VOA常速英语2019--伊朗政权对抗议活动的残酷回应

The brutal¹ response of the Iranian regime to protests that broke out in hundreds of cities across Iran in mid-November has shocked the world.

11月中旬，伊朗全国数百个城市爆发抗议活动，伊朗政权对抗议活动的残酷回应震惊了全世界。

Starting as demonstrations² against a steep increase in gas prices, the protests grew to include broader economic and political grievances³ against Iran’s leadership. The regime reacted by shutting down the Internet for days and violently attacking unarmed protesters, including with live ammunition⁴.

抗议活动始于反对油价大幅上涨的示威活动，后来发展为针对伊朗领导层的更广泛的经济和政治不满。政府的反应是关闭互联网数日，并对手无寸铁的抗议者进行暴力攻击，包括使用实弹。

At a press briefing, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook noted⁵ that while the true number of casualties are not known, it is possible that “the regime could have murdered over a thousand Iranian citizens since the protests began:”

在一次新闻发布会上，美国伊朗问题特别代表布莱恩·胡克指出，虽然确切的伤亡人数还不清楚，但是有可能“自抗议活动开始以来，伊朗政权已经杀害了一千多名伊朗公民。”

“Many thousands of Iranians have been wounded, and at least 7000 protesters have been detained in Iran’s prisons. Many of these protesters have been sent to two prisons, the Great Tehran Penitentiary⁶ and Qarchak Prison.”

“数千名伊朗人受伤，至少7000名抗议者被关押在伊朗监狱。许多抗议者被送往两所监狱：大德黑兰监狱和卡恰克监狱。”

Prisoners in the Great Tehran Penitentiary, Special Representative Hook said, live in overcrowded conditions and have reportedly been subjected to abuse, arbitrary beatings, and rape⁷. Qarchak Prison is Iran’s largest women’s prison and holds many members of religious minorities. Mr. Hook noted that Qarchak is also known for unbearable⁸ conditions and an environment that enables rape and murder.

特别代表胡克说，大德黑兰监狱的囚犯生活在拥挤的条件下，据报遭受虐待、任意殴打和强奸。卡恰克监狱是伊朗最大的女子监狱，关押着许多宗教少数派。胡克指出，Qarchak 监狱也因恶劣的条件和允许强奸和谋杀的环境而闻名。

“The United States calls for the immediate⁹ release of all protesters detained in prison, as well as all the political prisoners currently held by the regime.”

“美国呼吁立即释放所有被关押在监狱的抗议者，以及目前被当局关押的所有政治犯。”

Special Representative Hook called the recent protests “the worst political crisis the regime has faced in its 40 years.”

特别代表 Hook 把最近的抗议活动称为“这个政权40年来所面临的最严重的政治危机”。

"All of these protests are directed at a corrupt¹⁰ religious mafia that has been terrorizing its own people…The only support left for the regime is with a handful of clerics whom the Iranian people despise for having imposed 40 years of brutality¹¹ on them. The regime now maintains its grip on power through brute¹² force.”

“所有这些抗议都是针对腐败的宗教黑手党，他们一直在恐吓自己的人民。对该政权的唯一支持是少部分神职人员，伊朗人民鄙视这些人，因为他们强加给人民40年的暴行。该政权现在通过蛮力维持其对权力的控制。”

“Now is the time for all nations to stand with the Iranian people, diplomatically isolate¹³ the regime, and sanction those officials who are responsible for murdering innocent Iranians,” said Special Representative Hook. “There has been overwhelming support for the Iranian people by the American people…We are unified¹⁴ here in the United States, and the international community likewise should be unified and support the Iranian people.”

“现在是所有国家与伊朗人民站在一起的时候了，在外交上孤立伊朗政权，制裁那些杀害无辜伊朗人的官员，”特别代表Hook称。“美国人民对伊朗人民的支持是压倒性的。我们在美国是团结一致的，国际社会也应该团结一致，支持伊朗人民。”

1 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。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 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》

4 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 penitentiary   

n.感化院；监狱

参考例句：

• He worked as a warden at the state penitentiary.他在这所州监狱任看守长。
• While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.他坐牢的时候，她的父亲死了，家庭就拆散了。

7 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

8 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 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。

11 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

12 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

13 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

14 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。