时间:2018-12-08 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2015年(十二月)


英语课

‘Black Lives Matter’ Movement Seeks Reforms to End Police Brutality 1


WASHINGTON—


The Black Lives Matter movement is renewing calls to end police brutality and is pushing for criminal justice reforms across the United States.  The social movement is trying to influence public opinion while deflecting 2 criticism it has not created enough positive change.


"No Justice! No Peace!," demonstrators chanted as part of a loud cry heard around the country in 2015.  Thousands of supporters were demanding sweeping 3 changes to the nation's criminal justice system.


The movement, formed in 2012, has been gaining support over the past two years following a series of high-profile police encounters that led to the deaths of unarmed African Americans.


Activists 5 say they want to end what they describe as police brutality and racial discrimination in mostly black neighborhoods.


Black Lives Matter member Dennis Rodriguez says the movement is growing. 


"The movement has opened our eyes to everything," he said. "It has helped us [people of color] understand that while we may not be seen as human or powerful currently that the fruits of our labor 6 will soon come."


Black Lives Matter has been increasing its profile through street protests and a strong social media campaign.  The movement is pressuring lawmakers and potential presidential contenders to address their concerns. 


"It has prompted us to start talking about police reform again that we had ignored since September 11th, 2001, when we had been more focused on national security rather than community policing," said political analyst 7 Elsie Scott.


"I want to deal with what we can do to keep people from putting themselves in situations where you get bad outcomes," said E. W. Jackson, a pastor 8 and conservative community activist 4.


Jackson says Black Lives Matter should put as much emphasis on the dozens of daily black-on-black homicides as opposed to focusing solely 9 on killings 10 by police officers.


"If you paint the picture that all of your problems have to do with race or have to do with police brutality then it seems to me you are avoiding essential issues," he said.


But attorney and Washington, D.C. community activist Nkechi Taifa disagrees. 


"It is not to say that all lives do not matter.  What it means is that specific attention at this period, at this time, needs to be placed on people who are most adversely 11 impacted by the laws and policies that are going on," she said.


Yet former police officer Leon Threatt believes Black Lives Matter has been more divisive than a uniting movement.


"It should not be the police against the community," he said. "It should be helping 12 to create an environment or a platform for community oneness [to] bring those parties to the table talking about trusting."


Leaders of Black Lives Matter say the organization is working to build relationships with police departments.  They say they will continue to stage street protests to highlight deadly or violent confrontations 13 between black men and police officers. 



1 brutality
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮
  • The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
  • a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军
2 deflecting
(使)偏斜, (使)偏离, (使)转向( deflect的现在分词 )
  • A variety of mechanical surfaces have been employed for deflecting the exhaust jets of solid-propellant rockets. 人们已经用过各种类型的机械控制面来偏转固体推进剂火箭的排气流。
  • If she made a leading statement, he was expert deflecting her into more impersonal channels. 只要她一开口,他就会巧妙地把她的话题转到与个人无关的问题上去。
3 sweeping
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的
  • The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
  • Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗?
4 activist
n.活动分子,积极分子
  • He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
  • He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。
5 activists
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 )
  • His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
  • Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 labor
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
7 analyst
n.分析家,化验员;心理分析学家
  • What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务?
  • The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。
8 pastor
n.牧师,牧人
  • He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
  • We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师:教会的事是由五位执事管理的。
9 solely
adv.仅仅,唯一地
  • Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
  • The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
10 killings
谋杀( killing的名词复数 ); 突然发大财,暴发
  • 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。
11 adversely
ad.有害地
  • We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
  • Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。
12 helping
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
13 confrontations
n.对抗,对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )
  • At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时,这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
  • These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定,第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句