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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
The Beijing HourMorning EditionShane Bigham with you on this Tuesday December 15th, 2015.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the program...
China's top leadership unveils the major economic tasks for 2016...
Member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization discuss regional development...
In Business...China's central bank launches a new exchange rate index...
In Sports...looking at some of the football matches in upcoming Champions League play...
And in Entertainment...the world premiere of the new Star Wars film...
All of that coming up in the next hour.
You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.
Find us on WeChat by searching "beijinghour"Email us directly at [email protected].
You can also visit crienglish.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.
Top NewsChina pinpoints3 major economic tasks for 2016China's top leadership has unveiled its major economic tasks for the coming year, with emphasis on issues concerning urban planning and innovation.
The major tasks were listed in a statement issued after a political bureau meeting of the CPC Central Committee on Monday, which was presided over by Xi Jinping.
The statement says China should expand the effective demand on the housing market by turning more migrant rural workers into urban residents, to reduce the high housing inventory4.
The statement also pledges to promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation as well as reduce operation costs for companies.
Xi Jinping, in describing the economic and social development task as "arduous6" next year, said the country should continue to reform and open up, stick to the general guideline of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and promoting the improvement of productivity.
Agreements strengthen China-UAE tiesAnchor:
A series of cooperation deals have been inked between China and the United Arab Emirates.
The deals were signed as Sheikh Mohammed bin5 Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, is paying his a four-day official visit to China.
CRI's Luo Bin has the details.
Reporter:
During a meeting with the Crown Prince, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the ever-growing ties between the two countries.
"China regards UAE as a good friend and partner in the gulf7 region. I hope the two sides will boost practical cooperation within the framework in pursuit of reciprocity and common development."The two sides have agreed to set up a 10-million dollar fund to make strategic deals around the world.
Deng Li with the Chinese Foreign Ministry8 says specific investment projects have not yet been approved.
"It's mainly used to invest in China and the UAE as well as for trilateral cooperation in Africa. It's a new move aimed at future development. Involved projects are still in negotiation9. Generally speaking, it targets energy, infrastructure10 construction, and high end industries. "The two sides have also pledged to boost practical cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Sheikh Mohamed says UAE is seeking cooperation.
"UAE is committed to the strategic partnership11 with China. Especially at present stage, we would like to work with China to carry forward the one belt, one road initiative."As part of the results, the two sides also signed a memorandum12 of cooperation on RMB clearing in the UAE and agreed on expanding the RMB Qualified13 Foreign Institutional Investor14 program to the UAE at a quota15 of 50 billion yuan.
In addition, China's central bank on Monday extended a currency swap16 agreement with the central bank of the United Arab Emirates, allowing the two sides to exchange payments in one currency for equivalent amounts in the other.
In aviation, Emirates Airline is expected to launch four weekly flights to Chinese provincial17 capitals Zhengzhou and Yinchuan next year.
For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.
SCO Prime Ministers' Meeting to Expect Fruitful Result in Regional CooperationThe 14th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is now underway in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou.
Heads of government from the SCO members are due to issue a statement on regional economic cooperation after the meeting, reiterating18 support for regional development strategies including the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
According to CRI reporter Zhai Lei, who is covering the event in Zhengzhou, the meeting will talk about how to boost industrial capacity cooperation among member countries.
"Leaders of the SCO member countries will also witness today the signing of such documents as SCO member states' customs cooperation plans from 2016 to 2021. The move will facilitate interconnection and customs clearances19 among SCO member states as well as their information sharing in the field of law enforcement, including combating smuggling20."The meeting, to be concluded later today, will also touch upon the issues of regional security.
The SCO currently has six member countries - China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
China and Kazakhstan have agreed on scores of deals on industrial capacity cooperation worth over 20 billion dollars.
Belt and road initiative brings new opportunity for SCO membersAnchor:
Experts say the SCO members are very important countries along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the project will help these countries find new growth opportunities.
CRI's reporter Guo Yan has details.
Reporter:
Economic cooperation tops the agenda during the SCO meeting.
Zhang Jianping, a senior official from the National Development and Reform Commission, says SCO members have made progress in infrastructure construction and industrial capacity cooperation.
"China and Russia have started comprehensive cooperation in industrial capacity. For example, they jointly22 developed aircraft for commercial use. They have launched joint21 research on high-speed rail construction in Russia. Through a series of high-level talks, China and Kazakhstan have a wide range of cooperation in expanding industrial capacity. A good example for cooperation of SCO members is that TBEA, a major transformer provider in China, is helping23 central Asian countries in long-distance electricity transmission."Statistics show that the trade volume between China and other SCO member countries reached 130 billion US dollars in 2014, ten times the level of 2001 when the organization was founded.
China's investment in the SCO member countries has exceeded 70 billion US dollars, while the investment from SCO members to China has exceeded 1 billion US dollars.
Economic cooperation also helps growth in other areas including the well-being24 of residents, culture and tourism.
Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the SCO Research Center with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says the SCO provides a platform for further cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road initiative.
"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Silk Road Economic Belt will not only bring prosperity to the region but also take economic cooperation between member countries to a higher level."The Belt and Road Initiative was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Kazakhstan in 2013, and has since witnessed tangible25 commitments by China, including the launch last year of a New Silk Road Fund worth 40 billion U.S. dollars.
During an SCO summit in Russia's Ufa in July, President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to regard the SCO as an important platform to dovetail the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
The SCO secretariat-general of the Mezentsev says the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative will benefit countries in the Eurasian areas.
He says it's important for the countries along the route of the Belt and Road initiative to find new development strategies.
"The proposal of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative is a macroscopic concept. It takes future development into consideration. So next, we have a lot to do to coordinate26 under the initiative and the long-term development strategy of SCO member countries. We take the long-term goal of development of related countries into consideration."The two-day SCO prime ministers' meeting is set to conclude on Tuesday.
For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.
Ancient Town Ready for Internet SummitAnchor:
Preparations are in full swing for the forthcoming World Internet Conference, set to take place in one of China's most ancient towns later this week.
CRI's Tu Yun with more.
Reporter:
For such an internet-focused event, a fast enough internet access is surely a top priority.
Ge Wei, head of Wuzhen Tourism Co., Ltd., said over 3,000 new WI-FI hotspots have been installed making internet surfing in the township a fantastic experience.
"We have laid and re-enhanced over 50 kilometers of optical links in total. So, there are more than 20 'ten-gigabyte' optical cables in the whole scenic27 spot."With the conference around the corner, close to 1,000 volunteers have arrived, ready to provide multilingual services.
And what's making them stand out is the color of their uniforms.
Wang Huilin, with the event's organizing committee, explains the reason behind the design.
"Wuzhen Town is one of our water towns located in the south of the Yangtze River. We want to show participants some of our national features, as well as the special flavour of our water town. So we chose the color blue 'Wuzhen blue' for our working uniforms."This year's session takes place between Wednesday and Friday.
Internet cultural transmission, Internet development and cyber space management are among major topics.
It's also expected to provide a platform for the showcase of latest innovations in the industry.
Among the achievements to be showcased is an intelligent POS - or Point of Sale - terminal.
Different from traditional devices, the new one enables customers to pay through popular mobile applications such as WeChat and AliPay.
Customers can complete payments simply by scanning QR codes on their smartphones.
So far, local authorities have equipped about 200 local businesses with the device.
Local entrepreneur Zhang Cheng says the new machine meets a new and growing need of customers.
"In the past, many customers asked whether they could pay by WeChat or AliPay. Now after using this terminal, we really feel the immense changes the Internet has brought to our lives."At the same time the new device can boast enhanced security features.
Qian Feng is from the Wuzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China.
"The first thing ensuring payment security is the signature of the customer, which allows them to check their transaction. The second thing is that we can trace merchandisers and banks through information saved in the terminal. That way, we can safeguard tourists' rights and interests."More than 2,000 political and business leaders from around the world will attend the event, including the prime ministers of Russia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
For CRI, this is Tu Yun.
China, South Korea to start maritime29 demarcation negotiation next weekThe first round of negotiations30 on maritime demarcation between China and South Korea will be held in a week's time.
The talks will be co-chaired by Chinese Vice28 Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul in Seoul.
The two countries announced the demarcation plan during President Xi Jinping's visit to the South Korea back in 2014.
Bogu Kailai's suspended death sentence commuted31 to life imprisonmentThe Beijing Higher People's Court has commuted the death sentence of Bo Xilai's wife Bogu Kailai to life in prison.
The death sentence of former railway minister Liu Zhijun has also been commuted to life imprisonment32.
The prison authorities said the criminals had expressed repentance33 and had not intentionally34 broken the law while in prison.
Bogu Kailai is serving a term in Yancheng Prison, accused of murdering a British citizen in 2012.
Report: Clamor of Chinese Tourists Most Complained OverseasAnchor:
A new report suggests that 'clamor' - shouting and excessive noise - prompt the most complaints about Chinese tourists in foreign destinations.
CRI's Luo Wen reports.
Reporter:
The survey was conducted jointly by the Chinese Academy of Tourism and China Radio International.
It reached locals from all walks of life at hot destinations for Chinese tourists around the world.
Yeung Lin is a tour guide in Macao.
She describes the kind of bad behavior from mainland travelers she hates most.
"I have led many tour groups from the mainland. The misbehaviors having struck me most among them included clamor, queue-jumping, littering and Chinese-style road crossing."According to the results of the same survey, the noisiness of Chinese tourists was also complained about in Russia, which has seen a sharp rise in Chinese visitors over the past three years.
"Many Chinese tourists coming to our shop liked to talk loudly. I once asked some of them why, and they answered that they were used to talking at such a loud volume. But it's kind of noise for us."Official data show close to 62 million Chinese people traveled overseas in the first half of this year - that's up over 12 percent on the same period in 2014.
