2006年VOA标准英语-Karachi Tense After Massive Suicide Bombin

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
12 April 2006

Mourners pray during the funeral of three victims of a suicide bombing, Wednesday, April 12, 2006 in Karachi  
  
Pakistani security forces are on high alert a day after a suicide-bomb attack in the southern city of Karachi killed more than 50 people. 

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Businesses and schools across Karachi were closed and security forces patrolled largely empty streets, but there was isolated¹ rioting for the second day to protest the bombing.

The provincial² government has declared a three-day mourning period, while bracing³ for more possible attacks.

Hard-line religious groups are using the bombing Tuesday outside a Sunni Mosque⁴ to fuel anti-government sentiment.

Speaking to reporters, the president of the conservative MMA religious alliance, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, indirectly⁵ blamed the attack on Pakistan President Pervez Mushharaf.

"This is the proof of the failure of the government of Pervez Musharraf," he said.  "They cannot provide protection."

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which ripped through a packed Sunni prayer meeting celebrating the Prophet Mohammed's birthday.

Local police say a single bomber⁶ staged the suicide attack, one of the worst ever in Karachi.

At least 57 people were killed, nearly 100 others injured. The attack sparked violent riots with furious mobs burning cars and clashing with local police.

Thousands of mourners attended funerals as officials struggled to determine who was behind the deadly bomb blast. The list of possible suspects includes everyone from Indian provocateurs to Islamic radicals⁷.

Suspicion has also focused on Shi'ite militants⁸, who frequently clash with their Sunni counterparts in Karachi. The city is a frequent battleground for the two Muslim groups, and there are growing fears of a sectarian backlash.

Suicide attacks in Pakistan are typically staged by religious extremists, and there have been a number of cases of the majority Sunnis and minority Shi'ites attacking each other in the city.

Earlier this year, a series of clashes between the two left more than 30 people dead and scores more seriously injured.

1 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

2 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

3 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

4 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

5 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

6 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

7 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

8 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。