英语听力精选进阶版 7634

Italy's new Prime Minister Mario Monti has easily won a vote of confidence in the upper house of parliament after outlining his plans to tackle the country's economic problems and cut its debt. He said austerity measures would be balanced by economic growth and social fairness. From Rome, here's Alan Johnston.

在制定出解决本国经济问题、削减债务的计划后，意大利新总理马里奥·蒙蒂顺利赢得议会上议院的信任投票，他说，紧缩政策应与经济发展和社会公平保持平衡。Alan Johnston在罗马报道。

Before the confidence vote, Prime Minister Mario Monti told the senate of the urgent need to tackle the nation's dire¹ economic problems. He then set out his austerity programme. It'll include rigorous control of government spending, more tax and a major drive against those who try to evade² it. Efforts to stimulate³ growth will also be a priority. And Mr Monti said that in all the reforms to come, he'd work for a fairer society.

举行信任投票之前，马里奥·蒙蒂总理告诉参议院继续解决本国深重的经济问题，并提出自己的紧缩措施，包括：大刀阔斧地控制政府开支、增税、对逃税者予以严厉打击。刺激发展也是首要问题，蒙蒂表示，在未来的改革中，他将致力于创造更公平的社会。

The authorities in the United States have charged a man accused of firing two shots at the White House last week with attempting to assassinate⁴ the president. Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, who's 21 and from Idaho, appeared in court in Pennsylvania a day after he was arrested. Mr Ortega-Hernandez is alleged⁵ to have fired shots from an assault rifle, cracking a window in the living quarters of the president, who was away at the time.

美国当局指控一名男子涉嫌上周向白宫开枪两次，试图暗杀总统。Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez今年21岁，被捕的第二天出现在宾夕法尼亚法庭。Ortega-Hernandez被指控用冲锋枪开火，击碎总统住处的一处窗户，奥巴马当时不在白宫。

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany have expressed their concern about Iran's nuclear programme. They agreed a draft resolution at a meeting of the United Nations nuclear agency, the IAEA, in Vienna calling for clarification about whether Iran's nuclear work has a possible military dimension. From Vienna, here's Bethany Bell.

联合国五个常任理事国及德国均表示对伊朗核项目的担忧，在维也纳举行的国际原子能会议上，六国就一项决议的草案达成一致，要求澄清伊朗的核工厂是否有军事目的。Bethany Bell在维也纳报道。

The six big powers have managed to hammer out a resolution which is aimed at increasing diplomatic pressure on Iran. It expresses deep and increasing concern about Tehran's nuclear aims. Diplomats⁶ called it a compromise text. Western states would have preferred stronger language and a possible referral of Iran to the UN Security Council, but Russia and China were more reluctant. The head of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, says Iran has a case to answer about its nuclear work, but Iran insists its activities are peaceful.

六大国通过一项决议，决定在外交上对伊朗加大压力，表达对德黑兰的核目愈发担心，外交家们称之为“妥协协议”。西方国家更愿意采取更强硬的语气，或将伊朗问题交由联合国安理会处理，但俄罗斯和中国有点不情愿。国际原子能机构主席Yukiya Amano表示，伊朗必须就核项目做出回应，而伊朗坚持声称其行动是和平的。

The emir of Kuwait has ordered the security forces to take all necessary measures to maintain order after several thousand protesters briefly⁷ occupied parliament on Wednesday. Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah told the BBC that no tolerance⁸ would be shown over any violation⁹ of state institutions. Our world affairs correspondent Peter Biles reports.

周三，数千名抗议者迅速占领议会后，科威特酋长命令安全部队采取一切措施维持秩序，Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah告诉BBC，对于入侵州机构的行为绝不容忍。BBC世界事务记者Peter Biles报道。

The Kuwaiti prime minister's chief of staff, Mohammad Abdullah al-Sabah, has told the BBC that a group of opposition¹⁰ parliamentarians led youths in storming the parliament building. He described what happened as systemic anarchy¹¹ and said the MPs had not been able to pass a bill through constitutional means. Anger over corruption¹² allegations involving MPs has been growing in recent months although Kuwait has so far been largely untouched by the unrest elsewhere in the Arab world.

