2007年VOA标准英语-Anti-War Protests Await Bush in Sydney

By Phil Mercer
Sydney
04 September 2007

After a surprise trip to Iraq, President Bush is visiting Australia for a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group. The conflict in the Persian Gulf¹ will be a key theme of the president's visit to the APEC meeting in Sydney, where he is expected to face noisy and potentially violent anti-war protests. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney that anti-Bush sentiment is rising.

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Anti-Bush protesters take part in a demonstration in Sydney, 04 Sept 2007

About 200 anti-war activists³ gathered in central Sydney to voice their opposition⁴ to President Bush's policy in Iraq.

Thousands more protesters are expected to take part in a large rally in Australia's biggest city on Saturday when APEC leaders meet.

Among those taking to the streets will be a former U.S. marine⁵ and veteran of the Iraq war.

Matt Howard, who served two tours of duty in the Persian Gulf, has come to Sydney to deliver an anti-war message to President Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

"Four-and-a-half years later after our opening shock and awe⁶ Bush's lies are known throughout the world and yet he continues to act with impunity," said Howard. "Four-and-a-half years later the Bush regime along with his sycophant⁷ coalition⁸ have unleashed⁹ a hell upon the country of Iraq that only those that have been there can truly understand."

The conflict is likely to dominate this week's APEC summit along with climate change and regional security.

On his way to Sydney President Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq.

Australia has deployed¹⁰ about 1,500 military personnel to Iraq and conservative Prime Minister Howard has no plans to bring them home just yet.

President Bush will also have talks with Australia's opposition leader, Kevin Rudd, who has promised to pull the troops out if he wins an election due later this year.

"Mr. Bush and Mr. Howard have their views on Iraq. We have a different view on Iraq," said Rudd. "Our policy is that we need a negotiated, phased withdrawal¹¹ of Australian combat forces from Iraq, and that is what we intended to proceed doing."

A new opinion poll has predicted a landslide¹² win for Labor¹³, which would radically¹⁴ change Australia's policy in the Middle East although Kevin Rudd does support the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan.

Sydney is in the middle of Australia's most intense security operation.

Parts of the city have been locked down against possible terror attacks and violent demonstrations¹⁵ during President Bush's visit and the weekend summit of Asia Pacific leaders.

APEC's members include China, Japan, Indonesia and a host of smaller economies from Asia and South America as well as New Zealand.

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 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》

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

7 sycophant   

n.马屁精

参考例句：

• The dictator is surrounded by sycophants who are frightened to tell him what he may not like.独裁者被一群不敢谏言的佞臣簇拥着。
• Bestowing favor on a dubious sycophant often leads to the downfall of dynasties.宠用奸佞是历代王朝亡国的重要原因。

8 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。

9 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。

11 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

12 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

13 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

14 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

15 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。