Riot Police Attack Bahrain Protesters

    Riot police in Bahrain firing teargas(催泪性毒气) and rubber bullets have stormed the main square of the capital, Manama, driving out hundreds of anti-government protesters who had set up camp and demanded sweeping¹ political changes for the island kingdom.
    Security forces moved into Pearl Square before dawn Thursday, attacking demonstrators（示威者） who have occupied the area for three days. There was no immediate² word on casualties.  A witness told Al Jazeera television that women and children were in the crowd. Many people were rushed to local hospitals.
    Police held back Wednesday as tens of thousands of Bahrainis gathered, dramatically expanding pro-democracy protests. By nightfall, the massive, jubilant crowd of mostly Shi'ite activists³ had swelled⁴ in Pearl Square following a day of peaceful protests. Earlier, hundreds had joined a procession to mourn one of two demonstrators killed since Monday.
    Shi'ite opposition⁵ leaders issued assurances Wednesday they are not interested in transforming the monarchy⁶ into an Iran-style theocracy⁷.
    The Wall Street Journal  reported that seven opposition groups, including the leading Shi'ite al-Wefaq party, announced they have formed a committee to help coordinate⁸ protest activity and unify⁹ the protesters' demands. The Journal  said the committee plans large demonstrations¹⁰ on Saturday.
    Wefaq's leader, Sheik Ali Salman, told a news conference Wednesday his organization "is not looking for a religious government like Iran's," but wants a civilian¹¹ democracy that represents both Shi'ites and Sunnis.
    The Khalifa family, which has ruled Bahrain since the 18th century, is Sunni Muslim and has long had tense relations with the country's Shi'ite majority. The king recruits foreigners to serve as police rather than trust Shi'ite citizens to wear uniforms and carry weapons.
    About half of the island kingdom's 1.3 million people are Bahraini, while the rest are foreign workers. Shi'ites make up 70 percent of the population.
    In 2001, voters overwhelmingly（压倒性的） approved a national charter to lead the way toward democratic changes. But a year later, the king imposed a constitution by decree that Shi'ite leaders say has diluted¹² the rights in the charter and blocked them from achieving a majority in the parliament.
    Al-Wefaq leaders say the group's 18 deputies will not return to the 40-member parliament until King Hamad bin¹³ Isa al-Khalifa agrees to transform the nation into a constitutional democracy with an elected government.
    Many of the protesters in Pearl Square say they will remain until they achieve their goals. Some are openly calling for the dynasty's ouster, while others demand the immediate resignation of longtime Bahraini Prime Minister Sheik Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Demonstrators also want Bahrain's ruling family to free political prisoners and create more opportunities for majority Shi'ites, who have long complained of discrimination.
    Activists filled Pearl Square Wednesday after setting up a tent camp and spending a first night in the open. The protest site mirrors the occupation of Cairo's Tahrir Square by Egyptian activists who ousted¹⁴ their president last week.
    Bahrain's king made a rare televised address Tuesday, offering condolences for the deaths of the two Shi'ite protesters and promising¹⁵ an investigation¹⁶ into the incidents. He also vowed¹⁷ to push ahead with political reforms that he began with a 2001 referendum that restored a parliament the following year.
    Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and also is a regional offshore¹⁸ banking¹⁹ center.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 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。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 swelled   

增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
• After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

7 theocracy   

n.神权政治；僧侣政治

参考例句：

• Shangzhou was an important period for the formation and development of theocracy.商周时期是神权政治形成与发展的重要阶段。
• The Muslim brothers look as if they will opt for civil society rather than theocracy.穆斯林兄弟看起来好像更适合文明的社会，而非神权统治。

8 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

9 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。

10 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。

11 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

12 diluted   

无力的，冲淡的

参考例句：

• The paint can be diluted with water to make a lighter shade. 这颜料可用水稀释以使色度淡一些。
• This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields. 这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

13 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

14 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

15 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

16 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

17 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

18 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

19 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。