VOA标准英语2013--Syrian Rebels Suffer Setbacks From Fighting in Town Near Lebanon Border

 

Syrian Rebels Suffer Setbacks From Fighting in Town Near Lebanon Border

Eighteen year-old Obeida Abdel Nabi is recovering from a shrapnel wound to his lower abdomen¹.  He was hurt several days ago in Qusair near Syria's border with northern Lebanon, where pitched battles have raged for days.

Syrian government forces have been staging air and artillery² attacks to drive out the rebels in the increasingly brutal³ conflict. The fighting is causing many casualties among fighters and civilians⁴ alike.

Abdel Nabi says the situation in Qusair is bad. “There it's still very difficult, especially with the shelling and bombing. The food situation is worse,” Nabi said.

Many cross the border in remote areas near the Bekaa Valley, often with the help of Lebanese sympathizers like Hassan Abdelrahman.

“Every day it gets worse and worse. Every day there are killings⁶. The rebels are losing their people and they are killing⁵ regime soldiers.  Both sides are taking losses,” Abdelrahman said.

Abu Yamine lost his arm 15 months ago during an earlier offensive in Homs.  He now coordinates⁷ the treatment of the wounded.

“When I was wounded my trip from Homs to Tripoli took 24 hours. Now some take five, seven, even 10 days. This is a big strain on the (rebel) Free Syrian Army soldiers in the field,” Yamine said.

Twenty year-old Ayman Moussa nearly bled to death after a bombing that killed two comrades and wounded another.  He is undergoing therapy so he can receive an artificial leg. After that he has one goal.

“I will go back to Homs to fight, for sure, even with my artificial leg.  Some with artificial limbs don't go back.  But I will.  Walking is good enough for me.  Because the regime has not fallen so we haven't finished,” Moussa said.

This is the goal of most of the wounded rebels.  Although there is talk abroad of peace negotiations⁸, they say they will not stop their struggle until the Syrian regime is gone. 

1 abdomen   

n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分)

参考例句：

• How to know to there is ascarid inside abdomen?怎样知道肚子里面有蛔虫？
• He was anxious about an off-and-on pain the abdomen.他因时隐时现的腹痛而焦虑。

2 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

3 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。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 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。

6 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

7 coordinates   

n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。