英语听力精选进阶版 7443

Portugal has asked the European Union for emergency financial aid to help it deal with its debts. In a televised statement, the Prime Minister Jose Socrates said calling in foreign assistance was now essential.

"I always said asking for foreign aid would be the final way to go, but we have reached the moment where the country is at too much risk that it shouldn't be exposed to."

The European Commission said Lisbon's request would be dealt with as quickly as possible. Here's Andrew Walker.

For weeks now, the financial markets have expected Portugal to need rescue loans from the European Union and the International Monetary¹ Fund. That view was reinforced last month when the government resigned after parliament refused to back proposals for further austerity measures, and now the caretaker Prime Minister Jose Socrates said that Portugal will seek help. The details will have to be negotiated, but it's likely that the EU and the IMF will agree to provide loans. The amount is expected to be in the region of $100bn.

The besieged² leader of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, has remained in hiding in his residence in Abidjan as supporters of his opponent Alassane Ouattara tried all day to force him out. Mr Ouattara's officials say their troops have been given orders to take him alive. From Abidjan, here's Andrew Harding.

So much for an end to the fighting here, across Abidjan the thud of heavy weapons and another furious battle around the presidential compound of Laurent Gbagbo. Trapped in his bunker, he had seen on the brink³ of a negotiated surrender, but this morning, the talks collapsed⁴, French mediators accusing Mr Gbagbo of impossible stubbornness. Patrick Achi, spokesman for the elected President Alassane Ouattara, said force was now the only solution. These are critical times for Ivory Coast. A quick negotiated exit for Mr Gbagbo might just have helped stabilise the situation.

A former United States congressman⁵ is in Libya for talks about a potential ceasefire. The former Congressman Curt⁶ Weldon is visiting in a personal capacity but with the knowledge of President Obama. Reporting from rebel-held Benghazi, here's Jon Leyne.

Former Congressman Curt Weldon has brought with him detailed⁷ proposals for ending the crisis in Libya. They involve Colonel Gaddafi stepping down. But other figures from his administration, including his son Saif al-Islam, would have a role in a transition to democracy. There'd be a ceasefire with Colonel Gaddafi's forces pulling back from western cities under siege while opposition⁸ fighters do not try to advance any further. But a spokesman reiterated⁹ the refusal of the opposition to engage in any negotiations¹⁰ whatsoever¹¹ with Colonel Gaddafi's government.

Meanwhile, attacks by Colonel Gaddafi's forces have halted production at Libyan oil fields under rebel control.

World News from the BBC

Scientists at the United Nations say they don't expect that the nuclear accident in Japan to cause serious health problems. A UN atomic radiation expert Wolfgang Peters[Weiss] said the Pacific Ocean was absorbing most of the contamination at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. Mr Peters[Weiss] said the accident was less dramatic than the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in Ukraine.

The European naval¹² force patrolling the coast of Somalia says it has captured 18 suspected pirates. A Finnish warship¹³ serving with the force fired warning shots at a vessel¹⁴ to the southeast of Oman and detained the men on board. This is the third time suspected pirates have been intercepted¹⁵ by European warships¹⁶ in the past 10 days.

A group of former Israeli defence and security chiefs has put forward proposals to restart peace talks with the Palestinians. The plan envisages¹⁷ the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. Yaakov Peri, the former head of the Israeli security agency, said the upheavals¹⁸ in the Arab world required an Israeli response.

Scientists in Japan say they have used stem cells taken from mice to grow part of an eye. Experts say this is the closest we've come yet to using stem cells to grow replacement¹⁹ organs in the lab. Jon Stewart from our science team has more.

Stem cells are the early stage building blocks for our bodies. They have the potential to become any specialised type of cell from brain to heart to skin. It's hoped this study could one day provide cells for repairing retinas, the light-sensing part of the eye. Growing a full organ is still a huge leap, but scientists are hopeful that this research will lead to further advances in regenerative medicine.

Archaeologists in central London have uncovered a 16th century mass grave containing the remains²⁰ of patients from the former St Bethlehem's mental hospital, known as Bedlam²¹. The archaeologists were preparing the way for construction of a new underground rail link.

1 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

3 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

4 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

6 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

7 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

11 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

12 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

13 warship   

n.军舰，战舰

参考例句：

• He is serving on a warship in the Pacific.他在太平洋海域的一艘军舰上服役。
• The warship was making towards the pier.军舰正驶向码头。

14 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

15 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

16 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

17 envisages   

想像，设想( envisage的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The board envisages that there will be a high profit. 董事会预期将会获得高额利润。
• The paper reviews and envisages the development trend of carbon electrode. 本文对炭电极的发展方向做了回顾与展望。

18 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

19 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

20 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

21 bedlam   

n.混乱，骚乱；疯人院

参考例句：

• He is causing bedlam at the hotel.他正搅得旅馆鸡犬不宁。
• When the teacher was called away the classroom was a regular bedlam.当老师被叫走的时候，教室便喧闹不堪。