VOA标准英语2009年-Taliban Escalate Attacks on Kabul Two Days

Eight people died, including two Afghan staff members of the United Nations and at least one foreign soldier, while more than 50 other people were wounded, in the latest wave of Taliban violence around Kabul. The insurgents¹, who are vowing³ to disrupt Thursday's national election, have escalated⁴ strikes on the capital and other parts of the country.
　
Afghans inspect site of suicide car bomb attack in Kabul, 18 Aug 2009

The Taliban attacked in the capital area again Tuesday, attempting to make good on a vow² to disrupt this week's presidential election.

A suicide bomber⁵ rammed⁶ his explosive-laden vehicle into a supply convoy⁷ of foreign forces on a busy highway on the eastern outskirts⁸ of Kabul.

The attack came just hours after a pair of rockets fell harmlessly between the Presidential Palace and the Defense⁹ Ministry¹⁰ - the latest targeting of the most secure area of the Afghan capital.

The latest Taliban suicide bombing took a heavy toll¹¹ on Afghan civilians¹², including children.

Shopkeeper Jawed¹³ Ahmad was nearby. He says the force of the blast collapsed¹⁴ his shop while he was standing¹⁵ inside but he managed to walk away. He says he saw many bodies around his damaged shop.

In Uruzgan province, officials say, a suicide bomber attacked a polling station, killing¹⁶ four Afghan soldiers and two civilians. And the U.S. military command here says two American soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck a bomb in the eastern part of the country.

A suicide car bomb at the gates of NATO's headquarters here Saturday killed seven people and injured nearly 100.
　
Kai Eide, chief of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Kabul, 18 Aug. 2009

The top U.N. official based in the country, Kai Eide, says security is his main concern for election day. He says a lack of security will increase the chances of voting irregularities.

"There will be irregularities but I do believe that they will not be at the level that will put in doubt the credibility of the elections themselves," he said.

The chief of the United Nations Assistance Mission is appealing to Afghanistan's 17 million eligible¹⁷ voters to defy the Taliban. He says those who go to the polls will be "voting against violence."

A similar sentiment is being expressed by U.S. Senator John McCain on a visit here with three of his colleagues.

The former U.S. Republican Party presidential candidate, condemns¹⁸ the Taliban intimidation¹⁹ of voters.

"There's very little doubt that the Taliban are doing everything in their power to try to prevent people from voting - threats of cutting someone's hand if they exercise their democratic right," he said.

In the main contest, the incumbent²⁰, Mr. Hamid Karzai, is hoping to fend²¹ off several dozen challengers to capture a second five-year term as President.

Afghanistan's government has declared Thursday a "Day of Peace" for the balloting²².

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force force has suspended combat operations against the Taliban during the election week.

Another of the visiting U.S. senators, former Democratic Party vice²³ presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, says the politicians received a sobering assessment²⁴ during their tour here from top commanders concerning the fight against the Taliban.

"This is a difficult and challenging moment. And in some senses looking at the battlefield nationally, the momentum²⁵ is slightly in the direction of the Taliban. That's what we've heard," he said.

For the election, some 300,000 Afghan and international troops and police officers, are tasked with protecting 29,000 polling stations, with what the government describes as a four-tier ring of security.

1 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

2 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

3 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

4 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

5 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

6 rammed   

v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来，出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
• I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

8 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

9 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。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

11 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

12 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。

13 jawed   

adj.有颌的有颚的

参考例句：

• The color of the big-jawed face was high. 那张下颚宽阔的脸上气色很好。 来自辞典例句
• She jawed him for making an exhibition of himself, scolding as though he were a ten-year-old. 她连声怪他这样大出洋相，拿他当十岁的孩子似的数落。 来自辞典例句

14 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

15 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。

16 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

17 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

18 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

19 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

20 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

21 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

22 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

23 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。

24 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

25 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。