VOA标准英语10月-Poverty, Isolation, Uncertainty Mar Ramadan Celeb

Muslims in the Palestinian territories, like in other places, are marking the end of Ramadan, a season of fasting. It is also a time to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for the future. But for many Palestinians this Ramadan has highlighted the realities of poverty and uncertainty¹ over peace with Israel. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Ramallah, in the West Bank.
　

Backdropped by the Dome2 of the Rock, hundreds of Palestinians perform the morning prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque3 compound in Jerusalem, 30 Sep 2008

In the last days of Ramadan, the streets of Ramallah are crowded with vendors⁵ selling special sweets for the sumptuous⁶ meal that crowns a day of fasting. Typically, Muslim families gather for the feast at sundown, when the call to prayer from the minaret⁷ signals the end of the fast.

For Neela Mahmoud, 32, and rearing nine children in the town of Bir Zeit, outside Ramallah, the breaking of the fast is - in some ways - a time to dread⁸. On this evening, she has only bread and water to break the fast.

"This is the most difficult Ramadan that we have ever known," she says. "My husband cannot work. There are no organizations that will help us. It has been hard to put food on the table."

On this evening, friends bring rice, lentils and yogurt - a typical Palestinian peasant's meal. For Neela Mahmoud's children, it is a feast.

Neela's husband, Khalaf, was recently in an Israeli prison. He says he faced a number of charges of plotting military action against the Israeli occupation forces. He is out on a suspended sentence.

With Israeli checkpoints everywhere, he says his life continues to be a prison.

"I cannot go anywhere outside of the Palestinian territories because I have a suspended sentence," he explains. "If I am caught outside the Palestinian areas, I will be put back in jail."

The security barrier, a system of concrete walls and fences that Israel is putting up to protect itself from suicide bombers⁹ and other attackers from the West Bank, has cut off Palestinians' access to relatively¹⁰ well-paying jobs in Israel. Since the barrier went up, the number of terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians¹¹ has diminished considerably¹².

For Israelis, the barrier has brought improved security. For Palestinian families like that of Khalaf and Neela, it has brought hunger and misery¹³.

"I used to work inside Israel before the wall," Khalaf explains. "Now, they will not give me a permit and I cannot find work here. I used to work as a gardener. I used to do all kinds of jobs inside Israel. But now, I am unable to get a permit and especially because I was in jail. People feed us. We have no food, if people do not feed us, we do not eat. Sometimes, I have a days' work and I come with some money. But that is not often."

Khalaf says despair over not being able to feed his nine children has made him want to give them away.

In the West Bank's main city, Ramallah, a street vendor⁴ hawks¹⁴ Ramadan lanterns. Their sparkle and chimes do little to lift spirits. He says the absence of jobs means no business for him.

"I have much merchandise, but very few customers," he admits.

The wish expressed by many here is for peace with Israel. But even during Ramadan, it is hard for many to put aside the grim reality.

A 14-year-old boy says his house still has bullet holes from an Israeli incursion years ago.

"During Ramadan, we forgive people and people forgive us," he explains.

Would he be willing to forgive Israel?

"It depends. If the Israelis are harsh with me, I will be harsh on them. I cannot forgive them," he says.

For many, like Neela Mahmoud, the main concern now is the everyday struggle to feed her family.

"My biggest wish this Ramadan is for my husband to find work," she says. "My biggest wish is for people to think of each other during Ramadan. The meaning of Ramadan is to help the poor. The meaning of Ramadan is to help each other. Unfortunately, everyone is having a hard time."

Neela says she prays for peace and an end to the fear and checkpoints that prevent her husband from going to work. She doubts reports that Israelis and Palestinians may be close to reaching a peace agreement. If there is a peace accord, she says she hopes it is one that will result in better living conditions for her family.

1 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

2 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

5 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 sumptuous   

adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
• We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

7 minaret   

n.（回教寺院的）尖塔

参考例句：

• The minaret is 65 meters high,the second highest in the world.光塔高65米，高度位居世界第二。
• It stands on a high marble plinth with a minaret at each corner.整个建筑建立在一个高大的大理石底座上，每个角上都有一个尖塔。

8 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

9 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

11 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。

12 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

13 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

14 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。