澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-04-30

There was widespread panic buying of cigarettes overnight ahead of a price rise. The Government raised taxes on cigarettes by 25 percent at midnight, adding more than two dollars to a pack of 30 cigarettes. The increase will raise an extra five billion dollars over four years, which the Government plans to put towards its health and hospitals overhaul¹.

 

Population growth and immigration are shaping up to be key election issues. The Federal Opposition³ has proposed setting target bands for population growth and a shake-up of skilled migration². But the Chamber⁴ of Commerce and Industry says the plan could impede⁵ economic growth.

 

A huge oil spill off the coast of the United States is expected to make landfall later today. It's estimated that 5,000 barrels of oil a day are gushing⁶ into the Gulf⁷ of Mexico after an oil rig exploded last week. The US government has designated the oil spill a disaster of "national significance".

 

The final UK election debate is underway. It's the last chance for the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to woo voters before next week's poll. The debate with Liberal Democrats⁸ leader Nick Clegg and the Conservatives' David Cameron is focused largely on the economy.

 

And Belgium's lower house of parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of a ban on wearing the Islamic burqa in public. The vote paves the way for the first clampdown of its kind in Europe. French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants a similar ban in his country.

1 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

2 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

3 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。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

6 gushing   

adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• blood gushing from a wound 从伤口冒出的血
• The young mother was gushing over a baby. 那位年轻的母亲正喋喋不休地和婴儿说话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》