叙利亚今昔对比 Before and after: Syrian war and its devastation

A series of explosions(爆炸) rocked Syria just after 4 am Saturday, as US-led military strikes(军事打击) began(开始) in Damascus.

Let's look at sharply(鲜明的) contrasting(对比) photos of how cities of Syria have changed(改变) before(之前) and after(之后) war(战争) began, and how their people have suffered(受苦).

Damascus' skies erupt with surface-to-air missile fire as the US launches an attack targeting(针对) different parts of Syrian capital Damascus on Saturday, April 14, 2018. 

This comparison picture created on April 15, 2018 with satellite images taken on April 11, 2018, top(顶部), and April 14, 2018 on bottom(底部), showing the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district of Damascus, before and after it was struck in raids by the United States, Britain and France. [Photo/VCG]

A combination picture shows Hamam El Nahasin in the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria before and after it was damaged(损坏). The top photo is from Oct 6, 2010 and the bottom is from Dec 17, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A combination picture shows the al-Sheebani school building, in the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria before and after it was damaged. The top photo is from May 14, 2008 and the bottom is from Dec 17, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A combination picture shows Shahba Mall, one of the largest commercial shopping centers in Syria, before and after it was damaged. The left photo is from Dec 12, 2009 and the right is from Oct 16, 2014. [Photo/VCG]

A combination picture shows the entrance to al-Zarab souk in the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria on Nov 24, 2008, top, and after it was damaged on Dec 13, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A combination picture shows the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria on Nov 24, 2008 on top, and after it was damaged on Dec 13, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A combination picture shows Aleppo's Umayyad mosque in Syria before it was damaged. The top photo is from Oct 6, 2010 and the bottom is from Dec 17, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

This collage of pictures created on Dec 19, 2017 shows Syrians covering one eye in the rebel-held town of Douma in Syria's besieged eastern Ghouta region, as part of a campaign in solidarity with a baby boy, Karim Abdallah, who lost an eye and his mother after government shelling on the nearby town of Hammouria. [Photo/VCG]

Adi Hudea raises her hands in surrender(举手投降) after confusing photographer Osman Sagirli's camera for a gun. [Photo screenshot from Twitter]

Ammar Hammasho, a Syrian who lives in Cyprus, kisses his children as they arrive at a refugee camp(难民营) in Kokkinotrimithia outside Nicosia, Cyprus on Sept 10, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

词汇 Words:

[zhàn zhēng] 战争 war
[bào zhà] 爆炸 explosion
[sǔn huài] 损坏 damage
[shòu kǔ] 受苦 suffer
[duì bǐ] 对比 contrasting
[zhī qián] 之前 before
[zhī hòu] 之后 after
[dǐng bù] 顶部 top
[dǐ bù] 底部 bottom

重点词汇 Key word:

比

• <动词 v.> compete with; match
  E.g. Nǐ men liǎng bǐ yī bǐ,kàn shuí pǎo de kuài。
  你们俩比一比,看谁跑得快。
  Let's see which of you can run faster.

• <动词 v.> compare; contrast
  E.g. Bù bǐ bù zhīdào,yī bǐ xià yītiào。
  不比不知道,一比吓一跳。
  Comparison makes one keenly aware of one's limitation.

• <动词 v.> be more than a match(for); rival
  E.g. Shuō qǐ róngmào,wǒ bǐ bù shàng tā。
  说起容貌,我比不上她。
  I am no match for her on looks.

• <介词 prep.> than
  E.g. Wǒ dìdi bǐ wǒ xiǎo sān suì。
  我弟弟比我小三岁。
  My brother is my junior by three years.

• <名词 n.> ratio; proportion
  E.g. Yǔ huì de nánnǚ bǐlì wéi 10 bǐ 1。
  与会的男女比例为10比1。
  The ratio of men to women at the conference was ten to one. 

• <动词 v.> to (in a score)
  E.g. Wǒmen yǐ èr bǐ yī huòshèng。
  我们以二比一获胜。
  We won the match(by a score of) two to one.