The surge has mainly resulted from more relaxed visa policies and the increasing value of the RMB Chinese currency abroad.
Asia still dominated China's outbound tourism market and South Korea still ranked as the No.1 destination country.
But some Chinese are also igniting a growing anger there, especially among city cleaners.
"We are really hoping to see something can stop them from littering cigar butts37. We have to clear these leftovers38 from day to night. It's a tough work."Complaints over Chinese bad behavior have been lingering for years at popular tourist destinations worldwide.
In order to reduce inappropriate behavior by Chinese tourists, China's state tourism administration CNTA set up a black list system earlier this year.
It targets tourists who violate order on public transportation, damaging public facilities or historical relics39 and ignoring social customs at tourism destinations.
To help solve the problem, tour guide Yeung Lin also came up with some proposals.
"Authorities can advertise some rules and traditions mainland tourists must follow when traveling abroad. It's also important to help people learn about local culture before their trips since insufficient40 comprehension of a destination may lead to misunderstanding after they arrive there."Under the trial blacklist regulation, the CNTA will develop a national database on misbehaving tourists, with the records kept for up to two years.
Being blacklisted could affect a person's ability to travel abroad again or even secure a bank loan.
For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.
Obama makes address on anti-ISIL campaignAnchor:
U.S. President Barack Obama delivered an address from the Pentagon on Monday to update the country on the on-going campaign against Islamic State militants.
The president has been under increasing pressure to reassure42 Americans that his strategy against the terror group is working, following the massacre43 earlier this month in San Bernardino, California.
Ellen Scott has this report from Washington.
Reporter:
President Obama said the U.S.-led coalition44 has made progress dismantling45 ISIL's core in Iraq and Syria by launching more targeted airstrikes than ever.
"We are hitting ISIL harder than ever. Coalition aircraft, our fighters, bombers46 and drones have been increasing the pace of airstrikes --- nearly 9000 as of today. Last month in November we dropped more bombs on ISIL targets than any other month since this campaign started."There hasn't been a shift in strategy...the focus is still on targeted airstrikes. President Obama continues to rule out sending ground forces into Iraq and Syria.
President Obama listed off the names of ISIL leaders who had been killed in these airstrikes. He added that the latest round of coalition airstrikes have disrupted ISIL's freedom of maneuver47.
"Every day we destroy as well more of ISIL's forces...their fighting positions, bunkers and staging areas, heavy weapons, bomb making forces and training camps. In many places ISIS has lost its freedom of maneuver -- because they know if they mask their forces we will wipe them out."But...Republicans in the U.S. are critical of President Obama's rare address at the Pentagon. They see the tough talk against ISIL as more of a way to dismantle48 doubts about his foreign policy after the attacks in Paris and in San Bernardino.
Obama warned that the US and its partners faced a 'very tough fight ahead' and despite some progress, there's still work to be done.
"We recognize that progress needs to keep coming faster. No one knows that more than the countless49 Syrians and Iraqis living everyday under ISIL's terror as well as the families in SB and Paris and elsewhere who are grieving the loss of their loved ones."During his address, Obama announced that he's sending Secretary of Defense50 Ash Carter to the Middle East to help secure more help in the fight against the Islamic State.
"Just as the US is doing more in this fight. Just as our allies...France, Germany and the UK, Australia and Italy are doing more, so must others. That's why I have asked Secretary Carter to go to the Middle East -- he will depart right after this press briefing -- to work with our coalition partners on securing more military contributions to this fight"He also said that Secretary of State John Kerry will be in Moscow on Tuesday in order to push diplomatic efforts to finally put an end to the Syrian civil war.
For CRI I'm Ellen Scott in Washington.
U.S. working on including social media scrutiny52 in visa reviews: reportThe United States is said to be working on a plan to include scrutiny of social media posts of "certain people" during the visa vetting53 process.
Media reports in the US say the move represents a new focus on the use of social media in the wake of the San Bernardino shooting in Southern California.
No details of the plan have been revealed.
Federal investigators54 have been combing the digital footprint of the husband and wife who opened fire at a holiday party at a social services center earlier this month, killing55 14 and wounding many others.
Yemeni president says ceasefire to begin Tuesday morningYemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi has ordered a ceasefire to start on Tuesday morning.
The ceasefire will officially start at noon local time.
Hadi, the internationally recognized Yemeni president, has informed the United Nations and the coalition command that he will announce an "extendable" seven-day humanitarian56 ceasefire on Dec. 15 to coincide with the UN-facilitated peace talks, which will be held in Switzerland later today.
Previous peace talks in June failed and a ceasefire the following month quickly unraveled, but months of stalemate in ground combat and reports of increased pressure by Gulf Arabs' Western allies to end the war may encourage a political settlement.
More than 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since March in ground battles and airstrikes, half of them civilians57.
Syrian forces recapture key airbase east of DamascusIt's been reported that Syrian troops have fully58 recaptured a key military airbase near the capital Damascus.
