VOA标准英语2009年-New Wave of Violence Grips Northern Ireland

Tensions are rising in Northern Ireland as a policeman becomes the third murder victim in the province in the past 48 hours. Just like the two British soldiers killed on Saturday, the officer was gunned down. While politicians are united in their condemnation¹, the worry on the streets is this killing² spree may be part of a new campaign not seen for more than ten years.
　
Police Service of Northern Ireland officers take up position near Lismore Manor³, Craigavon, N. Ireland, 10 Mar⁴ 2009

Over the past few days, Northern Ireland has been reliving the dark violent days of how life used to be.

On Saturday, a gun attack claimed by the Real IRA at an army base in country Antrim that left two young British soldiers dead. Then, two days later, another republican splinter group, the Continuity IRA said it was behind the shooting that left a police officer dead in the town of Craigavon.

Police chief Hugh Orde had warned in recent months that some factions⁵ were intent on bringing violence back to the province.

"These are criminal psychopaths determined⁶ to wreck⁷ what 99.9 recurring⁸ percent of people in Northern Ireland want," said Orde. "My officers will not be intimidated⁹ in this way."

And that means business as usual for the police. Locals are being urged to provide information regarding the identity of the assailants who remain at large.

Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward says people have gotten used to the peace of the past decade and the vast majority want to continue to move forward together. He says these new men of violence cannot change that.

"These very wicked people may have the power to take the lives of people away as they have done twice in the last three days, but they do not have the power to undermine the peace process and they will not succeed in undermining the political progress," said Woodward.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown agrees. He says this latest wave of violence is not supported.

"A small minority will never be allowed to undermine or destroy the political process," said Mr. Brown. "All the political leaders of Northern Ireland have made it absolutely clear there will be no return to the old days."

The renewed wave of violence has forced the postponement¹⁰ of a trip to the U.S. by a group of leading Northern Ireland politicians who were to attend a meeting focusing on investment in the province.

1 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

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 manor   

n.庄园，领地

参考例句：

• The builder of the manor house is a direct ancestor of the present owner.建造这幢庄园的人就是它现在主人的一个直系祖先。
• I am not lord of the manor,but its lady.我并非此地的领主，而是这儿的女主人。

4 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。

5 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

8 recurring   

adj.往复的，再次发生的

参考例句：

• This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
• For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言，它经过了一个反复考验的时期。

9 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。