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Hello and Welcome to News and Reports on China Radio International.
In This Edition
President Dmitry Medvedev says chances are high for Russian to join the WTO before the end of this year following the Russia-EU summit.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a landmark4 Victims' Law that will compensate5 for citizens' property losses due to domestic conflict.
16 movies including three Chinese productions compete for the Golden Goblet6 award in this year's Shanghai International Film Festival.
Hot Issue Reports
Russia-EU Summit Wrapped up
Russian and European Union leaders discussed the recent dispute over Russia's ban on EU vegetables, its accession to the World Trade Organization and a long-awaited visa-free regime during the 27th Russia-EU summit.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told a press conference that Moscow would lift its ban on fresh vegetable imports from the EU after receiving details of the source of the E. coli outbreak.
"I would like to add that we discussed the mechanism7 for renewing the import of European vegetables to the Russian market. We are ready, with guarantees supplied by competent European agencies, to allow such deliveries. The EU should agree on a certificate that will confirm the safety of the imported produce."
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU would send a form for issuing such certificates to Russia within the next few days.
"A system of certification on vegetable safety by the European Commission will be put in place without any delay and details of the certification will be finalized8 as soon as possible between the Federation9 of Russia and the European Commission's services."
Meanwhile, Medvedev said there was a "very high" chance the country might join the WTO before the end of 2011.
"I called upon our partners in the EU to finish the negotiations10 literally11 within a month in order to make it to the procedure of signing the documents on Russia's WTO accession by the end of the year. I would like to say, frankly12, that the chances of this happening are very high and everything depends on how we will listen to each other."
The EU-Russia summits are held twice a year: one in Russia, the other in the EU member state that holds the bloc's rotating presidency13.
Indian Defence Minister Concerned about Safety of Pakistan Nuclear Arsenal
Indian Defense14 Minister A.K. Antony has expressed concern over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal going into the hands of militants.
Antony says India is not so much worried about Pakistan amassing15 nuclear weapons compared to them falling into the hands of militants.
"We are closely monitoring what is happening around us, and we know Pakistan is strengthening their nuclear arsenal. We are not unduly16 worried about it because we are also capable of meeting any threat. Our only worry is that the Pakistani nuclear arsenal is always in danger and under threat of going into the hands of militants."
India has become particularly concerned about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal after militants laid siege to a heavily guarded naval17 air base later last month.
Tension between India and Pakistan has mounted since the US operation to kill Osama bin18 Laden19 more than a month ago.
The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since 1947.
Syrian Refugees Fled to Turkey
Turkey braced20 itself for a growing wave of refugees fleeing violence in Syria as the number entering to its southern border topped 3,000 on Friday.
The Syrian government has said armed gangs killed more than 120 security personnel in Jisr al-Shughour, a town of 50,000 near the Turkish border, earlier this week.
"We are monitoring the developments in Syria on our daily intelligence and in great detail. Both our civilian22 and military sectors23 have prepared for the worst case scenario. Of course, we never want the worst developments to take place."
Metin Corabatir, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner24 for Refugees, said more than 3,000 people had registered with the Turkish government, and the Turkish Red Crescent was preparing a third camp with the capacity to lodge25 thousands more.
"The second camp has started to host thousands of people in that border area. And the Turkish Red Crescent society is now constructing a third one which will have one thousand tents capable to host about five thousand people."
Meanwhile, amateur video uploaded to the Web shows tens of thousands of protesters flooding the streets of Syrian cities, brandishing26 banners in English and Arabic, saying they want to bring down the president.
Afghanistan and Pakistan to Cooperate to Fight against Taliban
During a meeting between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistan counterpart in Islamabad on Friday, Afghanistan called for more cooperation with Pakistan in its fight against the Taliban insurgency27 as their mutual28 ally the United States tries to build on battlefield gains to force a political settlement.
Karzai repeated calls for Pakistan to help end a ten-year Taliban insurgency in a news conference.
"We must all work together, the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and rest of us, to remove terrorism, or any vestiges29 of it still around, for the good of all of us. The struggle is a struggle for all, and the victory will be in the interest of all."
The appeal was echoed by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
"Pakistan is there to support the Afghan government, the Afghan people, and we stand with them. We can not expect to have peace in the region, if we do not have peace in Afghanistan."
Pakistan is seen as an important ally to the United States and other NATO members as they seek to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.
Colombia Signs Landmark Victims' Law
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has signed a landmark Victims' Law that will compensate for citizens' property losses due to domestic conflict.
