voa标准英语2008-Saudi Arabia Prepares for Annual Hajj

The annual Islamic pilgrimage known as the Hajj officially gets under way Saturday in Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials are working to avoid any repeat of the tragedies that have befallen the Hajj in years past.
　

Muslim pilgrims pray around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque1 in Mecca

During the Hajj the muezzin calls worshippers to prayer, while pilgrims chant and pray as they circle the black, holy stone in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The pilgrimage is one of Islam's five obligations, that every able-bodied Muslim must perform during his lifetime.

Every Islamic country across the world has a quota², stipulating³ how many pilgrims it may send to the Hajj, and the total number this year, is reported to be around 2.5 million people, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Squads⁴ of Saudi rapid intervention⁵ forces, some dressed entirely⁶ in black, chanted at a training ground, outside of Mecca, near Mount Arafat, as they prepared for possible disturbances⁷ or natural disasters.

Saudi government TV reports 50,000 soldiers and police, backed by helicopters and armored vehicles, are being deployed⁸. Scores of ambulances, firetrucks, and police trucks were also visible, amid the security detail.
　

Prince Nayef bin9 Abdul-Aziz (file photo)

Interior Minister Nayef ben Abdal Aziz, who heads the committee overseeing the annual Hajj, inspected preparations and reviewed police and army forces.

He told journalists the Saudi Kingdom has done its best to assure the comfort and security of pilgrims at the annual Hajj.

He says everything has been done to keep pilgrims safe and insure their comfort. He adds that he has received no information about any possible security threat, but that his forces, along with God Almighty¹⁰, will work to see that nothing happens to disturb the tranquility of the Hajj.

Near the site where Hajjis symbolically¹² stone the devil, Saudi Arabia has spent more than one billion dollars to rebuild a lengthy¹³ two-level pedestrian bridge in a bid to avoid casualties, following several deadly stampedes in recent years.

Groups of teenage scouts¹⁴ wearing red shirts also prepared for their role in guiding pilgrims near Mount Arafat.

The symbolic¹¹ climb of Mount Arafat is the climax¹⁵ of the annual Haj as 32-year-old Lebanese Muslim Mustapha Ghalayini, who performed the pilgrimage several years ago, explains.

"The best day in Hajj is Arafat day, which is the day when all the people will be on Arafat Mountain," Ghalayini said. "This is the main reason of Haj, which unites all Muslims from all around the world, from East, West, South and North, all around, coming to this place on that day, staying that day on that holy place, wearing only two towels, white towels, and showing others around the world that this is what God wants ... us to be one person, one for all and all for one. It is the meaning of no one is above any one, we are all equal, we should all help each other, we should all be good to each other. There is no difference between the managers and the staff. There is no difference between the man and the woman; all are one. All should obey God and do good things."

Mount Arafat is where Mohammed delivered his last sermon to his followers¹⁶.

"This mountain, from ancient times, in the Bible, in the Koran, it mentions that lots of things happened on it, such as one time about Prophet Abraham and his son Ismail, when he wanted to sacrifice his son for God, and God sacrificed his son with a big sheep," Ghalayini said.

Muzdalifa, where Muslim pilgrims perform the ritual stoning of the devil by casting pebbles¹⁷ at three stone pillars, is the scene of intense fervor¹⁸, as pilgrims symbolically cast off the devil and his evil temptations, as this elderly Pakistani man explains.

"When stoning it, we are saying that 'Oh, God, Almighty Allah, we want your willingness, and we are hitting this devil, who has been forcing us to deviate¹⁹ from the path of Allah ...," he said.

In the final steps of the Hajj, pilgrims will have their heads shaved, before the final ritual slaughter²⁰ of a lamb. Many Hajjis will not actually perform the slaughter, themselves, but will buy a coupon²¹ for a slaughtered²² lamb, and the meat will be donated to charity.

1 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。

2 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

3 stipulating   

v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的现在分词 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• Shall we first sign a barter trade agreement stipulating the general terms and conditions? 我们先签一个易货贸易协议，规定一般性条款，行吗？ 来自互联网
• The other firm are stipulating for and early exchange of information regarding the contract. 作为协议条件，另一家公司坚持要求早日交换有关合同的信息。 来自互联网

4 squads   

n.（军队中的）班( squad的名词复数 )；（暗杀）小组；体育运动的运动（代表）队；（对付某类犯罪活动的）警察队伍

参考例句：

• Anti-riot squads were called out to deal with the situation. 防暴队奉命出动以对付这一局势。 来自辞典例句
• Three squads constitute a platoon. 三个班组成一个排。 来自辞典例句

5 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 disturbances   

n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍

参考例句：

• The government has set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances at the prison. 政府成立了一个委员会来调查监狱骚乱事件。
• Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances. 已调集了增援警力来平定骚乱。

8 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。

9 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

10 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

11 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

12 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

13 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

14 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

15 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

16 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

17 pebbles   

[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
• Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

18 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

19 deviate   

v.(from)背离，偏离

参考例句：

• Don't deviate from major issues.不要偏离主要问题。
• I will never deviate from what I believe to be right.我绝不背离我自信正确的道路。

20 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

21 coupon   

n.息票，配给票，附单

参考例句：

• The coupon can be used once only.此优惠券只限使用一次。
• I have a coupon for ten pence off a packet of soap.我有一张优惠券买一盒肥皂可以便宜十便士。

22 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》