英语听力精选进阶版 8046

Ukrainian police have begun trying to clear thousands of anti-government protesters from theircamp in central Kiev, several tents have been set in fire as armed officers circle IndependenceSquare. Demonstrators trying to hold their ground are throwing stones and petrol bombs andhave set fire to piles of tyres. At least 13 people have been killed in the day of clashes. OlegRybachuk is a former leader of Ukrain's Orange Revolution.

It's unprecedented¹. I don't think what involved 21st century has seen something of this scaleand violence and violence from heavily armed police. I emphasize again, they are armed withKalashnikovs, there are armoured personnel carriers and there are three water guns. And theyfired the whole Independence Square, and the people are surrounded, people have no place torun away, the underground is paralysed, so there is X the whole city by police not letting peopleeven out so it looks like there are squeezing and squeezing Independece Suqare.

Foreign governments, including the US and Germany have appealed for restraint.Demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych formonths.

A Venezuelan opposition² leader accused of inciting³ violence during recent protests hashanded himself into the authorities. Leopoldo Lopez surrendered as supporters and opponentsof the government held rival rallies in Caracas. Irene Caselli is there.

I beg you to remain cautious and avoid the confrontation⁴.This is what Leopoldo Lopez toldthe crowd of supporters as he walked towards the national guard and handed himself over. Hesaid he could have left the country or gone into the hiding, but he had nothing to hide, I'minnocent, he said. Authorities say Mr. Lepez was responsible for the deaths of three peoplesduring last week's protests. Thousands are still gathered in eastern Caracas wearing red insupport of Mr. Lepez as a rival march takes place on the other side of the city.

The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos has dismissed the head of the armed forces,General Leonardo Barrero following allegations of the massive corruption⁶ in militaryprocurement contracts. Four other generals have also been sacked after the scandal wasexposed by the media. Arturo Wallace has this report from Colombia.

The scandal broke on Sunday when local magazine Semana, published a series of secretrecordings that suggest corrupt⁵ army officers may have been sipheoning off a huge ofamounts of money from military contracts. And in one of the those recordings⁷, GeneralBarrero could be heard telling the main suspect, a lieutenant⁸ colonel who is also beinginvestigated for alleged⁹ human rights abuses to organize like a mob against the publicprosecutors.

World News from the BBC

A judge in Spain has ordered two former executives of a failed bank to stand trial for fraud.The regional savings¹⁰ Bank CAM was bailed¹¹ out with public money in 2011 and then sold to abigger bank for the symbolic¹² sum of one Euro as part of an effort to stabilise Spain's financialsector at the crisis of 2008.

Egypt's Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi has told state television that Islamist militants¹⁴ in theSinai peninsula are becoming a threat to foreign tourists. The authorities say they are takingprecautions to protect the visitors. Orla Guerin is in Cairo.

There is renewed concern about the risk to foreign tourists here since three South Koreanswere killed on Sunday in a suicide attack in Sinai, that was carried out by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis,the most active Islamic militant¹³ group in Egypt. The al-Qaeda inspired militants have focusedon security targets so far. But theory is they may be opening a new front. After Sunday'sbombing, the militant said they would wage war on economic interest.

The governing body of World Football, FIFA has decided¹⁵ the Brazilian city of Curitiba will hostmatches during this year's World Cup despite delays in renovating¹⁶ its stadium. FIFA's SecretaryGeneral Jerome Valcke said he was satisfied with the progress of the work, but warned that ithad to continue at the highest pace. He added the Arena¹⁷ da Baixada will host four games. TheWorld Cup kicks off on the 12th of June.

One of the world's most distinguished¹⁸ authors, Mavis Gallant¹⁹ has died at the age of 91. Shewon international recognition as a short-story writer more than 100 Mavis stories werepublished in the New Yorker magazine. And she also wrote two novels, Green Water, Green Skyand A Fairly Good Time.

1 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

2 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。

3 inciting   

刺激的，煽动的

参考例句：

• What are you up to inciting mutiny and insubordination? 你们干吗在这里煽动骚动的叛乱呀。
• He was charged with inciting people to rebel. 他被控煽动民众起来叛乱。

4 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。

5 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

6 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。

7 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

8 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

9 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

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

11 bailed   

保释，帮助脱离困境( bail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Fortunately the pilot bailed out before the plane crashed. 飞机坠毁之前，驾驶员幸运地跳伞了。
• Some water had been shipped and the cook bailed it out. 船里进了些水，厨师把水舀了出去。

12 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

13 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。

14 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

15 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。

16 renovating   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The increased production was largely attained by renovating old orchards and vineyards. 通过更新老果园和葡萄园，使生产大大增加。
• Renovating that house will cost you a pretty penny. 为了整修那所房子，你得花很多钱。

17 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

18 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

19 gallant   

adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的

参考例句：

• Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
• These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。