VOA标准英语2009-Killings in Iraq Highlight Continuing Securi
时间：2019-01-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(十一月)
By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo, Egypt
16 November 2009
Iraqis pick through the remains 1 of a suicide car bombing at a market in Kirkuk, 240 km from Baghdad, 16 Nov 2009
Iraqi security officials say gunmen have killed 13 people west of Baghdad, while in the northern city Kirkuk, a car bomb exploded in a market, killing 2 at least five.
The latest violence comes as Iraqis gear up for general elections planned for January. While overall security has improved, the attacks are a reminder 3 of how precarious 4 the situation is.
Iraqi security spokesman General Qassem Mohammed Atta addressed the execution-style killings 5 in the mostly-Sunni area west of Baghdad.
Atta described them as "cowardly, terrorist" acts. He said a preliminary investigation 6 indicated that the attackers had disguised themselves as members of the Iraqi army.
No one has claimed responsibility for the killings or the bombing in Kirkuk.
Tensions are high in the oil-rich northern city, a point of contention 7 that led to delays in Iraq's recently-approved electoral law.
Most Kurds in Kirkuk want to be part of the Kurdistan Regional Government, while Arab and Turkomen residents want to be under the central control of Baghdad. Lawmakers reached a provisional compromise that could leave open the future of the city.
Passage of the electoral law was hailed by U.S. President Barack Obama as an important milestone 8. American plans to withdraw troops from Iraq are based in part on having the elections go forward.
But Iraq's Vice 9 President Tareq al-Hashemi, a member of Iraq's Sunni minority, has raised objections to the current law. He said Monday he wants the number of parliamentary seats set aside for minorities to be raised, threatening to use his veto power over the law if the number is not changed.
- He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
- The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
- 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。
- I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
- It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。
- Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
- He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。
- 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。
- 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。
- The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
- The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。
- The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
- I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。