澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-11-03

The Federal Government is working on a plan to improve competition between the banks. It's likely that package will include a number of the Coalition's ideas. The Treasurer¹ Wayne Swan says he'll announce a range of policy changes next month to try and put downward pressure on rates and increase competition between the banks. The Reserve Bank lifted rates by 25 basis points yesterday, taking the official cash rate to 4.75 per cent.

Voting is now underway in the US mid-term elections with the Republicans poised² to win control of the House of Representatives. Analysts³ predict a divide in power with the Democrats⁴ tipped to retain a small majority in the Senate. The House of Reps and a third of Senate seats are up for re-election.

At least 36 people have been killed in a series of bomb blasts across Baghdad. Another 320 were injured in the attacks which involved a combination of car and roadside bombs. Officials say at least ten explosions struck eight mainly Shia areas of the city.

Two men in Greece have been charged with terrorist acts in connection to a series of parcel bombs sent to embassies in Athens. The explosive devices were found at five embassies. One of the bombs exploded at the Swiss embassy, but no one was injured.

And a gas explosion has blown apart a row of terraced houses in northern England. Fire officials say 15 people were injured in the blast that caused absolute chaos⁵, they say. Police, paramedics and firefighters spent hours scouring⁶ the rubble⁷ for residents feared trapped.

1 treasurer   

n.司库，财务主管

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。
• The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。

2 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

6 scouring   

擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤

参考例句：

• The police are scouring the countryside for the escaped prisoners. 警察正在搜索整个乡村以捉拿逃犯。
• This is called the scouring train in wool processing. 这被称为羊毛加工中的洗涤系列。

7 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。