2006年VOA标准英语-US Steps Up Security Measures Following Discove

By Stephanie Ho
Washington
10 August 2006
 
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says the United States is stepping up its security measures, after authorities in Britain said they uncovered a major terror plot to blow up airplanes flying from Britain to the United States.

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Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff said the United States has strong concerns about a plot that was "well on its way." 

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, left, and Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales hold a press briefing, Thursday, August 10, 2006

"This was a very sophisticated plan and operation," said Mr. Chertoff.  "This is not a circumstance, where you had a handful of people sitting around you coming up with dreamy ideas about terrorist plots."

British authorities say a terrorist ring was plotting to blow up multiple commercial, U.S.-based aircraft, heading from Britain to the United States.

Chertoff said, in response, the United States has raised its threat level for flights coming from Britain to the highest level of alert, or red.  For all other in-bound international flights and domestic U.S. flights, he said, the threat level will be high, or orange.

He said there is currently no indication of any plotting within the United States, but the U.S. government wants to be prudently¹ cautious.

"We believe that the arrests in Britain have significantly disrupted this major threat," he added.  "But, we cannot assume that the threat has been completely thwarted², or that we have fully³ identified and neutralized⁴ every member of this terrorist network."

He did not reveal details of what U.S. officials know about the plot in Britain or the investigation⁵.  But another security measure he announced was a ban on air passengers carrying any liquid or gel substance with them on board the plane.

"One of the concerns we had was the possibility of bringing on board a number of components⁶ of a bomb, each one of which would be benign⁷, but when mixed together, would create a bomb," he noted⁸.

Chertoff declined to characterize the 21 people who have been arrested in Britain, saying that is a matter for British authorities.  But he indicated that U.S. authorities do suspect the al-Qaida terror network.

"This operation is in some respects suggestive of an al-Qaida plot, but because the investigation is still under way, we cannot yet form a definitive⁹ conclusion.  We're going to wait until all the facts are in," he said.

Al-Qaida masterminded the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States.  Those attacks, nearly five years ago, relied on hijacked¹⁰ planes, which hit the World Trade Center, in New York, and the Pentagon, near Washington.  The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

1 prudently   

adv. 谨慎地，慎重地

参考例句：

• He prudently pursued his plan. 他谨慎地实行他那计划。
• They had prudently withdrawn as soon as the van had got fairly under way. 他们在蓬车安全上路后立即谨慎地离去了。

2 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 neutralized   

v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化

参考例句：

• Acidity in soil can be neutralized by spreading lime on it. 土壤的酸性可以通过在它上面撒石灰来中和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This strategy effectively neutralized what the Conservatives had hoped would be a vote-winner. 这一策略有效地冲淡了保守党希望在选举中获胜的心态。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

7 benign   

adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的

参考例句：

• The benign weather brought North America a bumper crop.温和的气候给北美带来大丰收。
• Martha is a benign old lady.玛莎是个仁慈的老妇人。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

10 hijacked   

劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）

参考例句：

• The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
• The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。