英语听力精选进阶版 7689（在线收听）

There's been another onslaught by the Syrian army on the city of Homs with hundreds of shells and mortars fired into populated areas. Paul Wood, a BBC correspondent who's in Homs, says residents are calling it the worst bombardment since the uprising began almost a year ago. He sent us this report.

Mortars and artillery shells fell steadily . Each blast echoed around the narrow streets. People said it was the worst attack this part of Homs had seen since the start of the uprising. But casualties were relatively light as everyone knew to stay off the streets. Syrian state television denied there had been any bombardment . There is no doubt, however, from what we have seen and heard that hundreds of shells and mortar bombs have been fired at this place during the day.

The two main Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have agreed that the Fatah leader President Mahmoud Abbas will head an interim government to organise elections in the West Bank and Gaza. Fatah has controlled the West Bank while Hamas has run Gaza since they fell out in 2007. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that President Abbas would be abandoning the way of peace if he implemented the deal. Israel sees Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

巴勒斯坦两大宗派法塔赫和哈马斯一致同意，由法塔赫领导人总统阿巴斯领导临时政府，并组织西岸和加沙地区的选举。自从两派2007年失和以来，法塔赫控制西岸，哈马斯控制加沙。伊斯兰总理内塔尼亚胡称，如果阿巴斯总统实施该协议，那他就放弃了和平路线。以色列视哈马斯为恐怖组织。

A British court has granted bail to a radical Muslim cleric alleged to have been a leading al-Qaeda figure in Europe. Last month, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Abu Qatada should not be deported to Jordan because of the risk that evidence obtained through torture would be used against him. Here's Rob Broomby.

英国法院准予保释一名穆斯林极端牧师，据悉此人曾是基地组织在欧洲的首领。上月，欧洲人权法院判定，不应将阿布·卡塔达驱逐至约旦，法院担心以拷打获得的证据会对他不利。Rob Broomby报道。

It is the latest episode in a saga of cat and mouse. The Islamist cleric Abu Qatada was first arrested in 2002 and held until 2005 when detentions without charge were overturned. He was monitored and re-arrested within months, pending deportation, but that process has been slow. Now he's to be freed again in a matter of days. The Home Office disagreed with the decision saying that Abu Qatada was a dangerous man who posed a real threat to security and that he should remain in detention.

这可是猫和老鼠故事的最新一集。2002年伊斯兰牧师阿布·卡塔达被捕，直到2005年因没有遭起诉而获释。而几个月后，他再次被监视并逮捕，等待被驱逐，但这个过程很缓慢。如今，几天后他将重获自由。英国内政部不同意该决定，称阿布·卡塔达是个危险人物，他会威胁安全，应继续拘留。

Brazil has awarded contracts worth billions of dollars to upgrade three of its main airports. The concessions were awarded to major Brazilian companies in association with foreign contractors in an auction in Sao Paulo. Here's Paulo Cabral.

巴西以数十亿美元的价格拍卖三大主要机场以实现机场的更新改进，获得特许权的是一些与外国承包商有关联的巴西大公司，这次拍卖在圣保罗进行的。Paulo Cabral报道。

Public sector trade unions protested on the streets of central Sao Paulo against the auction that privatised important airports after decades of state control. In addition to the payments to the government, the new operators have committed to investments in excess of $1bn to revamp and expand the airports in time for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

公共企业商会在圣保罗中心举行抗议反对拍卖，因为这将使国家控制几十年的重要机场私有化。新运行商除了付给政府资金外，还承诺增加10亿美元的投资，用于翻新并扩建机场，迎接2014年世界杯和2016年奥运会。

World News from the BBC

President Obama has signed an executive order tightening sanctions on Iranian assets under US control. The Treasury department said the new sanctions would affect the assets held in the US of all Iranian ministries and state-owned companies and institutions, including the central bank that deals with Iran's vital oil revenues. The US has spearheaded efforts to try to force Iran to stop its nuclear programme.

奥巴马总统签署一项行政命令，要求加强对伊朗在美国的资产的制裁。财政部称，新的制裁措施将影响到伊朗各部和国有公司和机构在美国的资产，其中包括处理伊朗重要的石油收入的央行资产。美国抢在前面，设法强迫伊朗停止核项目。

The Italian government has taken emergency measures to conserve gas supplies as bitterly cold weather grips the country. At least 24 people have died in the harsh conditions, and gas consumption has reached an all-time high. From Rome, Alan Johnston.

意大利政府采取紧急措施储藏天然气，以应对袭击本国的严寒天气。至少24人在寒冷中死亡，天然气消耗量也达到高峰。Alan Johnston在罗马报道。

Like so much of Europe, Italy has been enduring intense cold and heavy snowfall for days now. At the same time, Italy has received less gas imports from Russia than it wanted, so an emergency plan has now been activated. Some power stations will switch from gas to oil fuel, and some industrial customers will have their gas supplies cut. The aim is to protect domestic users from shortages.

跟欧洲大多数国家一样，几天来，意大利也在遭受酷寒和大雪的煎熬。而同时，意大利从俄罗斯进口的天然气，也比希望得到的要少，因此就采取紧急措施。一些发电厂将用石油燃料来代替天然气，一些工业用户的天然气供应也会减少。这一切都是为了保障本国用户的需求。

Pope Benedict has called for a profound renewal at every level of the Catholic Church to help prevent child abuse. He said healing for victims must be of paramount concern. The Pope's comments came in a statement to the first-ever Vatican conference on child abuse attended by Catholic leaders from over 100 countries. Some victim support groups have criticised the conference, calling it a PR stunt.

教皇本尼迪克特呼吁从各层面深化天主教堂，帮助预防虐童事件的发生。他说最应该关注的是治愈受害者，教皇是在梵蒂冈首次虐童会议上发表此番言论的，这次大会有来自100多个国家的天主教领导人参加。一些受害者支持组织批评这次会议，称这不过是公关的噱头。

A gas explosion in the Pakistani city of Lahore has destroyed a three-storey factory, killing at least 10 women and three children. Rescuers fear many more may be trapped in the rubble of the factory which made veterinary medicines. Officials say more than 60 workers were meant to be working in the building. Narrow streets have impeded the use of heavy lifting equipment.

巴基斯坦拉合尔市发生煤气爆炸，毁掉一座三层楼的工厂，至少10名妇女和3名儿童丧生。救援者担心，还有更多人被困在这家制兽药的工厂的瓦砾中。官方称，原本有60多名工人想住这楼里。由于街道狭窄，无法使用举重设备。