The Marj al-Sultan airbase as well as large swathes of the nearby town are east of Damascus.
Most militants with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front have reportedly withdrawn59 from both the airbase and town.
The recapture of the area comes after two-weeks of military operations.
The airport and its adjoining town are believed to be strategically important for government forces to constrict61 rebel groups in the region, relieving Damascus from daily mortar62 shelling by the rebels.
EU Foreign Ministers Meeting Held in BrusselsAnchor:
The European Union continues to strengthen it's relationship with Turkey as discussions regarding the country's joining the EU are re-energized and pushed forward.
While some in Brussels wonder if Turkey will ever meet all the requirements for EU membership, many top EU leaders keep stressing Turkey is now an invaluable63 partner in fighting terrorism.
Our Europe Correspondent Kevin Ozebek has the latest.
Reporter:
As European Union foreign ministers begin the week in Brussels, Turkey tops the agenda.
On Monday, Turkey moved one step closer to becoming an EU member.
European Union leaders have agreed to examine Turkey's economic and monetary64 policy, to make sure it's aligned65 with EU rules and regulations.
It's a necessary step on the road to EU membership.
Volkin Bozkir is Turkey's minister to the EU.
"We have expressed our strong commitment to reinvigorate the process and proceed in all chapters. Turkey expects to join the union as an equal member with all the rights and obligations."But some members of the European Parliament say Turkey will never grant full freedom of the press and full freedom of expression.
That too is needed for EU membership.
But the EU's top diplomat51 Federica Mogherini says membership talks must continue...because Turkey is an invaluable ally.
She met with Turkey's delegation66 visiting Brussels...
"We discussed the common approach to counterterrorism and common work with foreign fighters. Especially the difficult boarder between Turkey and Syria. both ways. Foreign fighters entering Syria and foreign fighters getting out of Syria and back to Europe."Counterterrorism also was high on the agenda during the meeting of EU foreign ministers.
They're still working on how their countries can better share intelligence.
Security Expert Evgenia Gvozdeva says it's the most important issue the EU can push in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.
"Still a lot of things should be done to improve the exchange of information between the security authorities on all levels between countries in the European Union. But at the same time as the Paris attacks showed, there should also be an exchange of information improved with countries beyond the borders of the European Union.
And improving intelligence sharing will be discussed again in Brussels later in the week when a two day EU leader's summit starts on Thursday.
For CRI, I'm Kevin Ozebek in Brussels.
Some Turkish troops leaving camp near Iraq's MosulTurkey has withdrawn some of its troops deployed67 near the Iraqi city of Mosul.
Media reports say a convoy68 of nearly 10 vehicles left the Bashiqa Camp on Monday, with only some advisers69 and technicians remaining.
The withdrawal70 is said to follow an agreement between the Baghdad federal government and the regional government of Kurdistan.
The troop movement comes after Iraq's strong reaction to the deployment71 of the Turkish troops to Bashiqa, which Ankara says was aimed at training Sunni forces fighting Islamic State militants.
Baghdad appealed to the United Nations Security Council last week, repeating its demand for an immediate72 and unconditional73 withdrawal of all Turkish troops from northern Iraq.
The Turkish side has insisted that its soldiers are in Iraq as part of a training mission.
Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under IS control since 2014.
Abbas reshuffles Palestinian consensus74 gov't despite Hamas oppositionThe Palestinian Prime Minister has reshuffled his consensus government despite opposition75 from Hamas.
Official news reports say Mahmoud Abbas has appointed three new ministers in the justice, culture, and social welfare portfolios76.
The changes have been made despite the objections from Hamas, and against an agreement between Abbas and the Islamic movement on the formation of the consensus government.
Headline NewsChinese president calls for effective implementation77 of global climate dealChinese President Xi Jinping says China and France should work with all parties to effectively carry out the climate accord reached in Paris.
During a telephone conversation with French President Francois Hollande, Xi Jinping said the Paris deal charted a clear course for global cooperation on coping with climate change, starting from 2020.
The Chinese president also notes that the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership has achieved new progress this year.
He hoped China and France would maintain political exchanges and conduct close communications on major international and regional issues in 2016.
In addition, Xi Jinping expressed that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with France within the framework of the G20 and jointly accelerate global economic growth.
China, Kazakhstan earmark fund for industrial cooperationChina and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement on the establishment of a production capacity cooperation fund of 2 billion U.S. dollars.
The framework agreement was signed on Monday between China's Silk Road Fund and KAZNEX INVEST JSC, a major development institution in Kazakhstan.
The China-Kazakhstan fund is the first special fund since the Silk Road Fund's establishment in December 2014.
Obama makes address on anti-ISIL campaignU.S. President Barack Obama delivered an address from the Pentagon to update the country on the on-going campaign against Islamic State militants.
President Obama said the U.S.-led coalition has made progress dismantling ISIL's core in Iraq and Syria by launching more targeted airstrikes than ever.
Obama warned that the US and its partners faced a 'very tough fight ahead' and despite some progress, there's still work to be done.
