CCTV9英语新闻：Egyptian students torch two buildings on university campus

By CCTV correspondent Yasser Hakim

A student was killed Saturday and many more were injured as two buildings were torched in clashes between security personnel and students at Egypt’s Al Azhar University. Students supporting the outlawed 1 Muslim Brotherhood 2 are reported to have set the buildings on fire to prevent exams from taking place. Meanwhile, security personnel in the Helio-Polis area of Cairo found and swiftly defused a bomb found on a bus.

An escalation 3 of violence on the first day of exams at AL Azhar University. Students sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood made good their threat to disrupt the mid-term examinations. They stopped students from entering classes and then torched two buildings on campus. The administration had to cancel exams in several faculties 4 while 60 students were arrested for damaging public property.

"We came to attend exams. The Brotherhood students made a cordon 5 around the buildings so we don't go in. We left when they started torching the offices and classes. Police intervened and we are waiting to know what will happen," said Walid Islam, a student at Al Azhar University.

On Friday, five people were killed in several cities as Brotherhood supporters took to the streets in defiance 6 of the government's move to brand the group a terrorist organization. The Brotherhood meanwhile issued a statement on its official website asserting its commitment for peaceful protests.

"The group wants to create insecurity in the streets and everywhere else so that the Egyptians would delay or be afraid to participate in the referendum and elections, thus showing the leadership has failed in its transition to democracy," said Ahmed Al Khatib, Editor-in-Chief of Ertu.

Egypt was hit by similar waves of violence and terrorist attacks by Islamists in the 1960s and 1990s which the governments at the time managed to contain.

The government and Brotherhood have stuck to their ground, leaving no room for reconciliation 7. The Brotherhood has been disbanded three times in 65 years. In 1948, 1954 and now in 2013.

But is it different this time?

"Not really, the Brotherhood repeats the same mistakes every time. They create a good base with the people through charities and Islamic preaching. They then crave 8 for power but when they fail, they resort to violence, lose popularity, get disbanded and go underground. I believe the group needs new blood to lead it," Khatib said.

Until then, history it seems, does repeat itself with the Brotherhood.

点击收听单词发音  






1
outlawed

  
 


宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）


参考例句：





Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。












2
brotherhood

  
 


n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊


参考例句：





They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。












3
escalation

  
 


n.扩大，增加


参考例句：





The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句












4
faculties

  
 


n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院


参考例句：





Although he's ninety, his mental faculties remain unimpaired. 他虽年届九旬，但头脑仍然清晰。
All your faculties have come into play in your work. 在你的工作中，你的全部才能已起到了作用。 来自《简明英汉词典》












5
cordon

  
 


n.警戒线，哨兵线


参考例句：





Police officers threw a cordon around his car to protect him.警察在他汽车周围设置了防卫圈以保护他。
There is a tight security cordon around the area.这一地区周围设有严密的安全警戒圈。












6
defiance

  
 


n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗


参考例句：





He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。












7
reconciliation

  
 


n.和解，和谐，一致


参考例句：





He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。












8
crave

  
 


vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求


参考例句：





Many young children crave attention.许多小孩子渴望得到关心。
You may be craving for some fresh air.你可能很想呼吸呼吸新鲜空气。