英语听力精选进阶版 13841

BBC Learning English 

Words in the News   

18 April 2012 

Motorcycle diaries 

Transcript: 

The roar of vintage motorcycles in Cuba… 

The town of Varadero has hosted the country's first ever Harley-Davidson 

convention.  

The American brand was favoured by the authorities befor e the 1959 Revolution. 

Almost all of the country's remaining  models date from that time.   

But because of the US trade embargo¹, Cuban bikers have had  to pull out all the 

stops  to keep their machines running.   

Vocabulary: 

vintage  

made in a particular period in the past 

convention 

organised meeting of people with the same interests 

favoured 

preferred 

remaining  

left, still in existence 

to pull out all the stops 

to make every effort 

Exercise: 

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from 

BBC news reports.   

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence 

correctly. 

vintage / convention / favoured / re maining / to pull out all the stops 

1. The UK government has said the majority of responses to its consultation² on 

Scottish independence ___________ a referendum sooner rather than later. 

2.   A _________ car involved in the Le Mans disaster of 1955 has sold for a 

world record ￡843,000 in Weybridge. The Austin-Healey 100 special test car 

competed in the race in which 83 spectators were killed and many more injured. 

3.   Mr Romney's campaign is _________ _____ in the mid-western state of 

Illinois after he lost the Mississippi and Alabama primaries to Mr Santorum last 

week. A candidate needs to accumulate 1,144 delegates to the Republican 

National Convention in August in order to secure the nomination³. 

4.   The workers were abducted⁴ on Monday morning in the Apurimac and Ene 

valleys, the last ___________ stronghold of the Shining Path rebels. 

5.   International Beatles Week will run in the city from 22-28 August and will 

feature the world's biggest Beatles ________________. 

Answers: 

1. The UK government has said the majority of responses to its consultation on 

Scottish independence  favoured a referendum sooner rather than later.  

Source:  Scottish independence: UK consultation backs early vote 

2.   A vintage car involved in the Le Mans disa ster of 1955 has sold for a world 

record ￡843,000 in Weybridge. The Austin-Healey 100 special test car competed 

in the race in which 83 spectators were killed and many more injured.    

Source:  Le Mans car fetches record ￡843,000 at Weybridge auction 

3.   Mr Romney's campaign is pulling out all the stops in the mid-western 

state of Illinois after he lost the Mississippi and Alabama primaries to Mr 

Santorum last week. A candidate needs to accumulate 1,144 delegates to the 

Republican National Convention in August in order to secure the nomination. 

Source:  Romney eyes Illinois primary after Puerto Rico win                   

4. The workers were abducted on Monday morning in the Apurimac and Ene 

valleys, the last remaining  stronghold of the Shining Path rebels. 

Source:  Peru troops free Shining Path hostages 

5. International Beatles Week will run in the city from 22-28 August and will 

feature the world's biggest Beatles  convention. 

Source:  Liverpool's Beatle anniversary plans 

1 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

2 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。