澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-07-29

The Opposition¹ says the information leaks that have plagued the Government are a sign of chaos² at the top. Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb has seized on Treasurer³ Wayne Swan's admission the Government can't stop the leaks.

“We can't control leaks and I certainly can't predict where they are coming from.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbott are both campaigning in Melbourne today.

Indonesia's Supreme⁴ Court has recommended that Schapelle Corby's jail sentence be slashed⁵. The 33-year-old Australian serving a 20-year sentence in Bali for drug smuggling⁶ is seeking clemency⁷ from the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. In a submission⁸ to the president, a judge has suggested a reduction in that term. A decision is yet to be made.

Greek fuel-tanker drivers have been protesting after the government used a rare emergency law to force them back to work after strike action threatened tourism and caused food shortages. A wave of industrial action since new austerity measures were introduced cut tourist arrivals by 5 per cent the first quarter of the year.

And former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin in a rare duet to raise money for charity. The classically trained Dr Rice played piano while Ms Franklin sang the hit song “I Say a Little Prayer”.

More ABC News at midday.

1 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。

2 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

3 treasurer   

n.司库，财务主管

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。
• The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

7 clemency   

n.温和，仁慈，宽厚

参考例句：

• The question of clemency would rest with the King.宽大处理问题，将由国王决定。
• They addressed to the governor a plea for clemency.他们向州长提交了宽刑的申辨书。

8 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。