英语听力精选进阶版 9654

Hi there, I'm Ricky from the BBC World News for Schools. It's Friday the 8th of July. 

Coming up 

The scandal¹ that's forced a top British paper to close. 

The final count down for NASA space shuttles. 

And Potter stars hit the red carpet! 

First, a huge scandal has forced Britain's most popular Sunday paper to be axed²! The News of the World built its reputation on getting big scoops³, dishing the dirt on celebs and exposing politicians - but that all changed when individuals who worked for the paper were accused of hacking⁴ into the phones of victims of crime. It was decided⁵ that there was no going back - the paper had to go. The police are now taking action against those involved. 

Next... 

CLIP⁶: "Six, five, four..." 

More than half a million people are expected to gather at Cape⁷ Canaveral in Florida for the last space shuttle launch⁸ today... 

CLIP: "There's going to be a lot of people here, a lot of cameras going off, a lot of pictures and everything, so you know it's a great opportunity to come to the beach and have some fun." "it just feels like there's a closure that we will never get back. So there is a sense of sadness there." 

Atlantis is making the final flight in America's shuttle program, which started 30 years ago. But right now it's the weather everyone's watching as storm clouds are threatening to delay the launch. Fingers crossed they'll get off ok! 

News now on the British Grand Prix and Red Bull's Mark Webber was fastest in the first practice session⁹ this morning. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was 8th quickest. Fellow driver, Felipe Massa had commented that Hamilton needs to calm down a bit if he wants to perform better, but Hamilton says nothing will get in the way of his aggressive driving style... 

CLIP: "I'll take my driving style to my death bed for sure. You have to turn it into a positive, so you just laugh at it and laugh it off. People will have opinions and that's life." 

Next up, Harry¹⁰ Potter stars hit a soggy red carpet in London last night to say farewell to their final, ever, Potter premiere. Fans from all over the world had been camping out since last week to catch a glimpse¹¹ of the stars, and Daniel, Rupert and a tearful Emma Watson didn't disappoint. They spent ages on the red carpet - which was half a mile long. Here's what the stars had to say... 

CLIP: "It feels right, it feels, you know, like we're doing justice to what is not just a fantastic film but a fantastic series." "It kind of feels like my childhood. So, it feels like the end of something more than just the end of a film." "It's been such a long time, such a huge part of my life. It's hard to kind of, It's hard for me to remember life before this. For it to come down to this two hour and ten minute film..I don't know, it's very strange." 

Just before we go we have the answer to yesterday's question. We asked you who won the women's singles at this year's Wimbledon? And the answer is.... the Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova 

OK, that's all from the World News for Schools team. We're back on Monday. Until then have a great weekend!

1 scandal   

n.丑事，丑闻，流言蜚语，反感，愤慨

参考例句：

• Scandal and gossip are meat and drink to him.各种丑闻和流言蜚语是他最感兴趣的事。
• His theft from the shop caused scandal in the village.他因偷商店的东西引起全村的公愤。

2 axed   

v.（用斧）砍( axe的过去式和过去分词 )；精简（机构等）；大量削减（经费等）

参考例句：

• School grants are to be axed next year. 学校补助金明年将大大削减。 来自辞典例句
• After several months the project was axed by the government. 数月后政府中止了该项工程。 来自辞典例句

3 scoops   

n.小铲( scoop的名词复数 )；小勺；一勺[铲]之量；（抢先刊载、播出的）独家新闻v.抢先报道( scoop的第三人称单数 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等）

参考例句：

• two scoops of mashed potato 两勺土豆泥
• I used three scoops of flour and one(scoop)of sugar. 我用了三杓面粉和一杓糖。 来自辞典例句

4 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

5 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。

6 clip   

n.夹子，别针，弹夹，片断；vt.夹住，修剪

参考例句：

• May I clip out the report on my performance?我能把报道我的文章剪下来吗？
• She fastened the papers together with a paper clip.她用曲别针把文件别在一起。

7 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

8 launch   

vt.发动，推出；发射；n.发射，下水，投产

参考例句：

• The makers are about to launch out a new product.制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。
• Would it be wise to launch into this rough sea?在这样汹涌的大海中游泳明智吗？

9 session   

n.会议，开庭期，市盘，学期；adj.短期的

参考例句：

• This matter will go over until the next session.这件事将留待下次会议讨论。
• Congress is now in session.国会现在正在开会。

10 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

11 glimpse   

vt.瞥见；n.一瞥，一看

参考例句：

• One glimpse at himself in the mirror was enough.让他照着镜子看自己一眼就够了。
• She catches a glimpse of a car in the distance.她一眼就瞥见了远处的汽车。