英国新闻听力 英国航空公司与西班牙Iberia合并

The United States army has formally charged a military officer accused of carrying out last week’s mass shooting at the Fort Hood¹ military base in Texas. The officer, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an army psychiatrist², has been under armed guard in a hospital since being wounded in the shooting. Mathew Prize reports from New York.

There are still many questions surrounding the mass shooting at the America’s largest military base, but one of them has now been answered. Major Nidal Hasan, an army psychiatrist who was due to be deployed³ to Afghanistan, has been charged with 13 counts of murder. That could rise if prosecutors⁴ decide also to charge him with the murder of an unborn child being carried by one of his victims. He will be prosecuted⁵ in a military court，if convicted, he could face the death penalty, although no one has actually been executed under the US military justice system for almost 50 years.

The world’s largest maker⁶ of microchips, Intel, is to pay its main rival, AMD, one and a quarter billion dollars to settle a long running anti-trust and patent dispute. In return, AMD will drop all its lawsuits⁷ /to/ against Intel. Mark Gregory reports.

By reaching a settlement now, the two sides avoid uncertainty⁸ over the outcome of the trial and millions of dollars of legal costs. The deal is a particular relief to AMD’s investors⁹. The company’s finance is being strained by the unequal battle with Intel. AMD shares rose nearly a third in value on news of the deal, but there are also advantages for Intel which’s facing multiple investigations¹⁰ into its business practices along with several lawsuits by regulators in the US, Europe and Asia.

The body responsible for organizing Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections has recommended the polls be delayed. It said the elections couldn’t go ahead as planned in January because the Hamas movement which controls the Gaza Strip wouldn’t allow the vote to take place there. The Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said last week that he wouldn’t stand in the election because of the impasse¹¹ in efforts to restart peace talks with Israel.

The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for sweeping¹² changes to transform Russia into a modern democratic country. In his State of the Nation address, Mr Medvedev said modernization¹³ was a matter of survival.

Instead of a primitive¹⁴ economy based on raw materials, we shall create a smart economy, producing unique knowledge new-goods and technologies, goods and technologies useful for people. Instead of an archaic¹⁵ society which leaders think and decide for everybody, we shall become a society of intelligent, free and responsible people.

The BBC’s Moscow correspondent said there was much in Mr Medvedev’s speech which implied criticism of his predecessor¹⁶, Mr. Putin. But he says that’s unclear, what is unclear is whether Mr Medvedev can deliver on change.

President Obama is still considering his options over whether to send thousands more US troops to Afghanistan after the American ambassador in Kabul argued against further reinforcement. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry said he doubted the competence¹⁷ of President Hamid Karzai’s government. The current commander of international forces in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal has asked for another 40,000 troops.

The Italian authorities have arrested six Algerians accused of being part of a Europe-wide counterfeit¹⁸ ring used to raise funds for terror attacks abroad. It’s alleged¹⁹ that they used the identities of Algerian professional footballers playing in France, stole money in arm robberies and burglaries and sent it back to Algeria to be used for terrorist purposes.

British Airways²⁰ and the Spanish carrier Iberia have approved an agreement to establish the bases for merger²¹. This would create Europe second biggest airline and the two companies are hoping it will help them face one of the deepest recessions the industry has ever known. Iberia said earlier the deal would give its investors 45% of the new airline while BA shareholders²² would have 55%.

A rescue mission to save one of the world’s rarest birds, the Madagascar Pochard, seems to have succeeded. Conservationists say they have so far reared 17 ducklings by hand and had to improvise²³ by letting the baby ducks swim in a hotel bathtub. John Steward²⁴ has the details.

The Pochard, the diving duck was thought to be extinct. But in 2006, biologists spotted²⁵ just a few of them living on a remote lake in Northern Madagascar. Plans were put in place to increase their numbers, but a reconnaissance visit in July this year revealed that only six females were left alive. Team pochard, as they are known, mounted a rescue mission to get to the lake and collect some new ducklings to raise them safely. Two clutches of eggs have now been safely hatched with a third 

一名美国军官被指实行了上周德克萨斯胡德堡军事基地的枪杀事件，现军方正式对此人提起控告。自在枪击事件中受伤，军队精神病医生，少校纳达尔·马利克·哈桑已被武装监视。Mathew Prize在纽约报道。

关于美国最大的军事基地发生的这次枪击事件仍有许多疑问，但是其中一个问题已经得到回答。原本将被派往阿富汗的精神病医生哈桑少校被控13宗谋杀罪。如果检控官最终决定同时控告他谋杀其中一名受害者腹中的胎儿，该数字还会上升。他将在军事法庭接受审判。一旦罪名成立，他将面临死刑判决，尽管自美国军事司法体系成立近50年来还从未真正执行过死刑。

