VOA标准英语2008年-6 US Troops Killed in Booby-Trapped House Durin

By Deborah Block
Baghdad
09 January 2008

The U.S. military reports six American soldiers were killed Wednesday in a bobby-trapped house during a new operation in northern Iraq. The joint¹ U.S.-Iraqi offensive was launched Tuesday against al-Qaida in the north, including the most violent Diyala province. VOA's Deborah reports from Baghdad.

More than 70,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops are in their second day of operation against al-Qaida in northern part of Iraq. At a news conference in Baghdad, the U.S. commander for northern Iraq, Major-General Michael Hertling, said it will be a challenge. "The people that left Anbar and Baghdad have moved up into my area," he said.

Hertling said the offensive is focused in volatile² Diyala province especially the agricultural city of Muqdadiyah. When a brigade of five-thousand U.S. troops and a division of Iraqis launched attacks near Muqdadiyah, Hertling said they encountered less opposition³ than expected.

U.S. military officials say coalition⁴ forces detained six suspects on Wednesday.

Hertling said additional forces are being sent to the four northern provinces but he would not say how many. He only said more troops are needed in Diyala. "It was also a province that didn't see a lot of forces insuring stability over the long haul. There would be forces that would go in and then come out," he said.

Hertling also spoke⁵ about what he called "spectacular attacks" by Al-Qaida in northern Iraq and other parts of the country. He said these mostly large-scale suicide bombings have increased recently. "While we have seen a reduction in the number of attacks in most areas of Iraq, and to a lesser⁶ degree in northern Iraq, there has been a marked increase in AQI (Al-Qaida) activity in Diyala province in the form of high-profile, spectacular events. This does not mean an increase in attacks, but it does mean an increase in these kinds of high profile attacks," he said.

Hertling said some of these attacks have targeted volunteer security patrols, also known as concerned local citizens, who are paid to guard their communities. He said five severed⁷ heads had been found on a road in Diyala with warnings in Arabic written in blood on their foreheads that all volunteers would share their fate. Despite these warnings, he said the movement is growing.

"We have about 15,000, a little less, concerned local citizens who are standing⁸ up to help the Iraqi security forces because they are sick of the violence."

Hertling said as the suicide attacks continue to kill innocent people, more people will turn against al-Qaida.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

3 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。

4 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。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

7 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。