英国新闻听力 BP公司与美国司法部达成赔偿协议

In the worst wave of violence in Northeastern Nigeria in weeks, Boko Haram militants¹ have killed around 150 civilians². The group has mounted attacks on three separate villages over the past two days. Will Ross in this report from Lagos.

"Eyewitnesses³ fleeing the area close to Lake Chad say dozens of gunmen stormed three villages where they killed men, women and children. Some reports say they were shot, others described how the Jihadis slit⁴ their victims' throats and set fire to buildings. Further south, just outside Monguno Town, a group of Boko Haram gunmen arrived as people were praying in the evening. They waited until the prayers were over, and then separated the men from the women before opening fire on all the men."

The British oil company BP has announced a huge settlement with the US Department of Justice following the oil spill in the Gulf⁵ of Mexico in 2010. Under the deal, the oil company will pay up to 18.7 billion dollars in stages to the federal government and five southern states. Nick Bryant reports.

"One of the worst environmental disasters in American history has produced the largest settlement ever paid by a single company. It follows lengthy⁶ legal battles in the American courts. The Justice Department says it will repair the damage done to the economy of the states along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the region's fisheries, wetlands and wildlife. BP described it as 'a realistic outcome' that provided clarity and certainty for all parties."

The United Nations report says the area used for the cultivation⁷ of coco leaves in Columbia increased by 44% last year. The country is the second largest producer of coco leaves after Peru. Our America's editor Leonardo Rocha has more.

"The UN described the findings of its annual survey as 'an important warning signal' that probably underestimates the rising production. Most of the increase was in the south of Columbia, in areas controlled by the FARC rebel group. The report says farmers had probably boosted their production to cover potential losses in the events that the FARC reached an agreement with the government to conclude two years of peace talks."

Malaysia has told the United Nations Security Council it wants to set up an international criminal tribunal to prosecute⁸ those suspected of having shot down a passenger jet over Ukraine last year. Nearly 300 people were killed last July when Malaysia Airline's flight MH370 crashed in Ukrainian territory held by pro-Russian separatists.

Reports say at least nine people have been killed and more than 70 others injured after a new alliance of Syrian insurgents⁹ launched an offensive to seize full control of the northern city of Aleppo. The British-based Syrian Observatory¹⁰ for Human Rights said a number of Islamist groups had issued a statement, expressing their intent to take the city. Hundreds of mortar¹¹ bombs have been fired at positions held by government forces. Aleppo has become the key battleground in the civil war.

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are investigating a possible outbreak of Ebola after four men died of symptoms typical of the disease. The health ministers said they fellowed with symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting¹² after killing¹³ and eating an antelope¹⁴ that may have been infected.

The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says there is still work to be done to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear programme. On leaving Vienna, where he had been meeting foreign ministers from the other five major powers, negotiating with Iran, Mr Fabius said he would return on Sunday, when he hoped progress in the talks would have been made.

UN observers have criticised the parliamentary and local elections in Burundi on Monday. They say the environment was not conducive¹⁵ for free, credible¹⁶ and inclusive polls. The election, boycotted¹⁷ by the opposition¹⁸, took place in what the UN called "a climate of widespread fear and intimidation¹⁹" in parts of the country. F H, a UN spokesman, said the UN secretary general urged Burundian leaders to put peace before politics.

"The overall environment was not conducive for free, credible and inclusive elections. Maximum chance should be given to dialogue among the political actors and civil society in order to create conditions for peaceful and credible elections. The secretary general reiterates²⁰ his urgent call to Burundian leaders, from across the political spectrum²¹, to put peace and national reconciliation²² above partisan²³ interests."

The United States health officials have announced the first death from measles²⁴ in the country for 12 years, A post-mortem on a woman from Washington State confirmed her fatal pneumonia²⁵ had been caused by measles.

A new report claims that life in the seas will be irreversibly changed unless carbon dioxide emissions²⁶ are drastically cut. Writing in the journal, Science, a team of experts warned that time is running out to prevent lasting²⁷ damage to marine²⁸ ecosystems²⁹ caused by a rise in temperatures in our oceans, a loss of oxygen and an increase in acidity³⁰.

几周来尼日利亚东北部发生最严重暴力事件，博科圣地武装分子杀死了大约150名平民，该组织在过去两天内对三个村庄发动了袭击。威尔·罗斯在拉各斯报道。

“逃到乍得湖附近地区的目击者称，有数十名武装分子袭击了三个村庄，他们杀死男女老少。有的报道称他们遭到枪杀，也有人描述称圣战分子切断遇难者喉咙并放火烧房屋。在南边的蒙古诺镇外，一群博科圣地武装分子抵达时，人们正在做晚祷，他们等到祈祷仪式结束后，就将男人和女人分开，然后对所有男人开枪。”

英国石油公司BP宣布与美国司法部达成重大协议，2010年该公司在墨西哥湾发生漏油事故。根据该协议，这家石油公司将逐步向联邦政府和五个南部州支付187亿美元。尼克·布莱恩特报道。

