BBC news 2011-08-08 加文本

短语讲解：

1. The Arab League has called on the Syrian government to immediately stop using violence against protesters, who've been demanding reforms since the middle of March.

call on号召;请求
例句：You'd better call on your friends to help you.
你最好请朋友来帮你。

2. It said it was increasingly concerned about the deteriorating security situation. Here's Jon Leyne.

be concerned about关心,挂念
例句：She is concerned about your safety.
她不放心你的安全。

3. The secretary general himself was a supporter of the opposition in Egypt that overthrew President Mubarak, but many countries, such as Saudi Arabia, fear giving any encouragement to what's become known as the Arab Spring.

be known as被认为是
例句：This property is known as ductility.
这个性能叫做延展性。

4. Activists said tanks ringing Deir al-Zour opened up with shellfire during the early morning call to prayer, then moved into several districts under the cover of heavy gunfire.

open up开火
例句：Our bombs opened up over the enemy's heads.
我们的炮弹在敌人头上炸开。

5. Reports from activists said some areas were completely cut off and described what was happening there as a real massacre.

cut off切〔隔〕断, 阻碍
例句：Our troops cut off the enemy's retreat.
我们的军队切断了敌人的退路。
describe as描述为
例句：I should describe the attempt as a failure.
我认为这次尝试失败了。

6. The authorities denied that tanks had shelled the city or gone into it, but they did say that army units had taken action to clear protester barricades blocking access roads.

take action采取行动, 行动起来
例句：The police had to take firm action to deal with the riots.
警方不得不采取果断行动来对付骚乱。

7. Discussion centred on whether to start buying Italian and Spanish debt after their borrowing costs rose last week to the level seen when Ireland and Greece had to ask for emergency bailouts.

centre on集中于
例句：Our thoughts centre on the girl who had died.
我们的思绪都集中在已死的女孩身上。

8. In particular, in recent years, China has staved off criticism for Sudan in the UN Security Council of the war in Darfur and other contentious issues.

in particular尤其, 特别
例句：She likes fruit and tomatoes in particular.
她喜欢水果, 尤其是西红柿。
stave off避开,挡开,延迟
例句：I will do my best to stave off his participation.
我会尽力阻止他的参与。

9. In Britain, police in Tottenham, in north London, have appealed for calm after Saturday night's riots, which left shops looted, buildings burnt out and vehicles overturned.

burn out烧坏,烧掉,烧尽
例句：Any electric light bulb will eventually burn out.
任何电灯泡最后总会烧坏的。

10. The militants used to say that as fellow Muslims, the Bangladeshis shouldn't be working for the Americans, and they complained that the work the team was doing in building roads was making it more difficult for the insurgents to plant roadside bombs.

used to曾经
例句：John used to smoke.
约翰过去抽烟。