世界最大的芯片制造商英特尔将向主要竞争对手AMD支付12.5亿美元，对长期的反垄断和专利争议进行调解。而AMD则放弃对英特尔的所有控告。Mark Gregory报道。

通过达成和解，双方避免了审判结果的不确定性和数百万美元的诉讼费用。该协议对于AMD的投资者来说是一个安慰。由于英特尔的不平等战争，AMD的财政状况已经捉襟见肘。由于达成协议，AMD股票价格上涨了接近三分之一，但是对于英特尔来说，这也是一个好消息。目前，英特尔正接受几宗调查，并被美国，欧洲和亚洲的监控机构提起法律诉讼。

负责组织巴勒斯坦议会和总统选举的机构建议投票推迟。据称，由于控制加沙地带的哈马斯运动不允许投票在那里进行，选举不能按照计划在1月份举行。巴勒斯坦总统阿巴斯上周表示，由于与以色列恢复和平谈判的过程受阻，他不会参加选举。

俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫呼吁将俄罗斯改造为现代的民主国家。在全国讲话中，梅德韦杰夫称，现代化是关乎生存的问题。

原始经济基于原材料，而现在，我们应该创造更加高新的经济，生产更加独特的知识导向的新产品和新技术，对人民有益的商品和技术。相对于领导为每一个人思考和决策的社会，我们应该成为拥有睿智，自由和负责的人民的社会。

BBC驻莫斯科记者表示，梅德韦杰夫的讲话很大程度上暗示了对其前任普京的批评。但是他并没有明且表示。另外，梅德韦杰夫能够推行变革也并不确定。

美国驻喀布尔大使表示反对增兵之后，奥巴马总统正在考虑是否向阿富汗增派更多军队。Karl Eikenberry大使表示，他怀疑卡尔扎伊政府的资格。阿富汗军队现任指挥官Stanley McChrystal要求增派4万军队。

意大利警方逮捕了欧洲范围内诈骗团伙的6名阿尔及利亚人。他们为国外的恐怖袭击筹集资金。据称，他们的公开身份是在法国踢球的阿尔及利亚职业运动员，以此掩人耳目，通过武装抢劫和盗窃来筹集资金，然后转移到阿尔及利亚，用于恐怖主义目的。

英国航空公司(British Airways)和及西班牙Iberia达成协议，进行合并。这将打造欧洲第二大航空公司，两家公司希望此举能够帮助他们度过航空行业最严重的衰退。Iberia称，按照该协议，其投资者将持有合并后新公司45%的股份，而英国航空将持股55%。

拯救世界上最珍惜鸟类马达加斯加潜鸭的任务似乎已经取得成功。保护主义者称，目前他们已经人工养育了17只潜鸭，并且让他们即兴在宾馆浴缸中游泳。John Steward报道详细信息。

专家认为，潜鸭现在已经灭绝。但是在2006年，生态学家发现少量潜鸭居住在马达加斯加北部一个偏远的湖泊。随后，相关人员制定计划来增加它们的数量。但是今年7月份的一次侦查却发现仅有6只雌性存活。随后，潜鸭拯救小组发起拯救任务，前往湖泊所在地，搜集了几只新生潜鸭进行安全养育。目前已经成功孵化了两批潜鸭卵，第三批将在一周内进行。长期计划是将这些鸟类释放，重新回归大自然。

1 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

2 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

3 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

4 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

5 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

6 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

7 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

8 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

9 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

10 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

11 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

12 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

13 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

14 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

15 archaic   

adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的，已不通用的

参考例句：

• The company does some things in archaic ways,such as not using computers for bookkeeping.这个公司有些做法陈旧，如记账不使用电脑。
• Shaanxi is one of the Chinese archaic civilized origins which has a long history.陕西省是中国古代文明发祥之一，有悠久的历史。

16 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

17 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。

18 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

19 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

20 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

21 merger   

n.企业合并，并吞

参考例句：

• Acceptance of the offer is the first step to a merger.对这项提议的赞同是合并的第一步。
• Shareholders will be voting on the merger of the companies.股东们将投票表决公司合并问题。

22 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

23 improvise   

v.即兴创作；临时准备，临时凑成

参考例句：

• If an actor forgets his words，he has to improvise.演员要是忘记台词，那就只好即兴现编。
• As we've not got the proper materials,we'll just have to improvise.我们没有弄到合适的材料，只好临时凑合了。

24 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

25 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。