2006年VOA标准英语-Ailing Israeli Leader Undergoes New Surger

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
06 January 2006

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon underwent five hours of emergency surgery on Friday to relieve cranial pressure and stop bleeding on his brain.  Mr. Sharon's doctors say the surgery was successful, but Mr. Sharon remains¹ in critical condition. 

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Ariel Sharon (file photo)   
  

Ariel Sharon's battle to stay alive entered a new phase when, early Friday, his doctors rushed him back into the operating room for the third time in less than 48 hours. 

A CAT scan had indicated renewed bleeding on his brain and other complications.  After an hours-long operation, Hadassah Hospital's director, Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, emerged to brief hundreds of reporters.

"During the surgery, the intercranial pressure was released, the clotting² from the previous operation was cleaned from the brain, and there is no active bleeding at the moment," he explained.

Dr. Mor-Josef says a new CAT scan taken after Mr. Sharon's latest surgery was encouraging.

"After the operation, we performed a CAT scan at our imaging center here at Hadassah, and when (we) compared the results of the CAT scan of today with the previous CAT scan, we can see a significant improvement," he added.

Dr. Mor-Josef says, even though the results from the CAT scan are better than those taken previously³, Mr. Sharon remains in critical condition. 

Mr. Sharon's two sons, Omri and Gilad, remain by his bedside. Israel's prime minister has been widowed twice.  

Government offices closed Friday in observance of the Jewish Sabbath, which began at dusk. Acting⁴ Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other senior government officials are monitoring Mr. Sharon's condition closely. 

One senior Israeli politician, former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, did visit Hadassah Hospital on Friday.  Mr. Peres, a longtime Labor⁵ Party leader, who recently joined Mr. Sharon's newly formed Kadima Party, expressed support for Mr. Olmert and continuity in Israeli policy.

"Legally, according to our constitution, he is to be the prime minister in charge of the situation," said Mr. Peres.  "I think every citizen has to support him.  So, do I.  I wish him success, and I hope that the continuation of the peace process and the attempt to bring an end to terrorism will continue full speed."

Even as Ariel Sharon was battling for his life, speculation⁶ about who will succeed him was heating up.  Polls released on Friday show Mr. Sharon's newly formed Kadima Party could still win in Israeli elections on March 28.
 

Rabbis called on Israelis to flock to synagogues and say special prayers for Ariel Sharon
  
  
Still unresolved is who will lead the party following Mr. Sharon's departure, but polls show many Israelis would support Ehud Olmert as a new party leader. 

Joshua Teitelbaum of the Moshe Dayan Center and a professor at Tel Aviv University says the polling data will likely change by Election Day.

"As far as polls go, I think you have to take them with a grain of salt," he said.  "I think what you have now is a bit of a sympathy vote.  It may be that they lose support in a couple of days or weeks. This Kadima Party was really Sharon's party in every way, so, without Sharon, I think you will see it lose support after the sympathy vote dissipates."

Polls taken just before Mr. Sharon's massive stroke on Wednesday showed him a heavy favorite to win re-election to a historic third term as prime minister of Israel.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 clotting   

v.凝固( clot的现在分词 )；烧结

参考例句：

• The study was also based only on the one anti-clotting drug. 所用抗血栓药物也仅限于一种。 来自互联网
• A plasma protein that is converted into thrombin during blood clotting. 凝血原酶一种血浆蛋白质，在血液凝聚时转化成凝血''。'酵'。''''。'素'。''。 来自互联网

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。