英语听力精选进阶版 7386（在线收听）

In the last few minutes, the American State Department has issued a statement, distancing itself from comments made by its special envoy to Egypt about President Hosni Mubarak. The envoy, Frank Wisner, told an international security conference in Germany that Mr Mubarak was needed to oversee a transition to democracy.

过去几分钟，美国国务院发表了一份声明，与驻埃及特使关于穆巴拉克总统的言论划清界限。特使弗兰克·维斯奈(Frank Wisner)在德国国际安全会议上声称，埃及需要穆巴拉克来监督向民主制度的转变。

"The president must stay in office in order to steer those changes through. I therefore believe that President Mubarak's continued leadership is critical. It's his opportunity to write his own legacy. He's given 60 years of his life to the service of his country. This is an ideal moment for him to show the way forward."

“为了引导民主制度的实施，穆巴拉克总统必须继续执政。因此，我相信，穆巴拉克总统的领导是非常关键的。他可以利用这次机会来发展自己的事业。他已经为他的祖国奉献了60年。这是他领导埃及向前发展的理想时刻。”

But the State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said Mr Wisner's views were his own and had not been coordinated with the US government. Earlier, the top leaders of Egypt's governing National Democratic Party resigned, an apparent response to the ongoing anti-government protests. Among those who've stepped down is the president's son. The news comes as crowds of demonstrators have spent their 12th day in central Cairo demanding Mr Mubarak's immediate removal from power. Jon Leyne reports.

但是国务院发言人菲利普·克劳利(PJ Crowley)表示，维斯奈的讲话仅代表他个人的观点，而与美国政府的立场并不一致。此前，埃及执政党国家民主党(National Democratic Party)辞职，这显然是对持续的反政府抗议活动作出的回应。辞职的人包括总统的儿子。示威者在开罗中心进行了第十二天的抗议活动，要求穆巴拉克立即退位的时候传出了该消息。Jon Leyne报道。

Faced with continuing pressure from the demonstrators, President Mubarak met with his new cabinet for the first time. Shortly afterwards, a series of major changes in the ruling party, the NDP, were announced. They included the departure of the president's son Gamal from his key role in the party, for years, a power base somewhat was thought to be his attempt to succeed his father as president. Along with Gamal Mubarak, the entire leadership of the party resigned, though some were re-appointed. A leading liberal in the party becomes general secretary. The aim appears to be to put a softer face on the Egyptian government.

面对来自示威者的持续压力，穆巴拉克总统首次与新内阁召开会议。随后不久即宣布了执政党国家民主党的一系列重大变化。包括总统的儿子加玛尔被免除已经担任了几年的党内关键职务。他的权力被视为试图继承父亲担任埃及总统的征兆。此外，整个党派辞去了领导职位，尽管其中一些人被再次任命。国家民主党一名为首的自由派人士成为秘书长，目的是为埃及政府注入更加温和的面孔。

Police in Tunisia have shot dead two people who were among a crowd which attacked a police station in the northern town of Kef. The interior ministry said they'd been demonstrating against a local police commander, accusing him of an abuse of power. In another development, the nationwide night-time curfew imposed during anti-government protests last month has been shortened by two hours.

突尼斯民众袭击了北部科夫市一个警察局，警方击毙了两人。内政部长表示，民众示威是为了反对当地一名警察局长，指控他滥用职权。在另外一起事件中，上月反政府抗议活动期间施行的夜间宵禁缩短了两个小时。

A nuclear arms reduction treaty that's been a cornerstone of President Obama's attempts to rebuild US relations with Russia has come into effect. The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov exchanged papers ratifying the Start treaty during the international security conference in the German city of Munich. Sam Wilson reports.

