2006年VOA标准英语-Nepalese King's Speech Fails to Impress Op

By Patricia Nunan
New Delhi
14 April 2006

Nepal's opposition¹ parties have rejected a call by King Gyanendra to hold talks, because, they say, he must first restore democratic freedoms. The king made his appeal after seven days of protests against his government across the country.

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King Gyanendra called for talks, in a speech Friday, and reiterated² his government's commitment to holding elections.

But an alliance of Nepal's seven mainstream³ political parties has rejected the king's appeal. 

Opposition party supporters shout slogans as policemen try to restrain them at a demonstration⁴ in Kathmandu, Friday   
  
Opposition activist⁵ Rajan Bhattarai says that, while the political parties are in favor of holding talks to put an end to increasingly violent anti-government protests, the king must first meet their conditions.

"For that reconciliation⁶ and dialogue, there should have been certain conditions, a certain environment should be created. Otherwise, you cannot go and simply sit with him," he said.

The opposition parties want the king to restore parliament, release the hundreds of people in detention⁷, and stop security forces from using violence against demonstrators.

King Gyanendra took control of the government in February 2005, sparking Nepal's current political crisis. The king said he acted because the bickering⁸ political parties had failed to stop the country's communist insurgency⁹. The rebels, who call themselves Maoists, have waged a violent campaign to topple the monarchy¹⁰ since 1996.

Since dismissing parliament, King Gyanendra has restricted the media and civil liberties, and arrested hundreds of political opponents, activists¹¹ and students. He has promised parliamentary elections next year, but has given no specific date.

Demonstrators protesting the king's rule have taken to Nepal's streets for the past seven days, at times in defiance¹² of a government-imposed curfew. Security forces have responded by beating protesters, and firing tear-gas and rubber bullets. Four demonstrators have died.

Opposition activist Bhattarai says the demonstrations¹³ are likely to continue. But he discounts fears the king will order security forces to respond with increased violence because of the support the demonstrators have in Nepal and abroad.

"I also see the growing number of participation¹⁴ of the masses, as well as the concern within the security forces," he said. " Some of the security forces people are saying, "No more [of] this. Because we cannot go that way." Also, because of the growing pressure internationally and nationally - I don't think that sort of massacre¹⁵ he (the king) will order."

In response to the violence, the U.S. Embassy in Nepal has urged all non-essential staff to leave the country.

1 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。

2 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

3 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

4 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

7 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

8 bickering   

v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

• The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
• The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

11 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

13 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

14 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

15 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！