The legislation, passed in May by Congress, provides reparations to victims of Colombia's armed conflict and returns millions of acres of land to people displaced by the country's more than 40-year three-way war between the government, leftist rebels and paramilitaries.
The law would return as many as 6 million hectares of land taken from 3.6 million Colombian peasants displaced by heavily armed paramilitaries, drug lords and ranchers.
While some fighting and killings30 continue, Colombia has seen the conflict subside31 over the last decade. President Santos pledged the nation would right the wrongs of the past decades.
"Today is a historic day. We all know it. It's a day of national hope in which not just Colombians but the entire world are witnesses of the proposals of a state that, in the name of a society, is willing to pay a moral debt, a debt that has been postponed32 for a long time, a debt to the victims of violence that must end and that we will, we will, end."
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was on hand in Bogota to witness the occasion.
"The United Nations will do all it can to support the government and the victims in their efforts to build lasting33 democracy, peace and reconciliation34. The job has just begun. Colombia can count on us."
Experts say the Victims' Law will face practical challenges such as institutional deficiencies and also a threat of violence against previously35 displaced people who want to return to land stolen from them. They estimate that it may take a decade to return the lands.
India Prosecutor36 Reacts to Verdict of Mumbai Attacks Suspect
India's Special public prosecutor for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has reacted to the verdict of Pakistani-born Chicago businessman Tahawwur Rana, who was allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks.
Ujjwal Nikam says India is considering a demand for Rana's extradition37.
"We can demand for extradition under the mutual legal assistance treaty that was done between the Indian and American governments. But until the time when the American judicial38 proceedings39 are not entirely40 completed, we cannot do much about it."
A U.S. jury has found Rana guilty of providing support to an Islamic militant2 group but not guilty of participating in the group's 2008 assault on Mumbai that killed 166 people.
The jury has also found the 50-year-old guilty of conspiring41 to attack a Danish newspaper, a plot hatched by the militant group but never carried out.
Rana, a former Pakistan Army doctor with Canadian citizenship42, faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the two counts combined.
A sentencing date has not yet been announced.
Yemeni Rally to Protest Saleh's Return
Anti-Saleh demonstrators in Sanaa say they do not want the return of the Yemen president and will keep protesting to make sure he does not come back and resume leadership of the country.
Thousands of demonstrators filled Siteen Street in the heart of Sanaa demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh formally hand over power to his deputy, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the acting43 president.
"If Ali Abdullah Saleh returns to Yemen, we will continue with our protest at the protest camps."
"We totally refuse the return of Ali Abdullah Saleh to Yemen, dead or alive."
Saleh, Yemen's ruler for three decades, has not been seen in public since being flown to Saudi Arabia for surgery following June 3rd's shelling attack on his palace.
But after months of factional violence and pro-democracy protests, he has resisted Western and Arab pressure to step down, and government media dismissed dire44 assessments45 of Saleh's condition, saying that preparations for his return were afoot.
The volatility46 of the country has made Western nations and neighboring oil giant Saudi Arabia fear that it could slip into chaos47 and give al Qaeda a regional foothold.
Greek Government Urges Domestic Support for Midterm Austerity Plan
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has urged political parties to support the government's midterm austerity plan as Greece is poised48 to receive more rescue funds.
"I call again the leadership of all the political parties to cooperate; there are many important convergences, and with national consensus49 we can negotiate preferred solutions together with our partners, concentrating on our duty and not on the result of the next elections."
The midterm austerity plan has been approved by the cabinet. In the coming weeks it will be debated in parliament before coming to a vote by the end of the month.
The plan calls for more taxes, sales of state firms and more social spending cuts.
Opposition50 parties have refused to back the governing socialists51 on the plan. The main opposition party demanded tax reductions instead of increases before it could even think of cooperating.
Meanwhile, Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou pushed forward a move, trying to win cooperation from the opposition.
"In September, the government will submit a comprehensive proposal for a more simplified tax system with fewer and lower value added tax rates from the current rates and a further reduction to what has already been done to corporate53 taxation54. This is a discussion that is just beginning in which we will officially call the other political parties to participate."
Greece has already been implementing55 austerity measures since it received a multi-billion euro bailout from the IMF and EU last year.
EU officials have demanded wider political consensus in Greece on the new austerity plan before they give the debt-ridden country more cash.
Turkey Ruling Party Eyes Victory in Sunday's Elections
Turkey goes to the polls on Sunday, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party fighting against its main opponent, the secular56 Republican People's Party.
