英语听力精选进阶版 8212

The American Defense¹ Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered an aircraft carrier to move into the Gulf². A Pentagon official said this was to provide President Obama with flexibility³ should military options be required to protect American lives and interests in Iraq. Rajini Vaidyanathan reports.

The USS George H. W. Bush, an aircraft carrier with dozens of fighter jets on board has been operating in the Middle East since February, but it's now moving from the north of Arabian Sea into the Gulf. It's due to arrive on Saturday evening along with a guided missile cruiser and a missile destroyer. On Friday, the President said he was consulting with his national security team on what course of action to take in the light of the escalating⁴ violence in Iraq. He's ruled out sending ground troops in, but is said to be considering a range of military options which could include air or drone strikes.

NATO has released satellite images backing up existing video material which strongly support allegations that three Russian tanks crossed into eastern Ukraine this week, allegations that Moscow has strenuously⁵ denied. A range of images show the T-64 tanks first at a Russian military staging area near Rostov-on-Don and then apparently⁶ inside Ukraine. The American Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that he was concerned about the shooting-down of a Ukrainian transport plane by pro-Russian separatists. Forty-nine Ukrainian military personnel onboard the plane were killed. For his part, Mr. Lavrov urged the United States to use its influence to persuade Kiev to end its military operation in eastern Ukraine.

At least 10 migrants have drowned off the Libyan coast while attempting to cross the Italian island of Lampedusa. The Italian navy rescued 39 people. Here's Alan Johnston.

Among the many vessels⁷ that set out on the crossing from Libya to Italy, there are often large inflatable crafts; they ride low in the water, and they're always hopelessly overcrowded. Attempting the long sea passage in these boats is extremely dangerous. The Italian navy says that one of them sank about 40 nautical⁸ miles off the Libyan coast. Both navy and coast guard vessels were directed to the area and they've been hauling survivors⁹ and dead bodies from the sea. The search is continuing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that there is no doubt that what he termed as a terror group was responsible for the abduction of three Israeli teenagers on Thursday. An intense search operation for the three students is taking place in the occupied West Bank. Mr. Netanyahu said security forces would ensure they will not be moved to Hamas-controlled Gaza or elsewhere.

BBC News.

Officials in Afghanistan say that nearly 50 people have been killed in a number of militant¹⁰ attacks during the runoff election for a new president. Afghans are choosing between a former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani who was finance minister. Mr. Ghani said he was looking forward to the result.

As people will take whatever results seriously, we'll await the process of countings and arriving, if decisions based on solid evidence can be hoped that, that evidence would be forthcoming soon and would be judged credible¹¹.

There's been a major upset on the third day of the Football World Cup in Brazil with unfancied outsiders Costa Rica coming from behind to beat Uruguay 3:1. The BBC's Alistair Bruiseball was watching the last score.

Now here's a rein¹² and he's going to score! He has come on and scored the third turn for Costa Rica, who'll win this soccer-winning game against Uruguay, with three second-half goals!

Former Football World Champions Italy and England will meet shortly in the Brazilian city of Manaus. Weller Davis reports.

It's been a very scorching¹³ old day here today, well over 30 degrees. In fact, we've heard that FIFA will be looking just before kick-off at the possibility of having three-minute breaks in the first and second half if they deem it to be too hot, allowing players to take on water. That probably won't happen because the temperature will drop here, kick-off after dark. But it is hot and humid up here in the rain forest. It's been a party atmosphere though; several thousand England fans and far fewer Italian fans. They've all started to move up towards the stadium now. This of course is one of the most hotly anticipated games of the first round in the World Cup - England against Italy. Although I think these really hot and stiffening¹⁴ conditions may slow the pace of the game down a bit. Weller Davis reporting.

1 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。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

4 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

5 strenuously   

adv.奋发地，费力地

参考例句：

• The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the workforce. 公司竭力为其裁员的决定辩护。
• She denied the accusation with some warmth, ie strenuously, forcefully. 她有些激动，竭力否认这一指责。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 nautical   

adj.海上的，航海的，船员的

参考例句：

• A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
• It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。

9 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

10 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。

11 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

12 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

13 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

14 stiffening   

n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Her mouth stiffening, she could not elaborate. 她嘴巴僵直，无法细说下去。
• No genius, not a bad guy, but the attacks are hurting and stiffening him. 不是天才，人也不坏，但是四面八方的攻击伤了他的感情，使他横下了心。