2006年VOA标准英语-Commission to Examine Ethnic Tensions in Britai

By Gary Thomas
London
24 August 2006

The British government Thursday announced the creation of a commission to examine issues raised by the explosive growth of ethnic¹ communities in Britain. The study was sparked in large part by revelations that young British Muslims were participants in last year's London subway bombings as well as the terror plot against U.S.-bound airliners² currently under investigation³. Immigration and ethnic assimilation are very sensitive subjects in Britain.

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Muslims in East London shout anti-government chants during protest against treatment of Muslim community by British police in London, June 9, 2006   
  
The Commission on Integration⁴ and Cohesion⁵ hopes to examine why ethnic groups have felt increasingly isolated⁶, particularly Muslim immigrants from South Asian nations. Announcing its creation, Ruth Kelly, the secretary for Communities and Local Government, said it is time for an honest examination of the situation of Britain's ethnic immigrant communities.

"I think the debate will have considerably⁷ more value if we can be open and honest about the challenges that we face," she said. "We must not be censored⁸ by political correctness, and we can't tiptoe around important issues."

The announcement comes two weeks after the revelation of a plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners. Eleven young British-born Muslim men have been charged in the plot, and others are in custody⁹ undergoing questioning. The suicide bomb attacks on the London transportation system last year were also carried out by young British Muslims.

  
Police prepare to drive away some of the accused in the terror plot (hidden behind the blue curtains) following a court hearing in London, Aug. 22, 2006
  
Secretary Kelly acknowledged that terror attacks by radical¹⁰ Islamists have made life harder for some sector¹¹ of Britain's ethnic communities.

"For some communities in particular, we need to acknowledge that life in Britain has started to feel markedly different since the attacks of 9/11 in New York and 7/7 in London, even more so since the events of two weeks ago," she said.

Contacted by telephone, Seyyed Serjani, a spokesman for the Muslim Association of Britain, welcomed the commission's creation.

"Initially¹² for us it is something which is positive," he said. "It is important that there is something, such a body or such a commission, although we wait and see what is the difference - is it going to make any difference for Muslims and for society at large."

Metropolitan¹³ Police Commissioner¹⁴ Sir Ian Blair walks with Mohammed Maroof of the Muslim Association of Police Officers, to Minhaj-ul-Quran mosque¹⁵, east London, July 15, 2005  
  
Tahir Abbas, director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Culture at the University of Birmingham, tells VOA the issues of segregation¹⁶ and assimilation have been brewing¹⁷ for years, creating resentment¹⁸ among young Muslims.

"I think we're seeing this now because obviously the problems of the terror attacks on London last year on the back of issues of community cohesion that emerged in 2001," he said. "We've got a set of issues related to young British-born Muslims. But also in general the sense that there are pockets of segregation emerging which are seen as problematic. And, of course, notions of interfaith dialogue have been somewhat limited, too."

Abbas says the commission's first priority should be to look at how opportunities are limited for many of Britain's ethnic minorities.

"I think first and foremost it's economic and social mobility¹⁹ that is primary here," he said. "People need a sense of a good education, a sense that there's a job there, and that they have an opportunity to be good citizens by being taxpayers²⁰ and voters, and therefore feeling part of a wider society. If people are socially excluded, economically excluded, it will encourage them to go in certain directions."

The commission is scheduled to submit its findings by next June.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 airliners   

n.客机，班机( airliner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The fog grounded the airliners. 大雾迫使班机停飞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They placed very stable and accurate atomic clocks on regularly scheduled jet airliners. 他们将非常稳定、准确的原子钟装在定期飞行的喷气式班机上。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

5 cohesion   

n.团结，凝结力

参考例句：

• I had to bring some cohesion into the company.我得使整个公司恢复凝聚力。
• The power of culture is deeply rooted in the vitality,creativity and cohesion of a nation. 文化的力量，深深熔铸在民族的生命力、创造力和凝聚力之中。

6 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。

7 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

8 censored   

受审查的，被删剪的

参考例句：

• The news reports had been heavily censored . 这些新闻报道已被大幅删剪。
• The military-backed government has heavily censored the news. 有军方撑腰的政府对新闻进行了严格审查。

9 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

10 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

11 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

12 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

13 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

14 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

15 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。

16 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

17 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

18 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。

19 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

20 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。