VOA慢速英語:Washington Navy Yard Shootings

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

這里是美國之音慢速英語新聞報道。

Americans are expressing anger and sadness at the latest shooting incident in the United States. This one took place last Monday in Washington, DC, just a short distance from the Capitol building.

美國人對美國最近發(fā)生的槍擊事件表達了憤怒和悲傷。這起槍擊事件于上周一發(fā)生在華盛頓特區(qū)距離國會大廈不遠的地方。

Twelve people were killed and several others wounded in the attack at Washington's Navy Yard. Police shot dead the gunman after a search at the base. He was identified as 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, a former Navy Reserve sailor. At the time of the shooting, he was an information technology specialist with a private company that worked for the Defense Department.

華盛頓海軍基地的這次襲擊造成了12人死亡，多人受傷。警方在基地搜查后擊斃了這名槍手。他被確定為34歲的前海軍預(yù)備役水兵亞倫·亞歷克西斯(Aaron Alexis)。在槍擊案發(fā)生時，他是一家為國防部服務(wù)的私營公司的信息技術(shù)專家。

His mental condition has become a central issue in the investigation. He had recently told police that he was hearing voices. Mr. Alexis was arrested in two separate shooting incidents in 2004 and 2010. Yet he held a security clearance, which enabled him to enter a secure military area.

他的精神狀況已經(jīng)成為調(diào)查的一個核心問題。最近他曾告訴警方自己聽到了什么聲音。亞力克西斯曾在2004和2010年發(fā)生的兩起獨立槍擊事件中被捕。然而他參加了一次安全調(diào)查，使他得以進入軍事安全區(qū)。

This week, many Americans were remembering the victims of the attack. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers suspended debate for a few minutes. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said a few words.

本周，許多美國人在悼念這次襲擊的受害者。在國會山，國會議員們暫停了幾分鐘的辯論，參議院多數(shù)黨領(lǐng)袖哈里·里德(Harry Reid)說了幾句話。

"My thoughts are with those who are suffering as a result of the loss of their loved ones and also those people recovering from the wounds."

里德說，“我的心和那些失去親人者以及受傷者同在。”

Senator Chris Murphy represents Connecticut, where a gunman killed 26 people at an elementary school in Newtown last year. Since then, he has been the Senate's leading supporter of gun control legislation. He says the Navy Yard shootings show why stronger laws are needed.

參議員克里斯·墨菲(Chris Murphy)代表的是康涅狄格州，去年一名槍手在該州紐敦(Newtown)的一所小學殺害了26人。從那時候起，他一直是參議院槍支管制立法的主要支持者。他說，這起海軍基地槍擊案表明了為什么需要更嚴格的立法。

"People out there do not understand why Congress does nothing as these shootings continue to mount. I think people in Newtown shake their heads when they see another shooting and further potential indifference from Congress."

墨菲先生說，“那里的人們不明白為什么在槍擊案不斷發(fā)生之際，國會卻無動于衷。我認為紐頓人民看到又一起槍擊案和國會的進一步冷漠時會大搖其頭。”

Like Mr. Murphy, Illinois Senator Richard Durbin is a member of the Democratic Party. Mr. Durbin notes that gun control legislation died in the Senate earlier this year. He says the failure was mainly the result of Republican opposition to new restrictions and requirements for gun purchases.

和墨菲先生一樣，伊利諾伊州參議員理查德·德賓(Richard Durbin)是民主黨成員。德賓先生指出，今年早些時候槍支管制立法在參議院胎死腹中。他說，這一失敗主要是由于共和黨反對購買槍支的新限制和要求。

"We have to do everything we can to keep guns out of the hands of those who would misuse them – felons who have a history of misusing firearms, the mentally unstable who cannot be trusted to have a firearm."

德賓先生說，“我們必須竭盡全力使得槍支遠離可能會濫用槍支者之手，有濫用槍支史的重刑犯、精神狀態(tài)不穩(wěn)定者不能信任他們擁有槍支。”

Republican lawmakers have shown little interest in re-opening the gun control debate. But several say the Navy Yard shootings raise other important issues. Senator Lindsey Graham says the shooter never should have been cleared for duty as a military contract worker.

共和黨議員對重啟槍支管制辯論表示興趣不大。但一些人說，這起海軍基地槍擊案提出了其它一些重要問題。參議員林賽·格雷厄姆(Lindsey Graham)說，槍手就不應(yīng)該被準許擔任軍事合同雇員。

"To me, it is not about gun control. It is about what has happened with our contractor force. How could he pass a background check to get a job with the federal government after he had misused a weapon twice? When you shoot a guy's tires out because you are mad at him, you are a good candidate not to work for the federal government."

格雷厄姆先生說，“對我來說，這件事和槍支管制無關(guān)，而是和我們的軍事承包商發(fā)生了什么有關(guān)。他怎么能在兩次濫用武器之后通過背景核查，在聯(lián)邦政府獲得一份工作?因為對別人生氣就拿槍射擊別人的輪胎，這種人就不該為進入聯(lián)邦政府工作。”

Another Republican senator, John McCain, had this to say:

另一位共和黨參議員約翰·麥凱恩是這樣說的：

"We also should focus our attention on people who show mental instability and whether they should have access to weapons or not. I think all Americans are in agreement on that."

“我們還應(yīng)該把注意力集中到誰顯示出精神不穩(wěn)定，以及他們是否應(yīng)該獲得武器。我認為所有美國人都會同意這點。”

Congressional members say something should be done to prevent attacks like the one on Monday. But there is no solution acceptable to everyone.

國會議員們表示，政府應(yīng)該有所作為防止周一這類事件再次發(fā)生，但現(xiàn)在沒有一個大家都能接受的解決方案。