英语听力精选进阶版 7708

Pope Benedict has arrived in Cuba at the start of a three-day visit. He was welcomed at the airport by President Raul Castro as well as military bands and an artillery¹ salute² . Pope Benedict said he had come to Cuba as a "pilgrim of charity" and would pray for peace, liberty and reconciliation³. Sarah Rainsford gives us a sense of the expectations for the visit.

教皇班尼迪克抵达古巴，开始进行为期三天的访问。总统卡斯特罗在机场热烈欢迎教皇的到来，陪同接待的还有军乐队和致敬的炮兵。班尼迪克教皇说，他此行是为“慈善朝圣”而来，将为和平、自由和和解而祈祷。据Sarah Rainsford报道说，这次访问很值得期待。

We have a huge amount of expectations surrounding the visit. Part of it simply because Cuba is right now at the centre of world attention and for a politically isolated⁴ island like this one, that's something pretty unusual. I spoke⁵ to a lot of people who aren't Catholic who say that they'll attend the Masses both in Santiago and in Havana just because they want to be there because it's such a major event for this island. The Catholic Church hopes that this can revitalise the faith on the island of Cuba, which is atheist⁶ for 40 years.

我们对此次访问寄予了很多期待，其一是，古巴此刻是全世界关注的中心，对于这样一个政治上孤立的岛国，这次访问很不寻常。我跟很多非天主教徒交谈过，他们说会参加圣地亚哥和哈瓦那的两次集会，岛上举办这样大的盛会，他们一定会参加。天主教堂希望以此恢复古巴岛的信仰，该国40年来都持无神论。

President Raul Castro said socialist⁷ Cuba allowed full freedom of religion. He stressed that Cuba was determined⁸ to defend its independence in the face of the US embargo⁹.

卡斯特罗总统说，社会主义古巴给宗教以全面的自由。他强调说，面对美国的贸易禁运政策，古巴决心捍卫自由。

The former head of the International Monetary¹⁰ Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been charged in France over his alleged¹¹ involvement in a vice¹² ring that procured¹³ prostitutes. The charges came after he was questioned by judges in the city of Lille over the allegations. Mr Strauss- Kahn was later released on bail¹⁴. Christian¹⁵ Fraser reports from Paris.

国际货币基金前主席卡恩在法国被指控涉嫌参与给妓女拉皮条的卖淫犯罪活动，此前，里尔的法官对有关指控对他进行审问。卡恩后来获准保释，Christian Fraser在巴黎报道。

This was a surprise hearing, and it's not yet clear why Dominique Strauss-Kahn was called by magistrates¹⁶ before a scheduled appearance later this week. The allegations relate to his supposed involvement in a vice ring that hired prostitutes for hotel orgies in Lille, Paris and Washington. He's been placed under formal investigation¹⁷. In other words, the judges believe there is a case to answer. Eight people have already been charged including a senior police officer. Mr Strauss-Kahn is not denying he attended these parties; he denies he knew the women present were prostitutes.

这次听审出人意料，不明白为何地方法官会传唤卡恩，因为根据安排，卡恩将于本周晚些时候出庭。根据指控，卡恩参与一起卖淫犯罪活动，嫌犯在里尔、巴黎和华盛顿的酒店召来妓女放荡作乐。卡恩目前正式接受调查中，也就是说，法官认为卡恩有嫌疑。包括一名高级警官在内的8人已被指控，卡恩否认参加这些聚会，称并不知道在场的妇女是妓女。

The moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which heads Tunisia's coalition¹⁸ government, says it won't support calls by conservatives to enshrine Islamic law, or sharia, in the country's new constitution. From Cairo, here's Jon Leyne.

领导突尼斯联盟政府的温和伊斯兰复兴运动党称，不会支持保守派要求新宪法实施伊斯兰法律的呼声。Jon Leyne在开罗报道。

The moderate Islamist party that secured the most seats in recent elections want the wording of the old constitution to remain the same, stating only that Islam is the state religion. That will disappoint conservatives and relieve liberals and secularists who fear a tide of Islamism sweeping¹⁹ across the region in the wake of recent revolutions.

