VOA标准英语2009年-Iranian Government Cracks Down Further

This photo, taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran shows an Iranian protestor holding a green cloth, the symbolic¹ color of Iranian opposition², as he flashes the victory sign, during anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, 27 Dec 2009

The Iranian government is cracking the whip on opposition supporters after two days of intense and sometimes bloody³ demonstrations⁴ in Tehran and elsewhere.  Scores of opposition activists⁵ and political leaders are reported to have been arrested.

The Iranian government reaction after two days of opposition protests was swift and deliberate, after its forces were put on the defensive⁶ and sometimes humiliated⁷ during recent events.  Scores of opposition activists were arrested and state media went on the attack.

Iranian government TV accused the foreign press of fomenting⁸ the recent opposition protests, characterizing them as rioting and destructive acts against the state, the people, and property.

Iran's deputy police chief Ahmed Rida Radan insisted the government did not fire on demonstrators during Sunday's protests, despite eyewitness⁹ accounts to the contrary.  He noted¹⁰ that a few people were killed in isolated¹¹ incidents.

He says it is unfortunate that a number of people were killed during these events, including someone who fell off a bridge, two others who were run over by a car, and a third who was shot to death in mysterious circumstances.  The police, he insists, did not fire on demonstrators.

Independent accounts published on the internet have detailed¹² a number of incidents in which demonstrators where killed by Iranian security forces. 

State run Iranian TV showed images of what it called government supporters in the hospital, claiming they were attacked by the opposition.

One 30-something man with a swollen¹³ eye and bruised¹⁴ lip complained he was minding his own business when he was attacked by opposition supporters.

He told the government-run television he was participating in Ashoura ceremonies to mark the 7th Century slaying¹⁵ of a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, when people stopped him and began insulting him.  A driver, he says, ran him over because he supports the government.

State-run al-Alam TV also showed President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad looking calm and asking matter-of-factly why the West is against Iran, in a veiled reference to alleged¹⁶ foreign involvement in the recent opposition protests.

As you can see, he says, the point of Ashoura is obvious: the arrogant¹⁷ nations of the world have no logical reason to oppose the Iranian people, because the message of Ashoura is for freedom, security and peace for all peoples.

A message from opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, which was posted on the Internet, asked how the government could spill the blood of its people on the Shi'ite holy day of Ashoura.

Analyst¹⁸ Ali Nourizadeh of the London-based Center for Arab and Iranian Studies says the government crackdown will deepen antagonism¹⁹ between it and the opposition and ultimately will not work, since the tactic²⁰ has been tried before and failed.

''The regime tried.  They arrested leaders of the (opposition) Green Movement and nothing happened.  It continued, because they make a big mistake.  They think that this movement is alive because of its leaders.  Actually, the people took control and the leaders are following the people, and a government cannot kill all its people or arrest all its people," Nourizadeh said.

Independent Iranian web sites are now reporting that some top former government ministers have been arrested along with prominent anti-government activists.  Opposition websites also say they have increasingly come under cyber-attack.
 

1 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。

2 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。

3 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

4 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。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

7 humiliated   

感到羞愧的

参考例句：

• Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
• He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。

8 fomenting   

v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They accused him of fomenting political unrest. 他们指控他煽动政治动乱。
• Three sailors were fomenting a mutiny on the ship. 三个水手正在船上煽动叛变。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

12 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

13 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

14 bruised   

[医]青肿的，瘀紫的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

15 slaying   

杀戮。

参考例句：

• The man mimed the slaying of an enemy. 此人比手划脚地表演砍死一个敌人的情况。
• He is suspected of having been an accomplice in the slaying,butthey can't pin it on him. 他有嫌疑曾参与该杀人案，但他们找不到证据来指控他。

16 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

17 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

18 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

19 antagonism   

n.对抗，敌对，对立

参考例句：

• People did not feel a strong antagonism for established policy.人们没有对既定方针产生强烈反应。
• There is still much antagonism between trades unions and the oil companies.工会和石油公司之间仍然存在着相当大的敌意。

20 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。