2006年VOA标准英语-Italian Troops Begin Journey to Lebanon

By Sabina Castelfranco
Brindisi, Italy
29 August 2006

A naval¹ task force with the first 1,000 Italian troops set sail for Lebanon Tuesday following a farewell ceremony in the waters off the southern coast of Italy. Up to 2,500 Italian troops will be deployed² as part of the U.N. mission in Lebanon before the end of the year.

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A woman holding her baby waves to soldiers aboard of the Italian Navy ship San Giorgio leaving for Lebanon

A farewell ceremony for the first contingent³ of Italian troops headed to Lebanon as part of the U.N. peacekeeping mission was held Tuesday aboard the flagship of the Italian navy, the Garibaldi aircraft carrier.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Defense⁴ Minister Arturo Parisi were flown aboard the aircraft carrier in the waters off the southern Italian port city of Brindisi.

The defense minister told the troops this is no doubt among the most delicate and demanding missions since the end of World War II. He said it would be a long, risky⁵, costly⁶ and difficult mission. But, he added, this was a necessary United Nations deployment⁷ to stabilize⁸ the area.

Prime Minister Prodi said Italy, Europe and the international community could not tolerate another crisis in such a vital area as the Mediterranean⁹. Since the center-left took power in Italy in the spring, Prodi's government has focused on increasing its role in the Mediterranean and said Europe needs to pay more attention to the Middle East.

Italy has taken a leading role in Lebanon pledging the largest contingent of any country with 2,500 men for the U.N. mission and agreeing to lead the peacekeepers on the ground from February. The government has attracted wide support for the deployment in Lebanon even from leftists and peace activists¹⁰.

Italians see the mission as very different from the troop deployment in Iraq. Some see soldiers in Lebanon as necessary to stop Israeli aggression¹¹. Others see it as a necessary step to stop the violence and extremism of Hezbollah.

Addressing the troops, Mr. Prodi said Tuesday Italians would follow the work of the soldiers with pride and trust, because although they are carrying weapons, they are going to Lebanon exclusively to bring peace.

The naval task force that set sail from Italy's southern coast consisted in four navy ships and an aircraft carrier. The troops are expected to disembark starting Friday at the Lebanese port of Naqoura. Navy officials said that initially¹² the ground troops would be deployed in the region of Tyre.

1 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

2 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。

3 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

8 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

9 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

10 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》

11 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

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。