The president has been under increasing pressure to reassure Americans that his strategy against the terror group is working, following the massacre earlier this month in San Bernardino, California.
Syrian forces recapture key airbase east of DamascusIt's been reported that Syrian troops have fully recaptured a key military airbase near the capital Damascus.
The Marj al-Sultan airbase as well as large swathes of the nearby town are east of Damascus.
Most militants with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front have reportedly withdrawn from both the airbase and town.
The recapture of the area comes after two-weeks of military operations.
The airport and its adjoining town are believed to be strategically important for government forces to constrict rebel groups in the region, relieving Damascus from daily mortar shelling by the rebels.
Biz ReportsTurning to business news, starting with a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe.
U.S. stocks ended higher on Monday, as Wall Street eyed the Federal Reserve's policy meeting scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
Oil price rebounded80 after dipping below 35 dollars in Monday's morning session, as some traders bought back their short positions.
The U.S. dollar also increased against most major currencies on Monday.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, was up 0.1 percent.
At the closing bell,Dow Jones rose 0.6 percent.
S&P 500 was up 0.5 percent.
The Nasdaq increased 0.4 percent.
In Europe, shares suffered big losses as commodities continued to slide on Monday.
At the close of trading,UK's FTSE 100 shed 1.3 percent.
Germany's DAX fell 2 percent.
France's CAC 40 moved down 1.7 percent.
China launches new yuan indexAnchor:
The China Foreign Exchange Trade System, an arm of China's central bank, has introduced a new exchange rate index.
The CFETS RMB Index will measure the yuan's performance against a basket of 13 currencies, with weightings based mainly on international trade.
The dollar has the largest weighting with about 26 percent, followed by the euro and the yen81 at 21 percent and 14 percent respectively.
While announcing the launch late Friday, the PBoC said yuan fluctuations82 shouldn't be measured in terms of the U.S. dollar alone, and exchange rates are a reflection of trade and investment with multiple countries.
On Monday, the central parity83 rate of the renminbi weakened for the sixth consecutive84 day to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar since July 2011.
For more on the new index, CRI's Bob Jones earlier spoke85 with Professor Liu Baocheng from the University of International Business and Economics.
EBRD approves China membership applicationThe European Bank for Reconstruction86 and Development has approved a request by the Chinese authorities for China to become its shareholder87.
EBRD president Sir Suma Chakrabarti says China's membership will provide more opportunities for investment by Chinese groups.
The EBRD has also expressed that it's willing to work with the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
The EBRD opened for business with headquarters in London in 1991.
Up to now, its existing shareholders88 included 64 countries and 2 international organizations.
China's new energy vehicle output surgesData shows production of new energy vehicles here in China surged by 600 percent year on year in November, with total production standing41 at over 72-thousand units.
Output of pure electric passenger vehicles soared 700 percent from a year earlier to 30-thousand units.
Data also shows that China produced 280-thousand new energy vehicles in the first 11 months, up by four times from the same period in 2014.
China to give whole nation 4G coverage90 by 2018China aims to cover all urban and rural areas with the 4G network by 2018.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says the country will channel more energy into the promotion91 of 4G, and boost research and development of 5G.
The plan is part of the Internet Plus action plan, which was unveiled in July by the MIIT.
It will integrate mobile Internet, cloud computing93 and the Internet of Things with modern manufacturing to boost the healthy development of the Internet.
CGN signs nuclear deal with Kazakhstan's KazatompromChina General Nuclear Power Corporation has inked a deal with Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom to build a nuclear fuel assembly plant and mine uranium deposits in the central Asian country.
The largest nuclear power supplier here in China says the main business terms and construction schedules have been agreed upon with Kazatomprom.
No further details have been revealed at this point.
Cooperation between the two firms on uranium development and nuclear fuel fabrication was initiated94 in 2006.
They also have a uranium mining joint venture.
CGN has imported nuclear fuel pellets and uranium from Kazatomprom in recent years.
Baidu seeks driverless buses on roads in 3 yearsChina's top online search firm aims to put self-driving buses on the road in three years.
The decision from Baidu comes after it set up a business unit to oversee95 all its efforts related to automobiles97.
The unit will also include its initiative in partnership with BMW to develop a self-driving passenger vehicle.
Senior Vice President Wang Jing will lead the new unit as general manager.
However, Baidu has declined to give details on potential auto96 manufacturer partners for the bus or the investment amounts for the unit.
Cargo98 airline gets permit to fly passengersCargo company Yangtze River Express Airlines is going to begin operating domestic passenger flights.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a certificate to the airline on Monday to operate the passenger flights.
The airline will operate passenger flights from Shanghai to Sanya, Guiyang and Zhuhai.
Yangtze River Express, owned by Hainan Airlines, was set up in 2002.
Currently, it has 26 cargo aircraft flying on 40 routes globally.
SportsEurope's Champions league matches have been drawnAnd in some football league:
Defending champions Barcelona have again been drawn60 to face Arsenal100 in round 16 of the Champions League.
