VOA标准英语2013--Protests Continue in Turkey, But Methods Changing

 

Protests Continue in Turkey, But Methods Changing

Istanbul's Taksim Square.  These “standing¹ man” protests, as they are called, began Monday after the government quashed mass demonstrations², which it said were fomenting³ violence and chaos⁴.

The early protests were small, over government plans to replace a nearby park with a shopping mall.  But as the violence increased the number of supporters grew to hundreds of thousands.

The Square is now calm.  But police occupy Gezi Park, which has been closed to the public.  Retired policeman Mehmet Mercan says he came to protest the violence.

“I saw there were young people protesting peacefully here, but the police used violence against them.  That affected⁵ me.  I am here to support them," said Mercan.

Professor Koray Caliskan at Bogazici University says for the first time in Turkish history the protests brought together political activists⁶ with often conflicting views.

“People tried to protect their park and their democracy and they came together for the first time, people with terribly different agendas, a pro-Kurdish party, an anti-Kurdish party and a Republican People's [nationalist] party, hand-in-hand in Gezi," said Caliskan.

At Galata Tower, a few kilometers away, another protest Wednesday.  People set out shoes to remember those killed or wounded in the clashes.  Ruya Kurtulus helped organize the first protests.

“It started with the park.  On the first day 4,000 people came.  And after the police attacked many more thousands came.  It just made many more people join us.  And now it is a movement for freedom and democracy," said Kurtulus.

Back at Taksim Square, the standing man protests continue.  The demonstrators say they will not stop until the government becomes less authoritarian⁷ and listens more to its people. 

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 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。

3 fomenting   

v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They accused him of fomenting political unrest. 他们指控他煽动政治动乱。
• Three sailors were fomenting a mutiny on the ship. 三个水手正在船上煽动叛变。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 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》

7 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。