2006年VOA标准英语-Sri Lanka Battle Rages Despite Cease-Fire
时间：2019-01-16 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（八月）
By Patricia Nunan
New Delhi
02 August 2006
A civilian 1 wounded in shelling by Tamil Tiger rebels receives treatment in a hospital in Trincomalee, about 230 kilometers (144 miles) northeast of Colombo
In Eastern Sri Lanka, government forces are exchanging artillery 2 fire with guerrillas from the Tamil Tiger separatist group, in the eighth day of fighting that began as a dispute over an irrigation channel. Despite violence that has claimed nearly 100 lives in recent days, the government says the fighting does not signal a return to all-out war.
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The Tamil Tigers say they overran four military outposts in the eastern district of Trincomalee in heavy fighting. Sri Lankan military officials confirm exchanges of artillery and mortar 3 fire around those bases, but they say the rebels have made no territorial 4 gains.
Villagers look at paddy fields that dried up after Tamil Tiger rebels cut off water, in Trincomalee, Tuesday
It is the eighth straight day of fighting in Eastern Sri Lanka, which some observers say amounts to a return to low-intensity civil war. The military announced that more than 40 rebels were killed in Wednesday's fighting.
Analysts 5 say the fighting threatens to destroy what little remains 6 of a tattered 7 cease-fire signed by the government and the rebels in 2002.
Palitha Kohona, the secretary-general of the government's Peace Secretariat, disagrees.
"I would not say that this is war," he said. "The situation is tense. But we all hope that the two sides will return to the negotiating table and comply with the cease-fire agreement."
The government began launching air strikes on the eastern region last week, when officials say local rebel commanders refused to reopen a waterway that provides irrigation for government-held land.
Kohona says the government had to act for humanitarian 8 reasons.
"The current tensions arose when the eastern [rebel] leaders took steps to cut off the water supply to 30,000 acres of paddy land," he said. "These 30,000 acres also support a community of 50,000 people. As you very well know, without water, rice paddies die."
At least 850 people have died this year in sporadic 9 clashes, as a cease-fire meant to bring an end to two decades of fighting has steadily 10 unraveled. The rebels are fighting for a separate homeland for the minority Tamils, who, they say, are oppressed by the Sinhalese majority.
A senior envoy 11 from Norway, which mediated 12 the cease-fire agreement, is expected in Sri Lanka later this week to try to reopen the peace talks.
- There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
- He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。
- This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
- The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。
- The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
- The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。
- The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
- They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。
- 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。
- 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。
- Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。
- Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。
- She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
- The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。
- The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
- You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。
- The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
- Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
- Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
- The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。