英国新闻听力 巴基斯坦斯瓦特河谷发生巷战

Intense street fighting is reported in the main town of Pakistan's Swat Valley, Mingora, as the Pakistani military embarks¹ on the critical phase in its efforts to retake control of the northwest of the country from spreading Taliban insurgency². An army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said troops had entered Mingora earlier in the day, killing³ 17 militants⁴ and clearing parts of the town. But he said he expected the operation to be slow because there were up to 20,000 civilians⁵ still trapped in the town. Thousands of people have fled to neighboring districts. This man described his journey.

"Our homes were destroyed. We left behind our cattle and our properties. We walked all the way and had to walk for two days over the mountains. We had to wait for 24 hours and checked out as there was a curfew and we have nothing to eat."

The Taliban has contested the military's casualty figures.

The US military in Afghanistan says American and Afghan forces have made one of the biggest drug seizures⁶ since foreign troops arrived in the country eight years ago. The drugs included opium⁷, poppy seeds, morphine, heroin⁸ and hashish and large quantities of chemicals used for processing the drugs. Sarah Rainsford reports from Kabul.

There had been reports of heavy fighting in Majar in southern Afghanistan for several days. Now a statement from the US military says 60 insurgents⁹ have been killed there and Afghan-US coalition¹⁰ troops have seized more than 90,000 kilograms of narcotics¹¹, that's described as a record haul. The vast majority of the world's opium is produced in southern Afghanistan and the trade in drugs is a crucial source of funding for the Taliban.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has visited the military-run camp in Sri Lanka, holding about 170,000 people displaced by the army's final assault on the Tamil Tiger rebels. Mr. Ban said he was saddened and humbled¹² by what he saw there and urged the Sri Lankan authorities to let the aid agencies in. Our BBC correspondent accompanying him says that in one area 74,000 people were crammed¹³ onto land meant to hold half that number.

Some hospitals in North America are reporting shortages of nuclear materials used to diagnose patients after the Canadian authorities closed a reactor¹⁴ because of a leak of heavy water. The reactor is one of only four in the world that produce medical radioactive isotopes¹⁵. Canada has asked South Africa and Australia for help. Lee Carter reports.

The Canadian nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ontario is the largest single supplier of isotopes in the world. It was shut down a few days ago because of a water leak. Now authorities are predicting that it will be at least a month before the reactor will be back in service. The Canadian nuclear facility is more than 50 years old and a similar shutdown over safety concerns in 2007 led to a global shortage of isotopes. Already some North American hospitals are reporting shortages of the radioactive material.

World news from the BBC

The Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu has dismissed the African Union as inept¹⁶ and toothless after it called on the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Eritrea. The AU says Eritrea has supplied weapons to militias¹⁷ in Somalia opposed to the transitional government. The Eritrean government denies this. Minister Abdu told the BBC his country has now suspended its membership of the AU.

In Britain a row over MP's exploiting their expenses is continuing. The spiritual head of the Anglican Church Archbishop Rowan Williams has warned what he called the systematic¹⁸ humiliation¹⁹ of British politicians could damage democracy. His comments came as more MPs were forced to explain their expenses claims.

Nearly 500 soldiers have been confined to barracks at a military academy in Spain after several cadets contracted swine flu. Spain's Ministry²⁰ of Health said there were 11 confirmed cases of the virus at the site and further 50 suspected cases. From Madrid, Steve Kingston reports.

The Spanish government is seeking to downplay fears about swine flu at the Hoyo de Manzanares Military Academy on the outskirts²¹ of Madrid. It says the cadets diagnosed with the virus have shown only mild symptoms and responded well to treatment and that nearly 460 other cadets without symptoms have been confined to barracks for a week, purely²² as a precaution. But there remains²³ a big question mark over what caused this outbreak. It seems none of those undergoing treatment had traveled to Mexico, prompting concerns that the virus may have been contracted and then passed on within Spain.

And a woodworker whose simple practical handmade wooden furniture sits in some of the most prestigious²⁴ museums in the United States and in the White House has died at the age of 93. Sam Maloof, the son of Lebanese immigrants became famous for his chairs, cradles and other practical furniture which stressed usefulness before artistry.

