英国新闻听力 12

BBC News with Charles Caro.

The United States has confirmed that it's considering a draft agreement with Iraq which could see US troops withdrawn¹ from the country in three years’ time. No details have been released but officials said that the draft provided for American forces to leave towns and cities by the middle of next year, and to pull out of Iraq completely by the end of 2011. From Washington, Richard Lister reports.

The Iraqis had insisted on a clear withdrawal² timeline, but a Pentagon spokesman said any such movements would be made only as conditions allow. The US Defense³ Secretary, Robert Gates, says the latest draft provides adequate protection for American forces, indicating that both sides have had to compromise in this process. The two sides have been close to agreement before, but the fact that the Bush administration is now briefing key members of Congress on the details of this document suggests the negotiations⁴ may now have run their course.

A report by the New York-based group Human Rights Watch says the Colombian government has consistently obstructed⁵ efforts to investigate alleged⁶ links between right-wing paramilitaries and leading politicians. Thousands of recently demobilized fighters have been given evidence which implicates⁷ dozens of Columbian congressmen, all supporters of President Alvaro Uribe. The regional director of Human Rights Watch, Jose Miguel Ivenco, outlined the complaints against the government.

In addition to how difficult and risky⁸ it is for prosecutors⁹ and judges in this country to carry out investigations¹¹, in addition to how difficult it is to obtain testimonies¹² and preserve the evidence, we find the government, such as President Uribe’s, but has, in our opinion, made itself an obstacle to the progress of justice in this regard.

Activists¹³ are marking the International Day for the Eradication¹⁴ of Poverty with renewed calls for action to help the world’s poor. The United Nations has said that about 3 billion people, nearly half the world’s population, live on less than two US dollars a day. Mark Doyle reports.

This year's UN anti-poverty day falls in the middle of a global financial crisis. The leaders of Brazil and India, two key developing nations, have warned that poor people should not be punished for the mismanagement of the rich. But the credit crisis is bound to impact on the poor world, even in countries that are marginalized from the main economic circuits. The Global Coalition¹⁵ Against Poverty says, for example, that vital wage remittances¹⁶ to poor South American countries from Latinos working in the United States are being adversely¹⁷ affected¹⁸.

The countries of the European Union say they will finalize¹⁹ by December their ambitious plans to tackle climate change, but correspondents say difficult negotiations lie ahead. Poland said eastern European countries were too poor to afford the plans, but the EU's French presidency²⁰ said the climate package was too important to drop.

World News from the BBC.

Stock markets in Europe and Asia have seen further declines a day after share values slumped²¹ around the world. But in New York, the Dow Jones index fluctuated sharply during the day before closing up almost 5% in a late surge.

A senior Spanish investigating Judge, Baltasar Garzon, has launched the first of judicial²² investigation¹⁰ into the fate of tens of thousands of people who disappeared during the Civil War in the 1930s, and the authoritarian²³ government under General Franco. He has ordered several mass graves to be opened. Judge Garzon said that the alleged defenses fell within the definition of crimes against humanity.

These days, crimes against humanities are burning issue. It’s wherever you look in the world, be it Afghanistan, Iraq or Darfur. Enough countries to make you realize this theme is never out of the news. To fight against this scar, this impunity²⁴ never ceases. And if we are referring to the investigations being carried out in Spain in relation to universal justice or eras gone by, then justice needs to follow its course within the parameters²⁵ of the law.

The French President Nicolas Sarkozy has filed a legal action for libel and invasion of privacy against the former head of a French intelligence agency. It follows the publication of extracts from the diaries of the former Spy Chief, Yves Bertrand, which included allegations about the private lives of several leading politicians, including Mr. Sarkozy himself.

The last remaining survivor²⁶ of the Titanic²⁷ is selling mementos²⁸ connected to the sunken liner to help pay her nursing home fees. The woman, Millvina Dean, who is 96 and from southern England, is hoping to raise more than 5,000 dollars. She’s selling rare prints of the Titanic as well as a suitcase filled with clothes donated by people in New York after their rescue.

And that is the latest BBC News.

1 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

2 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 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。

5 obstructed   

阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• Tall trees obstructed his view of the road. 有大树挡着，他看不到道路。
• The Irish and Bristol Channels were closed or grievously obstructed. 爱尔兰海峡和布里斯托尔海峡或遭受封锁，或受到了严重阻碍。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

7 implicates   

n.牵涉，涉及（某人）( implicate的名词复数 )；表明（或意指）…是起因

参考例句：

• This confession implicates numerous officials in the bribery scandal. 这一供认会使许多官员牵连到受贿的丑事中。 来自辞典例句
• Did you tell him that the recording implicates President Logan in Palmer's assassination? 你有没有告诉他录音显示洛根总统跟帕尔默被杀有关？ 来自电影对白

8 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

9 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

12 testimonies   

（法庭上证人的）证词( testimony的名词复数 )； 证明，证据

参考例句：

• Davie poured forth his eloquence upon the controversies and testimonies of the day. 戴维向他滔滔不绝地谈那些当时有争论的问题和上帝的箴言。
• Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. 22求你除掉我所受的羞辱和藐视，因我遵守你的法度。

13 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》

14 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

15 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

16 remittances   

n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额

参考例句：

• He sends regular remittances to his parents. 他定期汇款给他父母。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Remittances sometimes account for as much as 20% of GDP. 在这些国家中，此类汇款有时会占到GDP的20%之多。 来自互联网

17 adversely   

ad.有害地

参考例句：

• We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
• Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。

18 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

19 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

20 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

21 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

22 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

23 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

24 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

25 parameters   

因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素

参考例句：

• We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。
• See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。

26 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

27 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

28 mementos   

纪念品，令人回忆的东西( memento的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The museum houses a collection of mementos, materials and documents. 博物馆保存着很多回忆录以及文献资料。
• This meant, however, that no one was able to retrieve irreplaceable family mementos. 然而，这也意味着谁也没能把无可替代的家庭纪念品从火中救出来。