VOA常速英语2013--麦加朝圣在健康担忧和地区动荡中开始

 

Hajj Begins Amid Worries About Health and Regional Turmoil¹ 麦加朝圣在健康担忧和地区动荡中开始

An estimated 1.5 to 2 million Muslims are on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca known as the Hajj. That’s far fewer than last year, as Saudi authorities seek to keep the ritual isolated² both from tensions in other Middle Eastern countries and from a health threat that has killed more than 50 people in the kingdom.

After circling the Kaaba-the holiest spot in Islam-the pilgrims converged³ on a hilltop where Islam's Prophet Muhammad called on Muslims to unite some 14 centuries ago.

在围绕伊斯兰教最神圣的地方天房后朝圣者们聚集在一座14世纪前伊斯兰教先知穆罕默德呼吁穆斯林团结的山顶上。

But with Muslims today locked in conflict in parts of the Middle East, this pilgrim from Syria offered his own plea for unity⁴.

但随着现今穆斯林陷入中东部分地区的冲突,来自叙利亚的这位朝圣者祈求呼吁团结。

"We evacuated⁵ our houses and our children got killed, so I pray to God on this great day to swiftly lift our country's suffering," he said.

“我们逃离自己的家园而且孩子们被杀害,所以我在这个伟大的日子向上帝祈祷，希望迅速驱赶我们国家之痛,”他说道。

Still, the Hajj appeared to begin without major disruptions.

不过,麦加朝圣的开始似乎遭受没有重大变故。

Some people might have political grievances⁶, says Scottish terrorism expert Stephen Vertigans via Skype.

苏格兰恐怖主义问题专家斯蒂芬·维特加斯通过Skype表示有些人可能对政治感到不满。

“But the vast majority of people going there are going there ostensibly on religious grounds, to come together with other Muslims, to express their faith and to go through the different rituals," said Vertigans.

“但绝大多数人去那里表面上都是基于宗教理由,与其他穆斯林人结伴而行,表达他们的信仰及经历不同的仪式,” 维特加斯说道。

Even without political tensions, it's an enormous challenge in crowd control-with past years marred⁷ by stampedes and a terrorist takeover in 1979.

即使没有政治紧张局势,过去时间中人群踩踏事件及1979年恐怖分子接管也使得朝圣控制人群面临相当大的挑战。

This year, a respiratory virus centered in the Gulf⁸ kept many pilgrims away.

再加上今年在海湾集中的呼吸道病毒让许多朝圣者敬而远之。

The virus has killed more than 50 people in Saudi Arabia.

该病毒已经在沙特阿拉伯杀死了超过50人。

The Saudi government also reduced quotas⁹ because of expansion work at the Grand Mosque¹⁰.

而且由于大清真寺的扩建工作沙特政府还降低了指标。

But the Saudis will be under pressure to lift the quotas and give as many Muslims as possible the opportunity to go, says Vertigans.

但维特加斯表示沙特将面临来自提升指标及赋予尽可能多的穆斯林人可能前往机会的压力。

“If they are reducing that opportunity for political grounds rather than health and safety grounds, they would become subjected to huge criticism within Muslim communities and Muslim nation-states," he said.

“如果出于政治理由而非健康和安全考虑减少,他们会受到来自穆斯林社区及穆斯林民族国家铺天盖地的批评,”他说道。

The Hajj ends with the Eid Al Adha holiday, and Muslims around the world celebrate it with feasts and gift-giving.

麦加朝圣将在古尔邦节结束,而世界各地的穆斯林人将会通过设宴及互送礼物庆祝这一节日。

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

3 converged   

v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的过去式 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集

参考例句：

• Thousands of supporters converged on London for the rally. 成千上万的支持者从四面八方汇聚伦敦举行集会。
• People converged on the political meeting from all parts of the city. 人们从城市的四面八方涌向这次政治集会。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

6 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

8 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。

9 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

10 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。