A suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan killed at least 26 people and left more than 40 wounded last week.
上周巴基斯坦西北部发生一起自杀式爆炸袭击，造成至少26人死亡，并导致四十多人受伤。

The explosion occurred in the Pakistani city of Mardan. The blast took place outside the door of a government office. The office was the National Database and Registration Authority. That office was in charge of issuing national identity cards.
这次爆炸发生在巴基斯坦城市马尔丹。爆炸发生在一栋政府办公楼门外，这里是国家数据库和登记机构，负责发放国民身份证。

The attacker arrived at the office's gate on a motorbike. The cyclist was stopped by a security guard. He detonated an explosive vest, according to a witness. An investigation into the identity of the bomber is underway.
目击者表示，袭击者骑着摩托车抵达该政府办公楼的大门，这位骑手被一名保安挡住。他引爆了爆炸背心。这位自杀式袭击者的身份正在调查中。

A Pakistani official said if the bomber was not stopped at the gate, the death toll would have been higher. It is estimated that the rider was carrying up to 12 kilograms of explosives.
一名巴基斯坦官员表示，如果袭击者未被大门挡住，死亡人数会更多。据估计，这位骑手携带了多达12公斤炸药。

A BBC report said about 50 people were wounded in the blast. Some were injured critically. Most of those killed or injured were civilians.
英国广播公司报道称，大约有50人在这起爆炸中受伤，一些人受伤严重。其中大部分伤亡者都是平民。

The attack is one of the deadliest in Pakistan since a December 2014 massacre left 150 students and teachers dead in Peshawar, the BBC reported.
英国广播公司报道称，这次袭击是2014年12月巴基斯坦白沙瓦大屠杀造成150名师生遇难以来，巴基斯坦遇到的最为致命的一次袭击。

A faction of the Pakistani Taliban said it carried out the attack. In a statement sent to VOA, the group said it targeted the office because it is part of Pakistan's anti-terrorism war.
巴基斯坦塔利班某派别声称自己发动了这次袭击。在一份发给美国之音的声明中，该组织表示，它针对该政府机构，是因为该机构是巴基斯坦反恐战争的一部分。

But a spokesman for the mainstream Taliban in Pakistan said the Taliban had nothing to do with the bombing in Mardan.
但是主流的巴基斯坦塔利班发言人表示，塔利班与马尔丹的这起爆炸无关。

I'm Jonathan Evans.
我是乔纳森·埃文斯。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)

A suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan killed at least 26 people and left more than 40 wounded last week.

The explosion occurred in the Pakistani city of Mardan. The blast took place outside the door of a government office. The office was the National Database and Registration Authority. That office was in charge of issuing national identity cards.

The attacker arrived at the office's gate on a motorbike. The cyclist was stopped by a security guard. He detonated an explosive vest, according to a witness. An investigation into the identity of the bomber is underway.

Pakistani security officials examine the site of a suicide attack in Mardan, Pakistan, Dec. 29, 2015.

A Pakistani official said if the bomber was not stopped at the gate, the death toll would have been higher. It is estimated that the rider was carrying up to 12 kilograms of explosives.

A BBC report said about 50 people were wounded in the blast. Some were injured critically. Most of those killed or injured were civilians.

The attack is one of the deadliest in Pakistan since a December 2014 massacre left 150 students and teachers dead in Peshawar, the BBC reported.

A faction of the Pakistani Taliban said it carried out the attack. In a statement sent to VOA, the group said it targeted the office because it is part of Pakistan's anti-terrorism war.

But a spokesman for the mainstream Taliban in Pakistan said the Taliban had nothing to do with the bombing in Mardan.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Ayesha Tanzeem and Ayaz Gul wrote this story for VOAnews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our 51VOA.COM.

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Words in This Story

blast – n. a powerful explosion

motorbike – n. a small motorcycle

cyclist – n. some who rides a motorcycle or bicycle

detonate – v. to explode or to cause something to explode

massacre – n. the violent killing of many people

faction – n. a group within a larger group that has different ideas and opinions than the rest of the group