澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2012-02-17

 A new report by the Grattan Institute says the Australian students are falling well behind their east Asian counterpart.Says Australia's education reforms are focusing on the wrong areas.Says Australia should be spending money on improving teacher qualities rather than worrying about school funding and class sizes.

 

 

Pacific Brands,the manufacturing of Bonds and Berlei underwear is closing two distribution centers in Sydney and sacking 160 workers.76 new staff will be hired at a new center in Melbourne.And is considering closing its two refineries¹ in Sydney and Brisbane, putting 800 jobs at risk.

 

 

In other news,the UN General Assembly is prepared to vote on a ARAB-responded resolution condemning² human right violation³ in Syria.The regime is continuing its assault on opposition⁴ fighters in many parts of the country.Activists⁵ say at least 22 people have died in the latest attacks.

 

 

A school bus and a truck have collided in the west bank, killing⁶ at lest 8 Palestinian children.The bus carrying about 50 children over turned,and burst into flames outside the city of R,more than 30 children were injured.

 

 

Thail police say a group of Iranians detained after a series of explosive in Bangkok was intending to target Israeli diplomats⁷.There is no detail on the targets but authorities say at the planning was at an advanced stage.Police have linked the blast to attacks on Israeli diplomats in India and Georgia on Monday.

1 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

2 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

4 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。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》