VOA标准英语2011--Occupy Wall Street Protesters Hold 'Day of Action'

Occupy Wall Street Protesters Hold 'Day of Action'

 

Two days after a court ruling closed the “Occupy Wall Street” encampment in New York, the protesters held a “Day of Action" -- not only in New York but other cities across the nation Thursday. The protests included an unsuccessful attempt to delay the opening of the New York Stock Exchange - and another march over the Brooklyn Bridge.

As evening chill descended¹, tens of thousands rallied in downtown Manhattan, and then marched over the Brooklyn Bridge - hemmed² in by metal barricades³ and walls of police everywhere. The crowd was so thick that many marchers were not sure of their destination. Some protestors said it wasn’t the point

“I’m trying to get to a better world, that’s where I’m trying to get to," said one woman. Another marcher agreed, saying, "It doesn’t matter where we’re supposed to be. We have to take the streets.” Her friend exclaimed, “It’s [Occupy Wall Street] is everywhere - we’re going everywhere!"

Police arrested some demonstrators near the Bridge, adding to about 200 arrests earlier, beginning when protestors unsuccessfully attempted to delay the opening of the New York Stock Exchange. One of those arrested near the Stock Exchange, Ray Lewis, is a former Philadelphia police captain.

“We all suffer because they’re sending these jobs overseas. The police are also suffering. They’re having their health care cut, their pensions cut,” Lewis said.

Protestors affiliated4 with the Occupy Wall Street Movement gather in Union Square in New York City on November 17, 2011.

An afternoon student strike in support of Occupy Wall Street brought throngs⁵ to Union Square to protest student debt.

“I’m here today because I’m fed up like everybody else. The rich have been looting the rest of us for 30 years, and everybody knows it, and we’re all sick of it,” said graduate student Michael Friedman.

The day of action was scheduled to mark the two-month anniversary of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, which has spread to other cities in the U.S. and around the world. Protest speakers promised the movement would not be daunted⁶ either by winter or the evictions of Occupy encampments across the country. "Day of Action" protests were held in other U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C.

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 hemmed   

缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围

参考例句：

• He hemmed and hawed but wouldn't say anything definite. 他总是哼儿哈儿的，就是不说句痛快话。
• The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides. 士兵们被四面包围了。

3 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

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 throngs   

n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群，拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
• Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过，慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句

6 daunted   

使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was a brave woman but she felt daunted by the task ahead. 她是一个勇敢的女人，但对面前的任务却感到信心不足。
• He was daunted by the high quality of work they expected. 他被他们对工作的高品质的要求吓倒了。