voa标准英语2008-India Cancels Cricket Tour of Pakistan

A tour by India's national cricket team to Pakistan early next year has been canceled. The move was widely anticipated, in wake of the terror attack on Mumbai which India blames on Islamic extremists from Pakistan.
　

From left, former Olympian Milkha Singh, Indian Sports Minister M.S. Gill and Indian Olympics Association Secretary General Randhir Singh in New Delhi (File)

The announcement was made Thursday in parliament by Sports Minister M.S. Gill and the Board of Control for Cricket in India. BCCI Vice¹ President Rajeev Shukla told reporters in New Delhi the timing² is not right for such an event.

"Taking into account the recent developments, as well as the overall circumstances prevailing³ at present, it is not considered feasible to accord government permission to the proposed tour," he explained.

The Indian team had been scheduled to be in Pakistan from January 13 through February 19.

The tour was to consist of three test matches, five one-day games and a 20-20 international.

Mumbai attacks put strain on diplomatic relations

India blames Islamic radical⁴ gunmen from Pakistan for the 60-hour siege of Mumbai that left about 170 people dead. The terrorists attacked luxury hotels, a train terminal, hospitals, a cafe and a Jewish outreach center. Government leaders in Islamabad say they have seen no proof that any of the ten men who attacked India's commercial capital were from Pakistan.

Cricket is a national obsession⁵ in India and Pakistan, stemming from the colonial era when the subcontinent was under British rule.

Pakistan accuses India of airspace violation⁶

The announcement of the cancellation⁷ of the tour came just hours after it was reported that Islamabad registered a formal complaint with New Delhi, alleging⁸ violation of its air space by Indian fighter jets, last week. Indian air force officials have denied there were any such incursions.

Indian media have spoken of a heightened state of alert by forces on both sides of the border. Indian government and military leaders deny they are planning any strikes into Pakistani territory in retaliation⁹ for the Mumbai attack.

Both countries have nuclear weapons and have gone to war three times since gaining independence from Britain in 1947.

India is insisting those responsible for planning the Mumbai operation, which it blames on the outlawed¹⁰ group Laskhar-e-Taiba, be brought to justice and that Pakistan dismantle¹¹ the terrorist infrastructure¹² on its soil.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

3 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

4 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

5 obsession   

n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)

参考例句：

• I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
• She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

6 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

7 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

8 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

9 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

11 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。