今日长难句：

选自《VOA新闻》

French military spokesman Colonel Pascal Ianni told Reuters news agency that French soldiers and Nigerian military police had fired warning shots to disperse protesters who were trying to pillage and seize the trucks but said he could not confirm or deny the reported casualties.

法国军方发言人帕斯卡尔·伊尼上校告诉路透社，法国士兵和尼日利亚武警已经鸣枪警告，以驱散试图抢劫和夺取卡车的抗议者，但他说，他无法证实或否认有关伤亡的报道。

这句话最大的框架是but引导的并列复合句。sb told someone that….,but said….。第一个简单句的语义重点在that引导的宾语从句中， French soldiers and Nigerian military police had fired warning shots，法国士兵和尼日利亚武警已经鸣枪警告，之后跟随不定式表目的 to disperse protesters，以驱散抗议者，什么样的抗议者？ who were trying to pillage and seize the trucks，试图抢劫和夺取卡车的抗议者，再往后是but引导的并列复合句当中的另外一个简单句，所对应的主语是第一个简单句的主语。but（French military spokesman Colonel Pascal Ianni ）said he could not confirm or deny the reported casualties.他无法证实或否认有关伤亡的报道。

总结下，这句话由5个简单句构成，5个谓语动词分别是 told， had fired， were trying， said和 could not confirm or deny。整句话意思是：法国军方发言人帕斯卡尔·伊尼上校告诉路透社，法国士兵和尼日利亚武警已经鸣枪警告，以驱散试图抢劫和夺取卡车的抗议者，但他说，他无法证实或否认有关伤亡的报道。

核心要点：

1.disperse v. 分散，疏散 adj. 分散的

例：Police fired shots and used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

警察开枪并使用了催泪瓦斯来驱散示威人群。

2.pillage v./n. （尤指在战争中）掠夺，抢劫

例：They brought back horrific accounts of murder and pillage.

他们带回了残杀掳掠的可怕消息。

3.seize v. 抓住，捉住；

例：Seize life while you have it.

当你活着的时候，好好把握生命。

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