VOA标准英语2010年-Iranian Web Site Reports Attack on Opp

It was not the first time that Iranian opposition¹ leader Mahdi Karroubi has come under attack by government supporters, but the use of gunfire to blow out the windows of his armored limousine² constitutes by far the boldest.

Armed pro-government demonstrators and militiamen opened fire on Karroubi's car shattering its windows, his Web site, Sahamnews.org, reported Friday.

Sahamnews said the shooting happened late Thursday while the former presidential candidate was leaving a building in Qazvin, some 140 kilometers west of Tehran.

Karroubi's son Hussein, who acts as his father's spokesman, describes what happened:

He says that his father visited Qazvin, being that it's the holy month of Muharram, and that ten minutes after the arrival ceremony at the home of Mr. Gavami, the pro-government Fars news agency reported that the house had been surrounded by Hezbollah (pro-government) forces.  Several hours later, he adds, some minibuses drove up with rural government supporters and they started throwing rocks and bricks, hurling⁴ obscenities and breaking windows at the house. Riot police eventually intervened, he says, to allow his father to leave, at which point his car was attacked with eggs, bricks and gunshots, breaking the glass in the front and back of the car.

Members of Iran's Basij militia³ affiliated⁵ to the Revolutionary Guard, march at Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque⁶ in Tehran (File)

A group of pro-government basij militiamen, along with dozens of government supporters, reportedly chanted slogans in favor of Supreme⁷ Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in addition to calling Karroubi a "hypocrite," a common insult used against the opposition. "Our town," they shouted, "is no place for hypocrites."

Ali Nourizadeh of the London-based Center for Arab and Iranian Studies says that the authorities have been trying to intimidate⁸ Karroubi for a long time by limiting his movements.

"Karroubi is not allowed to move around freely although he does it. The problem is people who are appointed by the authorities to safeguard him, these people usually when Karroubi is out, they turn their backs on him and Karroubi is not feeling safe, but he went to Qazvin to be with Mr. Naser Gavami, a [former] member of parliament who lost his relative, but they did not allow him to get in, and basijis attacked his car," he said.  "I think Karroubi is used to this kind of behavior, and he has been attacked during Friday prayers, during demonstrations⁹, and he is a brave man. I don't think this intimidation¹⁰ will be effective, will prevent Karroubi from coming out, unless they arrest him," said Nourizadeh.

Karroubi lost to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran's disputed election last year.  He and another opposition leader who lost in the election, Mir Hossein Mousavi, have said the vote was tainted¹¹ by fraud.

Mahdi Karroubi's wife Fatemeh told the French daily Le Monde, Friday, that she would "hold the government responsible if any harm should come" to her husband.

1 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。

2 limousine   

n.豪华轿车

参考例句：

• A chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady.司机为这个高贵的女士打开了豪华轿车的车门。
• We arrived in fine style in a hired limousine.我们很气派地乘坐出租的豪华汽车到达那里。

3 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

4 hurling   

n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• The boat rocked wildly, hurling him into the water. 这艘船剧烈地晃动，把他甩到水中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Fancy hurling away a good chance like that, the silly girl! 想想她竟然把这样一个好机会白白丢掉了，真是个傻姑娘！ 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 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。

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

9 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。

10 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

11 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》