Barcelona has a history with Arsenal.
Arsenal has been dropped from the 2010 quarter finals, the 16th round of the 2011 tournament and also in the 2006 finals by the Spanish club teamArsenal Secretary David Miles commented on the situation at a press conference.
"Yeah, I mean Barcelona are full of great players. Having said that, we have got our own world class players. We have got Alexis Sanchez who I am sure will be delighted to go back and play against one of his former clubs. So, all-in-all, in my view the tie of the round - and it will be two fantastic games of European football." Other teams selected to play are,Five time champs, Bayern Munich, who will play the 2015 runners-up, JuventusAlso, Ten time champs, Real Madrid, will face Roma.
Paris Saint-Germain will play Chelsea; Eindhoven will face Atletico Madrid, Dynamo Kiev will play Manchester City, Gent will face Wolfsburg and finally Benfica will play Zenit St. Petersburg.
The first legs of the tournament will be played from the 16th-17th of February.
Second legs will be played from the 8th-9th and the 15th-16th of MarchItaly hosts the Ryder CupIn golf:
The Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, located in Rome, has been chosen to be the scene for the Ryder Cup competition in 2022.
Starting in 1927, the team golf competition puts golfers from Europe and the US against each other.
The tournament only happens every two years, with hosts alternating each time.
Deputy director for the Marco Simone Golf and Country club Lavinia Biagiotti, stated that preparations are well underway to make the games special.
"We have six years ahead of us. We have lot of things to do. We will turn this into an unforgettable, amazing venue101. But we have already something which is unique. We got the view from several holes of Saint Peter's dome99. So I guess we are starting with the right foot".
Outside from the US and the UK, only Spain has previously102 hosted the Cup, with France being the hosts in 2018.
Ferrari holds annual F1 news conferenceIn some F1 news:
Ferrari's F1 Division hosted its annual end of the season news conference in Italy on Monday.
President of the motor group Sergio Marchionne was in attendance and spoke to the press about the future of Ferrari's F1 racing103.
"Look, we approached the 16' car with a very clear idea and a very clear objective of creating a very competitive car to Mercedes. That was the only objective that the team had. I think it is very unlikely that our car will not offer Mercedes a proper challenge. For me to determine as to whether it will win or not - I think it will be very gutsy. Certainly the team has had that as an objective.
Ferrari is coming off a season which has been dominated by Mercedes.
The Italian sports car company is looking to increase its racing strategy for next season.
Japan receives two bids for Olympic stadiumIn some Olympic news:
Two designs have been released for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as of Monday.
The designs come from two competing companies looking to build the new stadium.
Japan's sports council has released the designs to the public and will be choosing one of the designs by the end of this month.
Details concerning the competing companies have yet to be revealed.
The Stadium overseer for the Sports council Takakuni Ikeda told the press that Tokyo 2020 officials are relieved to have two designs to choose from.
"As we must properly complete the stadium within the limited time window, we are relieved to receive two proposals, both of which meet our requirements (of the budget caps and the delivery deadline)."The original plans for the Stadium were drawn up by Zaha Hadid, but were scrapped104 due to the controversy105 over its cost and scale.
President for the Sports Council, Kazumi Daito has stated that the new plan for the sports facility will put athletes first.
The new stadium will replace the National Stadium, which was built in the late 1950s and hosted the 1964 Olympics.
Sharapova exhibition kicks off day 2In tennis:
Kei Nishikori beat Jack106 Sock 4-6,6-3,10-7 in the "Maria Sharapova and Friends" tennis tournament on Sunday in LA.
This marked the second day of the exhibition tournament.
The mood during the game between world number 8 Nishikori and world number 26 Sock was jovial107 and laid back.
At one point, Sock even let a ball boy use his racket to play a volley with Nishikori.
After their game, the Japanese player, Nishikori spoke about his preparation for next season.
World number eight Nishikori played a relaxed game of tennis against world number 26 Jack Sock, even at one point"No I just started, I started a week ago, so it's going to be two or three more weeks to have good training and good practice and I will go back to Florida after one week. So I am going to have to train hard."Next season is right around the corner for some of these athletes.
On January 18th, the Australian Open will be kicking-off in the city of Melbourne.
EntertainmentStar Wars holds world premiere in LAThe108 red carpet has been rolled out for the world premiere of the new and much-anticipated "Star Wars" movie in Los Angeles.
Police have closed Hollywood Boulevard ahead of the premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre, where the original movie opened in 1977.
They were told that they must spend at least 24 hours to be eligible110 to buy a pair of tickets, and another 24 hours to buy one more.
Though several trailers have been released, the plot of the film has been shrouded111 in secrecy112.
It also brings back characters like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will open across North America this Friday.
The film will also come to China on January 9th.
Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper Attend 'Joy' World PremiereWhile the "Hunger Games" is dominating the global box office for the fourth consecutive month, Jennifer Lawrence has moved on with her new comedy "Joy."Lawrence was joined by Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro to premiere the film in New York.