The ruling AKP has championed reforms since coming to power in 2002 and presided over a strong economy, but the CHP is trying to reinvent itself, arguing that with growth has come increasing authoritarianism57.
Selim Kayar is a CHP youth leader.
"It is so unfortunate that this dark system will continue in our country and even darker days ahead if the CHP party does not win in the elections, and that will not encourage us in our struggle."
Another election victory by the AKP would mean a third consecutive58 term of five years in power, raising some concern that the government's consolidation59 of power is undermining vows60 to strengthen Turkish democracy.
Turgut Vidinli is a fishmonger in Istanbul.
"The prime minister might not reach 356 seats in parliament which would be good, because that much power causes problems."
Erdogan recently indicated he would like to change Turkey's parliamentary system to a presidential system, raising alarm among critics who fear he seeks the post for himself as a means of staying in power until the 2023 centenary of the Turkish Republic.
Italians Set to Vote in Four Referendums
Italians are set to vote in four referendums this weekend, which the center-left opposition hopes will deliver another blow to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The referendums concern specific issues such as the privatization of water utilities, nuclear energy and whether government ministers can be exempted61 from attending trials against them.
Antonio di Pietro, leader of the Italy of Values Party, calls on Italians to vote in the referendums.
"Water, air and legality—these are not issues just of the right, left or center. Do you want or not want nuclear reactors62 in Italy? Do you want everyone to be able to drink water or only those who can afford to drink, and everyone else needs to go thirsty? Do you want or not want laws that are the same for everyone? If you want all of this, then go and vote on Monday. The referendum is yours."
The referendum on nuclear power is the most emotive of the four issues, particularly after the nuclear crisis at Japan's Fukushima-Daiichi plant in March.
Polls indicate that most Italians are against nuclear plants which they consider unsafe in a country that has had more than its share of major earthquakes.
Analysts64 say the referendums could not have come at a worse time for Berlusconi who is dogged by sex scandals and has just experienced defeats in local elections.
But the real unknown for the weekend vote is whether the opposition can buck65 the trend of failed referendums and bring out the voters.
The last referendum to reach a quorum66 in Italy was in 1995. Six referendums have been declared null and void since then.
Art Movies Compete for Golden Goblet in a 10-billion Market
The red carpet has been unfurled at the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival, drawing film stars from both near and far.
This year's Golden Goblet comes after China's national box office earnings67 hit 10 billion yuan, or some 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, last year.
Some big names walking down the red carpet, such as Oscar-winning American actress Susan Sarandon, are encouraging young Chinese actors and directors to diversify68 their works.
Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson says a seven-member jury panel is trying to convey to filmmakers that telling stories in their own way is encouraged and will eventually be rewarded.
"I think at the end of the day the most successful way is that telling the story in the way that you believe it should be told. I think if you are trying to follow a successful formula, ultimately the formula will fail."
The jury panel headed by Barry Levinson, includes Japanese director Yoichi Sai and Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu. It will choose the winner of the Golden Goblet award from among 16 films produced around the globe, including three Chinese works.
The festival ends on Sunday.
China Daily: Governments Must Prepare to Handle Extreme Weather Conditions
A lethal69 combination of droughts and floods is wreaking70 havoc71 across the world's most populous72 nation as severe weather has flooded areas along the Yangtze River that have just suffered their worst drought in decades. It reflects the reality that extreme weather conditions are becoming more prevalent.
An editorial in "China Daily" argues that apart from addressing complaints about the dams along the upper reaches of the Yangtze or extreme weather itself, governments at all levels should give enough thought to preparations to handle potential weather-related disasters as well as provide adequate support for people affected73 by them so they can rebuild their lives.
The editorial cites statistics that the water conservancy capacity for small and medium-sized water conservation projects in Central China's Hubei Province has dropped by 40 percent during the past several decades. The projects' capacity for draining floodwater and irrigating74 farmland has shrunk by half. Meanwhile, more than half of the province's water pumping facilities are in need of repair or maintenance. What's more, 40 percent of arable75 land in Hubei can hardly resist the impact of droughts or floods.
The editorial further states that provinces seriously affected by drought this year have not been prepared to handle the increased number of natural disasters. Because fighting droughts and floods, sometimes both occurring in swift succession, may turn out to be a permanent job, governments at all levels should learn lessons from what China has experienced this year in that it is necessary for them to be prepared and increase their vigilance.
The editorial believes that investment in water conservation and irrigation projects will effectively reduce the amount of money local governments must pay for disaster relief in the future.
