AP 2012-02-13_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

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1. President Barack Obama is freeing ten states from the strict and sweeping¹ requirements of the No Child Left Behind education law. The states must promise to improve the way schools teach and evaluate students. The move is an acknowledgement that the law's main goal, getting all students up to par² in reading and math by 2014, is not within reach.

2. Startling new pictures emerged from the Syrian city of Homs. Activists³ say government forces continued to bombard neighborhoods with mortars⁴ and rockets and scores of people have been killed.

3. A former aide to Gabrielle Giffords is running in the special election to serve as her interim⁵ replacement⁶ in Congress. Democrat⁷ Ron Barber was Giffords' district director. He was also wounded in the shooting at an Arizona shopping center.

4. Italy's Mount Etna spewed lava⁸ overnight with bursts lighting⁹ up the night sky. Mount Etna, at more than 9,800 feet high, is the largest active volcano in Europe.

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1 sweeping
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。 Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 par
n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的
参考例句：
Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。 I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

3 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》

4 mortars
n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵
参考例句：
They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。来自《简明英汉词典》 Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？来自教父部分

5 interim
adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间
参考例句：
The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。 It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

6 replacement
n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品
参考例句：
We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。 They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

7 democrat
n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员
参考例句：
The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。 About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

8 lava
n.熔岩，火山岩
参考例句：
The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。 His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

9 lighting
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。 The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。