英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-09-12

 Senior Labor¹ Senator Steven Conroy says Labor's new leadership rules are a farce². The reforms introduced by Kevin Rudd give caucus³ and party members an equal say in choosing a leader. Senator Conroy says the rules make the party a laughing stock and could leave Labor without a leader for weeks.

 

 

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are meeting to discuss Russia's plan to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control. Russia has reportedly given the United  States the details of its plan. Possible military action remains⁴ a sticking point in the negotiations⁵.

 

 

Hundreds of firefighters are working to contain dozens of bushfires across New  South Wales. It could take days to contain the 900-hectare fire, still burning at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Firefighters have already been helped by easing weather conditions.

 

 

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says bandits who attacked a group of Australian trekkers and Papua New Guinea porters will face the death penalty when they're caught. The two PNG porters were killed. Several Australian suffered minor⁶ injuries. They are now back in Port Moresby and preparing to return home.

 

 

Americans are commemorating⁷ the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. President Barack Obama observed a minute's silence on the lawns of the White House and later laid a wreath at the Pentagon. In New York,relatives of those killed in the World Trade Centre attacks gathered at Ground Zero.

1 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。

2 farce   

n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹

参考例句：

• They played a shameful role in this farce.他们在这场闹剧中扮演了可耻的角色。
• The audience roared at the farce.闹剧使观众哄堂大笑。

3 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

7 commemorating   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网