里轻松了一些，但仍感到有些困惑，在这种心情下，他准备去决斗场地迎战叶甫盖尼。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• They had been dueling for hours and finally called a draw. 他们一直决斗了数小时，最后打成平局。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

6 decadence   

n.衰落，颓废

参考例句：

• The decadence of morals is bad for a nation.道德的堕落对国家是不利的。
• His article has the power to turn decadence into legend.他的文章具有化破朽为神奇的力量。

7 annexation   

n.吞并，合并

参考例句：

• He mentioned the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 .他提及1910年日本对朝鲜的吞并。
• I regard the question of annexation as belonging exclusively to the United States and Texas.我认为合并的问题，完全属于德克萨斯和美国之间的事。

8 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

9 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

10 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。