这个在最近选举中获得多数席位的温和伊斯兰政党，希望老宪法的措辞保持不变，称只有伊斯兰教才是国教。这令保守派很失望，同时，令自由派和世俗派松了一口气，因为他们害怕伊斯兰在最近的觉醒革命中席卷该地区。

Clashes have broken out between armed forces from Sudan and South Sudan in several disputed border regions. Both sides accuse each other of starting the fighting, which comes a week before the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is due to visit the Southern capital Juba for a summit. An armed forces spokesman in Juba told the BBC it was the biggest confrontation²⁰ since the South gained independence last July.

苏丹和南苏丹武装部队在有争议的边境地区发生冲突，双方都指责对方挑起争端，而一周后，苏丹总统巴希尔就要赴南苏丹首都朱巴参加峰会。朱巴武装部队发言人告诉BBC，这是自去年7月份南方独立以来最大规模的冲突。

You're listening to the latest World News from the BBC.

The Israeli foreign ministry²¹ says Israel is cutting all contact with the United Nations Human Rights Council after it condemned²² Jewish settlement building in the West Bank and decided²³ to set up a committee to investigate the issue. A foreign ministry spokesman said that Israel would not allow any mission from the Human Rights Council to enter Israel or the West Bank.

由于联合国人权委员会谴责西岸的犹太人定居建筑，并决定成立委员会来调查此事，以色列外长称，以色列将断绝与联合国人权委员会的所有联系。外交部发言人表示，以色列不会允许人权委员会的任何使团进入以色列或西岸地区。

A member of the Nato-led forces in Afghanistan has been shot dead by a man dressed in Afghan police uniform in the east of the country. An Isaf spokesman said the incident happened at a police checkpoint . Earlier in a separate incident in the southern province of Helmand, two British soldiers were killed by a man in Afghan army uniform. The attacker died when coalition forces returned fire. Unofficial reports suggest the incident was inside a military base in Helmand province.

在阿富汗东部，一名北约领导的部队成员被一名身穿阿富汗警服的男子开枪打死。国际安全援助部队发言人称，这次事故发生在一个警站。此前，在南部埃尔芒省发生的另一事故中，两名英国士兵被一名身穿阿富汗军装的男子杀死，联军开枪还击，袭击者中弹身亡。非官方报道称，这次事故发生在埃尔芒省一个军事基地内。

The German car maker²⁴ BMW is recalling 1.3 million cars worldwide due to a battery fault that could result in electrical problems or even a fire. From Berlin, Stephen Evans reports.

由于电池故障，可能导致电路问题甚至起火，德国汽车制造商宝马公司在全球召回130万辆汽车。Stephen Evans在柏林报道。

The luxury car maker said it was recalling all its middle of the range Series 5 and Series 6 models built from 2003 until 2010. The problem is a cover on a cable, which may have been badly fitted so leading to the electrical system not working properly and perhaps even to a fire. But BMW emphasised that it knows of no cases where there have been car crashes or people injuring themselves.

这家豪华汽车制造商称，正在召回2003到2010年生产的5系列和6系列轿车。问题是一个电缆遮盖物可能可能被错误安装，这一缺陷可能导致电气系统故障，造成车辆无法启动，在极端情况下可能导致起火。但宝马强调说，尚未收到汽车碰撞事故或人员伤害报告。

The BBC has learnt that the British government is in talks to sell a majority state-owned bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland, to Abu Dhabi. It could sell up to a third of its 80% stake in RBS. A BBC correspondent says if the sale goes ahead , it's likely to make a loss . The government invested more than $72bn of taxpayers²⁵' money four years ago to stop it collapsing²⁶.

BBC了解到，英国政府正在商谈将主要由国家所有的苏格兰皇家银行出售给阿布扎比，将售出政府在皇家银行80%股份的第三部分。BBC记者称，如果交易成功，政府可能要赔本。4年前，政府为使这家银行免于破产，拿出纳税人720多亿美元的资金来投资。

1 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

2 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

3 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

4 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 atheist   

n.无神论者

参考例句：

• She was an atheist but now she says she's seen the light.她本来是个无神论者，可是现在她说自己的信仰改变了。
• He is admittedly an atheist.他被公认是位无神论者。

7 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

9 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

10 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。

11 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

12 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

13 procured   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• These cars are to be procured through open tender. 这些汽车要用公开招标的办法购买。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• A friend procured a position in the bank for my big brother. 一位朋友为我哥哥谋得了一个银行的职位。 来自《用法词典》

14 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

15 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

16 magistrates   

地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭
• He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。

17 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

18 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

19 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

20 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

21 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

22 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

23 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

24 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

25 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

26 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。