VOA标准英语2009年-Demonstrators in New York Protest Against

By Carolyn Weaver¹
New York
25 September 2009
 
 
Demonstrators protesting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech to UN
Demonstrators from around the world have gathered in New York City this week to protest against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly - and to represent, they said, Iranians who are not free to speak out.

The protesters near the United Nations on September 24 represented several strands² of opposition³ to Iran's government. Monarchists rallied alongside supporters of the Peoples Mojahedin, an exiled group, and members of Iran's oldest democratic opposition group, the National Front.

But perhaps the largest number were affiliated⁴ with no particular group. They were supporters of the recent protests in Iran against the June election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Many were from Canada, the United States and Europe and they wore green, the color of Iran's broad-based opposition to the declared outcome of that election.

These protesters say they want to give a voice to Iranians who desire democracy and free speech.

Mehrdad Loghmani traveled to New York from Canada.

"There are other political groups and we respect their right to freedom and we hope they have their own place in Iranian political future, but we defer⁵ that to a referendum and decision by Iranian people after the real democracy and freedom of press is possible. Here we try to be just a voice for Iran, a reflection of what's happening in Iran," he said.

Many said the election of President Ahmadinejad was fraudulent, and Iranians who speak out face brutal⁶ repression⁷. Homa Nia lives in the United States.

"They are torturing my fellow Iranians in Iran, and all of the students, all of the brains of the universities that know what's going on in Iran, they try to destroy them or torture them or kill them. That's why we are here to show the world how much we are against," said Homa Nia, who lives in the United States.

The protesters listened to speeches and sang songs for hours near United Nations headquarters. Many covered their faces to protect family and friends back in Iran. Some demonstrators support sanctions against Tehran. But others argue that sanctions - or war - would harm the Iranian people.

They're expected to continue their protests in New York.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 strands   

n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Twist a length of rope from strands of hemp. 用几股麻搓成了一段绳子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She laced strands into a braid. 她把几股线编织成一根穗带。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

5 defer   

vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从

参考例句：

• We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定。
• We will defer to whatever the committee decides.我们遵从委员会作出的任何决定。

6 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

7 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。