新的核武器削减条约正式生效，该条约是奥巴马总统试图重建美国与俄罗斯之间关系的努力的基石。在德国慕尼黑的国际安全会议上，美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿和俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫交换了文件，对核武器削减条约进行确认。Sam Wilson报道。

Hillary Clinton and Sergei Lavrov grinned broadly as they exchanged the ratification documents signed by the presidents of Russia and the United States. The agreement limits the number of strategic warheads each side can possess to just over 1,500, down from 2,200. It also updates a verification mechanism, but its greatest significance may be in cementing the improvement in relations between the United States and Russia.

希拉里·克林顿与拉夫罗夫交换由美俄总统签署的确认文件时脸上洋溢着微笑。该条约将双方所持有的核武器数量从2,200降低到1,500。同时，该条约还更新了查证制度，但是其最大的意义应该是修补了美国和俄罗斯之间的关系。

World News from the BBC

Three Pakistani cricketers at the centre of a corruption scandal have been banned from playing by the International Cricket Council. The former Pakistani captain Salman Butt was banned for 10 years with five years suspended. The bowler Mohammad Asif was banned for seven years with two suspended while Mohammad Amir was banned for five years. On Friday, British prosecutors said the three would face criminal charges over allegations they conspired to fix elements of a match against England last August. All three have protested their innocence.

卷入腐败丑闻的三名巴基斯坦板球队员被禁止参加国际板球理事会的比赛。前巴基斯坦队长Salman Butt被禁赛十年的时间，缓期五年执行。投球手Mohammad Asif被禁赛七年的时间，缓期两年执行。Mohammad Amir被禁赛五年的时间。周五，英国检控官表示，这三人在去年八月份对抗英格兰的比赛中试图操纵比赛，将面临刑事指控。三人均表示自己是无辜的。

Anti-government protesters in Serbia have held their biggest rally in years. Tens of thousands gathered in front of the Serbian parliament in the capital Belgrade, demanding higher wages and early elections. The organisers, the nationalist opposition Serbian Progressive Party, have said they'll step up protests if elections are not called within two months.

塞尔维亚反政府抗议者发动了几年来最大规模的游行。数万人聚集在首都贝尔格莱德议会大楼前，要求提高薪资，提前举行选举。游行的组织者，民族主义者反对派塞尔维亚进步党已经表示，如果两个月之内不进行选举，他们将加大抗议活动力度。

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he will not seek a third term in office when his current term ends in 2014. Mr al-Maliki began his second term in December when he formed a new government after nine months of political stalemate. From Baghdad, Jonathan Head.

伊拉克总理马利基(Nouri al-Maliki)表示，本届任期在2014年结束之后，他不会再寻求第三任期。经过九个月的政治僵局之后，12月份，马利基组建了新的政府，开始了第二任期。Jonathan Head在巴格达报道。

The new government here is not immune to the revolutionary winds blowing from Egypt. The Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki offered to halve his salary just weeks into his second term. He's been accused of trying to grab more power and of tolerating routine abuses by the security forces. His greatest challenge, though, is making his cabinet of 42 ministers effective enough to meet the needs of a population exhausted by years of political violence.

新政府未能避免从埃及出来的革命之风。总理马利基第二任期开始几周之后提出将自己的薪资减半。他被指控试图掌握更多权利，而且容忍安全力量长期以来的滥用职权。然而，他最大的挑战是使得内阁42名成员有效的工作，满足多年来被政治暴力蹂躏的身心疲惫的民众的要求。

Thousands of supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to step down as president of Ivory Coast, have staged a rally in the main city Abidjan. They are protesting against the leader of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore, who's trying to mediate in the crisis. Mr Gbagbo's opponent Alassane Ouattara is internationally recognised as the winner of November's election.

拒绝让出科特迪瓦总统职位的巴博(Laurent Gbagbo)的数千名支持者在主要城市阿比让举行了游行活动，抗议试图调停这场危机的布基纳法索总统布莱斯·孔波雷(Blaise Compaore)。巴博的对手瓦塔拉被国际社会认可为11月份选举的获胜者。