英国新闻听力 古巴进行政治大改组

The Cuban President Raul Castro has announced a major cabinet reshuffle, removing 11 ministers from office including two of the country's most prominent politicians. State television said the cabinet chief Carlos Lage and the Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque would both step down in line with plans to make the island's government more compact and functional¹. Michael Voss reports from Havana.

This is the first major political shake-up since Raul Castro officially took over the presidency² just over a year ago. More than ten top officials have been dropped or replaced and four ministries³ merged⁴. President Raul Castro had announced last year that he intended to restructure the government, but such a large scale cabinet reshuffle has not been seen in Cuba since the revolution. All of those affected⁵ by the changes had originally been appointed by Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro.

The American Central Intelligence Agency has for the first time acknowledged destroying a large number of tapes of interrogations of terrorist suspects. It had previously⁶ said there were only two. The disclosure comes from government lawyers in a legal case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union which said the destruction of the tapes was a systematic⁷ attempt to hide evidence of illegal interrogations. Rajini Vaidyanathan reports.

A letter from the United States attorney has disclosed that the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA, destroyed 92 tapes, showing the interrogation of terror suspects. Prosecutors⁸ are currently investigating the destruction of these recordings⁹. The American Civil Liberties Union claims they show CIA operatives using harsh interrogation methods. The letter also reveals that the CIA is currently gathering¹⁰ more information for this lawsuit¹¹, including a list of what tapes were destroyed and what they might have shown.

There have been sharp falls on major stock markets amid fears that the turmoil¹² in the financial services industry is far from over. Earlier the American insurance giant AIG reported the biggest quarterly loss in US corporate¹³ history. Andrew Walker reports.

The American insurer AIG beat all previous records for a corporate loss, nearly 62 billion dollars in three months. Earlier the international bank HSBC announced that its profits fell by more than half last year. The markets also had to contend with some very downbeat comments from one of the world’s most respected professional investors¹⁴, Warren Buffet¹⁵. He said the economy would be in a shambles¹⁶ throughout 2009. Share prices around the world are down. The Dow Jones has now fallen by half from its highs in 2007.

President Obama has officially named the Governor of Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius, as his new Health Secretary. She will oversee¹⁷ the president's ambitious plans to overhaul¹⁸ the country's healthcare system. Mr. Obama's original nominee¹⁹ for Health Secretary, Tom Daschle, withdrew over tax irregularities.

Egypt says international donors²⁰ at a conference in Sharm El-Sheikh have pledged 4.5 billion dollars for the Palestinians mainly to rebuild Gaza after Israel's offensive. The Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad thanked the donors but said reconstruction²¹ would be impossible unless Israel lifted its blockade. He said Israel should allow in concrete and steel which it's been blocking because of concerns that they could be used by Palestinian militant²² groups for military purposes.

A study published in a leading medical journal says fire-related injuries are the leading cause of death in young women in urban India with many of the cases tied to domestic abuse. The research in the Lancet said more than 100,000 women were victims of fire-related death in a single year, three times as many as men. The researchers looked at hospital reports and death registrations²³, and found that the number of women who died from self-immolation, kitchen accidents and domestic abuse was six times higher than that recorded by police.

The Scottish government has outlined radical²⁴ measures to tackle alcohol abuse by stopping cut-price offers. The government is imposing²⁵ a minimum price on each unit of drink depending on its alcohol content. It's the first country in Europe to do so. Scotland has the eighth highest alcohol consumption in the world and the worst rates of death from liver disease in Europe. Colin Blaine reports from Glasgow.

Scotland has had a close relationship with alcohol for hundreds of years. Scotch²⁶ whiskey generates vast export revenues and drink has long been a part of social occasions, dances, weddings and even funerals. But other northern European nations have also had a tradition of heavy-drinking. The trouble for Scotland is that our consumption now outstrips²⁷ that of Norway, Finland and even Russia. The Scottish government says one of those reasons is that drink has become 70% more affordable²⁸ here over the last 30 years.

