澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2014-07-14

 The search resumes for the two snowboarders this morning missing in Victoria Alps. Police hold great fears of Martin Bucklin and Daniel Kirk who haven't been heard from since Thursday. Their families say they are devastated¹ by their disappearance². Yesterday a group of workers found the pair's tent with sleeping bags and other equipment inside. 

 

Olympics swimmer Ian Thorpe says he lied about his sexuality because he was worried about the public reaction. The five-time Olympic champion has revealed he is gay during a TV interview with the British broadcaster Michael Parkinson. Thorpe says he still hurts when he was first questioned about his sexuality when he was just sixteen. 

 

If I wasn't asked, I feel as though, I would have been much younger, when I came out and being comfortable about this, yes. 

 

Ian Thorpe there. Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing northern parts of Gaza after Israel warned that it was targeting the area. Israeli air strikes and Hamas rocket attacks have continued unabated now for six days. The Palestinian death toll³ has now reached almost one hundred and seventy. 

 

And the Federal Government hopes to have the carbon tax go on by the end of the week. Government ministers met at the weekend negotiating an amendment⁴ with the Palmer United Party that will ensure the savings⁵ are passed on to consumers. PUP Senators will meet this morning to hopefully sign off on the event.

1 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

2 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

5 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。