英语新闻视频 China Daily Video News:Apr 18

Olympic Torch Relay Update
The Olympic Torch has made its way to Thai capital Bangkok. Earlier this week it was in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Dar es Salaam¹, Tanzania; Muscat, Oman; Islamabad, Pakistan and New Delhi, India.
National Stadium open to media
On Wednesday the media got a sneak² preview of the National Stadium or Bird’s Nest, which is now completed.
This weekend, it will host the Good Luck Beijing Race-Walking Challenge.
Bank reserve ratio hiked to 16%
On Wednesday the central bank announced the amount banks must hold in reserve will be raised by half a percentage point.
The reserve requirement ratio is now a record 16 percent, the third hike this year.
Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi wins third term
Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi won his third term as Italy’s prime minister on Monday after defeating former Rome mayor Walter Veltroni in a general election.
The election was called after Romano Prodi’s government collapsed³ in January.
Pope Benedict goes to America
Pope Benedict XVI is on his first visit to the United States.
He will preside over two masses at baseball stadiums and pray at ground zero. He celebrated⁴ his 81st birthday in the White House on Wednesday.
In Depth
President Hu Jintao meets Taiwan’s Vincent Siew
President Hu Jintao met with Vincent Siew, chairman of the Taiwan-based Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation during the Boao Forum⁵ for Asia.
Hu said economic and trade exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan face a historic opportunity.
Siew hopes weekend charter flights will be launched as soon as possible so that mainland tourists can soon travel to Taiwan.
Pakistani President talks to China Daily
In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf praised Beijing for its preparations for the upcoming Olympics.
He condemned⁶ those who tried to disrupt the Olympic Torch relay.
Musharraf was in Beijing to develop closer relations with China economically and politically. He called for strengthening a communication infrastructure⁷ between the two countries as well as security against terrorism.
Japan and China to boost ties
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is in Tokyo in the lead-up to President Hu Jintao’s visit to Japan next month.
It will be the first time a Chinese president has visited Japan in a decade.
Hu will attend the opening ceremony for the China-Japan Friendly Exchange Year of Youth.
He will also play table tennis with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
Putin to lead United Russia
President Vladimir Putin will lead Russia’s largest political party after he steps down next month.
He will also serve as prime minister once his successor, Dmitry Medvedev, is sworn in as president on May 7.
Putin accepted the newly created job of chairman of United Russia for four years, giving him guaranteed control of the Duma for the same period.
News on lighter⁸ note
Celine Dion supports 2008 Olympics
Canadian singer Celine Dion was in Beijing and gave her full support behind the Olympics.
She flew into the Chinese capital after a concert in Shanghai.
Dion said she was definitely against boycotting⁹ the Games.
Cultural Relics¹⁰ Returned to China
Cultural relics dating back from 2,000 BC to the Ming Dynasty were returned to China after they were smuggled¹¹ out a decade ago.
The 156 ceramic¹² and jade¹³ pieces were discovered in Denmark in 2006. China got them back through the Danish courts.
Jet Li wins at Hong Kong Film Awards
Martial arts star Jet Li won best actor at the 27th Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in The Warlords.
The period epic¹⁴ also scored seven other prizes including best film and an award for its director, Peter Chan.

1 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

2 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 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。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

9 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

10 relics   

[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸

参考例句：

• The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
• Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。

11 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

12 ceramic   

n.制陶业，陶器，陶瓷工艺

参考例句：

• The order for ceramic tiles has been booked in.瓷砖的订单已登记下来了。
• Some ceramic works of art are shown in this exhibition.这次展览会上展出了一些陶瓷艺术品。

13 jade   

n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠

参考例句：

• The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
• He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

14 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。