CNN 2011-10-26

 Hey, I’m Carl Azuz. Today on CNN Student News, we’re talking about elections in Tunisia, the price tag on political uprising and a push to fight bullying¹. We’re starting with the recovery efforts in Turkey. 

 

Thousands of emergency workers are in the nation’s eastern region. They are trying to find victims of Sunday’s earthquake. As we told you yesterday, the quake that hit Turkey had a magnitude of 7.2. It killed hundreds of people and at least 1,300 others were hurt. Nearly a thousand buildings demolished² in this. Rescue workers are trying to make their way through that rubble³ to find any survivors⁴. They used heavy machines, shovels⁵, in some cases they are even using their bare hands. The military is also part of search rescue operations. Medical supplies and food are coming into the region by truck and by plane. The rescue workers and survivors are having to deal with temperatures that are near freezing. That makes the process that much harder. 

 

There are ways for you to get involved here, be part of the recovery efforts in Turkey. If you go to the spotlight⁶ section on our home page, cnnstudentnews.com, and click the impact your world link, you’ll find the information on the relief organizations that are already working in the Turkey. You’ll find information about how you can make a difference for the victims of this natural disaster. 

 

Officials in North Africa country of Tunisia are expected to announce final election results today. But no matter what the outcome is, these elections will still be its story, because this was Tunisia’s first national elections since it became an independent country back in 1956. More than 80%  of the country’s registered voters went to the polls on Sunday, more than 80%, huge turnout. They were casting ballots⁸ for political representatives who will write a new constitution and design Tunisia’s new government. The polling sites that you can imagine, were packed on Sunday. Many Tunisians waited hours to vote. CNN’s I* W* caught up with one who explained that the freedom to choose his own leaders was more important than the long lines. 

 

And you waited three hours to cast your ballot⁷?

Something like three and a half hours, but we didn’t feel it, I mean, those like five minutes. Because we are very very happy to inside there.

 

Tunisia’s holding elections because revolt there threw the long time ruler out of power. It was the start of what’s called the Arab Spring. And by Arab Spring, we’re talking about this series of uprising in North Africa and the Middle East. The protests and revolts came with price, a little one. Leone L* looks at the cost of the Arab Spring and how much it might take to rebuild. 

 

The Arab Spring has changed the political landscape in Middle East, but it’s also come at a heavy economic cost. The worst affected⁹ countries, including Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, have * losses of nearly $56 billion in terms of income and extra spending. They’ve also seen a drastic reduction in revenues, because for many of these countries, their economies are at a virtual stand still. Yemen, has seen its revenues fall sharply, down 77%. Libya has seen revenues drop by 84%. Funding for the recovery process for these countries is needed urgently. And in September, the international community including the G8, some of wealthier Arab countries, and institutions, like the World Bank promised $38 billion in financing for Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan. The consultants¹⁰ other pledges were made at G8 meeting back in may, despite the promises, much of the money has yet to be delivered. And the IMF says the cost of the recovery for those North African economies is more than $160 billion over the next three years. Leone L* for market place Middle East, 

1 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 demolished   

v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光

参考例句：

• The factory is due to be demolished next year. 这个工厂定于明年拆除。
• They have been fighting a rearguard action for two years to stop their house being demolished. 两年来，为了不让拆除他们的房子，他们一直在进行最后的努力。

3 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

4 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

5 shovels   

n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份

参考例句：

• workmen with picks and shovels 手拿镐铲的工人
• In the spring, we plunge shovels into the garden plot, turn under the dark compost. 春天，我们用铁锨翻开园子里黑油油的沃土。 来自辞典例句

6 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

7 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

8 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。