点击收听单词发音
1 arsenal | |
n.兵工厂,军械库 | |
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2 militant | |
adj.激进的,好斗的;n.激进分子,斗士 | |
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3 militants | |
激进分子,好斗分子( militant的名词复数 ) | |
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4 landmark | |
n.陆标,划时代的事,地界标 | |
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5 compensate | |
vt.补偿,赔偿;酬报 vi.弥补;补偿;抵消 | |
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6 goblet | |
n.高脚酒杯 | |
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7 mechanism | |
n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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8 finalized | |
vt.完成(finalize的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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9 federation | |
n.同盟,联邦,联合,联盟,联合会 | |
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10 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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11 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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12 frankly | |
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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13 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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14 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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15 amassing | |
v.积累,积聚( amass的现在分词 ) | |
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16 unduly | |
adv.过度地,不适当地 | |
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17 naval | |
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的 | |
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18 bin | |
n.箱柜;vt.放入箱内;[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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19 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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20 braced | |
adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 );撑牢;使自己站稳;振作起来 | |
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21 scenario | |
n.剧本,脚本;概要 | |
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22 civilian | |
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的 | |
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23 sectors | |
n.部门( sector的名词复数 );领域;防御地区;扇形 | |
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24 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
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25 lodge | |
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 | |
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26 brandishing | |
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 );炫耀 | |
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27 insurgency | |
n.起义;暴动;叛变 | |
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28 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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29 vestiges | |
残余部分( vestige的名词复数 ); 遗迹; 痕迹; 毫不 | |
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30 killings | |
谋杀( killing的名词复数 ); 突然发大财,暴发 | |
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31 subside | |
vi.平静,平息;下沉,塌陷,沉降 | |
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32 postponed | |
vt.& vi.延期,缓办,(使)延迟vt.把…放在次要地位;[语]把…放在后面(或句尾)vi.(疟疾等)延缓发作(或复发) | |
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33 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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34 reconciliation | |
n.和解,和谐,一致 | |
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35 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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36 prosecutor | |
n.起诉人;检察官,公诉人 | |
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37 extradition | |
n.引渡(逃犯) | |
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38 judicial | |
adj.司法的,法庭的,审判的,明断的,公正的 | |
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39 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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40 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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41 conspiring | |
密谋( conspire的现在分词 ); 搞阴谋; (事件等)巧合; 共同导致 | |
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42 citizenship | |
n.市民权,公民权,国民的义务(身份) | |
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43 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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44 dire | |
adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的 | |
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45 assessments | |
n.评估( assessment的名词复数 );评价;(应偿付金额的)估定;(为征税对财产所作的)估价 | |
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46 volatility | |
n.挥发性,挥发度,轻快,(性格)反复无常 | |
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47 chaos | |
n.混乱,无秩序 | |
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48 poised | |
a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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49 consensus | |
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识 | |
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50 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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51 socialists | |
社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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52 dissent | |
n./v.不同意,持异议 | |
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53 corporate | |
adj.共同的,全体的;公司的,企业的 | |
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54 taxation | |
n.征税,税收,税金 | |
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55 implementing | |
v.实现( implement的现在分词 );执行;贯彻;使生效 | |
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56 secular | |
n.牧师,凡人;adj.世俗的,现世的,不朽的 | |
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57 authoritarianism | |
权力主义,独裁主义 | |
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58 consecutive | |
adj.连续的,联贯的,始终一贯的 | |
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59 consolidation | |
n.合并,巩固 | |
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60 vows | |
誓言( vow的名词复数 ); 郑重宣布,许愿 | |
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61 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 reactors | |
起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 ); 反应装置; 原子炉; 核反应堆 | |
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63 proponent | |
n.建议者;支持者;adj.建议的 | |
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64 analysts | |
分析家,化验员( analyst的名词复数 ) | |
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65 buck | |
n.雄鹿,雄兔;v.马离地跳跃 | |
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66 quorum | |
n.法定人数 | |
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67 earnings | |
n.工资收人;利润,利益,所得 | |
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68 diversify | |
v.(使)不同,(使)变得多样化 | |
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69 lethal | |
adj.致死的;毁灭性的 | |
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70 wreaking | |
诉诸(武力),施行(暴力),发(脾气)( wreak的现在分词 ) | |
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71 havoc | |
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
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72 populous | |
adj.人口稠密的,人口众多的 | |
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73 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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74 irrigating | |
灌溉( irrigate的现在分词 ); 冲洗(伤口) | |
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75 arable | |
adj.可耕的,适合种植的 | |
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