Anti-Government Movements Gain Traction as Yemen, Libya Face

As pro-democracy movements gain momentum¹ in the region, Yemen and Libya are cracking down on the protest movements that have been growing within their borders during the past week.
Popular uprisings continue to spread through the regions of North African and the Middle East.
In Yemen's capital, Sana'a, protests turned violent Saturday as anti-government and pro-government activists² clashed on the streets.
Stone throwing and gunfire erupted, but an official tally³ of wounded or dead has not been released. At least one anti-government protester was reported killed.
Activists are protesting against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years.
Protests have gained momentum this month in impoverished⁴ Yemen, and they are not limited to the capital. The New York-based Human Rights Watch says Yemeni human rights activists report that at least three people were killed and 80 wounded on Friday alone. One fatal attack involved an unknown assailant who threw a hand grenade at protesters in the southwestern city of Taizz.
Elsewhere in the region, the Libyan government is sharply cracking down on activists who are calling for political reform and an end to Moammar Gadhafi's more than four decades in power.
Human Rights Watch says at least 84 people have been killed since Wednesday as protesters take to the streets in a number of eastern Libyan cities, where there is less support for Mr. Gadhafi. The rights group says hospital sources in the eastern city of Benghazi say they have received numerous bodies with gunshot wounds.
Activists in North Africa and the Middle East are emboldened⁵ by protests elsewhere in the region, most notably⁶ Egypt and Tunisia, where popular uprisings have unseated longtime leaders. Egyptians on Friday celebrated⁷ the one-week anniversary of President Hosni Mubarak's resignation. Just over a month ago, Tunisia's Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia, bringing his 23 years in power to an end.

1 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

2 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》

3 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

4 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。