Questions about a news

Question

These paragraphs are taken from an online newspaper.

1)Heavy automatic weapons fire erupted in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Sunday, the first such outbreak in Muammar Gaddafi's main stronghold in a two-week-old insurrection against his 41-year-old rule.

a)What is meant by automatic weapons fire here ?

b)Erupt is usually used in describing an event happen suddenly without a previous plan,am I right ?

c)What is meant by the first such outbreak here ?

d)What does two-week-old mean ?

e)What are the differences between uprising,insurrection and rebellion ?

Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim denied any fighting was under way in Tripoli, saying the gunfire was staged to fete the army's recapture of several cities from rebel forces.

What does the entirely bold and underlined sentence mean ?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Franklin,  could you please be more specific about which words you do not understand?  I only see one idiom there ('staged' = done as a performance) - the rest of the meanings are straightforward and can be gotten from your dictionary.  If you can find 'heavy', you can certainly find 'automatic'.

Franklin Ong · Answer

Sorry about my unclear questions,I'll notice of my expression next time.

Here are my modified questions.

1)Erupt is usually used in describing an event happen suddenly without a previous plan,am I right ?

2)What does two-week-old mean ?

3)What are the differences between uprising,insurrection and rebellion ?I cannot figure out.

4)gunfire was staged to fete the army's recapture of several cities from rebel forces.

Could you explain clearly the meaning of fete the army's recapture ?

Mister Micawber · Answer

1)Erupt is usually used in describing an event happen suddenly without a previous plan,am I right?-- 'Happen suddenly' and violently, yes. It may or may not be planned. In this sentence it is difficult to judge whether it was planned.

2)What does two-week-old mean ?-- Of two weeks' duration so far.

3)What are the differences between uprising,insurrection and rebellion ?I cannot figure out.-- Nor can I. No real difference, I think.

4)gunfire was staged to fete the army's recapture of several cities from rebel forces.
Could you explain clearly the meaning of fete the army's recapture ?-- 'Fete' = celebrate. They were celebrating the re-conquest of several cities.

Franklin Ong · Answer

Mister Micawber3)What are the differences between uprising,insurrection and rebellion ?I cannot figure out.-- Nor can I. No real difference, I think.

I can understand what you cannot clearly explain what are the differences between those vocabularies look like very similar ,but you are able to use these similar vocabularies properly in a sentence depending on what the situation is.

Because I cannot explain the real differences between some similar or almost interchangeable vocabularies in my mother language(Chinese),either.

Therefore,could you probably explain when you use the different vocabularies with different situations normally ?

Mister Micawber'Fete' = celebrate. They were celebrating the re-conquest of several cities.

According to my dictionary,fete means that welcome someone in honour and in a specific way(always passive).

For instance,the local football team was feted everywhere it went ( originated from dictionary of Google translate ).

There is no meaning of celebrate,why ?

Mister Micawber · Answer

1-- I cannot differentiate the 3 words because I could use any of them in any sentence I can think of offhand.
2-- I say 'celebrate' because you cannot 'welcome' a 'recapture'.

If you are not happy with any of my explanations, Franklin, feel free to wait for someone else's, but please do not throw dictionaries at me. If I don't know the meaning of a word, I consult my own dictionary before posting.

Clive · Answer

Hi Franklin,

~~Questions about a news.~~

eg Questions about a news item / a news article / a story in the news.

Clive

Franklin Ong · Answer

So,take a look at the example behind.
The uprising/insurrection/rebellion staged by demonstrators is under the way to protest against the dictator for shaking off his authoritarian regime.

Is any one of the vocabularies suitable for the sentence ?

Mister MicawberIf you are not happy with any of my explanations, Franklin, feel free to wait for someone else's, but please do not throw dictionaries at me. If I don't know the meaning of a word, I consult my own dictionary before posting

( I do not mean that I'm not happy with your explanation or want to pick a fight with you,but I'm exactly happy of your willing to answer my question,instead.

Because,every time I pose a question here,there is hardly volunteer answers that,except for some volunteers who are warm-hearted to answer,including you absolutely, Therefore,I extremely treasure your replies. )

Now I can understand that 'fete' here is to act as a description to perform how happy the army is after recapturing some cities,am I right ?

Franklin Ong · Answer

Cliveeg Questions about a news item / a news article / a story in the news.

Thank for your correction of the title.

Mister Micawber · Answer

An uprising/insurrection/rebellion staged by demonstrators is underway to protest against the dictator and shake off his authoritarian regime.

Is any one of the vocabulary suitable for the sentence ?-- Yes, though a protest alone is not big or violent enough to use any of those 3 words.

Franklin Ong · Answer

Mister MicawberAn uprising/insurrection/rebellion staged by demonstrators is underway to protest against the dictator and shake off his authoritarian regime.

Why cannot put for shaking off his authoritarian regime in this way,but and shake off,instead ? For can mean that shows an intention to do something (I'm not good at explaining the word,sorry).

Mister MicawberIs any one of the vocabulary suitable for the sentence ?

Why is it plural,but there are three vocabularies I listed ?

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