In the film, Lawrence reunited with director David O. Russell to tell the life of magic-mop inventor Joy Mangano.
Lawrence says the woman is powerful but also vulnerable.
"It's wonderful, and nobody does that better than David. He loves women and he understands characters so deeply. He was the perfect person to put such a special life on the screen."Lawrence has been nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy for her performance in the film at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards.
Lawrence has made two other films with Russell and feels proud to work with his team again.
"It's what you just said - family. That's the best part. You know, to be a part of uh … being a part of this film is just like being a part of the family. That's what it feels like.""Joy" is slated115 to open in U.S. theaters on December 25.
It is not clear at the moment if the film will come to China.
S. Korean reality show "Running Man" apologises for plagiarizingThe producer of South Korean reality show "Running Man" has openly apologized for plagiarizing116 a TV programme in Japan.
The show has enjoyed huge popularity in both South Korea and China, which led to a Chinese version of the show produced by Zhejiang TV.
After watching the latest episode last Sunday, viewers accused the show of plagiarizing two games from a Japanese show called "VS. Arashi."The producer of the show said he didn't watch the Japanese programme before.
He added that staff of the show will use some images as inspiration during planning sessions.
However, he admitted it was his fault for not checking the source of those images.
Mariah Carey to Tour Europe for the First Time in 13 YearsPop diva Mariah Carey is going to be enchanting117 her European fans on their home turf for the first time in 13 years.
Carey's "Sweet Sweet Fantasy" tour will kick off in the United Kingdom on March 15.
She will play six dates in the UK before moving on to continental118 Europe.
Her other tour destinations will cover 16 countries.
She will then conclude the tour in South Africa.
The multi-platinum selling artist will adjust her playlist for each different nation she visits.
WeatherBeijing will be sunny today with a high of 3 degree Celsius120; tonight clear with a low of -4.
Shanghai, cloudy with a high of 10, tonight also cloudy with a low of 3.
Chongqing, will see slight rain today with a high of 9 and a low of 6.
Lhasa, cloudy, a high of 10 and a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad, cloudy, 17.
Over in North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 17 degrees Celsius.
Washington DC, cloudy, 17.
Honolulu, cloudy , 28.
Toronto, slight rain, with a high of 10.
In South America,Buenos Aires, cloudy with a high of 32.
And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with a high of 32 degrees Celsius.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Recapping our top stories this morning...
China's top leadership unveils the major economic tasks for 2016...
member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization discuss regional development...
and the US president gives an update on the fight against Islamic State militants...
In Business...China's central bank launches a new exchange rate index...
On behalf of the rest of the Beijing Hour team, Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.
点击收听单词发音
1 militants | |
激进分子,好斗分子( militant的名词复数 ) | |
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2 reminder | |
n.提醒物,纪念品;暗示,提示 | |
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3 pinpoints | |
准确地找出或描述( pinpoint的第三人称单数 ); 为…准确定位 | |
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4 inventory | |
n.详细目录,存货清单 | |
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5 bin | |
n.箱柜;vt.放入箱内;[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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6 arduous | |
adj.艰苦的,费力的,陡峭的 | |
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7 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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8 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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9 negotiation | |
n.谈判,协商 | |
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10 infrastructure | |
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施 | |
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11 partnership | |
n.合作关系,伙伴关系 | |
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12 memorandum | |
n.备忘录,便笺 | |
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13 qualified | |
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的 | |
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14 investor | |
n.投资者,投资人 | |
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15 quota | |
n.(生产、进出口等的)配额,(移民的)限额 | |
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16 swap | |
n.交换;vt.交换,用...作交易 | |
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17 provincial | |
adj.省的,地方的;n.外省人,乡下人 | |
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18 reiterating | |
反复地说,重申( reiterate的现在分词 ) | |
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19 clearances | |
清除( clearance的名词复数 ); 许可; (录用或准许接触机密以前的)审查许可; 净空 | |
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20 smuggling | |
n.走私 | |
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21 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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22 jointly | |
ad.联合地,共同地 | |
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23 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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24 well-being | |
n.安康,安乐,幸福 | |
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25 tangible | |
adj.有形的,可触摸的,确凿的,实际的 | |
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26 coordinate | |
adj.同等的,协调的;n.同等者;vt.协作,协调 | |
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27 scenic | |
adj.自然景色的,景色优美的 | |
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28 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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29 maritime | |
adj.海的,海事的,航海的,近海的,沿海的 | |
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30 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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31 commuted | |
通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 ); 减(刑); 代偿 | |
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32 imprisonment | |
n.关押,监禁,坐牢 | |
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33 repentance | |
n.懊悔 | |
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34 intentionally | |
ad.故意地,有意地 | |
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35 reprieve | |
n.暂缓执行(死刑);v.缓期执行;给…带来缓解 | |
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36 bribes | |
n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂 | |
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37 butts | |
笑柄( butt的名词复数 ); (武器或工具的)粗大的一端; 屁股; 烟蒂 | |
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38 leftovers | |
n.剩余物,残留物,剩菜 | |
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39 relics | |
[pl.]n.遗物,遗迹,遗产;遗体,尸骸 | |
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40 insufficient | |
adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的 | |
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41 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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42 reassure | |
v.使放心,使消除疑虑 | |
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43 massacre | |
n.残杀,大屠杀;v.残杀,集体屠杀 | |
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44 coalition | |
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合 | |
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45 dismantling | |
(枪支)分解 | |
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46 bombers | |
n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 );投弹手;安非他明胶囊;大麻叶香烟 | |
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47 maneuver | |