据报道，巴基斯坦斯瓦特河谷主要城镇Mingora发生激烈巷战，当时，巴基斯坦军方正着手准备重新夺取塔利班分子蔓延的东北部地区的关键阶段。军方发言人Athar Abbas少将称，军队在当天早些时候已经进入Mingora，击毙14名好战分子，肃清了城镇的一部分。但是他说，活动将会非常迟缓，因为仍有20,000多名平民被其中。数千人已逃到邻近地区。这名男子描述了他的遭遇。

“我们的家被毁坏了。我们丢掉了我们的家畜和财产。我们一路步行，走了两天才翻越那些高山。我们必须等待24个小时，符合要求后才能离开，因为那里实行宵禁令，我们没有任何吃的东西。”

塔利班分子正在努力时军方伤亡数字上升。

美国驻阿富汗军队称，美军和阿富汗军队联合缴获了自外国军队抵达阿富汗以来最大宗毒品。这些毒品包括鸦片，罂粟，吗啡，海洛因，大麻和大量制造毒品的化学物质。Sarah Rainsford在喀布尔报道。

有报道称阿富汗南部的Majar发生了长达几天的激战。现在，美军发表声明称有60名叛乱分子被杀，阿富汗美国联合部队缴获了90，000多千克麻醉毒品，这创立了最高纪录。世界上大多数的鸦片都产自阿富汗南部，毒品交易是塔利班分子的关键资金来源。

联合国秘书长潘基文访问了斯里兰卡军队设立的难民营。在军队向塔米尔猛虎组织发起的总攻中有170,000人被迫转移，目前安置在难民营中。潘基文说，在那里看到的景象使他非常伤心和沮丧，敦促斯里兰卡官方允许救助机构入境。陪同他前往的BBC记者说，还有74,000人被隐藏到地面，将数字减少了一半。

由于加拿大官方因重水泄漏关闭了一个核反应堆之后，北美一些医院相继报道用来诊断病人的核物质短缺。世界上仅有四座核反应堆生产医疗放射性同位素，这是其中之一。加拿大目前向南非和澳大利亚求助。Lee Carter报道。

位于安大略湖Chalk River河的加拿大核反应堆是世界上单个最大的同位素供应者。几天前，由于重水泄漏被关闭。现在，官方预测至少要一个月之后核反应堆才能重新服务。加拿大核设施已经超过50年之久，在2007年处于安全考虑对其关闭时引起了全球同位素短缺。目前，北美一些医院已经报告了放射性物质短缺。

非洲联盟要求联合国安理会对厄立特里亚实行制裁以后，信息部长Ali Abdu抨击非洲联盟笨拙，无能。非洲联盟称， 厄立特里亚向索马里叛乱分子提供武器反对过度政府。厄立特里亚政府对此予以否认。Ali Abdu部长说，厄立特里亚目前已经停止了非洲联盟的会员资格。

在英国，议员过度报销丑闻案仍在继续。英国国教教堂总教主圣歌总长Rowan Williams警告说，英国政治家集体性的耻辱会毁坏民主。由于更多议员被要求对其费用报销做出解释，他发表了此评论。

在西班牙，由于几名军官学校学生被怀疑感染猪流感，大约500名士兵被限制在军事学院的军营内。西班牙卫生部长称，该地点已有11名确诊病例，另外还有50个疑似病例。马德里，Steve Kingston报道。

西班牙政府试图降低马德里郊区Hoyo de Manzanares军事学院对猪流感的担忧。政府称，被诊断感染甲型流感病毒的人只是表现出了轻微的症状，对治疗措施有良好反应。其他460名没有症状的学生被隔离在军营内一个星期，纯粹是为了预防。但是这次猪流感暴发的原因仍然是一个疑问。似乎正在接受治疗的人没有一个去过墨西哥。这引发人们担心流感病毒已经变异并传播到了西班牙。

一名木工艺家去世，享年93岁。他制作的简单的手工家具摆放在美国一些很有权威的博物馆甚至白宫之内。Sam Maloof是一个黎巴嫩移民的的儿子，他制作的椅子，摇篮和其他实用家具更加注重实用，而不是艺术性。

1 embarks   

乘船( embark的第三人称单数 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• Patricia is a free-spirited girl who embarks on an erotic odyssey. 翠茜亚是个任性少女、毅然踏上一次性爱之旅。
• Passenger train driver: Punctually embarks. 客车司机：准时出发。

2 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 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。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

7 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

8 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

9 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

10 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

11 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 humbled   

adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低

参考例句：

• The examination results humbled him. 考试成绩挫了他的傲气。
• I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. 我相信数百万观众看了这个故事后都会感到自己的渺小。

13 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

14 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

15 isotopes   

n.同位素；同位素( isotope的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the many isotopes of carbon 碳的诸多同位素
• Tritium is one of the mildest radioactive isotopes. 氚是最和缓的放射性同位素之一。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 inept   

adj.不恰当的，荒谬的，拙劣的

参考例句：

• Whan an inept remark to make on such a formal occasion.在如此正式的场合，怎么说这样不恰当的话。
• He's quite inept at tennis.他打网球太笨。

17 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

18 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

19 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

20 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

21 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

22 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

23 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

24 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。