VOA标准英语2008年-Iraqi Officials Mark Deaths of Martyrs, Includi

Iraq's political leaders struck a hopeful tone as they marked five years since the killing² of prominent Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim and dozens of others in a car bombing in the holy city of Najaf in 2003. VOA's Suzanne Presto³ reports from the northern city of Irbil.

Iraq's prime minister and high-level officials gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to commemorate⁴ Iraqis who have been killed in violence, particularly Ayatollah Hakim.

In late August of 2003, he and at least 80 worshippers were killed by a car bomb blast as they left a mosque⁵ after Friday prayers.
　
Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim addresses journalists during a press conference in Tehran 25 Mar¹ 2003 (file photo)

Ayatollah Hakim was the leader of the main Iraqi Shi'ite group opposed to Saddam Hussein. He was 64 years old at the time of his death.

The ayatollah was considered a relative moderate among the Shi'ite leadership, and he was sometimes criticized for allowing his followers⁶ to cooperate with the U.S. administration of Iraq.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told officials that cooperation and unity⁷ inside Iraq is leading to the nation's renewal⁸.

Mr. Maliki said Iraq's government is in the midst of spring, which is a season traditionally associated with birth and renewal. He said it is also the spring of the Iraqi military's successful operations.

The military has recently led campaigns to clear militants⁹ and armed criminals from Basra in the south, Amarah in the southeast, Mosul in the north, and eastern Baghdad's Sadr City.

The prime minister said these operations prove that all of Iraq is united under one national government and for one national peace.

Mr. Maliki stressed that the government will never stop battling outlaws¹⁰, criminals and militants.

The speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mahmoud al-Mashadani, said the nation is now mourning its martyrs¹¹, but it will soon rejoice when all the bloodshed gives way to a new and great Iraq.

Mashadani vowed¹² that Iraqis will be able to celebrate the glory of a new Iraq very soon.

 

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 presto   

adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的

参考例句：

• With something so important,you can't just wave a wand and presto!在这么重大的问题上，你想挥动一下指挥棒，转眼就变过来,办不到！
• I just turned the piece of wire in the lock and hey presto,the door opened.我把金属丝伸到锁孔里一拧，嘿，那门就开了。

4 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

5 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。

6 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。

7 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

8 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

10 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

11 martyrs   

n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）

参考例句：

• the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者
• They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。