(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan promised this week to find hundreds of missing schoolgirls. The girls were taken from a secondary school in northern Nigeria on April 14.
The Islamic militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Monday for kidnapping the students. The group released a video recording of its leader, Abubakar Shekau. In the video, he says, "I abducted your girls... By Allah, I will sell them in the marketplace."
International reaction came quickly. French President Francois Hollande spoke with the Nigerian president by telephone on Wednesday. Mr. Hollande said his country would immediately send security agents to help find the missing students.
France has more than 4,000 troops in two other African countries: Mali and the Central African Republic. The French government has voiced concern that Boko Haram's influence could spread across the Nigerian border.
In the United States, President Barack Obama was among the world leaders who condemned the militant group and the kidnappings.
"It's a heartbreaking situation, an outrageous situation. This may be the event that helps to mobilize the entire international community – to finally do something against this horrendous organization."
Obama's wife Michelle showed support for the kidnapped girls on social media. She left a message and picture of herself on both Facebook and Twitter. The message said her thoughts and prayers were with the girls and their families. In her words, "It's time to Bring Back Our Girls."
The United States is sending military experts, criminal investigators and hostage negotiators to help find the girls. A Defense Department official told reporters on Wednesday that a handful of military advisers -- less than 10 -- were going to the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Colonel Steve Warren also said there are no plans for a U.S. military operation.
"Their mission there is simply to assess and advise. These personnel will be experts in areas to include communications, logistics, intelligence, all of the functionalities that we believe will be helpful."
Other countries also have offered to help Nigeria. Britain has promised to provide satellite imagery. China says it will train military officials and help improve Nigeria's ability to gather intelligence.
Boko Haram has been blamed for thousands of deaths since the group launched operations against the Nigerian government in 2009. The campaign is aimed at establishing Islamic rule. In English, the name of the group means "Western education is sinful."
The militants have been most active in northeast Nigeria. The government declared emergency rule in three northeastern states a year ago. But efforts by the military to crush or contain the rebellion have been unsuccessful.
At least 125 people were killed on Monday when gunmen attacked a market in a town near the border with Cameroon. A day later, eight other girls reportedly were seized in a village near where the schoolgirls were kidnapped. Villagers accused Boko Haram of carrying out the attack.
Nigerian police have offered a $300,000 reward for information leading to the location and the rescue of the kidnap victims.
And that's In The News from VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.
VOA英文文本来自51VOA，译文由可可原创，未经许可请勿转载。
词汇学习
1.secondary adj.第二的，中等的；助手，副手；中等教育的
primary and secondary education
中、小学教育
2.kidnap vt.诱拐，绑架
Police in Brazil uncovered a plot to kidnap him.
巴西警方发现了有人要绑架他的阴谋。
3.abduct vt.劫持；诱拐
The police caught the man who tried to abduct the boy for ransom.
警察抓住了那个企图拐走这男孩以便勒索赎金的家伙。
4.condemn vt.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责；宣判
We all condemn cruelty to women and children.
大家一致谴责虐待妇女儿童的行径。
5.heartbreaking adj.令人心碎的，悲痛的
After this heartbreaking experience,Thorpe turned to professional sports.
在这次令人心碎的经历之后，索普转向职业运动。
6.horrendous adj.可怕的，令人吃惊的
He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.
他形容这是自己一生中最可怕的经历。
内容解析
1.A Defense Department official told reporters on Wednesday that a handful of military advisers -- less than 10 -- were going to the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
a handful of少数、几个、不多
They constitute but a handful of the number.
他们只不过是其中的一小撮。
2.Boko Haram has been blamed for thousands of deaths since the group launched operations against the Nigerian government in 2009.
blame for因…怪罪，责怪（某人）
Don't keep blaming your little sister for your bad behavior.
不要总是把你的不良行为怪在你的小妹妹身上。
参考译文
美国之音慢速学英语节目，这里是时事新闻。
本周，尼日利亚总统乔纳森承诺寻找失踪的数百名女生。这些女孩们于4月14日从尼日利亚北部一所中学被带走。
周一，伊斯兰激进组织博科圣地宣称为绑架学生事件负责。该组织发布了其头目阿布巴卡尔·谢卡乌(Abubakar Shekau)录制的视频。在视频中，他宣称，“我绑架了你们的女孩……阿拉，我会把她们在市场上出售。”
国际社会迅速做出反应。周三，法国总统奥朗德与尼日利亚总统通电话。奥朗德表示，法国将会立即派出安全人员帮助寻找失踪学生。
法国在非洲其他两个国家驻有超过4,000人的部队，分别是马里和中非共和国。法国政府表示担忧博科圣地的影响力将会越过尼日利亚边境。
在美国，奥巴马总统和其他世界领导人一道谴责激进组织及绑架事件。
“这种情况非常令人心碎，令人愤怒。这是需要发动整个国际社会来帮助的事件，最终打击这种可怕的组织。”
奥巴马的夫人米歇尔在社交媒体上表达了对被绑女孩的支持。她在脸谱和推特网上留言并发布了自己的照片。留言称，她为那些女孩和他们的家人忧虑和祈祷。用她的话说，“是时候带回我们的女孩了。”
美国派出了军事专家，刑事侦察员和人质谈判专家帮助寻找被绑女孩。国防部一名官员于周三告诉记者，不到10人组成的军事顾问已经抵达尼日利亚首都阿布贾。上校Steve Warren还表示，美国还没有采取军事行动的计划。
“他们的任务仅仅是评估和提供建议。这些人员在许多领域是专家，包括沟通，后勤，情报，我们相信，这些都会起到很大的帮助。”
其他国家也提出帮助尼日利亚。英国承诺提供卫星图像。中国表示将帮助培训军事官员，改善尼日利亚搜集情报的能力。
自博科圣地于2009年开始发动反尼日利亚政府的行动以来，已经造成数千人死亡。他们的目的是为了确立伊斯兰的统治。在英语中，该组织的意思是“西方教育是有罪的。”
博科圣地激进分子在尼日利亚东北部最为活跃。一年前，政府宣布在东北部三个州实施紧急统治。但是军方试图粉碎或控制反叛行为的努力以失败告终。
周一，持枪分子袭击了尼日利亚与喀麦隆接壤处一个市场，至少125人被杀害。一天后，在此前的女生被绑架地点附近一个村庄，又有8名女孩被劫持。村民们指控是博科圣地实施了这次袭击。
尼日利亚警方悬赏300,000美元鼓励人们提供信息，帮助确定被绑架受害者的位置，进一步将她们解救。
以上就是今天的美国之音慢速学英语时事新闻。我是Steve Ember。
