VOA标准英语2009-Drug Violence Continues in Mexico, Public Re

This past weekend, gun battles between federal forces and drug cartel gunmen in Mexico claimed more than 20 lives. One of the bloodiest¹ incidents occurred in the resort city of Acapulco, where soldiers killed 16 gunmen. But there are signs that the government is making progress in its war against organized crime.
　
Police officers stand around bullet-riddled police vehicle in which an officer was slain² after unknown gunmen opened fire on at least two police stations in Acapulco, 08 Jun 2009

Saturday night in Acapulco was livelier than usual, with gun shots and grenade blasts echoing through the streets near beachside hotels. The news reports are likely to further crimp Mexican tourism, already in a downturn after the emergence³ of the swine influenza⁴ A-H1N1 virus in Mexico in April.

But many Mexicans are hailing the fire fight in Acapulco as a victory for the cause of law and order since the soldiers defeated the drug gangsters⁵, losing only two of their own, even though the criminals used automatic weapons and lobbed as many as 50 grenades at the soldiers.

Such victories politically benefit President Felipe Calderon, who declared war on the drug cartels shortly after he came to office in December 2006.
　
Mexican President Felipe Calderon (file photo)

One of the top U.S. experts on Mexico, William Grayson at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, says Mexicans strongly support Mr. Calderon's fight against the criminal gangs.

"Calderon's public approval [rating] is now at 69 percent - the highest of his administration because the people perceive that he is a decent man that handled the swine flu outbreak judiciously⁶ and that he is doing his level best to combat the narco-traffickers," he said.

Grayson says this bodes⁷ well for Mr. Calderon and the ruling National Action Party, or PAN, in the July 5th mid-term elections.

"What Calderon and the PAN have very astutely⁸ done is focus attention on his war against drugs. And in so doing, they have diverted people's minds from the incredibly harsh economic conditions that beset⁹ the country," he said.

Grayson says Mexico's gross domestic product is likely to drop 5.5 percent this year due to the flu scare, the worldwide recession and declining production from Mexico's oil fields. But he says President Calderon has bolstered¹⁰ the nation's confidence and pride by taking on the criminal gangs and the corrupt¹¹ officials who have allowed them to flourish.

"I was impressed that last month there was a strike [i.e., a police operation] in [the Mexican state of] Michoacan in which 10 mayors and 17 so-called 'public officials' were arrested, that there was not even the hint of a leak before that operation was carried out," he said.

Grayson says that while Felipe Calderon's campaign against the powerful drug lords is a necessary effort to protect the nation from criminal enterprises, it will not end narcotics¹² trafficking.

"You really cannot win a war against these incredibly powerful, brutal¹³, enormously wealthy cartels - either in the United States or in Mexico. The best you can hope [for] is to manage the hostilities¹⁴ and try to minimize the number of civilians¹⁵ who die," he said.

What Mr. Calderon may be able to accomplish, in Grayson's view, is substantial reform of Mexico's police and judicial¹⁶ system so that the public will have more confidence in its law enforcement system and be more willing to cooperate with authorities. He says drug smugglers will always be around, but that the government may have a chance to substantially reduce their power and their threat to public safety.

1 bloodiest   

adj.血污的( bloody的最高级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• The Russians were going to suffer their bloodiest defeat of all before Berlin. 俄国人在柏林城下要遭到他们的最惨重的失败。 来自辞典例句
• It was perhaps the bloodiest hour in the history of warfare. 这也许是战争史上血腥味最浓的1个小时。 来自互联网

2 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

3 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

4 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

5 gangsters   

匪徒，歹徒( gangster的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gangsters offered him a sum equivalent to a whole year's earnings. 歹徒提出要给他一笔相当于他一年收入的钱。
• One of the gangsters was caught by the police. 歹徒之一被警察逮捕。

6 judiciously   

adv.明断地，明智而审慎地

参考例句：

• Let's use these intelligence tests judiciously. 让我们好好利用这些智力测试题吧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His ideas were quaint and fantastic. She brought him judiciously to earth. 他的看法荒廖古怪，她颇有见识地劝他面对现实。 来自辞典例句

7 bodes   

v.预示，预告，预言( bode的第三人称单数 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待

参考例句：

• This bodes ill for the failure of the programme. 这是那项计划有凶兆。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• This bodes him no good. 这对他是不祥之兆。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 astutely   

adv.敏锐地；精明地；敏捷地；伶俐地

参考例句：

• That was what Ada Quonsetf astutely intended. 这正是艾达·昆赛脱狡狯之处。 来自辞典例句
• Freemantle had an idea that the TV session, astutely managed, might well develop into a show. 弗里曼特却自有主意，只要安排得巧妙，电视采访完全可以变成一次示威。 来自辞典例句

9 beset   

v.镶嵌；困扰，包围

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

10 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句

11 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

12 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

15 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

16 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。