英国新闻听力 107

President Obama's new envoy¹ to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has given a stark² assessment³ of the task facing the United States in the region. He said the problems in Afghanistan were like nothing the US had had to cope with before. He's due in Pakistan on Monday for talks which Islamabad says will focus on tackling militancy⁴ in the region. Alan Johnston reports.

Richard Holbrooke is a tough veteran diplomat⁵ but he gives the impression of being slightly aghast at the scale of the task before him in Afghanistan. Making progress there, he said, would be much tougher even than it has been in Iraq. Mr. Holbrooke said the US was in for a long, hard fight and that at the moment, it was being waged with inadequate⁶ and insufficient⁷ resources. He called for new ideas and better coordination⁸ with America's NATO allies.

Taliban militants¹⁰ in Pakistan have released a video of what they say is the beheading of a Polish engineer kidnapped in September last year. They said on Saturday that they'd killed the man, Piotr Stanczak, because the Pakistani authorities refused to free militant⁹ prisoners in exchange for him.

The reformist, former President of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, has confirmed his intention to stand in the presidential election in June. He'll probably face the President incumbent¹¹, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hard-liner who's expected to seek re-election. From Tehran, Jon Leyne.

In this 30th anniversary year of the revolution, it will give Iranians a stark choice over the future of the Islamic Republic. Former President Khatami should have a chance of unseating President Ahmadinejad. But as when he was president, he'll face tough opposition¹² from hard-liners in the clergy¹³ and the military. His old supporters were disillusioned¹⁵ by his failure to push through more changes when he was in power. So the challenge will be persuading them to go out and vote.

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister, Sergei Ivanov, says Moscow is ready to resume dialogue with Washington on all issues of common interest. Ties worsened under the President Bush due in part to US plans for a missile defense¹⁶ system in Central Europe. Our defense correspondent Rob Watson is at the security conference in Munich.

Speaking at the conference on Saturday, the US Vice¹⁷ President Joe Biden has said Washington wants to press the reset¹⁸ button in its relations with Moscow. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov has now described the speech as very positive, particularly the idea of pressing the reset button. Vice President Biden had told the conference it was time to end the dangerous rift¹⁹ in relations between the US and Russia.

Police in Moscow have arrested seven opposition activists²⁰ who took part in an unauthorized ceremony to honour a high-profile lawyer and a journalist shot dead last month. A police spokesman said the group ignored orders to disperse²¹ and had provoked conflict. The activists' colleagues said they were detained elsewhere long after the ceremony.

BBC News.

The fire authorities in Australia say more than 100 people have been killed in bush fires in southeastern Australia in the country's worst recorded disaster of its kind. Tens of thousands of firefighters have been tackling the inferno²² helped by soldiers. Flames tore through several towns north of Melbourne, incinerating everything in their path. Some people died in their cars as they tried to escape. The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been touring the devastated²³ areas.

"Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours, and many good people now lie dead, many others lie injured. This is an appalling²⁴ tragedy for Victoria, but because of that, it's an appalling tragedy for the nation."

The Swiss have voted by a large majority to continue allowing European Union citizens the right to live and work in Switzerland. Official results from the referendum showed almost 60 percent of voters supported the idea. The result means the right to work will be extended to the EU's newest member states, Bulgaria and Romania, whose citizens face restrictions²⁵ within the EU itself.

The trial of the Iraqi journalist, who threw his shoes in protest at the former US President George Bush during his visit to Baghdad, has been set for February 19th. An Iraqi court official said Muntazer al-Zaidi would be charged with assaulting a head of state. His bid to face the lesser²⁶ charge of insulting Mr. Bush was rejected.

The film "Slumdog Millionaire" set in the slums of Mumbai has just won seven British Academy Film Awards, including those for best film and for Briton Danny Boyle, best director. Kate Winslet won the award for best leading actress in "The Reader", and Mickey Rourke, best leading actor in "The Wrestler²⁷". The BAFTAs are Britain's version of the Oscars, and stars from the film world braved the wind and rain to attend the ceremony in London's Covent Garden.

Glossary²⁸

aghast: If you aghast, you are filled with horror and surprise.

wage: If a person, group, or country wages a campaign or war, they start it and continue it over a period of time.

stand in: If you stand in an election, you are a candidate in it.

unseat: When people try to unseat a person who is in an important job or position, they try to remove him or her from that job or position.

disillusion¹⁴: If a person or thing disillusions²⁹ you, they make you realize that something is not as good as you thought.

push through: If someone pushes through a law, they succeed in getting it accepted although some people oppose it.

rift: A rift between people or countries is a serious quarrel or disagreement that stops them having a good relationship.

inferno: If you refer to a fire as an inferno, you mean that ti is burning fiercely and causing great destruction.

incinerate: to burn something completely

lie: You can use lie to say that something is or remains³⁰ in a particular state or condition. For example, if something lies forgotten, it has been and remains forgotten.

brave: If you brave unpleasant or dangerous conditions, you deliberately³¹ expose yourself to them, usually in order to achieve something.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

3 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。

5 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

6 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

7 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

8 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

9 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

10 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

11 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

12 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。

13 clergy   

n.[总称]牧师，神职人员

参考例句：

• I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。
• All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

14 disillusion   

vt.使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭

参考例句：

• Do not say anything to disillusion them.别说什么叫他们泄气的话。
• I'd hate to be the one to disillusion him.我不愿意成为那个让他幻想破灭的人。

15 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

16 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。

17 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

18 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

19 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

20 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》

21 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

22 inferno   

n.火海；地狱般的场所

参考例句：

• Rescue workers fought to get to victims inside the inferno.救援人员奋力营救大火中的受害者。
• The burning building became an inferno.燃烧着的大楼成了地狱般的地方。

23 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

24 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

25 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

26 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

27 wrestler   

n.摔角选手，扭

参考例句：

• The wrestler tripped up his opponent.那个摔跤运动员把对手绊倒在地。
• The stronger wrestler won the first throw.较壮的那个摔跤手第一跤就赢了。

28 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。

29 disillusions   

使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭( disillusion的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• My life is full of disillusions. 我生活中充满了破灭的梦想。

30 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

31 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。