2007年VOA标准英语-US Steps Up Security Following Attack in Britai

By Stephanie Ho
Washington
01 July 2007

The United States is increasing transportation security after a car bombing and other attempted terror attacks in Britain in recent days. The top U.S. security official says although he sees no links to any specific attacks in the United States, he is worried about what he calls terrorist copy cats. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

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Traffic backs up at a vehicle checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport after security measures were tightened following bombing attempts in Britain

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made appearances on several television talk shows.

He told ABC's This Week program there is no indication of a linkage² between the events in Britain and any specific attacks on the United States. "We do not have, at this point, specific, credible³ intelligence that there is an attack, a particular attack, focused on this country," he said.

But at the same time, speaking on CNN's Late Edition program, Chertoff said U.S. authorities are concerned about the threat of terrorism, especially in the coming months. "We have had a number of al-Qaida leaders quite publicly talking about how they want to carry out their threats against the West. So, given that and given the history that we have had over past summers, with attacks in Britain, I think we were clearly focused on this as a possibility," he said.

Chertoff said the United States will enact⁴ additional security measures at airports, train stations and other mass transit⁵ stations this week, as the country prepares to celebrate the July Fourth Independence Day holiday.

He added that there will be what he described as "enhanced air marshal work" on trans-Atlantic flights, with special attention to Britain. U.S. air marshals have been accompanying U.S.-bound flights since a plot to blow up airliners⁶ between the United States and Britain was uncovered last August in London.

Chertoff said Washington is increasingly concerned about people with European citizenship⁷ going to South Asia to get terrorism training, and then returning to carry out attacks in Europe or the United States. He told CNN there are, what he described as, a "significant number of people" within the United States who have suspected links to terrorism. "I am not saying those are linked to al Qaida, but they certainly indicate the possibility of people becoming radicalized and deciding they want to carry out attacks on their own. So, this is not, by no means, a European problem, but a problem here as well," he said.

Chertoff said he has no immediate⁸ plans to raise the overall threat level in the United States, which is at yellow, signifying an elevated level. Since last August, the U.S. threat level for all domestic and international flights has been more serious, at level orange.

1 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

2 linkage   

n.连接；环节

参考例句：

• In their monographic treatment of linkage,they have emphasized this especially.他们在论连锁的专题文章中特别强调了这点。
• Occasionally,problems with block inheritance or linkage are encountered.有时会遇到区段遗传或连锁问题。

3 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

4 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

5 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

6 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

7 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。