关于环境犯罪组织

                                        03 关于环境犯罪组织

DATE=2/23/01
TITLE=ENVIRONMENT REPORT - Earth Liberation¹ Front
BYLINE=Cynthia Kirk

(start at 59")This is the VOA Special English (1)ENVIRONMENT REPORT.
For years, American law (2)enforcement officials have been trying to (3)solve a series of environmental crimes. The (4)crimes are linked to a group known as the Earth (5)Liberation Front. The group claims (6)responsibility for hundreds of acts of destruction² in the United States during the past five years. The destruction has caused more than thirty million dollars worth of damage.
Federal³ (7)investigators⁴ say they are finally closer to solving the crimes. Recently, a seventeen-year-old student reportedly admitted setting⁵ a series of fires in the state of New York. He was charged in (8)connection with acts of damage believed to be carried out by the Earth Liberation Front. The student is the son of a New York City police officer. He reportedly made the (9)admission during a secret court hearing. As part of a deal, the student agreed to cooperate⁶ with officials investigating the Earth Liberation Front. He could face up to twenty years in prison.
This is the first time that a member of the group has admitted being responsible for environmental crimes linked to the Earth Liberation Front. Three other suspects in the property attacks were (10)negotiating with (11)federal officials.
Since Nineteen-Ninety-Six, members of the group have claimed to have damaged or burned hundreds of new homes, tree-cutting companies, federal offices and animal and plant research (12)laboratories. They say their goal is to stop development and other activities they consider harmful to nature. They say their (13)property attacks are aimed at industry and rich people who profit from the destruction of the natural environment.
The Earth Liberation Front says it will use any direct action necessary to carry out its goals. But it says it is opposed to harming animals or humans. Traditional environmental groups in the United States reject the group's methods.
The Earth Liberation Front includes environmental (14)extremists who operate independently of each other. Federal investigators say their lack of structure has made them difficult to stop. And they say the group usually leaves very little evidence behind.
A few weeks ago, the group claimed responsibility for burning several new homes in Mount⁷ Sinai, New York. It has also claimed responsibility for (15)destructive acts in Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and Wisconsin.
This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.  

(1)  environment[ in5vaiErEnmEnt ]n.环境, 外界
(2) enforcement[ in5fC:smEnt ]n.执行, 强制
(3) solve[ sClv ]vt.解决, 解答
(4) crime[ kraim ]n.犯罪, 犯罪行为, 罪行, 罪恶
(5) liberation[ 7libE5reiFEn ]n.释放, 解放
(6) responsibility[ ris7pCnsE5biliti ]n.责任, 职责
(7) investigator[In`vestI^eItE(r)]n.调查人
(8) connection[ kE5nekFEn ]n.连接, 关系, 接线, 线路, 亲戚
(9) admission[ Ed5miFEn ]n.允许进入, 承认某事之陈述, 供认
(10) negotiate[ ni5^EuFieit ]v.(与某人)商议, 谈判, 磋商, ,买卖, 让渡(支票、债券等), 通过,
(11) federal[ 5fedErEl ]adj.联邦的, 联合的, 联邦制的, 同盟的n.(南北战争时期)北部联邦同盟盟员
(12) laboratory[ lE5bCrEtEri, 5lAbErEtEri ]n.实验室
(13) property[ 5prCpEti ]n.财产, 所有物, 所有权, 性质, 特性, (小)道具
(14) extremist[ iks5tri:mist ]n.极端主义者, 过激分子adj.极端主义(者)
(15) destructive[ dis5trQktiv ]adj.破坏(性)的

1 liberation   

n.解放，解放运动（为获得平等权利和地位的行为）

参考例句：

• We should help those who are still struggling for liberation.我们应当帮助那些仍在为独立而斗争的人们。
• Many people died during famines every year before liberation.解放前每年有许多人在饥荒中死亡。

2 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

3 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

4 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。

6 cooperate   

vi.合作，协作，相配合

参考例句：

• We hope we can cooperate even more closely in the future.希望我们今后能更加密切地合作。
• I hope you can cooperate on this matter.我希望你在这件事上能给予合作。

7 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。