VOA慢速英语2014 致命风暴向马尼拉方向移动

 

Deadly Storm Moves Toward Manila 致命风暴向马尼拉方向移动

In the news today…

A typhoon that hit the central Philippines is now a tropical storm. But weather experts say the storm will cause serious flooding as it moves toward the capital, Manila.

The Philippine Red Cross says at least 21 people died as a result of Typhoon Hagupit over the weekend.

The government has confirmed the deaths of two people. It says more than one million people are still at evacuation centers. In the Manila area, several thousand people fled their homes because of the storm.

Rescue teams from the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore are studying the damage.

The storm is not expected to leave the Philippines until Thursday. 

Aid groups looking to resettle Syrian refugees

Thirty rights and aid groups are calling on the international community to help 180,000 Syrians who have fled fighting in their country. The groups are asking governments from the Gulf¹ area and Latin America to help with resettlement efforts.

Separately, the UN refugee agency is holding a conference this week in Geneva to discuss resettlement of Syrian refugees. More than three million people have fled the country. The U.N. believes the conflict has also displaced 6.5 million people within Syria.

Indian Prime Minister urges people to vote despite violence in Kashmir

India’s Prime Minister is urging people in the Himalayan area of Kashmir to vote in local elections. Prime Minister Narenda Modi praised the Indian military for defending democracy. And he condemned² rebel attacks on Friday that killed 21 people, including 11 security personnel.

There has been an increase in militant³ violence since local elections began in Indian Kashmir November 25. Many people have marked ballots⁴, although Muslim separatist leaders have urged people to boycott⁵ the vote.

India and Pakistan both claim all of Kashmir. Rebel groups have been fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir since 1989.

Seventeen killed in Nepal overcrowded bus accident

An overcrowded bus fell off a mountain road in western Nepal late Sunday. At least 17 people were killed and 50 injured. There were 67 people on the bus, which had just 38 seats.

The bus was on a narrow road during the night when the accident happened about 400 kilometers west of the capital, Katmandu.

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。