2007年VOA标准英语-Palestinian Rocket Attack Wounds at Least 66 Is

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
11 September 2007

More than 60 Israeli soldiers were wounded, several seriously, in a Palestinian rocket attack.  As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Israel is weighing a response.

Israeli soldier walks next to armored vehicle at base on border with Gaza Strip, 11 Sep 2007

A Palestinian rocket crashed into an Israeli army base on the Gaza border as soldiers slept in their tents.  The wounded soldiers were recruits undergoing basic training. 

It was the biggest number of injuries caused by a single Palestinian rocket, and comes a week after rockets disrupted the beginning of the school year in a nearby town.

Israeli officials are calling for a punishing military response.  Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said Israel must restore deterrence¹ in Gaza.

Dichter told Israel Radio that it is not a question of if Israel will restore deterrence, but when.  Nevertheless, he said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other senior officials are in no hurry to launch a major assault on Gaza, two years after Israel pulled out of the territory.

Gaza is the most densely² populated place on earth, and an Israeli offensive could cause high casualties among soldiers and civilians³.  Also, officials say Israel does not want an escalation⁴ to mar⁵ the Jewish High Holy Days which begin Wednesday.

The Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for the rocket attack in a videotape.

Militants⁷ shouted "Allah hu akbar!" or "Allah is great!" as they fired the rocket at Israel.

The Islamic militant⁶ group Hamas, which seized control of Gaza during a civil war in June, described the attack as legitimate⁸ resistance.  One Hamas official said it is a "victory from God."

1 deterrence   

威慑，制止； 制止物，制止因素； 挽留的事物； 核威慑

参考例句：

• An extreme school of "disarmers" pronounced stable deterrence was a dangerous deception. “裁军论者”中的极端派声称，稳定的威摄是一种危险的骗局。
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。

2 densely   

ad.密集地；浓厚地

参考例句：

• A grove of trees shadowed the house densely. 树丛把这幢房子遮蔽得很密实。
• We passed through miles of densely wooded country. 我们穿过好几英里茂密的林地。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

5 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

6 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

7 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。

8 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。