时间:2019-01-04 作者:英语课 分类:2006年VOA标准英语(一月)


英语课

By Brian Padden
Irbil, Iraq
11 January 2006
 
watch Iraq Citadel 1 report

The northern Kurdish city of Irbil is one of the oldest cities in the world.  Located along an important trade route, Irbil came under control of the great empires of the ancient world including the Assyrians, Persians and even Alexander the Great.  Ongoing 2 violence in Iraq is presently preventing foreign archeologists from exploring this historic site.  

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Ancient citadel of Irbil  
  

The ancient citadel of Irbil overlooks the hustle 3 and bustle 4 of everyday life in the modern city.  Scholars believe this historic Iraqi city is over 5,000 years old and may be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.  

Kanan Mufti, director for antiquities 5 in the western Kurdish region, says over the years the population has remained constant in number. 

But the character of the neighborhood has changed dramatically from housing the city's elite 6 in the past to today providing shelter for refugees who escaped persecution 7 by Saddam Hussein. 


Kanan Mufti   
  
"In my opinion Irbil and the citadel will become a center of cultural and intellectual exchange among different people, and not only for intellectuals and tourists but also for archeologists."

In the future, he adds, he hopes to relocate the refugees and restore the citadel's historic prominence 8.

This vision of the citadel as an artistic 9 enclave and historic tourist destination is slowly taking shape.  Some of elaborate old homes are being used as backdrops for local filmmakers.  


Carpets on display  
  
Lolan Mustifa opened the Kurdish Textile Museum over a year ago, which preserves and displays intricately designed carpets made by local tribes.  He says he wants to preserve traditions of old.  

 
Lolan Mustifa
  
"So we are trying to learn from the older generations of tribes but still it is not so clear as to how these designs are transferred from one generation to the next."  

He says his museum, which already gets about 50 visitors a day, demonstrates real potential even in these dangerous times.  

"It is a good sign for showing Kurdish culture, art and history and the kind of stability that they can hang around in the citadel." 

 
Matthew Saint Dizier
  
The citadel has also attracted French artist Matthew Saint Dizier.  He opened a French cultural center in 2004, which occasionally shows French films, and currently is displaying an exhibit of post World War II photographs.   He sees something pure and pioneering about bringing art to this troubled part of the world.

He says, "I was looking for a new land for making art.  Step by step we make it.  If nobody comes it is not a problem.  We make it.  It's important to make something." 

It is difficult to see the Irbil of the present as a tourist destination.  But with time, stability and peace, the city's proponents 10 believe its past prominence can be restored. 



n.城堡;堡垒;避难所
  • The citadel was solid.城堡是坚固的。
  • This citadel is built on high ground for protecting the city.这座城堡建于高处是为保护城市。
adj.进行中的,前进的
  • The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
  • The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。
v.推搡;竭力兜售或获取;催促;n.奔忙(碌)
  • It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
  • I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。
v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹
  • The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深,喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
  • There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。
n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 );古迹;古人们;古代的风俗习惯
  • There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
  • Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句
n.精英阶层;实力集团;adj.杰出的,卓越的
  • The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
  • We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。
n. 迫害,烦扰
  • He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
  • Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。
n.突出;显著;杰出;重要
  • He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
  • This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。
adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的
  • The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
  • These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。
n.(某事业、理论等的)支持者,拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )
  • Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
  • Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句
学英语单词
A-scale sound level
aaaahhhh
ademars
air purifier
airspace management
all-round-view windscreen
amino-antipyrine
amplidyne control unit
anthropophagite
Athey wheel
brightmail
caracappa
chain case
chapeau-bras
chatons
compressor station
concave enveloping angle
contact spacing
copper-silicon welding rod
cuckoo-bumblebees
dermatopontins
desmond
disgarnished
ditarrate
double acting pump
duo-pianist
dust respirater
effective word location
electric power station near coal mines
equailibration time
eustachian orifice
exagon
federal tax liens
fertile ground for sth
fire desclimax
frank-ferm
geodesic coordinates
glutinosas
grammatologically
halotolerancy
hsuyunensis
image intensifier
kidney failures
knowledge integration
last spring
LED projector
locus of benefit
longitudinal bead bend test
m-g set tachometer
macrotime event list
manganello
Masis
massive replacement
medium-height grass
minimal standard
monthly pay
NSP
Ormosia microphylla
partyish
Pavarotti, Luciano
pc mode image
phase-to-phase spacing
photoassisted production
pictorial view
ploughgirl
population of droplets
principal facility
psilopa girschneri
push weld
redwood furniture
relaxorlike
respiratory distress syndromes
Rubondo National Park
self-lubricating pump
Server Core
ship moneys
shunting track
shut-down inspection
shuttleless loom
slide warmer
speedcop
spriggy
spruciest
subversion of the government
surprise landing
Tablas Plat.
tartaren
tax assessor
tcpc
teti
textbook
two-way beam
ultrabasite (diaphorite)
ultrawhite
user default device
vapoil
vibe
weave analysis
welter weight
withdraw court
woofiest
yawned