古巴总统劳尔.卡斯特罗宣布进行大规模的内阁改组，将撤掉11位部长，其中包括该国最知名的两位官员。国家电视台声称，内阁首领拉赫和外交部长佩雷斯.洛克都在这次该组中被撤换，据说这是为了精简该岛国的政府机构并提高效率。

这是劳尔.卡斯塔罗一年多前任职以来的首次政治大改组，十多位高级官员被撤或被替换，四个部被合并。去年总统卡斯塔罗宣布他将重组政府，但是像这次这么大幅度的内阁改组，是自革命以来古巴历史上的第一次。此次该组中所有被撤换的官员都是原来由前总统菲德尔.卡斯特罗任命的。

美国中央情报局首次承认曾毁坏大量记录对恐怖嫌疑犯审问的录音带，起先它承认仅毁掉了两个。这是美国律师在一份由美国公民自由联盟提交的诉讼中透露的，声称毁坏录像带是有系统有目的的，企图掩藏非法审问的证据。

美国律师的这封信透露了中央情报局毁坏了92个记录审问恐怖嫌疑犯的录音带，检察官目前正在就毁灭录音带一案进行调查。美国公民自由联盟声称中央情报局利用了严酷的方法进行审问，这封信还透露，中央情报局目前收集了此诉讼有关的更多信息，包括被毁坏的录音带的名单，以及这些录音带里有什么内容。

主要股票市场大幅度下跌，人们担心金融服务市场的混乱还远未结束。早些时候，美国保险业巨头AIG报道了美国公司史上最大的季度损失。

美国保险公司AIG三个月内损失奖金620亿美元，打破了公司损失方面之前所有的记录。早些时候，汇丰银行宣布去年其利润下跌了一半多。交易市场也不得不应对巴菲特的一些让人非常气馁的言论，他是世界最受尊敬的专业投资者之一，他说整个2009年经济都将处于混乱中。全世界的股票价格都在下降，道琼斯指数从2007年的最高点跌了一半。

奥巴马总统正式任命堪萨斯州州长Kathleen Sebelius担任新的卫生部长，她将监督总统雄心勃勃的计划，以整顿美国的医疗卫生体系。奥巴马最初任命的卫生部长Tom Daschle因税收上的不法行为被撤。

埃及声称，在沙姆沙伊赫举行的会议上的国际捐赠已经为巴勒斯坦筹集45亿美元，这将主要用于被以色列进攻后的加沙地区的重建。巴勒斯坦总理法雅德对这次捐赠表示感谢，但是他说，除非以色列取消封锁，否则重建将不可能。他说以色列应该允许水泥和钢铁进来，由于担心巴勒斯坦武装组织拿来做军事用途，目前这两样材料被阻止进入。

发表在一个重要的医学刊物上的研究表明，印度城市地区与火相关的受伤是导致年轻妇女死亡的主要原因。《柳叶刀》杂志上说，在去年一年中，多于10万的妇女是与火相关的死亡的受害者，这个数字是男子的三倍。研究人员查看了医院的报告和死亡注册表，发现死于自焚、厨房事故和家庭暴力的女性人数比警察记录的数字多六倍。

为阻止酗酒，苏格兰政府草拟了一些激进措施—停止对酒削价出售。根据每瓶的酒精含量，政府对每瓶酒施加了最低价格限制。这是欧洲首次这么做的国家。在全世界酒精消费量最大的国家中，苏格兰排名第八，也是欧洲肝病死亡率最高的国家。

苏格兰与酒的密切关系已有几百年的历史，苏格兰威士忌为这个国家带来了巨大的出口收入，饮酒长期以来就是社会场所、舞会、婚礼甚至葬礼的一部分。但是其他的北欧国家也有大量饮酒的传统。苏格兰的问题是其酒的消费量已经超过了挪威、芬兰甚至俄罗斯。苏格兰政府说，其原因之一是在过去的三十年间，酒的价格已经比原来便宜了70%。

1 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

4 merged   

（使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中

参考例句：

• Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged. 两个部门合并时总免不了争争权限。
• The small shops were merged into a large market. 那些小商店合并成为一个大商场。

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 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

7 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

8 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

9 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

10 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

11 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

12 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

13 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

14 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

15 buffet   

n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台

参考例句：

• Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐？
• Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗？

16 shambles   

n.混乱之处；废墟

参考例句：

• My room is a shambles.我房间里乱七八糟。
• The fighting reduced the city to a shambles.这场战斗使这座城市成了一片废墟。

17 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

18 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

19 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

20 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

22 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

23 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网

24 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

25 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

26 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

27 outstrips   

v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Technology daily outstrips the ability of our institutions to cope with its fruits. 技术发展的速度超过了我们的制度所能应付其成果的程度。 来自辞典例句
• The significance of the foreign exchange market outstrips its impressive size. 外汇市场的意义超出了它给人的印象尺度。 来自互联网

28 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。