澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-09-30

 Thousands of Qantas passengers are facing delays because of a strike by ground staff. They're going to walk off the job for an hour from 8 o'clock this morning. Up to 40 flights are likely to be delayed or cancelled. And in a separate action, engineers in Melbourne are going to strike for an hour from 6 o'clock tonight. 

 

Germany's parliament has given a new beefed-up bailout package the ticket of approval. A large majority of MPs voted in favour of the package which will increase Germany's contribution to the bailout fund by almost $300 billion. Markets in Europe and New York reacted positively¹ to that vote. 

 

China's space programme has taken a great leap forward. It's just launched the first stage of a planned space station. A rocket carrying the experimental module² has lifted off from the Gobi desert and China is aiming to have the space station fully³ operational by 2020. 

 

The Federal Government's promise to return to surplus next year has become even harder. Treasurer⁴ Wayne Swan is going to release updated budget figures this morning. And they are expected to show that forecast revenues are now down $2 billion for the last financial year. The Government has forecast the global financial crisis will cost it $130 billion in revenue in the five years from 2008. 

 

And Libya's rebels say they've captured Muammar Gaddafi's spokesman Moussa Ibrahim near the city of Sirte. The rebels have also taken control of the city's airport after weeks of fighting.

1 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

2 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 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。