2006年VOA标准英语-Australia, New Zealand Fear Unrest in South Pac

By Phil Mercer
Sydney
20 November 2006 
 

New Zealand soldiers patrol grounds of Fua'amotu Airport upon their arrival to Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Nov. 18, 2006

Australia and New Zealand have sent troops and police officers to yet another troubled South Pacific country to help restore calm. The two countries have now deployed¹ forces to Tonga at the request of the embattled government following riots that left at least eight people dead. 

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Tonga's international airport reopened Monday thanks to the presence of 150 New Zealand and Australian troops, deployed to secure key infrastructure² following violent protests.

The Tonga government is also discussing with Australia and New Zealand additional military support after last week's riots in the capital, Nuku'alofa, which ended in the looting and burning of the main business district.

Social and political problems across the South Pacific have become permanent headaches for New Zealand and Australia, the region's two most powerful countries.

Along with the violence in Tonga, there have been threats of a military coup³ in Fiji and continued unrest in the Solomon Islands, parts of Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark is worried that unstable⁴ Pacific countries could be exploited by criminals and extremists.

"Everyone is aware of what 'fragile and failed states' mean in today's world. It can mean penetration⁵ of financial systems, lax borders, drug trade, financing terrorism or other activities," she said.

International criminal gangs are reported to have laundered⁶ billions of dollars on the tiny island state of Nauru in the past decade and the United States has accused the island state of selling large numbers of fake passports.

Analysts⁷ blame the instability on poverty and corruption⁸. Lack of natural resources and the failure by government to improve social conditions fuel violence.

The Tonga riots erupted after pro-democracy groups accused the legislature of failing to move on expanding democracy in the kingdom.

The relative prosperity of some immigrants in impoverished⁹ South Pacific nations has also stirred resentment¹⁰.

Police in Tonga believe there was a strong anti-Chinese dimension to Thursday's disturbances¹¹.

There were similar problems for the Chinese community in the Solomon Islands when trouble flared¹² there earlier this year. Many Chinese shops were destroyed by rioters in the capital Honiara.

The Chinese government was planning Monday to airlift dozens of its citizens out of Tonga after looters and arsonists¹³ targeted their shops and businesses.

1 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

4 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

5 penetration   

n.穿透，穿人，渗透

参考例句：

• He is a man of penetration.他是一个富有洞察力的人。
• Our aim is to achieve greater market penetration.我们的目标是进一步打入市场。

6 laundered   

v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的过去式和过去分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Send these sheets to be laundered. 把这些床单送去洗熨。 来自辞典例句
• The air seems freshly laundered. Sydney thinks of good drying weather. 空气似乎被清洗过，让悉妮想起晴朗干爽适合晒衣服的好天气。 来自互联网

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 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。

9 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

11 disturbances   

n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍

参考例句：

• The government has set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances at the prison. 政府成立了一个委员会来调查监狱骚乱事件。
• Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances. 已调集了增援警力来平定骚乱。

12 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

13 arsonists   

n.纵火犯( arsonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The factory was destroyed in a fire started by arsonists. 工厂在纵火犯引起的火灾中烧毀了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland said suspected arsonists could face murder charges. 澳大利亚总检察长罗伯特麦克莱兰说，怀疑纵火犯可能面临谋杀指控。 来自互联网