科威特总理参谋长Mohammad Abdullah al-Sabah告诉BBC，一群反对派议员带领年轻人攻击议会大楼。他说，这是一场有秩序的混乱，议员们未能通过宪法途径通过一项法案。最近数月，对议员腐败的指控激怒了公众，尽管到目前为止，科威特尚未受阿拉伯世界其他国家动乱的影响。

World News from the BBC

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said the Syrian opposition's increasing use of armed force in its efforts to topple President Assad risks plunging¹³ Syria into full-scale civil war. Russia has so far opposed tougher international sanctions on Syria, which has long been one of its key allies in the Middle East.

叙利亚反对派增加兵力，试图推翻总统阿萨德，叙利亚外长Sergey Lavrov表示这有将叙利亚推向全面内战的危险。俄罗斯目前一直反对对叙利亚施加更严厉的制裁，叙利亚一直是俄罗斯在中东地区的主要盟友。

The Brazilian police have begun investigating an oil spill in an offshore¹⁴ field operated by the US company Chevron¹⁵ after an environmental group said it was much larger than initially¹⁶ reported. Ships are working to disperse¹⁷ the slick off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. And Chevron says it's plugged the leaking well. Brazil's energy minister has said Chevron will be severely¹⁸ punished if it's found to have failed in its environmental responsibilities.

巴西警方着手调查美国雪佛龙公司海上油田漏油事件，此前一个环境组织称情况比最初报道的要严重。目前有轮船在驱散里约热内卢州海岸的漏油，雪佛龙称已将漏井堵上。巴西能源部长称，如果雪佛龙不能承担环境责任，将被处以严重处罚。

Switzerland's top court has finally ruled in a legal battle over the right to walk naked in the Alps. The federal court threw out an appeal by a man who was fined after hiking past a family picnic area with no clothes on. From Bern, here's Imogen Foulkes.

瑞士最高法院最终判定一场有关在阿尔卑斯山裸体行走权利的争执，联邦法院驳回一名男子的上诉，此人经过一处家庭烧烤地时不穿衣服遭罚款。Imogen Foulkes在伯尔尼报道。

Naked hiking has become an increasingly popular pastime, and a tiny canton Appenzell has become a favourite spot for people from across Europe who like to hike wearing only a good pair of boots. But Appenzell is a deeply devout¹⁹ and conservative canton, and the influx²⁰ of naked hikers has offended many locals.

裸体旅行成为越来越受欢迎的休闲活动，对于喜欢只穿靴子旅行的欧洲人来说，小镇阿彭策尔成了好去处。然而阿彭策尔是个很虔诚保守的小镇，大量裸体旅行者的涌入令当地人不满。

The new ruling applies to the entire country, meaning Switzerland has become rather chilly²¹ for naked hikers. They may now have to look for a country which offers them a warmer welcome.

这一最终判决适用于全国，意味着对于裸体旅行者来说，瑞士变得更加寒冷了，他们不得不另找更温暖的国家。

Forbes magazine has published its first list of Africa's 40 richest people, saying it indicates the growing global importance of the continent. Six African countries are represented on the list, which is topped by a Nigerian cement mogul, Aliko Dangote, whose fortune exceeds $10bn. Egypt has the most billionaires on the continent. There are no women on the list.

《福布斯》杂志发布首个非洲40个最富有者名单，称这表示非洲在全球重要性的增加。6个非洲国家的人名列其中，第一名是尼日利亚水泥巨头Aliko Dangote，财富达到100亿美元，非洲的亿万富翁中埃及的最多，名单上没有女性。

1 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

2 evade   

vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避

参考例句：

• He tried to evade the embarrassing question.他企图回避这令人难堪的问题。
• You are in charge of the job.How could you evade the issue?你是负责人，你怎么能对这个问题不置可否？

3 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

4 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

8 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

9 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

10 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。

11 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

13 plunging   

adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• War broke out again, plunging the people into misery and suffering. 战祸复发，生灵涂炭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He is plunging into an abyss of despair. 他陷入了绝望的深渊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

15 chevron   

n.V形臂章；V形图案

参考例句：

• He wore shoulderstrap rank slides with sergeant's chevrons.他佩戴标示级别的肩章，上面有中士的V形标志。
• The chevron or arrow road sign indicates a sharp bend to the left or right.V形或箭头路标表示有向左或向右的急转弯。

16 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

17 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

18 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

19 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

20 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

21 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。