英国新闻听力 129

The United States President Barack Obama has arrived in Trinidad for a summit with leaders from across the Americas. United States policies are expected to come under renewed criticism at the gathering¹ with the challenge likely to be led by President Chavez of Venezuela. He's already said his country, along with Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Paraguay, has been preparing its ammunition². Speaking ahead of the gathering, Mr. Chavez said the summit could not meet the challenges faced by the region.

“We consider that the draft declaration of the 5th summit of the Americas is insufficient³ and unacceptable for the following reasons. First, it does not respond to the global economic crisis despite the fact that this is the greatest challenge which humanity has had to face in decades and the most serious threat to the well-being⁴ of our people. Second, it unjustifiably excludes Cuba without mentioning the general consensus⁵ that exists in the region to condemn⁶ the blockade.”

The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United States policy towards Cuba has failed and that the Obama Administration welcomes overtures⁷ from Cuba's President Raul Castro. Her comments come a day after the Cuban leader said he was prepared to enter wide-ranging discussions with Washington.

In a major policy shift, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that carbon dioxide emissions⁸ pose a health risk. The Agency says the gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. Justin Webber reports.

This is another of those handbrake turns from the Bush route to the new course set by Obama, not an unexpected change of direction but nonetheless hugely significant. The Environmental Protection Agency's announcement contains the simple assertion that green house gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations. This announcement is the first step towards a huge new nationwide system of regulation. There will be a period of public consultation⁹ first, and there is bound to be intense opposition¹⁰.

A radical¹¹ Islamic cleric in Pakistan has vowed¹² to continue his campaign to enforce Shariah law across the country, the day after he was released from jail on a court order. The cleric, Maulana Abdul Aziz, told thousands of his followers¹³ at the Red Mosque¹⁴ in Islamabad that they should be prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of Islam.

In the past, we were working very peacefully towards bringing Sharia law and God willing in the future again we will work for Sharia law peacefully. The purpose about our life is to bring Sharia law in this country and we will bring peace to this country also.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has secured pledges of more than 5 billion dollars in aid to boost development and to help fight Islamist militants¹⁵. The money was offered at an international donors’ conference in Tokyo after President Asif Ali Zardari warned that the world had yet to grasp the implications of his country's struggle. If we lose, he declared, the world loses.

Palestinian leaders in the west bank have told the visiting United States envoy¹⁶ George Mitchell that Israel must accept the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace settlement. Mr. Mitchell said that US remained committed to such a solution. However, the new Israeli government has repeatedly declined to endorse¹⁷ it. The Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that in the present circumstances, the Palestinians had no partner for peace.

A cyclone¹⁸ which has intensified¹⁹ over the Bay of Bengal has hit southern coastal²⁰ areas of Bangladesh. The authorities had already issued storm warnings for the area and thousands of people have taken cover in shelters in the Cox's Bazar district. Volunteers are on stand-by for any emergency. The cyclone is also threatening parts of Burma.

A multimillion-dollar initiative has been launched to subsidize new drugs to help combat malaria²¹, a disease that kills more than a million people a year. About 225 million dollars will initially²² go towards encouraging the use of newer, more effective drugs. Adam Miner has this report.

Every 30 seconds, a child dies from malaria. Most of the fatalities²³ are in Sub-Sahara Africa where millions of people have little protection against malaria mosquitoes and no access to medical treatments. Some traditional prophylactic²⁴ drugs are no longer effective because the parasites²⁵ have become drug-resistant. The new program launched in Oslo will subsidize new drug treatments known as ACTs: Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies which are made of two active anti-malaria ingredients and are proved to be very effective.

The self-appointed leader of Madagascar has issued an arrest warrant for the president he ousted²⁶. The Justice Minister announced on State radio that the former president Marc Ravalomanana had misused²⁷ government funds. On Wednesday, Mr. Ravalomanana who's in exile in Swaziland said he was intending to return to Madagascar.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

3 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

4 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

5 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

6 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

7 overtures   

n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲

参考例句：

• Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句

8 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

9 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

12 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

13 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

14 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

15 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

16 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

17 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

18 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

19 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

21 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

22 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

23 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 prophylactic   

adj.预防疾病的；n.预防疾病

参考例句：

• Vaccination and other prophylactic measures can be carried out.可以采取疫苗接种和其他预防措施。
• The region began to use quinine successfully as a prophylactic.该地区开始成功地用奎宁作为预防剂。

25 parasites   

寄生物( parasite的名词复数 )； 靠他人为生的人； 诸虫

参考例句：

• These symptoms may be referable to virus infection rather than parasites. 这些症状也许是由病毒感染引起的，而与寄生虫无关。
• Kangaroos harbor a vast range of parasites. 袋鼠身上有各种各样的寄生虫。

26 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

27 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》