英语听力精选进阶版 9587

Hi there, I'm Leah from the BBC World News for Schools. It's Thursday the 24th of March. 

Our School Reports correspondents report on what children think of changes in the Middle East. 

And how do you find out if a giant poisonous fish is pregnant? 

But first -- Japanese mums in Tokyo have been told they CAN give their babies tap water after all despite radiation from damaged nuclear reactors¹. Supermarkets ran out of bottled water yesterday when experts said the amount of radiation was too dangerous. But though they now say the water's safe -- some people don't know whether they can trust official advice: 

CLIP: Up to now all the government's announcement they say everything is ok. Now they turn back and they say: Oops it's not ok -- so it's really hard for us to trust what's real and what's not, what's safe and what's not. When they make announcement it's not ok for kid under age one you start questioning what about two, what about three. 

Meanwhile it's been revealed that three of the workers battling to keep the damaged nuclear plant safe, are in hospital because of radiation. And some countries, including Russia and Singapore, have banned food from the radiation area. 

Now, the conflict in Libya -- where more explosions and anti-aircraft gunfire were heard in the capital Tripoli during a FIFTH night of air-strikes by international forces. The planes are trying to stop Colonel Gaddafi attacking his own people. The trouble started with big anti-government demonstrations² -- and in other countries the protests have got rid of their leaders. One of them is Egypt -- and as part of School Reports' special news week we've had a team of young correspondents investigating how life is different there for kids now. Ten year olds Ahmed and Mohammed live together as part of a street gang in Tahrir Square in Cairo, where the uprising began. Life is very tough, says Ahmad: 

CLIP: "After Mubarak left, things were getting worse. Thugs are everywhere in the streets; everything's getting robbed. The prices are getting higher. I want Hosni to come back because Hosni used to control it at least. And I want this control back again." 

But Ahmad's friend, Mohamed disagrees: 

CLIP: "No, they wanted Hosni to leave because he's the one who made the prices higher. And he did lots of other things as well that made the people unhappy. That's why people wanted him to leave. If somebody else like Mubarak comes to power now, we've got to make him go, too." 

In the cricket World Cup: India are playing their crucial quarter final against Australia in Ahmedabad -- if they win they play Pakistan in the semis. And Britain's lost it's spin bowler³ Michael Yardy -- he's returning home sick and WON'T be joining the team in the last quarter final against Sri Lanka on Saturday. 

And finally -- keepers at a marine⁴ wildlife part in England have had to work out how to find out if a giant poisonous stingray fish is expecting babies! Vets⁵ had to wear chain mail gloves and borrow an expensive ultrasound machine to try to check if Bonnie the mangrove⁶ whipray is pregnant. Bonnie's been putting on weight and the zoo vets have to check very VERY carefully -- to try not to be stung by its long stinging tail. 

And for today's question we want to know ..How many species of stingray are there altogther? Yesterday we asked -- which is colder, the North Pole or the South Pole? And the answer is - the South Pole because it's higher above sea level. 

OK, that's all from the World News for Schools team. We're back at five.

1 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 bowler   

n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手

参考例句：

• The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。
• The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。

4 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

6 mangrove   

n.(植物)红树，红树林

参考例句：

• It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
• Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。