英语听力精选进阶版 7134

Background: 背景：一对美国夫妇在没有受到邀请的情况下，不但混入了白宫而且还受到了总统奥巴马的接见。此后，美国特情局决定将加强对在白宫内举行官方活动的安防检查。特情局已经发表了一份书面道歉声明，称其对未能严格执行安防措施深表歉意。白宫也表示其工作人员要监管来访个人的工作更为负责任。美国国会晚些会举行听证会对此事件进行进一步调查。

Even with an invitation to the White House, it can be tricky¹ to get through the heavily guarded perimeter².

So the revelation that a couple of aspiring³ socialites were able to talk their way into the state reception for India's prime minister last week, left officials scrambling⁴ for answers.

President Obama, who met the couple in a receiving line, was said to be angry about the incident and received a public apology from the Secret Service, which said procedures hadn't been followed at an entry point.

But now the White House deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, has issued a memo⁵ instructing members of his team to be stationed alongside secret service agents at entry check-points, for all White House events.

Their role will be to cross-reference the guest list as people arrive.

The White House has declined a request to send the Obama social secretary to the forthcoming Congressional hearing on the matter.

It's unclear whether the couple who sparked this furore, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, will be attending, although this time they do have an invitation.

Glossary⁶ 词汇表

tricky 困难的 

heavily guarded perimeter 戒备森严的地区 

aspiring socialites 颇具抱负心的社会名流 

state reception 国宴 

scrambling 急切寻找（解释） 

receiving line 迎宾队列 

Secret Service 特情局 

deputy chief of staff 副参谋长 

memo 备忘录 

entry check-points 入口检查处 

cross-reference 相互，参照 

forthcoming congressional hearing 即将到来的国会听证会 

sparked this furore 引起这场骚动

Questions and Answers

1. True or False? Security is usually light at the White House. 

False. The White House is heavily guarded.

2. What was the reason for the party at the White House? 

The party was to welcome the Indian prime minister.

3. What is the name of the agency that protects the US president? 

It is known as the Secret Service.

4. True or false? The gatecrashers will be sent to prison. 

False. They may have to attend an inquest into the incident.

1 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

2 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

3 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

4 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

6 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。