英语听力精选进阶版 9260（在线收听）

The Syrian government’s assault on the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta has come to a halt for five hours. The five-hour pause was ordered by Russia, the government’s main backer. Their aim is to allow civilians to leave. It’s not clear that food and medicines will be bought into the enclave.

叙利亚政府对东部叛军飞地的袭击已经停止了5个小时。叙利亚政府的主要支持者俄罗斯下令暂停5个小时。他们的目的是允许平民离开。目前还不清楚食品和药品是否会被置入这块飞地。

The BBC has seen evidences that Syrian men, delivery aide are still sexually extorting women. There were warnings about the abuse in 2015. But the report for the UN founder aide was still being exchanged for sex last year.

英国广播公司(BBC)已经看到证据表明，叙利亚男子以援助为要求仍在性勒索妇女。2015年已经有关于虐待的警告。但是，去年联合国创始人助理仍在进行性交易援助。

The former South Korean President Park Geun-hye could face a 30-year prison sentence if the court accepts the prosecutor’s demands. Mrs. Park was removed from office over corruption scandal and has been charged of bribery and abuse of power.

如果法庭接受检察官的要求，前韩国总统朴槿惠可能面临30年的监禁。朴槿惠因腐败丑闻被免职，并被控受贿和滥用职权。

The largest cable operator in America is hoping to buy the Sky Television Group. Comcast has been putting a bid for 31 billion dollars. The sum is bigger than the offer from 21st Century Fox which has a minority stake in Sky.

美国最大的有线电视运营商希望收购Sky电视集团。康卡斯特已经出价310亿美元。这比21世纪福克斯(21st Century Fox)的出价要高，但后者拥有Sky的少数股权。

Japan has arrested almost 100 asylum seekers for working illegally. The detention is part of the first crackdown on abuses of its strict refugee system. Japan approved just 20 asylum cases last year out of nearly 25,000 applications.

日本逮捕了近100名非法工作的难民。拘留是对滥用其严格的难民制度的第一次打击行动。去年，日本在近25000个申请中只批准了20个避难申请。

New Zealand’s opposition national party has elected Simon Bridge as its first ever Maori leader. He would be supported by a Maori deputy. Mr. Bridge campaigned on a platform of a generational change.

新西兰反对党国家党推选西蒙·布里奇为首位毛利领导人。他得到了一名毛利副手的支持。布里奇先生在一个世代交替的平台上进行竞选活动。

A new study has shown that microbes can survive without water for decades. The results come from the Atacama Desert in Chile, one of the driest places on earth. The researchers say the results increase hope for finding life on Mars which has similarly dry conditions.

一项新的研究表明，微生物可以在没有水的情况下存活数十年。研究结果来自智利的阿塔卡玛沙漠，这是地球上最干燥的地方之一。研究人员说，这一结果增加了在火星上找到生命的希望，因为火星上也有类似的干燥条件。