英语听力精选进阶版 8089

President Obama has announced further sanctions against Russia over its annexation¹ ofCrimea. The sanctions target several individuals closely associated with President Putin, alongwith a Rossiya bank which is controlled by the Russian president's allies. Mr. Obama saidRussian threats to southern and eastern Ukraine posed a serious risk of escalating² the crisis,and that he was contemplating³ penalties against key sectors⁴ of the Russian economy. But hesaid that was not his preferred course of action.

“Diplomacy between the Untied⁵ States and Russia continues. We've emphasized that Russia stillhas a different path available. One that de-escalates the situation, and one that involvesRussia pursuing a diplomatic solution with the government in Kiev, with the support of theinternational community.”

Russia has announced that it's imposing⁶ its own sanctions against several senior USmembers of Congress and White House officials. Reports from Ukraine say pro-Russian armedmen have seized at least one Ukrainian warship⁷ anchored in the Crimean port of Sevastopol.The Ukrainian Defense⁸ Ministry⁹ spokesman said at least 15 men were involved in the assaultduring which they set off grenades on board a ship named as the Ternopil. Other reports saythe armed men have taken control of two other Ukrainian warships¹⁰ moored¹¹ in the port.

For the first time, in three years of fighting in Syria, United Nations aid convoy¹² has been allowedto cross the border from Turkey. The first of 80 trucks set off for the town of Qamishli innortheastern Syria. From Beirut here's Paul Wood.

“This is certainly a victory for the UN. But this one convoy was only made possible after longand torturous¹³ negotiations¹⁴. The convoy carrying food, medicines, blankets and mattresses¹⁵ wasmade possible only by a UN Security Council resolution passed three weeks ago, demandingaccess for aid. It is far from clear then, if the passage of this one convoy means relief will flowto the 40% of the Syrian population, the UN says, is in desperate need of assistance.”

The Afghan security forces have restored control at a luxury hotel in the capital Kabul afterkilling four armed men who attacked it. The Taliban say they carried out the attack. Our worldaffairs correspondent David Loyn reports from Kabul.

“Shots rolled across Kabul soon after night fallen what is New Year's Eve across this region. Thegunfire, a massive response by counter-terrorism forces to what turned out to be fourteenagers with pistols hidden in their socks. The four youths had gotten through security at amajor hotel, claiming to be dinners at a special buffet¹⁶ put on for the New Year. They werequickly shot dead when they emerged to carry out their attack after three hours hiding in atoilet. They succeeded only in injuring two people.”

World News from the BBC

A Norwegian merchant ship is searching part of the southern Indian Ocean through the nightfor possible debris¹⁷ from a missing Malaysian airliner¹⁸. The latest operation began after Australiareleased satellite images of two objects in the sea that could possibly be wreckage¹⁹. From Perthin western Australia, here's Phil Mercer.

“After many false leads, Australian authorities say that debris spotted²⁰ southwest of Perth is themost tangible²¹ breakthrough so far in efforts to solve the mystery of flight MH370. Badweather has hampered²² rescue aircraft from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.Britain is sending a Royal Navy coastal²³ survey ship HMS Echo to join the search. While aNorwegian freighter is already scouring²⁴ the seas for what could be vital clues in the hunt for themissing jet.”

President Jose Mujica of Uruguay said his country would take five prisoners from theGuantanamo Bay detention²⁵ center in Cuba. Transfers out of Guantanamo to third countrieshave increased in recent months as President Obama tried to fulfill²⁶ a promise to close the camp.

Police in the US state of Texas are questioning five people on suspicion of running a humansmuggling operation following the discovery of more than 100 people locked inside a house. Thebuilding outside the city of Huston was raided on Wednesday. The authorities say they foundsuspected illegal immigrants as young as five held in squalid conditions. They say suspectedsmugglers have locked them inside pending²⁷ payment and stripped of their clothes and shoesto hinder their escape.

The former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has rejected media allegations that he receivedconfidential information from a senior prosecutor²⁸ about criminal cases against him. Mr.Sarkozy was giving his first public reaction to reports that prosecutors²⁹ had tapped his phonecalls while investigating allegations that he received illegal donations from Libya for hispresidential election campaign, something he denies.

1 annexation   

n.吞并，合并

参考例句：

• He mentioned the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 .他提及1910年日本对朝鲜的吞并。
• I regard the question of annexation as belonging exclusively to the United States and Texas.我认为合并的问题，完全属于德克萨斯和美国之间的事。

2 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

3 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

4 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 untied   

松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决

参考例句：

• Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。
• He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

6 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

7 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。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 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。

10 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。

11 moored   

adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London. 该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
• We shipped (the) oars and moored alongside the bank. 我们收起桨，把船泊在岸边。

12 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

13 torturous   

adj. 痛苦的

参考例句：

• His breathing was torturous.他的呼吸充满痛苦。
• This is a torturous agonizing way to kill someone.这是一种让人受尽折磨、痛苦难忍的杀人方法。

14 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。

15 mattresses   

褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The straw mattresses are airing there. 草垫子正在那里晾着。
• The researchers tested more than 20 mattresses of various materials. 研究人员试验了二十多个不同材料的床垫。

16 buffet   

n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台

参考例句：

• Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐？
• Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗？

17 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

18 airliner   

n.客机，班机

参考例句：

• The pilot landed the airliner safely.驾驶员使客机安全着陆。
• The passengers were shepherded across the tarmac to the airliner.旅客们被引导走过跑道去上飞机。

19 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

20 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

21 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

22 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

23 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

24 scouring   

擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤

参考例句：

• The police are scouring the countryside for the escaped prisoners. 警察正在搜索整个乡村以捉拿逃犯。
• This is called the scouring train in wool processing. 这被称为羊毛加工中的洗涤系列。

25 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

26 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

27 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

28 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

29 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。