“这是美国历史上经历的最严重环境灾难，该协议是单一公司支付的最大笔赔偿，为此各方在美国法院打了旷日持久的官司。司法部称将修复对墨西哥湾沿岸一代经济、该地区渔业、湿地和野生物造成的破坏。BP称这是个‘现实的结果’，让各方都清楚明白。”

联合国报告称去年哥伦比亚用于种植可可叶的土地增加了44%，该国是第二大可可叶生产国，仅次于秘鲁。美洲编辑莱纳德·罗恰报道。

“联合国称其年度调查的发现结果是‘重大的警告信号’，可能低估了可可叶产量的增加。大多数增加的土地是在哥伦比亚南部被Farc叛军组织控制的地区，Farc与政府达成协议以结束两年的和谈，报告称农民们之所以增加生产面积，可能是为了弥补这些事件中遭受的潜在损失。”

马来西亚告知联合国安理会，希望成立国际刑事法庭来起诉涉嫌去年在乌克兰击落客机者，去年马航MH370飞机在乌克兰被亲俄分裂分子控制地区坠毁，导致近300人丧生。

叙利亚叛军新联盟为全面控制北部城市阿勒颇而发起进攻，报道称至少9人丧生，另外70多人受伤。总部在英国的叙利亚人权观察组织称多个伊斯兰组织发布声明，表示希望夺得该市。政府军控制的据点遭到数百个追击炮的袭击，阿勒颇在内战中成为关键的战场。

刚果民主共和国卫生当局正在调查可能发生的埃博拉疫情，原因是有四名男子死于类似埃博拉的症状。卫生部长称这些人杀死并食用一只可能感染埃博拉的羚羊，然后出现腹泻和呕吐的症状。

法国外长洛朗·法比尤斯称要就伊朗核项目达成协议仍需努力，他和另外五大国的外长们在维也纳和伊朗举行会谈，在离开维也纳时他说自己周日还会回来，希望那时能在会谈中取得进展。

联合国观察员批评了布隆迪周一举行的议会和地方选举，称该国的环境不适合进行自由、可信和有包容度的投票。这次选举遭到反对派的抵制，在该国部分地区举行，联合国称选举是在“普遍的恐惧和恐吓气氛”下进行的。联合国发言人称联合国秘书长敦促布隆迪领袖将和平置于政治之上。

“整个环境不适合进行自由、可信和有包容度的投票，政客们和民间社会之间应该有机会进行对话，从而创造和平和可信的选举环境。秘书长向布隆迪各个政治派别的领导人再次迫切呼吁，要求他们将和平和国家和解置于党派利益之上。”

美国卫生官员宣布该国出现12年来首个麻疹死亡案例，对华盛顿州一名妇女的尸检表明她的致命肺炎是由麻疹引起的。

一份最新报告称，除非二氧化碳排放量得到大幅度降低，否则海洋中的生命将会发现不可逆转的改变。一组专家在《科学》杂志上撰文，称要阻止海洋气温上升、氧气损失和酸度增加对海洋生态造成的持久破坏，我们所剩余的时间已经不多了。

1 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。

2 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。

3 eyewitnesses   

目击者( eyewitness的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The examination of all the eyewitnesses took a week. 对所有证人的质询用了一周的时间。
• Several eyewitnesses testified that they saw the officers hit Miller in the face. 几位目击证人证明他们看见那几个警官打了米勒的脸。

4 slit   

n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂

参考例句：

• The coat has been slit in two places.这件外衣有两处裂开了。
• He began to slit open each envelope.他开始裁开每个信封。

5 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。

6 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

7 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

8 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

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 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

11 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

12 vomiting   

吐

参考例句：

• Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. 症状有腹泻和呕吐。
• Especially when I feel seasick, I can't stand watching someone else vomiting." 尤其晕船的时候，看不得人家呕。”

13 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。

14 antelope   

n.羚羊；羚羊皮

参考例句：

• Choosing the antelope shows that China wants a Green Olympics.选择藏羚羊表示中国需要绿色奥运。
• The tiger was dragging the antelope across the field.老虎拖着羚羊穿过原野。

15 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

16 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

17 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

18 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。

19 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

20 reiterates   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The Chinese government reiterates that the question of Taiwan is China's internal affair. 中国政府重申，台湾问题是中国的内政。 来自汉英非文学 - 汉英文件
• Wang Jianzhou reiterates a fact and a viewpoint in Davos. 王建宙在达沃斯重申一个事实和一个观点。

21 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

22 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

23 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

24 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

25 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

26 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。

27 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

28 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

29 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

30 acidity   

n.酸度，酸性

参考例句：

• This plant prefers alkaline soil,though it will readily tolerate some acidity.这种植物在酸性土壤中也能生存，但硷性土壤更加适宜。
• Gastric acidity would not prevent the organism from passing into the gut.胃的酸度不能防止细菌进入肠道。