澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-04-06

 The talks are indeed underway to try to resolve the conflict in the Ivory Coast. The country’s President Laurent Gbagbo says his army is negotiating a ceasefire, but he’d told French TV he’s not ready to surrender. Early reports said he was in the brink¹ of standing² down.

 

Radioactive iodine³ 7.5 million times above the legal limit has been found in seawater near Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant. Radioactive cesium, which is extremely toxic⁴, has also been found in fish for the first time. Authorities have begun checking school playgrounds near the plant for radiation. More than 1,400 schools outside the exclusion⁵ zone will be checked.

 

The Federal Government has flagged it may introduce a mandatory⁶ deadline for insurance claims if the industry doesn’t lift its gain. Assistant Treasurer⁷ Bill Shorten has met Ipswich residents who are extremely angry about delays in processing their claims from the floods. Mr Shorten says it’s unacceptable that insurers are still dragging their feet 11 weeks after those floods.

 

The Federal Opposition⁸ says the resignation of a top executive from the National Broadband Network is yet another sign of problems with the multi-billion dollar project. NBN Co’s construction chief Patrick Flannigan quit just days after the company ended negotiations⁹ with other firms to build the network, saying their quotes were massively overpriced. Opposition Communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says the circumstances of Mr Flannigan’s departure are troubling.

1 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 iodine   

n.碘，碘酒

参考例句：

• The doctor painted iodine on the cut.医生在伤口上涂点碘酒。
• Iodine tends to localize in the thyroid.碘容易集于甲状腺。

4 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

5 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

6 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

7 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。

8 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。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。