英语听力精选进阶版 13969

Miliband's "One Nation"

Summary

4 October 2012

Ed Miliband is the leader of Britain's main opposition¹ party, Labour. He spoke² at the party's annual conference in Manchester, promising³ to unite the nation and lead it through tough economic times.

Reporter:

Rob Watson

Report

Ed Miliband took to the stage, no doubt mindful of a recent opinion poll, suggesting only one in five voters believe he would make a good prime minister. His party hopes this performance will make some voters think again. It was a performance that began with talk of his background as the child of Jewish refugees and a promise to fight the current scepticism towards people in power and, particularly, politicians. 

The party faithful in the audience also cheered his attacks on the coalition⁴ government, which he accused of giving tax cuts to the rich while cutting spending on the poor and failing in its central aim of reducing borrowing. Most importantly, Mr Miliband attempted to set out the kind of Britain he would lead if elected, pointedly⁵ and repeatedly using a phrase first coined by a Conservative Prime Minister in the 19th century, "one nation". 

His party's supporters clearly liked it and the initial reaction from political commentators⁶ has also been favourable⁷, with many describing it as his best performance since becoming leader. But the Conservatives accused Mr Miliband of continuing to stand for more spending and borrowing which had created the mess in the first place. Although the next general election is over two years away, it feels like the campaign has already begun.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 pointedly   

adv.尖地，明显地

参考例句：

• She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠，又刻意地看了看手表。
• The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 favourable   

adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。
• We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。