澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-03-18

 The country's big media players will spell out their views on the government's planned media reforms at a Senate inquiry¹ today. The government is struggling to get the numbers to pass the changes. Independent MP Rob Oakeshott they are unlikely to get through parliament this week unless there's some form of compromise. 

 

Support for Federal Labor² has barely moved in the latest Fairfax&Nielsen Poll. Labor's primary vote is set on 31 percent. That's just up a percent. Julia Gillard trails Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister 43 to 49.

 

Pope Francis has delivered his first Sunday prayer and blessing³ at the Vatican. Up to 300,000 people packed the St Peter's Square to hear the new Pope.  He thanked for well wishers and asked them to pray for him. Earlier, he celebrated⁴ his first Sunday Mass as Pope in the Vatican's small parish church.

 

A new report says the federal government is paying way too much for prescription⁵ drugs. The report by the Grattan Institute says the pharmaceutical⁶ benefits scheme is wasting more than 1.3 billion dollars a year. It says an independent body should be appointed to determine pricing.

 

Police in India say five men have confessed to gang raping⁷ a Swiss woman. She was camping with her husband in a villiage in central India when they were attacked. The men overpowered the husband before raping the woman and robbing them.

1 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

4 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

5 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

6 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

7 raping   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的现在分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• In response, Charles VI sent a punitive expedition to Brittany, raping and killing the populace. 作为报复，查理六世派军讨伐布列塔尼，奸淫杀戮平民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The conquerors marched on, burning, killing, raping and plundering as they went. 征服者所到之处烧杀奸掠，无所不做。 来自互联网