VOA常速英语2014--MH17飞机坠毁或令乌克兰陷外交危机

 

Diplomatic Crisis Grows Over MH17 Plane Crash MH17飞机坠毁或令乌克兰陷外交危机

LONDON —

The Malaysia Airlines crash in eastern Ukraine is drawing reaction from leaders around the world.  With suspicions growing that a surface-to-air missile shot down the aircraft, there are increasing tensions in the international community over who is to blame.

Strewn across the conflict zone of eastern Ukraine, the belongings¹ of 298 innocent civilians² - vacationers, business travelers, families and crew. Victims, it appears, of the conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels playing out 10,000 meters below.

298名无辜平民的随身物品散落在乌克兰东部的冲突区，他们是度假者、商业旅行者、家人和机组人员。看来他们是一万米下乌克兰武装力量和亲俄叛军冲突的受害者。

Given the plane’s altitude, military analysts³ suspect that Russian-made SA-11 BUK missiles like these were used to shoot it down.

军事分析家说考虑到飞行的高度，俄罗斯产的SA-11 BUK导弹可能击落了飞机。

This video supplied by Ukraine’s Interior Ministry⁴ purports⁵ to show a ‘BUK’ launcher heading back towards Russia from rebel held-territory Friday. One missile is absent.

乌克兰内政部提供的视频声称一台BUK发射器周五从叛军控制地区返回俄罗斯，发射器上一枚导弹不见了。

US President Barack Obama called the incident an outrage⁶.

美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马称这次事件为残忍暴行。

“The evidence indicates that the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile from territory that is controlled by Russian-backed separatists inside of Ukraine. We also know that this is not the first time that a plane has been shot down in eastern Ukraine,” he said. 

“证据表明这架飞机是被一枚地对空导弹从乌克兰境内发射的，发射点在俄罗斯支持下的分裂分子控制地区。我们还知道飞机在乌克兰东部被击落这不是第一次了。”

Ukraine’s prime minister placed the blame squarely on Russian-backed separatists.

乌克兰总理将事故归咎于俄罗斯支持的分裂分子。

“We have started an independent investigation⁷ and called on governments of [foreign] countries to hold an international investigation into this tragedy that is without doubt an act of terrorism," he said.

“我们已开始独立调查，并呼吁外国政府就这起毫无疑问是恐怖行为的惨剧进行国际调查。”

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied any involvement - and blamed the crash on Ukraine.

俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京否认参与其中，并将坠机事故归咎于乌克兰。

“Of course, the state on whose territory this happened carries the responsibility for this terrible tragedy,” he said.

“毫无疑问，坠机事故发生在哪个国家的领土上，哪个国家就该承担起这起可怕惨剧的责任。”

It is the second tragedy to hit Malaysia Airlines this year after the disappearance⁸ of Flight MH370 in March.  Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, echoed the calls for justice.

自3月份马航MH370失踪以来，这是马来西亚航空遭遇的第二次惨剧，马来西亚总理纳吉布相应要求伸张正义的呼声。

“If it transpires⁹ that the plane was indeed shot down, we insist that the perpetrators must swiftly be brought to justice,” said Razak.

“如果结果表明飞机是被击落的，我们坚持要求作恶者被立即绳之以法。”

189 of the victims were Dutch nationals.  Prime Minister of The Netherlands Mark Rutte pledged a full investigation.

遇难者中有189人是荷兰人，荷兰首相Mark Rutte承诺进行全面调查。

“The darkest scenario¹⁰ has become true; we have been hit by one of the biggest air disasters in Dutch history. The whole of the Netherlands is in shock," he said.

“最黑暗的一幕成为现实，我们遭遇了荷兰历史上最悲惨的空难，整个荷兰都震惊了。”

Around 100 of the passengers were on their way to an AIDS conference in Australia. The Australian Prime Minister said Russia must not be allowed to stand in the way of a full inquiry¹¹.

其中约100名乘客当时正在赶往澳大利亚参加艾滋病会议，澳大利亚总理说俄罗斯一定不能阻碍全面调查的进行。

The conflict in Ukraine has touched all corners of the world at appalling¹² human cost.  There could also be a high diplomatic price to pay.

乌克兰国内的冲突带来的人员损失令全世界各个角落震惊，同时也要付出巨大的外交成本。

1 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

2 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。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 purports   

v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She purports to represent the whole group. 她自称代表整个团体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The document purports to be official but is really private. 那份文件据称是官方的，但实际上是私人的。 来自辞典例句

6 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

9 transpires   

（事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的第三人称单数 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生

参考例句：

• Let's wait and see what transpires. 我们等着瞧会发生什么事吧。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor. 这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

10 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

11 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

12 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。