澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-03-15

The Federal Opposition¹ is demanding the government inspect all homes insulated under its failed scheme. More than one million homes have been insulated under the program. But the government's paying for just 200,000 of them to be checked. The Opposition's warning home owners could be left without insurance if the work isn't checked.

The Thai prime minister says he won't cave in to demands that he dissolve Parliament. Tens of thousands of Red Shirts are calling for the government to step down and hold fresh elections.

A top US official has accused Israel of insulting the White House over plans to build 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem. President Obama's Chief Advisor² David Axelrod has slammed Israel for hampering³ Mid-East peace talks by making the announcement during Vice⁴ President Joe Biden's tour of the region.

The weather bureau is closely monitoring Cyclone⁵ Ului which passed the south of the Solomon Islands last night. The storm has been downgraded to a Category-4 system and isn't expected to hit the Queensland coast until late this week.

And Australian cricket vice-captain Michael Clarke is on his way back to New Zealand after a week of media scrutiny⁶ over his breakup with Lara Bingle. He is heading to Wellington with other members of the Australian squad⁷ for the two-Test series against New Zealand.

 

More news later.

1 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。

2 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

3 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

4 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。

5 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

6 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

7 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。