n.策略[pl.]演习;v.(巧妙)控制;用策略 | |
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48 dismantle | |
vt.拆开,拆卸;废除,取消 | |
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49 countless | |
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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50 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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51 diplomat | |
n.外交官,外交家;能交际的人,圆滑的人 | |
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52 scrutiny | |
n.详细检查,仔细观察 | |
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53 vetting | |
n.数据检查[核对,核实]v.审查(某人过去的记录、资格等)( vet的现在分词 );调查;检查;诊疗 | |
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54 investigators | |
n.调查者,审查者( investigator的名词复数 ) | |
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55 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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56 humanitarian | |
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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57 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
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58 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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59 withdrawn | |
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出 | |
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60 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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61 constrict | |
v.压缩,收缩,阻塞 | |
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62 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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63 invaluable | |
adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 | |
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64 monetary | |
adj.货币的,钱的;通货的;金融的;财政的 | |
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65 aligned | |
adj.对齐的,均衡的 | |
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66 delegation | |
n.代表团;派遣 | |
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67 deployed | |
(尤指军事行动)使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 ); 施展; 部署; 有效地利用 | |
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68 convoy | |
vt.护送,护卫,护航;n.护送;护送队 | |
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69 advisers | |
顾问,劝告者( adviser的名词复数 ); (指导大学新生学科问题等的)指导教授 | |
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70 withdrawal | |
n.取回,提款;撤退,撤军;收回,撤销 | |
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71 deployment | |
n. 部署,展开 | |
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72 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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73 unconditional | |
adj.无条件的,无限制的,绝对的 | |
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74 consensus | |
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识 | |
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75 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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76 portfolios | |
n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 );(保险)业务量;(公司或机构提供的)系列产品;纸夹 | |
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77 implementation | |
n.实施,贯彻 | |
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78 Stabilization | |
稳定化 | |
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79 jolts | |
(使)摇动, (使)震惊( jolt的名词复数 ) | |
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80 rebounded | |
弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 ); 反弹; 产生反作用; 未能奏效 | |
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81 yen | |
n. 日元;热望 | |
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82 fluctuations | |
波动,涨落,起伏( fluctuation的名词复数 ) | |
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83 parity | |
n.平价,等价,比价,对等 | |
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84 consecutive | |
adj.连续的,联贯的,始终一贯的 | |
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85 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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86 reconstruction | |
n.重建,再现,复原 | |
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87 shareholder | |
n.股东,股票持有人 | |
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88 shareholders | |
n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 ) | |
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89 hybrid | |
n.(动,植)杂种,混合物 | |
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90 coverage | |
n.报导,保险范围,保险额,范围,覆盖 | |
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91 promotion | |
n.提升,晋级;促销,宣传 | |
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92 fiber | |
n.纤维,纤维质 | |
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93 computing | |
n.计算 | |
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94 initiated | |
n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始,创始,启蒙,介绍加入 | |
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95 oversee | |
vt.监督,管理 | |
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96 auto | |
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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97 automobiles | |
n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 ) | |
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98 cargo | |
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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99 dome | |
n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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100 arsenal | |
n.兵工厂,军械库 | |
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101 venue | |
n.犯罪地点,审判地,管辖地,发生地点,集合地点 | |
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102 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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103 racing | |
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 | |
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104 scrapped | |
废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词); 打架 | |
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105 controversy | |
n.争论,辩论,争吵 | |
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106 jack | |
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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107 jovial | |
adj.快乐的,好交际的 | |
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108 lathe | |
n.车床,陶器,镟床 | |
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109 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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110 eligible | |
adj.有条件被选中的;(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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111 shrouded | |
v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 );保密 | |
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112 secrecy | |
n.秘密,保密,隐蔽 | |
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113 awakens | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的第三人称单数 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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114 linings | |
n.衬里( lining的名词复数 );里子;衬料;组织 | |
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115 slated | |
用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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116 plagiarizing | |
v.剽窃,抄袭( plagiarize的现在分词 ) | |
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117 enchanting | |
a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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118 continental | |
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的 | |
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119 bracelet | |
n.手镯,臂镯 | |
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120 Celsius | |
adj.摄氏温度计的,摄氏的 | |
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121 overcast | |
adj.阴天的,阴暗的,愁闷的;v.遮盖,(使)变暗,包边缝;n.覆盖,阴天 | |
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