英国新闻听力 美环球影城遭大火

 

The Los Angeles Fire Department says a blaze at the Universal Studios in Hollywood has now been contained but not extinguished. At the height of the fire, which broke out before dawn, more than 400 firefighters tackled the flames which destroyed a King Kong exhibit and a film set from Back to the Future. From Los Angeles, Rajesh Mirchandani reports.

"Plumes¹ of black smoke, hundreds of meters high, billowed from a Hollywood landmark². More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze on a giant sound stage, part of the famous Universal Studios complex. One filming stage was destroyed and as many as three blocks of movie facades³, entire street fronts made of wood resembling New York and New England. The fire was reported just before dawn. At least one explosion took place. Firefighters believe it may have been a propane fuel tank. Hundreds of major movies and TV shows have been made in Universal Studios, including Jurassic Park, Psycho and CSI. Thousands of tourists visit every year, hotels on site werel not evacuated⁴, and management said the studios will open as usual, although tours would be affected⁵."

Natascha Kampusch, the Austrian woman who is kidnapped as a child and kept in a windowless cell for 8 years is making her debut⁶ as a television chat show host. For the first episode of Natascha Kampusch Meets..., she's interviewed the Formula One motoracing champion Niki Lauda.

BBC news.

1 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

2 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

3 facades   

n.（房屋的）正面( facade的名词复数 )；假象，外观

参考例句：

• Terraces of asphalt are placed by the building's south and west facades. 沥青露台位于建筑的南面和西面。 来自互联网
• Preserving historic buildings or keeping only their facades (or fronts) grew common. 保存历史建筑或是保持它们普通的正面增长。 来自互联网

4 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

5 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。

6 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。