Despite Concessions, Egyptians Protest

 　　Anti-government protests in Egypt continued for a fifth day Wednesday in-and around the iconic Tahrir Square in Cairo, despite concessions² announced by the head of the ruling military council designed to ease discontent.

　　On Tuesday, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the Supreme³ Council of the Armed Forces, pledged to speed the transition to civilian⁴ rule with presidential elections before July 2012.

　　But protesters were pressing their demand for the country's military rulers to step down immediately.  At least 35 people have been killed during the past five days in clashes between security forces and protesters in Cairo and other main cities.

　　U.N. High Commissioner⁵ for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday urged Egyptian authorities to end what she called "clearly excessive force against protesters" called images of the brutal⁶ beatings of subdued⁷ protesters "deeply shocking."

　　An injured protester receives treatment during clashes with riot police along a road leading to the Interior Ministry⁸, near Tahrir Square in Cairo, November 23, 2011

　　Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities said Wednesday three American students arrested during protests in Cairo earlier this week are being questioned by local police in the presence of a lawyer and a U.S. embassy official.

　　Egyptian media report that the three, all students at American University in Cairo, were detained along with other protesters while throwing petrol bombs at police.

　　No formal charges have been brought against the students, who insisted they did nothing wrong.

　　Parliamentary elections are set to begin on Monday and Tantawi pledged the polls would go forward as planned.  But many opposition⁹ leaders believe that to be increasingly doubtful.

　　In another apparent concession¹ to demonstrators, the military council earlier issued a law that bans anyone convicted of corruption¹⁰ from running for office or holding a government position. The move could restrict members of ex-president Hosni Mubarak's former ruling party from competing in the upcoming elections.

　　Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Egypt's rulers of brutality¹¹ sometimes exceeding that of Mr. Mubarak.

1 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

2 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 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。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 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。

7 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

8 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。

9 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。

10 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

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