VOA标准英语2015--Experts: Radical Groups Thrive on Popular Discontent

Experts: Radical¹ Groups Thrive on Popular Discontent

WASHINGTON—

Islamist terrorism is surging in many places worldwide, including in Western societies. Governments are fighting to curb² the spread of radical groups in the Arab world, and their influence on mainstream³ Muslim communities, but the official methods so far have failed to eliminate radical Islamism.  Analysts⁴ say militant⁵ groups offer an attractive alternative for some people, especially disgruntled young men.

The French parliament on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a controversial bill that would legalize broad surveillance of terror suspects in that country.

"I want to say first that I am pleased with this large result, this very large majority in favor of the bill on intelligence. It's a bill that preserves our basic liberties. A bill that is a framework for the activities of our intelligence services, but which gives them additional means so they can be as efficient as possible in the face of the terrorist threat, but also against serious crime and industrial espionage," said Manuel Valls, the French Prime Minister.

But while lawmakers from diverse French parties approved the legislation, many others questioned whether it would have a significant effect in fighting terrorism.

Analysts say radical groups are an attractive alternative for young Muslims unhappy with their official leaders.

"And of course, the main reason that was portrayed⁶ to all people throughout the region is that the West is trying to control and destroy the Arab and the Muslim nations, and Israel in the region - this is the ultimate enemy. That [message] has always been in the media, in the school, in every social gathering⁷, and charged people with a lot of ideas. And here come all of these radical political parties, radical groups, giving you an answer:  'Well, we are not this government - we take an action instead, and your future is with us,’" said Zainab al-Suwaij of the American Islamic Congress.

International air raids have curbed⁸ territorial⁹ advances of the heavily armed Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria in recent months, but an older terrorist group, al-Qaida, has made gains. That group lost a lot of its power after its top leaders were captured or killed, and its financial network was disrupted.  But analysts say al-Qaida has recovered and made gains in recent months, with financial support from some Arab states.

"Today it seems like al-Qaida is very much back in business in both Syria and Yemen, in terms of getting sponsorship from certain Gulf¹⁰ Arab states.  One could see, for example, quite openly that countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar are sponsoring an umbrella organization that the Nusra Front, which is al-Qaida's affiliate¹¹ in Syria, is a part of," said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross of the Foundation for Defense¹² of Democracies.

Analysts say inflicting¹³ military defeats on insurgents¹⁴ and dismantling¹⁵ terrorist cells are temporary measures. Many say Islamist radicalism¹⁶ can be fought more successfully by strengthening moderate Muslim communities and by offering better choices to young Muslims worldwide.

1 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。

2 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

3 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

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。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

6 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 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。

8 curbed   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Advertising aimed at children should be curbed. 针对儿童的广告应受到限制。 来自辞典例句
• Inflation needs to be curbed in Russia. 俄罗斯需要抑制通货膨胀。 来自辞典例句

9 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

10 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

11 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 inflicting   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。
• It's impossible to do research without inflicting some pain on animals. 搞研究不让动物遭点罪是不可能的。

14 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

15 dismantling   

（枪支）分解

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。
• The dismantling of a nuclear reprocessing plant caused a leak of radioactivity yesterday. 昨天拆除核后处理工厂引起了放射物泄漏。

16 radicalism   

n. 急进主义, 根本的改革主义

参考例句：

• His radicalism and refusal to compromise isolated him. 他的激进主义与拒绝妥协使他受到孤立。
• Education produced intellectual ferment and the temptations of radicalism. 教育带来知识界的骚动，促使激进主义具有了吸引力。