2007年VOA标准英语-US, Iraqi Forces Battle Insurgents in Baghdad

By Jim Randle
Baghdad
24 January 2007

Gunfire and explosions could be heard for hours in Baghdad as coalition¹ and Iraqi forces fought gunmen in the central part of the city. VOA's Jim Randle is in Baghdad, where officials report one U.S. soldier was killed and two more were wounded.

 
US helicopter flies as smoke rises over the area where US and Iraqi troops clashed with gunmen in Baghdad, 24 Jan 2007
The fighting started early in the morning in an area near Haifa Street known as a Sunni stronghold.

Small arms fire and the boom of rocket-propelled grenades were clearly audible in the International Zone, a short distance away to the south.

Attack helicopters circled over the area for hours, presumably spotting the location of insurgent² groups for U.S. and Iraqi ground forces.

The U.S. military said the fighting began as Iraqi and U.S. soldiers tried to capture militants³ in the area. Seven suspected militants were captured, along with weapons, including large artillery⁴ shells and anti-tank rounds.

Earlier this month, U.S. and Iraqi troops fought with insurgents⁵ in the same area.

Elsewhere in Baghdad, gunmen ambushed⁶ a motorcade carrying Iraq's minister of higher education, Abed Dhiab al-Ajili, killing⁷ one of his guards

Coalition forces also reported the capture of three suspected terrorists linked to al-Qaida north of Baghdad.

Separately, the U.S. military said two Marines were killed in combat in al-Anbar province.

 
President Bush delivers his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington
As fighting continued in Baghdad, some residents said they were skeptical⁸ that President Bush's new security plan will make the city safer.

Mr. Bush used a key speech Tuesday to ask the U.S. Congress and the American people for patience and the time needed to give the new plan a chance to work.

It involves moving more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, most of them to Baghdad.

Iraqi Parliament member Maysoon al-Demluji said nothing has stopped the violence.

"A number of plans were put forward previously⁹; I think ordinary Iraqis will believe it when they see it," she said.

Al-Demluji represents constituents¹⁰ in the city of Mosul.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 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。

4 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

5 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

6 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》