VOA标准英语2008年-Community Rejects Bid to Build Islamic School N

By Phil Mercer
Sydney
28 May 2008

Town officials have rejected plans for an Islamic school on the outskirts¹ of Australia's biggest city, Sydney. The issue has stirred emotions in the town of Camden, where local groups held demonstrations² against the proposal. Many residents say the presence of so many Muslims would harm their community. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

The Camden town council says the unanimous decision to reject the application to build the school has nothing to do with race or religion but is based on town planning issues, such as traffic flows.

The plan was to build a private school to teach 1200 Muslim children on farmland near Camden.

Opposition³ to the project has at times been savage⁴ and graphic⁵.

Late last year two pigs' heads were left on the proposed site with an Australian flag draped between them.

Large protests were held and the overwhelming sentiment was that such a school had no place in the community.

Most people in Camden deny allegations of racism⁶ and argue that the presence of so many students and their parents would cause traffic problems in a quiet corner of suburbia.

Others, however, bluntly expressed other concerns.

"Tell me one country in the world these people have assimilated in," one woman said.

"If I wore a hijab now I could have an M16 under my hijab and you wouldn't even know I had it there," added another woman.

Some Muslim groups say the town's decision was influenced by racist⁷ attitudes. Many people, including many non-Muslims, say it will damage Australia's international reputation.

More than 400,000 Muslims live in Australia, many of them immigrants from elsewhere. Australia's Quranic Society had proposed the school. It says that more Muslim families are moving into the outer Sydney districts and their needs had to be accommodated.

The judgment⁸ of the Camden Town Council can be appealed.

1 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

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 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

5 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

6 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

7 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

8 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。