英语听力精选进阶版 13997

Deal agreed on Australian mining tax

Summary

2 July 2010

The Australian government has reached a deal over a controversial mining tax.

The original proposal of a 40% tax has been reduced to 30% for coal and iron ore mining companies.

Reporter:

Nick Bryant

Report

The deal over the controversial new mining tax brings to an end one of the most angry battles between the government and corporate¹ sector² that Australia has seen. One that played out on prime time television with confrontational³ advertisements from both sides, and one which played a key part in the demise⁴ of the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who'd initially⁵ proposed it.

He wanted to see the resources giants pay a super-tax on their super profits, 40% was the figure he'd had in mind. But the controversial tax badly dented⁶ his government's popularity in resource-rich states like Queensland and Western Australia, and thus undermined his authority.

Kevin Rudd's successor, Julia Gillard, said that resolving the dispute was her number one priority, and she's watered down the government's proposals, dropping the headline tax rate from 40 to 30%, and applying it only to iron ore and coal.

This will lose the government revenue, but the decision has been taken on political rather than economic grounds. Julia Gillard has essentially⁷ tried to neutralize⁸ the mining tax as an election issue, in a country often called the quarry⁹ of the world, where many Australians believe their own personal prosperity is linked with the fortunes of the mining giants.

Nick Bryant, BBC News, Australia

1 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

4 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

5 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

6 dented   

v.使产生凹痕( dent的过去式和过去分词 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等）

参考例句：

• The back of the car was badly dented in the collision. 汽车尾部被撞后严重凹陷。
• I'm afraid I've dented the car. 恐怕我把车子撞瘪了一些。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

8 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

9 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。